Route 66
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
As-Salaamu ‘Alaikum Bebies!
Well, I did it.
I have left New Orleans.
I’m not in L.A. yet. But I’m close enough to feel comfortable writing.
I have an arrival time.
It’s an hour and a half later than scheduled which is really a bummer because I was going straight to Zawji’s plantation as soon as I alighted.
But there is no way I can get from dtla to Venice Beach on the bus in two hours. Then again, there is the train now…
I don’t know. I’ll have to see when I get there. Maybe I can arrive when he gets off and go from there. I might be married for real tomorrow, ya’ll. 😀
I decided not to get him fired.
A. He needs time to stack his cheddar before opening his own restaurant and
B. It’s a seafood restaurant and I’m a pescatarian who loves fine dining. And that’s all he works at. So, I’ma give him some time.
I want him to open up a restaurant somewhere on Crenshaw where they’re building that new train. I’ve seen whole business centers, including residential plazas, open up around train stations, so there’s A LOT of money to be made.
But anyway, this was the first time I’ve left New Orleans and the bus took us through downtown and I was able to make a video. Let me see if I can post it. BRB
Okay, Zawji doesn’t want me to post it until the end.
But I got on the bus and actually left. I mean, I knew I was going to do it this time. But it was almost surreal. I couldn’t believe I was actually leaving such a wonderful city like New Orleans.
But some things are bigger than just having fun. Zawji needs me more than New Orleans, so when He Calls, I Come Running.
I saw this Brother in Houston who looked like what I think Zawji looks like now and it was all I could do to keep my hands off his body. LBVS. I mean, OMG. He was about 6’3″ and had the body of a muscular ball player but not like Boris or Tyson, well maybe Tyson. I can’t really remember what he looked like, it’s been so long. LOL Maybe Tyrese but I don’t know how tall he is. But just Oh My God.
I’m still getting used to him being tall. I’m pretty sure I’m ready, but I’ve NEVER had to look up to him. We’ve always been eye to eye or close to it. Now I’ll have to stand on my tippy-toes to kiss him. That’s new.
And I feel a little insecure knowing how alluring he is to women, but he keeps telling me it doesn’t matter as long as he ONLY wants me.
It’s so funny because there’s a Subway in the New Orleans Greyhound Station (btw they get the award for dopest Greyhound Station. They have a Subway inside. And the store is off the hook. New Orleans is off the hook so of course, they offer all the New Orleans paraphernelia. Except Saints stuff. They didn’t have any Saints stuff, which made me glad I went to their pro shop and got Hakim a snapback.
I also got him an ink pen and some Ooey-Gooey Cake. He thinks I’m gonna eat it before I get home. But I’m almost there and I still have it. So, looks like he’ll get to taste it. He has good taste in foods, so I know he’ll love it like I do. I need to try and find a recipe. BRB
CLICK THE PICTURE FOR THE RECIPE
(I would double the cream cheese topping though. It looks pretty thin in the picture)
I got him some gold beads too. My mom used to go to New Orleans all the time and she would bring back beads but never gave any to anyone as far as I know. That just seems wrong to me. I mean how can you go to New Orleans and not give anybody any beads. She would just hang them on her rear view mirror. Maybe she gave them to other people and not me. In any case, I didn’t think about that until I was putting my son’s stuff together and I thought how selfish can you be, not to bring back beads from New Orleans for your family? It should be second nature. I mean even if they don’t care or know anything about New Orleans beads. Just give them some. They’re everywhere! But my mom is a special kinda selfish. She won’t even let me live in her garage. But that’s never stopped me. 😀 )
So anyway, I should be back in L.A. tonight, In Sha Allah, and I know it is. So, see you when I see you!
Zawji still won’t let me post the video. Maybe later…
Self-Defense
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
As-Salaamu ‘Alaikum Beloved and Beautiful Black Bebies!!!
I came across this post from Facebook and thought it would be good to share.
As Muslims, we do not carry weapons because we put our faith in Allah, who Created the steel that the weapons are made out of and Allah Has Power over His Creation. So we trust in Him to defend us from our enemies and “their” weapons.
The Holy Qur’an states that “fighting is ordained” and we are living in a War, so naturally, we will all have to fight eventually.
Say Allah U Akbar!!! (Allah is the Greatest!!!) and kill him or her if they are a devil Caucasian, but if it is your Brother or Sister, just get them off of you.
