Robert Lalah, Staff Reporter
HIS QUIET demeanour, his shy smile and his unassuming personality belie the plethora of accomplishments garnered over the years by Dr. Ben Chavis Muhammad.
Dr. Muhammad, or Dr. Ben as he likes to be called, is an icon in the United States civil rights movement, a former executive director of the National Associa-tion for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP) and the current president and CEO of the non-profit lobby group, Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, the largest coalition of hip-hop artistes and record companies in the United States. He gained fame in the 1970s as part of the 'Wilmington 10', a group convicted of fire bombing a white-owned grocery store in Wilmington, North Carolina, in protest against a racist education system that existed in the region at the time. Dr. Muhammad spent five years in prison before the case was overturned.
PROVIDE EMPOWERMENT
The ordained Christian Minister turned Muslim activist visited the island for a few days recently, to participate in the annual Uplif-tment Celebrations, held in White Horses, St. Thomas. The annual celebration is the brainchild of Gary Foster, a friend of Dr. Muhammad, and aims to provide empowerment to young Jamaicans through music and mentorship.
Sitting back in a large wooden chair in the lobby of the Pegasus Hotel, Dr. Muhammad talked candidly on a number of issues. Not one to shy away from controversy, the one-time protégé of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., weighed in firstly on the hot topic of the day, the dancehall music vs. gay rights debate.
Dr. Muhammad spoke passionately on the topic, himself being involved in the struggle for universal human rights since the age of 12, when he boldly walked into a 'whites only' library in his hometown of Oxford, North Carolina, and demanded to be acknowledged.
"Human rights must be indigenous to a people. The greatest human right is self-determination. Outside factors should not be allowed to determine Jamaica's cultural destiny. Jamaica's cultural destiny must be determined by Jamaicans. It is in the hands of Jamaicans and not in the hands of the United Kingdom or the United States. I disagree with those who say Jamaican music is homophobic. There is a diversity in the music, indeed that is its strength, not its weakness," he said. "If there are contradictions in Jamaican music then they should be worked out by Jamaicans. Censorship is not the answer. We must support freedom of expression, culture and lifestyle. The gay lobbyists should not seek to confront, but should try to instigate dialogue with Jamaican artists."
Dr. Muhammad went on to say he disagreed with an editorial recently published in the New York Times which claimed that Jamaica's music was intrinsically linked with the national rate of HIV/AIDS. He noted that he believes much of the attack being waged against Jamaican music is based in ignorance. "If people knew the root essence of Jamaican music and the dynamics of the culture, they would not say the things they do," he said.
US ELECTION
Switching gears, Dr. Muham-mad spoke a bit about the recent Presidential elections in the United States. The Hip-Hop Summit Action Network was involved in the run-up to the elections through attempts to get young people out to vote.
"We succeeded in getting four million new voters between the age of 18 and 35 to participate in the elections. The end result of the election was, however, disappointing. I am encouraged though, because I know that 2004 will be the last election that the right wing will be able to consolidate its forces. The trend is moving in our direction and the young people we convinced this year are the leaders of the future. We, in fact, have already started working on the 2008 campaign," he said.
Dr. Muhammad went on to comment on the record murder rate in Jamaica and the involvement of young people in this phenomenon.
POSITIVE ACTIVITIES
"This situation, I believe, can be resolved by offering more opportunities for young people to become involved in positive activities. Many people become involved in negativity because of the absence of positivity. Violence is usually a function of poverty and lack of opportunities. If we find a way to rid the island of poverty then we will not only lower the crime rate, but the same persons who were involved in self-destructive activities will have their lives turned around and become new people," he said.
Dr. Muhammad ended by repeating something he has often said during his visits to Jamaica.
"Jamaica's youth are the smartest I have come across. Their aspirations are high and they always want a better life. What they need are opportunities to achieve these things through positive means. I am encouraged every time I visit Jamaica. I think of the work of Marcus Garvey, Michael Manley, Bob Marley and I am optimistic. " he said.
