Black In the Box: Sincerity

“I do not pretend to be a divine man, but I do believe in divine guidance, divine power, and in the fulfillment of divine prophecy.  I am not educated, nor am I an expert in any particular field – but I am sincere, and my sincerity is my credentials.”

Malcolm X

The late Malcolm X said these words in a statement on March 12, 1964, when he proclaimed his independence from the Nation of Islam.  I love to hear, read and recite these words and to apply them to myself.  And as we’ve been told, no one truly loves others until they want for others what they want for themselves.  So I want these words to inspire and empower my brothers and sisters just the same or similarly as they do me.

The most important message of those words is about sincerity.  Being sincere in the cause of this uprising and forward progress of my people – African descendants, no matter where they are living.  We are often discouraged and deflated by leaders who appear but are actually insincere to our cause.  These persons are politicians, clergy, social and economic activists, entertainers, etc. 

When they are exposed for who or what they are, we develop distrust of our leadership, but more so of ourselves also, because we don’t know who to trust.  This type of attitude causes us to be divided on one hand and on the other, inactive.  I feel that the latter is the worst because when we do not put forth work to change our common conditions, things only get worst, never better.

We learn and study history not just to know what happened and why, but to learn from mistakes so that we’ll be sure (or at least more conscious) not to repeat them.  Often we find ourselves repeating the same errors as our predecessors because we either didn’t learn from them or we just didn’t know.  One major mistake that we repeat is that we give up on ourselves because of crimes and deceptions that our leaders and others have perpetuated against us, because they were insincere; they either sold out or were selling us out. 

We become our own worst enemy; we assist in our own oppression.  One common attitude is that some say that there is no need to try to change because we can’t trust this or that, or this man or woman.  We believe that everybody is out to hood wink and misguide us with lies and deceit, trying to rob us.

I know from history that this is bound to happen, that is, to be faced with insincerity in one form or another.  I also know this; I am going to be sincere regardless, I don’t care if I’m the only one out of one thousand.  Just because almost everyone else is not serious that doesn’t mean that I will not be serious about helping my people and myself.  I’m not going to let that deter me in any way.  I also know that history has proven that the minority can exact change.  So if I’m a member of the minuscule group of the sincere, so be it.  These are my credentials.

By Muhammad Sulayman

Abdul Majeed
Copyright © 2014 by Elrico Fowler