1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do :The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do!2. Learned this from a tourist guide. If a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse,
DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you… Chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than you, and he will go for the wallet/purse.
RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION! OR JUMP ON HIS BACK AND WRESTLE HIM TO THE GROUND DEPENDING ON HOW BRAVE YOU FEEL.3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy.. The driver won’t see you, but everybody else will. This has saved lives.
DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you… Chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than you, and he will go for the wallet/purse.
RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION! OR JUMP ON HIS BACK AND WRESTLE HIM TO THE GROUND DEPENDING ON HOW BRAVE YOU FEEL.3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy.. The driver won’t see you, but everybody else will. This has saved lives.
4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc.
DON’T DO THIS!) The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side, put a gun to your head,
and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE. YOU CAN DO WHATEVER IT IS WHEN YOU GET TO YOUR NEXT DESTINATION.
If someone is in the car with a gun to your head DO NOT DRIVE OFF, Repeat:
DO NOT DRIVE OFF! Instead gun the engine and speed into anything, wrecking the car. Your Air Bag will save you. If the person is in the back seat they will get the worst of it. As soon as the car crashes bail out and run. It is better than having them find your body in a remote location.
5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage:
A.) Be aware: look around you, look under your car, look inside your car, at the floor,
and in the back seat. Have your keys ready before you begin your walk to your car.
B.) If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars.
C.) Look at the car parked on the driver’s side of your vehicle, and the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to get a guard/policeman or somebody to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.) It is good to have an escort anytime you have to walk anywhere. I’ve asked Brothers on several occasions to walk me somewhere. I want to make them know that not everyone is afraid of them and that we, their women, actually LOOK TO THEM FOR PROTECTION from our and THEIR REAL OPEN ENEMIES, the devil Caucasians.
6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot. This is especially true at NIGHT!
7. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked ‘for help’ into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim. Always Ask Allah before you offer help to someone. A real man would feel like less than a man taking help from a woman anyway.
8. Another Safety Point: Someone just told me that her friend heard a crying baby on her porch the night before last, and she called the police because it was late and she thought it was weird. The police told her ‘Whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.’ The lady then said that it sounded like the baby had crawled near a window, and she was worried that it would crawl to the street and get run over. The policeman said, ‘We already have a unit on the way, whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.’ He told her that they think a serial killer has a baby’s cry recorded and uses it to coax women out of their homes thinking that someone dropped off a baby. Always use caution when something unusual happens that might bring you to your door.
Stay alert, keep safe, and look out for your neighbors! Please pass this on.
I’d like you to forward this to all the people you know.
It may save a life. A candle is not dimmed by lighting another candle.
Supa Dupa Skanless
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
As Salaamu ‘Alaikum Beloved And Beautiful Daughter!
I pray Allah these words reach you in the Best of Health, WEALTH, LUXURY, and HAPPINESS. I pray that you are enjoying ABUNDANT Blessings from your and my Saviour, Amad-Jamal Allah. He LOVES YOU, Pumpkin, more than that man you’ve been calling father ever could.
He is the reason for your wealth, Sweet Pumpkin. Not the Navy. I know you see yourself doing better than the others who are also in the Navy. Even your so-called boyfriend. (And STOP GIVING HIM MONEY!) It is because your TRUE FATHER – AMAD-JAMAL HAS POWER OVER EVERYTHING and HE Sees To It THAT YOU ARE NEVER WITHOUT.
He Sees and Hears Everything, My/OUR Daughter.
STOP WHORING. Save Yourself For Your Husband. That is why you are not married. We are living in a NEW DAY, Sweet Pumpkin Pie. We, as Black Women have to Hold Ourselves Higher Than Other Women of the Earth Because WE ARE THE FIRST.
I know you are wise enough to understand that the TRUTH of your Paternity is in Your Favour, Sweet Pumpkin. You Really ARE A PRINCESS and I am The Queen.
Your Father – THE KING – Knew You Were His When He Kissed You. His Knowledge is INFINITE, My Beloved Firstborn. I didn’t even know until yesterday!
ACCEPT YOUR OWN AND BE YOURSELF!
~Mom
❤ ❤ ❤
P.S.
If you are still in doubt, Sweet Princess, Look AT YOURSELF, and then look at your so-called “father’s” other children. They are ALL DARK. YOU ARE BROWN-SKINNED.
