Reel

FOR FULL CLIP WITH AUDIO, PLEASE CONTACT WPA. Minister Louis Farrakhan wearing Fruit of Islam uniform, speaking to audience about the need to truly understand the teachings of The Honorable Elijah Muhammad. Farrakhan says that for blacks and especially for whites in the audience to not understand Elijah Muhammad could spell trouble for the future.

Soul! Opening Credits.

Soul! Host ELLIS HAIZLIP introduces Minister LOUIS FARRAKHAN; the audience, comprised mainly of Nation of Islam brothers and sisters, applaud enthusiastically. Mr. Farrakhan discusses his definition of minister. He says he is a student and a servant of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. "Our desire is to minister to every black man, woman & child not only in America but all dark people all over the world are in the same condition. The black man of America is in the worst condition of any black people on earth." C/As audience applauding. "The black man of America is pitiful in his economic condition. He is pitiful in his moral condition. He is pitiful in his social condition. He is just a pitiful man. Disunified, filled with self-hatred." Portrait of Elijah Muhammad next to Mr. Farrakhan. Mr. Farrakhan praises Elijah Muhammad.

Host ELLIS HAIZLIP asks if black people like business professionals can serve with the Nation of Islam without becoming a member. Minister LOUIS FARRAKHAN replies that America is in economic crisis; that blacks and whites are on a collision course; that black professionals are out of work; that blacks are being edged off welfare and onto the breadlines (?); that black people (under the guidance and tutelage of Elijah Muhammad) should be utterly self-sufficient; that his uniform was produced by his "brown brothers" in Japan; that there should be more black doctors & dentists & architects & engineers & business administrators & professors willing to serve the Nation.

Host ELLIS HAIZLIP calls Minister LOUIS FARRAKHAN on his avoidance of the question: must a person willing to serve but not become a member of the Nation of Islam adopt their dietary and moral laws in accordance with Islamic practice? Mr. Farrakhan says that Elijah Muhammad says that every black person is born a Muslim, that one should serve the Nation now and they will work out the Islamic logistics later. C/As audience, many members of the Nation of Islam, applauding.

Host ELLIS HAIZLIP says that many members of the Nation of Islam discovered their faith while in prison, then asks the Minister for the Nation's stance on homosexuality. LOUIS FARRAKHAN says that Elijah Muhammad has come as an angel of salvation, not condemnation, that the Nation welcomes all (though they will change your "perversion" & "deviation" at a later date; "no creature deviates from the law under which it is created"). C/A portrait of Elijah Muhammad positioned next to the Minister. Mr. Farrakhan dispenses the grossly illogical creationism lurking behind EM's teachings before saying that "man by nature is inclined to and leans to the female and the female by nature leans toward the man". Mr. Farrakhan offers the Nation's causal link deviation theory before getting to the crux of the matter: "We didn't learn this freakish behavior in Africa. You cannot find brothers in Africa walking around with broken wrists. You don t fin in Africa women running with women. We learned that beahvior in our sojourn in America. So if we learned this behavior, we can unlearn this behavior."

Minister LOUIS FARRAKHAN quotes scripture, says that the "deviation" of homosexuality comes solely from the mind, that "there is no such thing as a homosexual that cannot be changed". "Almighty Allah is here to change us all. Again, into a new growth and to bring us back to the natural order." Host ELLIS HAIZLIP slaps the minister five while audience applauds.

Host Ellis Haizlip asks abut the Nation of Islam's stance on the role of women. Minister LOUIS FARRAKHAN says Elijah Muhammad is trying to "lift us up morally from the mud of civilization", that the white man used the black man during the era of slavery like a "stud horse". Mr. Farrakhan says that war (in Vietnam), prison and the general public lifetsyle is taking ill effect on the black man; "we cannot become a strong people unless we become a disciplined people"; "life is more than sex". Mr. Farrakhan says that Elijah Muhammad & the Koran teaches the women discipline, and condemns the man unsupportive and unprotective of his woman. "When you and I learn to practice moral discipline we will have a well-ordered society."

Host Ellis Haizlip asks the Minister why the women of the Nation of Islam are commanded to dress in stricter manner than the men. LOUIS FARRAKHAN discusses the meaning & signifigance of the X assumed by those converted to the Nation; still wearing the slave master's last name in 1970; "you are no longer the property of white people so why should you go in a white man's name so he can claim you as his own"; C/As audience members listening and appreciating the Minister's words.

