From the outset, I think it is worth quoting a paragraph to consider from Imam W.D. Muhammad’s book, “Islam’s Climate For Business Success,” where he states on page 71:
“Just
as the plant has to have the condition and circumstances for its coming forth
from the earth from a dead seed, the human being has to have the climate for
success. It is called a ‘dead seed’, but
is the seed really dead? The seed is not
dead as a stone is dead. You can put a
stone in the earth, and the rains will come and the warmth will come and the
circumstances will come, but nothing will happen. But if you put a seed in the earth which
appears to be as dead as a stone – and many seeds are called stones – something
happens when the circumstances come. The
seed swells and grows into a beautiful plant and a useful thing. Likewise, it is for us. A parable of the human life in all its
descriptions is plant life with all of its descriptions. (Qu’ran).”
We prisoners have often heard it said
of us that, “The leadership of the Black community is locked up in prison.” Perhaps they meant that it would be in our
ability to provide meaningful leadership in helping to solve some of the
troublesome problems confronting the Black Community today. Viewed from that perspective, they could very
well be right, based on the Criminal Justice and Social Justice Reform work we
have been pursuing from prison for decades.
Henri Jozef Machiel Nouwen gives support
to this idea as well in saying:
“The
great illusion of leadership is to think that man can be led out of the desert
by someone who has never been there.”
And who would be best qualified
to lead our people out of the desert of crime, gun violence, poverty, and want
than those who have lived it?
The
number one reason the African American community has failed so miserably at
bringing our men back home productively from prison is because we have not
been our own Market for Reentry. We have been relying upon others to provide
that need for us, which has failed us also.
Iman
W.D. Muhammad has said by way of instruction to the African American community:
“Social establishment aspirations
need to mate with business interest; if it doesn’t, then you don’t have much of
a future for yourself in social establishment.”
I
have stopped wracking my brain wondering if the leaders in the prison
population would see the success I see in support of a business driven Reentry
Zone for Returning Citizens to the City of Philadelphia. All I can say is: “Man plans and God too plans, but the best
of planners is God.” (Qu’ran). My
mother used to put it this way: “Son,
The Lord works in mysterious ways.”
I have strong faith and find comfort in that as a hope.
Here
is my idea.
Picture
the 20 plus prisons in the State of Pennsylvania as representing different
sections of a city under different degrees of discipline, all wanting the same
thing – freedom and a realistic chance to make it upon release. Graterford Prison, now SCI Phoenix, being
under the most consistent progressive-minded administrative leadership over the
years has encouraged and supported the inmate population’s self-help program
initiative. In that sense, let’s say
SCI-Phoenix would represent the Reentry Zone in that part of the city where all
of those program initiatives are best put in play for the benefit of the entire
prison population of Pennsylvania. So,
who are the Men of Phoenix? What have we
done to support the above idea?
HERE ARE SOME OF
THE ROLES WE HAVE PLAYED
LIFERS, Inc.
Seeking Parole Eligibility Through Legislative Change (https://www.lifersincpa.org). We
all know the political connections we have made in that effort over the
years. They can serve us well in our
current stretch for freedom in carrying the work forward on the outside. The Men of Phoenix did that. It came from us!
The
LIFERS Public Safety Initiative’s (PSI) Mentoring Project for At-Risk Youth. The Men of Graterford – Phoenix did
that. It came from us!
People
Advancing Reintegration (PAR) as a self-help initiative, has dealt with reentry
effectively for 30 years. It has
produced a solid course for release preparation with PAR-Recycle Works (https://home.par-recycleworks.org)
which is now providing jobs for our
people upon release. We can expand job
opportunities for Men within that business.
It came from the prisoners of Phoenix representing the entire prison
population of Pennsylvania!
Fathers
And Children Together Experience (F.A.C.T. Experience), a solid initiative
addressing the needs of our children from a self-help perspective We did that from the mindset of the Men in
Phoenix. It came from us and can be
greatly improved upon within the external business driven Reentry Zone
envisioned as a necessary public safety initiative
Real
Street Talk has continually reached out to the young men entering the
institution as potential foot soldiers against crime and gun violence in our
neighborhoods with a mind towards business development. We did that! It came from the Men at Phoenix!
Pipe
Line To Prison Youth/Reclaiming Their Lives As Men provides participants
with a full range of reentry support to get on their feet through direct
action. The Men of Phoenix did that! It came from us!
Man
Up advocates that we take a stand for doing the right thing for ourselves
where we stand and being responsible for bettering the community upon
release.
The Men of Phoenix have done these
projects independently of each other within the Reentry Zone of Phoenix. The same thing can be done on the outside
within a business-driven Reentry Zone in the City of Philadelphia or Returning
Citizens to grow and thrive in.
The
training phase of our work is complete.
It is time now to put these initiatives to work independently of each
other, yet being compatible in service in the community within the
business-driven Reentry Zone selected for West Philadelphia as a model of
self-sufficiency. This model will lead
the way to future growth for the struggling poor of our community. Our initiatives represent a collective
transformative movement, backed by direct action every step of the way.
This
idea has been shared with significant supporters on the outside who believe the
business-driven Reentry Zone coming from us is needed in the community and
would work.
As
To Our Call To Purpose and The Black Lives Matter Movement. This is where the action is and where
success lies for the Criminal Justice Reforms we seek. Believe me, Pennsylvania is the KEY STONE
STATE and its Prison System is where the most egregious, draconian, inhumane,
and racist laws have been perpetrated against Lifers, and Blacks in particular, that cannot be defended
as the knee on the neck of George Floyd cannot be defended!
In this
present time when the whole world is demanding an end to the systematic racism
against Blacks in America, what does the Criminal Justice System of
Pennsylvania lose by granting the release of overly punished Black Men and
Women who have repented, grown old, pose no threat to society and have served
more than enough time? Men and Women who
rightly should have been released through the Board of Pardons after serving
10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 years?!
Philadelphia
District Attorney Lawrence Krasner is fighting to correct unjust and racist
practices against Blacks. But where is
the muscle of Black Lives Matter and the citizenry being applied to support his
efforts after electing him for that purpose?
Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman, Head of the Board of
Pardons, is leading the charge for the just release of Lifers. He is telling us what needs to be done, in
one aspect of the struggle, to help him and members of the Board of Pardons by
putting pressure on elected officials to “increase funding so they can process
more commutation applications and free deserving Pennsylvanians of this burden
on their lives”
This
is where the Black Lives Matter Movement can focus attention and save
lives. It is where a major victory for
prison reforms can be won. Black Lives
Matter’s ignoring this Call To Purpose would constitute the worst form
of neglect and betrayal!
THIS IS LEADERSHIP
FROM THE RISING PHOENIX!
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