Do you know when you lived with me, he never gave me one cent in child support. But he got money from Social Security for me when you went to live with him. That is, until you turned 18. That’s why he started tripping on you. He stopped getting those checks.
He has the mind of a slave. Any man who needs any type of help taking care of his own children is mentally still a slave; unable to care for his own and dependent upon another man to care for his own family.
Well, Zawji has completely relieved him of needing any help to care for you.
He has taken you from him and now we’ll see how he takes care of his other children without your support.
He Took Me Away From My Father who also has the mind of a slave and was living off of me, which is why he went to the extreme of adopting Hakim, completely unnecessarily. He wanted the check too. These types of men are still mental slaves and can never be free nor successful until they submit to our Lord and Saviour, in the Person of Amad-Jamal Allah, To Whom Be Praised Forever!
Your TRUE FATHER – AMAD-JAMAL ALLAH was supporting you until you turned 18. Then your foster father turned you out on the street.
What happened to that G.I. Bill money? He probably gets money for you being in the navy too. Take that skill they taught you and go work in the private industry, Pumpkin. Don’t give your skill back to the people who taught it to you. Take it and do something for self. Find you a Black Dentist and assist him. He could be your KING!
Call Dr. Dickey. He’s Black but he’s married and won’t be your KING, but at least you can get out the devil’s navy and stop helping your deadbeat foster father. 323-731-8586. And if he can’t employ you, he can refer you to someone who can.
All Navy men are punks (gay). Ask him what he had to do to become a “shellback” 
And they ALL cheat.
Now Pumpkin, you know I have never EVER said anything bad about him, even after he went out and had babies by other women, but we are living in the day when the veil of falsehood MUST be removed and the TRUTH MUST be made known. I am only telling you the truth. And the TRUTH only hurts the GUILTY.
You and Hakim are FULL SIBLINGS.
Take a paternity test if you don’t believe me. They have them at Target.
And in case you haven’t noticed… You don’t look like him anymore.
You have the same initials, Pumpkin.
GO TO HIS FACEBOOK PROFILE so you can see who he is.
He’s on IG too.
Lady in WAITING
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
This blog took an entirely different turn when I listened to this number. I never knew the lyrics were about me and Zawji. *sigh*
But anyway…
As-Salaamu ‘Alaikum Ma Sweet Babies!!!
My Sweet Zawji had to have me come all the way down South to the Bayou to teach me how to finally be a Lady. It’s so funny because I’ve always been associated with the term “Lady.” My rap name in High School (I hated it) was “Lady Rycee” LOL Man, memories… And I’ve always been girlie even though I was tomboyish at times. I was a cheerleader in High School, Drill Team Captain and later known at the club for this pink dress that had ruffles and was very “lady-ish”. I still wear puffed sleeves. And some other stuff I can’t think of now, like making sure my nails were always on point. I think I wrote about it before. Zawji used to call me his “Lady.” (smile)
But, I had to learn how not to hop fences and climb trees and climb out of windows anymore. That was a hard lesson to learn. Being a lady means you have to wait for the gentleman with the key to let you in through the door. And my son didn’t call me “Impatientifah” when my name was Latifah, for nothing. 😛
However, if I were to hop the fence and climb through the window when I lock myself out, I would be depriving my Sweet Zawji of the privilege of coming to my rescue! And deep down ALL men think they’re Superman. LOL So, Sisters, even if he makes you wait to teach you a lesson in competence, don’t be fooled. He really enjoys playing the hero.
You would think not climbing through windows at 45 would be common sense, but this was an extremely hard lesson for the kid. I’ve never needed a man for stuff I felt I could easily do myself like opening doors, changing light bulbs, opening jars, getting stuff down off of high shelves, carrying luggage, &c. I’ve always been able to “make it do what it do.” But I have to be a lady now and let Zawji do those things for us.
But trust and believe me when I tell you, Zawji had to have me sit outside ALL NIGHT LONG AND HALF THE NEXT DAY to teach my hard head how to be a real LADY. I still feel humbled just thinking about the ordeal. He knew I could have hopped the fence at any time. But deep down I WANT TO BE A LADY. So, I sat there and counted the stars and gazed at the moon and the beautiful sunrise and then watched everybody on their way to work. It was lunchtime before somebody FINALLY came and unlocked the door. Lesson Learned.