Minister LOUIS FARRAKHAN says that Elijah Muhammad changes the woman's manner of dress when she receives her X with the Nation of Islam because it is a reflection of sincere respect. Mr. Farrakhan attacks mini-skirts and other fashions that are "indecent" and "promotes filth", then says that "the black man can never be respected until the black woman is respected for the black woman is the mother of civilization and if the women are corrupt and cheap then she is going to produce a corrupt and cheap future for us". Many great C/As Nation of Islam women in audience nodding, agreeing. Mr. Farrakhan urges the sisters to put on clothes that dignify her; "you don't have to show off the beauty of your form b/c showing off your form will attract a man to you in an indecent way and when a man marries you for the beauty of your physical form you must remember that time works on everything". Mr. Farrakhan says that the NOI doesn t like "the styles that the white man is dressing the black man as a clown" that he is "making a fool of you in the eyes of intelligent civilized society". Mr. Farrakhan says that "the black is 400 years removed from the East & 400 years buried in the West" and that Elijah Muhammad wants to style the black man according to his uniqueness. "We're going to style the black man in a suit that will make him a dignified black man but remember that the woman comes first."

C/A male member of the Nation of Islam clapping. Host Ellis Haizlip asks about the Nation of Islam's stance regarding illicit drugs. Minister LOUIS FARRAKHAN says that once under the guidance of Elijah Muhammad, a brother will never return to drugs. Mr. Farrakhan says that drugs are not as physical problem but a psychological and spiritual one. C/As of Nation of Islam brother Raymond, a former heroin addict, standing after being asked to by Mr. Farrakhan. Other former drug addicts, now Nation of Islam brothers, are asked to stand.

Minister LOUIS FARRAKHAN says everyone is drugged in one way or another, whether it be on religion or fame or power. Mr. Farrakhan says that the black man is dragged down by absence of freedom, that there is no genuine happiness in life if one cannot express oneself, that since he cannot bear witness to the fruits of endeavors he will reroute the desire for pleasue into the organ of pleasure or to "act bad" or "pompous". "It's just as much a drug in the church as it is on 116th street for the junkie. The church addict or the drug addict is one who feel that inb this closed world they can find peace--" but they end up going home to the rats and social deprivation. Mr. Farrakhan says "the union of brotherhood feels good and real" and that it is stronger than drugs or religion. C/As male Nation of Islam members nodding, calling out their agreement.

Host Ellis Haizlip asks what becomes of celebrities like Joe Tex, Muhammad Ali and the Delfonics who have joined the Nation of Islam and then seem to disappear from the scene. Minister LOUIS FARRAKHAN says that brothers and sisters like Ray Charles, Flip Wilson, James Brown and Arethra Franklin have distinguished themselves in one of the only fields available to them, but "after the song is sung there is a higher calling". "We are the creators of music. Now we must create a world for the black man to live in that when he plays music again it will not be the blues." Mr. Farrakhan says that Elijah Muhammad is trying to build a hospital and black celebrities can help; "remember that you stage days are coming to a close b/c when the black man is hungry, naked and out of doors you can't sing for him c'mon, black man, let's stop being the clown and the actor and the buffoon for the white folks and let's start distinguishing oursleves before the world as intelligent men of wisdom and science."

Host Ellis Haizlip says he draws much strength from Minister Louis Farrakhan, then asks the audience to write in with their impressions of the programming.

Minister LOUIS FARRAKHAN stands to deliver an address to the black people in prison. He says that Allah welcomes and forgives all, regardless their crimes b/c he is righteous and good. Mr. Farrakhan says the a criminal, the white man, brought the black man from Africa, robbed and murdered the American Indians and stole the heritage and history of the black man. He says that the white slave masters introduced theft & lying & self-hatred & murder upon the black community. "Come up out of the mud, brothers and sisters. Come on up out of the drugs, out of the valley of poverty and want. Come up out of the filth, evil and indecency and let us learn how to love each other." Minister Farrakhan and host Ellis Haizlip embrace, then the crowd offers a standing ovation. Great C/As shots Nation of Islam brothers & sisters standing and applauding.

Credits roll.