If I thought I was going to starve or something, I still KNOW HOW to hop the fence if my or our children’s life depended on it, which is why the M.G.T. (women and girls in the Nation of Islam) wear the pants-skirt. Just in case of an emergency, we are never caught unprepared. After all, we live under the shadow of death in America, so we have to be practical.
But to be honest, I just don’t feel right hopping fences anymore. I feel silly. Like I’m too old or something. Even though health-wise, I feel better than I did when I was sixteen and hopping a fence is just as easy. It’s mental. I don’t feel right anymore.
I think staying out all night had that added affect.
Like it changed my biological make-up or something hormonal probably.
In any case, it works out best for the both of us. The more ladylike I am, the more gentlemanly HE CAN BE. Men are created physically and mentally superior for a reason. Sisters, let’s humble ourselves and let them exercise and utilize all that strength. Why should we struggle with things that come so easily for them? Let’s be ladies and let them be gentlemen. It makes so much sense.
(She should have said, “You know a lot about sports, but you don’t know much about BOYS!”)
(Sometimes, a lady takes the blame for the Brothers. Authority figures usually go easier on girls. A girl around boys makes stuff happen too. “…The score is One Love… ❤ “)
I admit, we have a history much different from other women of earth, which makes being ladylike more difficult for us because we were so far removed from being ladies due to our history of slavery where we were forced to work just as hard as any man. Let’s kill that “strong Black woman” idea and be weak and dependent on our men like the devil woman is, or used to be, on her man back in the days of lace gloves and parasols. I mean really, what woman doesn’t want to be pampered, catered to and treated like royalty?
Let’s fawn over our men and let them floss their masculinity. It makes them feel macho. Especially when you say stuff like, “Oh my! I’ll never be able to open this jar. You’re such a big, strong, powerful Blackman. Could you open it for me, please?” and bat your eyelashes at him. LOL They LOVE that. I’ve never had a man refuse me ANYTHING when I ask like that. I’ve had Brothers carry furniture, luggage, groceries and anything else I need for BLOCKS!!! And I love dripping syrupy compliments all over them while we walk. 😉 They get to flex their muscles and we get to show them how much we love and appreciate the most physically, mentally and intellectually Supreme Being in the Universe – The Asiatic Blackman.
Don’t forget to THANK him profusely!!!
Muslim Pioneers Remember The Early Years Of Islam
Article, photos & captions reprinted from the March 16, 1973 edition of Muhammad Speaks Newspaper
Muslim pioneers remember the early years of Islam
Story and Photos By Nathaniel 10X
CHICAGO-These are special men. Fearless and determined, they were born with the ability to withstand hard trials, to travel the rough road. They are the distance runners who strive to endure until the end. These are pioneers, the first believers, some of the early followers of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. May Allah’s richest blessings be upon them.
Many who expected instant heaven perished or fell by the way side. But those who understood, those who knew that they had begun a long journey, they persevered and held open the Temple doors for those who would come later. They knew that they would be taken into captivity, they knew that they would have to serve time in the dungeon of hell, but they also knew that better days would come, because Messenger Muhammad told them so. He prepared them well.
TIMES WERE NOT EASY in those days and Muslims were few, and they were not loved by Lost-Found nor white. “Many times when the landlord found out that you were Muslim, you had to get out.” Brother Frank X remembers. There were also many other trials and hardships. These were depression years, hostile years. There were many responsibilities, and many posts to command.
The men had to have many talents. Brother Edward Ali, served as Supreme Captain (of Illinois) at one time. He was also a teacher at the University of Islam. Brother Willie Muhammad was Temple Secretary, also investigator. Each brother held many posts, and they all labored hard to build this nation.
There was not always a place to teach Islam and when one was found it was not always comfortable, but these determined brothers and sisters never gave up.
“I remember one time when we didn’t have a place to teach, and Sister Ada Hazziez had a place they used for a livery stable – she opened this place up for us, and we went up the alley to her place to have a meeting.” said Brother Willie Muhammad.
Brother Edward Ali also remembers those difficult years and how Islam was spread. “Many of us taught on street corners, in parks, in alleys, on playgrounds, or wherever we found a group of Black people, we’d set up shop and take care of business.
“WE WERE TEACHING the same things then as the Messenger is teaching today…ISLAM! In other words he was familiarizing us with Almighty God and His Wisdom. Not only that, but he was trying to show us that God is a living being, not a spook or something that you can’t see. He was making us acquainted with a being, a human being as God (God in Person). That was the main topic of the day.
In those glorious, early years, the brothers and sisters were extremely close, their great unity was heralded far and wide.
“Unity in those days was very, very good, ” Brother Edward Ali states. “The brothers always visited one another’s homes, and every brother had a blackboard in his home. We discussed the knowledge, which had been taught to us. The Messenger said that we must study hard, our wisdom.
“But he also gave us the law, and we tried to live by that law.” Brother Ali continued. “According to the law of Islam, you want for your brother what you want for yourself. In other words if I have a loaf of bread, half of that loaf belongs to you.”
“If the Messenger came and found you working, the first thing he would say is, ‘Brother can I help you here?’ and he would unbutton his coat and jump in and help. That’s what I call wanting for your brother what you want for yourself – that’s what I call unity – you are helping! Two or three or four or five brothers can always do better than one. Well that’s what he was teaching!!!
“He would pull his coat off anytime and help you to do a job. He was always willing to do something for you, and he still is today,” Brother Ali said.
BROTHER WILLIE MUHAMMAD heard the Teaching in the late Autumn of 1933, in a church on the Westside of Chicago on the corner of Maypole and Damen. Later, after he became a good follower, he states he knew a rough road was ahead.
“I never had the idea that we had an easy job, I was not a great scholar of the Bible, but I did know that Moses was in the wilderness for 40 years,” he said comparing the history of Moses to Messenger Muhammad.
I WOULD LISTEN carefully to the Messenger, how he would speak of 40 years – then he would tell us how many ministers he needed to raise the dead – he said he needed one million ministers. All of this told me that this job would take some time,” said Brother Willie Muhammad.
“THE MESSENGER also said that our work was right here in America – that we didn’t have to go to Africa, that it was here in America – where we could do the most good.”
“I remember how the Messenger, under all circumstances, would persevere – and he’s the same today, only wiser, but he never varied his teaching.”
“I’ve see the Messenger suffering a severe attack of his sickness (asthma), then within the next hour, he was gone into the streets to carry on his work.
“Things like this always gave me courage to know that no matter what or how I felt – this work must go on.” Brother Muhammad added.
Brother Frank X’s recollections capture the jubilance and joy and happiness that Master Fard Muhammad showed when he was among the believers.
“He was always happy,” Bro. Frank said. He would come in bowing. He would say, “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen my uncle (so-called Negro). I promised Abraham that I’d come after you. I told Abraham I’d go and gather them myself, I won’t send anyone, I’ll go myself’.”
When Brother Frank first heard the teaching in early 1933, these were depression years and times were hard.
“I REMEMBER the first time I came, it was at the Odd Fellows Hall on 33rd and State. I had never seen so many people at one time. There was no room to sit, they were all along the wall and scattered out in the halls. The Messenger taught for about six hours that night. Some got up and went home and came back again, and he was still teaching. It was a big hall; more than 1,500 people were there,” Brother Frank said.
It was on a Wednesday in May of 1933 when Brother Edward Ali first heard the Teaching.
“HE (THE Messenger) had four brothers from Detroit. They had their fez on – what we call the universe. He was demonstrating the fez, he had one and the four brothers had one.
“The people wanted to know about the fez, why the fez was red. He told them why, why it was red – well that’s the fire..fire being red, naturally the fez was red.
“It sounded real good.” Brother Ali states.
“What impresses me most and makes me want to live a long, long time, is the progress that the Nation of Islam is making. We never had any restaurants to eat in in the early days. If you didn’t have a house of your own, we had to eat at some brother’s home.
“I never will forget, there was one sister (she’s dead now) Sister Pauline Bahar, she always would fix dinner for the Fruit (F.O.I.). She would always prepare something good for the men in Islam.”
There are many memories, many secrets, much hardship and much joy in the history of the early believers in Islam. There is still much, that, despite how long ago it happened is still highly controversial and delicate. The battle at 11th and State streets, the years of captivity, and much, much more that Muhammad Speaks will endeavor to bring to its readers in the future.
There are many brothers and sisters who were not mentioned, but we will be seeing them, and we will bring their words to you, our readers. But it is their story, these gallant men and courageous women who struggled and persevered, survived and brought about change in the Name of Allah and His True Divine Apostle the Hon. Elijah Muhammad.
The Way To Success
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
“The only way to success is to unite with your God (Amad-Jamal Allah) and your people and come follow me and there you will have Heaven while you live.”
The CRESCENT City
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
As-Salaamu ‘Alaikum Ma Beautiful Black Bebies!!!
If You’ve Never Been To New Orleans, You Don’t Know What Life Is…
NEW ORLEANS IS LIFE: Music, Food, Language, Heritage, History – LIFE!!!
I first came to New Orleans in early September, 2015 after TWO YEARS of meeting people who were ALL from New Orleans. I have a VERY STRONG FEELING Zawji is from New Orleans. He visited with his parents one year. And, he went to college out here.
When I first arrived, I wanted to get back on the bus and go home. We were scheduled to arrive Saturday night, so I’m planning on heading straight to the club. But our bus was delayed and we didn’t arrive until early on a gloomy, dismal, overcast and destitute Sunday morning.
As we exited the off-ramp, I took in a deep breath and an image of the city’s homeless and all their belongings perforated under the bridge. It was depressing. But I’ve never been a quitter so I alighted the bus with forced positivity. Zawji brought me here for a reason, right? Let’s get to work!
I determined in my mind to find the Black people and start handing out my fliers.
A building directly across from the bus depot had its address in plain sight on the awning – 1022. That’s Zawji’s birthday and I took it as a positive omen and started walking in that direction.
I came to the city bus layover and one of the buses read “M L King.” Well, everybody knows that M L King Street is ALWAYS in the Black community and since those are the only people I care about, I boarded the bus.
New Orleans is 59.1 per cent Black at the present so it is pretty much entirely a Black city with “a white community.” (smile) So, I rode through the “Black community” and was shocked to see that so many homes were still in a state of disrepair on the tenth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. They would catch me so unprepared that it would bring me to tears.
The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina pretty much dominated my first trip to “The Big Easy.” Everybody has a Katrina story and I wanted to hear them all.
I love their accents here and could listen to them talk all day anyway. (smile) But I was particularly interested in the children. One day I met a group of teenagers who were very young during the DELIBERATE LEVEE EXPLOSION.
I will NEVER forget what one Sister told me. She said she thought the world was going to end.
❤ ❤ ❤
Because of Hurricane Katrina, Black People in New Orleans are something that they call “cutthroat.” But it is understandable.
I spend a lot of time in hospitals and one of the nurses told me that Katrina was so bad that the nurses were forced to leave their patients in order to save their own lives!
So, when I tell you that they are “Every man for himself” (at times) please believe me.
I had my tablet/bluetooth keyboard/case AND phone stolen at the SAME TIME by TWO DIFFERENT PEOPLE!
They con you into trusting them by telling you some sad story then when you least expect it (usually when you are distracted) they’ve disappeared with your ATM card. LOL
I can laugh about it now. I mean I wasn’t that upset at the time either. They’re just material things and easily replaced, but the injury to my pride at being made such a fool of hurt far worse than the loss of my possessions. I pride myself on my intellect and judge of character so to have been conned like that really smarts.
The guy who took my phone I kind of was suspicious of, but I didn’t think he would REALLY STEAL MY PHONE! LOL He asked me if he could use it. And I’ve had to borrow people’s phones before so I was like Yeah. But he got me.
I actually ran into the Brother who stole my tablet this trip to New Orleans. I said, “Where’s my laptop?” (LOL Shows you how much I cared about it 😛 It was a tablet.) He just acted like he didn’t know what I was talking about and got ghost in a hurry. (smile) I was just happy to see him. LOL
The first time we met he had kept on talking about how people were trying to kill him and now I know WHY!
But I learned… And, I’ll tell you how they do it. If they just touch it, it’s as good as theirs. Even if they put it down again. Somehow, they get the feel of it and they can personalize it. You know, make it look like it’s theirs. Feel like it’s theirs. So, it’s almost natural for them to walk away with it. As soon as your attention is diverted, you look up and it and they are Audi 5000.
A lot of people let news of crime and murder stop them from having a good time. But not me. I fear Allah ONLY and if He LETS you kill me, then I submit because my prayer, my sacrifice, my life and my death are all for ALLAH and you wouldn’t be successful unless He allowed you. So trust in your and my Saviour, Amad-Jamal Allah, and don’t let those news stories frighten you. He Has Power Over All Things.
Don’t be careless but don’t be a coward either.
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Sickness is a HUGE BUSINESS in New Orleans. They just built a gigantic hospital RIGHT NEXT to TWO other gigantic hospitals. They call it the Medical District. SMH
It’s the food they eat here. They live and die off of eating scavengers – catfish, shrimps, crabs, oysters, crawfish, etc. I once went to about seven different seafood restaurants and the only type of fish they served was catfish! I had never heard of such a thing. In L.A., they ALWAYS have a variety of different kinds of fish. But not in New Orleans. Even at the high end restaurant, when I asked for fish, the first thing the waitress offered me was the filthy catfish. That could have been a racial thing though.
But the people here live off of the scavengers of the sea and land (the poison hog meat), not to mention the alcohol consumption here is at record levels. They have DRIVE-THROUGH DAQUIRI PLACES!!!
I’m sure New Orleans is the only city in the world where it is legal to drink alcohol openly in public. It’s almost a crime if you DON’T!
But I eventually, found food that would give me life and they WON’T put you in jail if you don’t drink. One of the hospitals even prohibits smoking anywhere on the grounds – INCLUDING EMPLOYEES!
So come for the MUSIC. But leave before evil and wicked Mardi Gras. It’s usually in late February/early March.
Visit the Treme’ – The oldest Black Neighborhood in the U.S. and the Birthplace of JAZZ.
The French Quarter can be fun if you can stomach rampant prostitution and drunkenness. Irvin Mayfield’s has live jazz every night of the week. It’s my go-to spot when I feel impetuous jazz.
Then there’s Frenchman’s Street if you just wanna hear a lot of different kinds of sounds. I’m partial to jazz and couldn’t find any there. And I went like three different times. I don’t like to go to events (unless it’s someone I really want to see) that are scheduled. I like to go when I’m in the mood. And Frenchman’s Street left me hanging.
I did come up on a Reggae club which was aight, but onstage was just a man on a mic talking over the music the D.J. was playing and I know that’s how hip-hop started but that was 43 years ago and Coke La Rock WAS RAPPING! If you’re going to do that today at least do it over the break! I was disappointed when I saw what was on the stage. I wanted to see a show!
I did hear some hip-hop coming out of one club but I’m in New Orleans. I wanna hear some JAZZ. I can hear hip-hop anywhere. And it wasn’t even live.
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I did happen to come up on about four different Second-Line parades, which are unique to New Orleans. They originated from the funerals. They would have a brass band play and the entire procession would dance down the street to the burial place. The band was the “second line” after the funeral procession. At least that’s what I’ve heard.
I’ve yet to experience a jazz funeral although I’ve heard about three or four of them. The first one was for a jazz musician and I went to the wake and it was filled with music, but the next day, I could not find the funeral for anything in the world.
I think that was by Divine Design. I don’t think Allah wants me to experience that yet, if at all.
There is this really popular funeral home on Crenshaw that I had been dying (excuse the pun) to see. But I was only able to go inside after a Brother of mine died. Needless to say, I wished I had never been.
Nowadays, there are Second Lines for all types of celebrations. I came upon a Second Line in The French Quarter one night after passing by a wedding reception for a Black couple that looked like it ran into the millions of dollars.
This Second Line was so joyous and happy that it depressed me. I had never seen such joy in all my 45 years of life. It was Tremazing. I wish I could find the words to express the joy and happiness that EVERYBODY in the Second Line was feeling. It was beyond anything I could ever have imagined.
The only thing I can liken it to is life in the Hereafter, after the destruction of this wicked devil Caucasian race and those that follow them that only the righteous will experience. This incredible Second Line was close to my idea of what The Holy Qur’an describes as that “which no eye has seen, ear has heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man.” I certainly had no idea that SO MANY PEOPLE could EVER be so happy.
There are Second Lines for birthday parties and most of the social and pleasure clubs have annual Second Lines during Second Line Season.
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Another thing about New Orleans which distinguishes it from other cities is the abundance of water. Driving in to the city, you travel for miles surrounded by water.
I couldn’t understand why nobody cuts through the grass when walking. Until I found myself covered in mud one day. SMH Water is everywhere.
I think that has a lot to do with the preponderance of Voodou here too. I don’t know. I mean I used to think so more than I do now. I believe I’ve had a positive effect on the unholy practice.
I’ve been in spiritual battles and always come out victorious because Voodou is based on Islam. They just pray to the devil and we pray to the ONE TRUE AND LIVING GOD – ALLAH. So we can never be defeated.
New Orleans is a very secretive city. It’s called “The Crescent City” most probably because of Masons. Their police cars have a star and crescent on them.
They have Indians and voodou priests, priestesses, kings and queens, dancers and all sorts of secret societies that you would never know who anybody is because when you see them they have on masks and costumes.
You could work with a Brother and one day see a very prominent figure in a Second Line Parade dancing and leading the parade who looks JUST like the Brother from work, but you would never know because he’s wearing a mask. And how do you ask? “Ahem, Brother? Was that you in the Second Line Parade Friday Night in the Quarter?” Seriously? How lame is that?
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My first impression of New Orleans was that it is kind of like a “boy city” with lizards and dragonflies, alligators, frogs and tadpoles and whatnot. While L.A. is sunshine, rainbows, butterflies and roses. I didn’t like that too much at first. But I’ve always been somewhat of a “tomboy.” Never afraid of spiders and fascinated by lizards and tadpoles, so the city has really grown on me.
There is so much water here that the cemetery plots are above ground. If we bury them, inevitably flood water will wash up the bodies. So the dead are “buried” in concrete blocks above the earth.
The Mighty Mississippi runs adjacent to The French Quarter or The Vieux Carre (Old Square) and it is by far the most romantic place I’ve ever seen and I’m from L.A., where we have the Beach! But there’s this RIVERWALK and the first time I went was at night and I found it completely by chance so that probably accounts for a great deal of the romance.
I couldn’t find a picture that accurately depicts the romance (at night). But this is at dawn and it’s close.
Then again, I haven’t been to the beach at night since the nineties, so I could be mistaken. 😉
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There’s also this enormous lake which is almost like the beach because you can’t see the end of it. It’s criss-crossed by the longest causeway in the world, so that kind of takes away from it’s charm, but there are waves and the ebb and flow is hypnotic.
I can do stuff like people read tea leaves and tarot cards and whatnot. And I get messages from the flow of the waves, so I really dig it. It’s super romantic too and there’s less people than at the river.
One day I was at the river, looking out over the water, thinking about and missing Zawji immeasurably and I started crying. Do you know I looked up and this devil was taking my picture? I ignored him and turned my head, but when I turned back around, he had knelt down RIGHT NEXT TO ME with his frigging camera right in my face. I had to leave. Needless to say, you won’t have to worry about that at the river… LOL
This is what it looks like where I go, near Bayou St. John. But I would have taken a picture of the benches and trees that are next to the water too. Also, not the curve.
I like scenes that are uninterrupted like the horizon and I made a video one day, but that was live on Facebook. Let me see if I can post it.
I’m sure New Orleans is close to the equator. Okay, I just googled it and it’s not as close as I thought considering how tropical the weather feels to me. I mean it’s unbelievable. It makes me think of what a tropical rainforest would feel like.
My first trip here, I was in a restaurant and I noticed it had started raining. So I got out my handy-dandy umbrella but was caught totally off-guard when I opened the door and was met with a gust of WARM wind. LOL It was Tremazing and completely unexpected. There is no feeling in the world like WARM RAIN. I love it! I love the humidity period. I love water, so I’m right at home in New Orleans. The weather is nothing like anything I’ve ever experienced.
I’m going to tell my son to invent a way I can take the weather with me wherever I go. Invent a little fold-up card I can carry in my purse and whenever I want to feel New Orleans weather, I can just unfold it and step into it and be transported here like, “Lapeitah!” (That’s one of the voodou “magic” words. LOL but SMH) It’s more like “ALLAHU AKBAR!!!”
Why not? Anything the Blackman (or woman) can conceive he can achieve! He is the God of the Universe and the Creator of everything of good in it!
But… until then, take the bus, or a train or plane, streetcar,
(New Orleans has the oldest streetcar line in the world. The St. Charles on the right.)
taxicab, car, bicycle, walk or hang glide, whatever, but hightail your little self down to New Orleans and get you some red beans and rice or jambalaya WITH NO PORK! and Laissez les bons temps rouler!!! (Let the good times ROLL!!!)
Homemaking For The Black Muslim Woman Journal ™ 