THE historic Million-Man March heirion 16 October in I he heart of the US capital Washington, called by Nation of Islam leatier. Luis Farrakhan, has sent a loud and clear message to l he Americans, both black and white, about the upcoming national shape of events and things. Farrakhan has made a clarion call to the American blacks (to use a modern nomenclature, African Americans'), to stand up and speak out what they want and what their grievances are. It's another milestone on the march of the African Americans towards their common destiny with the whites as an American nation. a march left unfinished by Martin Luther King Jr in the '60s. The new leader, in his "thunderous sermon", called for the end of white supremacy and establishment of rule of humanity, demolishing the dividing line between the two Americas — one white and the other black, a long-standing legate that America couldn't get rid of since the days of the Civil War (1861-1865).

Where Farrakhan Leading the Country?

Undoubtedly, Farrakhan's message' has created a consternation and commotion in the minds, particularly of the white Americans. Many eyebrows have been raised. Many frightful questions are being asked by some political pundits as to the consequence of such a 'provocative' call: where Farrakhan wants to lead the country — unity or destruction?

But the tone and tenor of Farrakhan's speech doesn't convey any rancour or 'malice' as apprehended by President Clinton, although he had 'guardedly' praised the aims of the 'march'. It must he admitted that Farrakhan, known as a robust fiery orator, has not called for the 'Doomsday' for America. Rather like a sober and mature leader, calculatively. he has named his march as the 'Million-Man-March'. neither a 'Black March' nor a Black Muslims March', although he leads a Muslim organisation. He has spoken out for the entire African Americans, keeping in view the greater interest of the American nation. He has unequivocally declared that he was not going to float a third political party (meaning, besides the Republicans and the Democrats as billionaire Ross Perrot wants one), but he wants to present the political strength of the African Americans as a "third politi-

cal force' (hat. he said, shouldn't always be taken for granted. It's totally a democratic approach to solve a national problem with greater flexibility and as equal members of a consolidated nation.

A Renewed Voice, a

Sharper Tongue

What Farrakhan has said is not anything new. He has just repeated the centuries-old hopes and expectations of the African Americans, given out in a renewed voice and in a sharper tongue. He has called a spade, a spade, rekindling the aspirations of millions, as once echoed by Martin-Luther King Jr about three decades back. So what some American intellectuals are apprehending doesn’t hold good. Some columnists of the US, press have already expressed great concerns that Farrakhan is throwing the American nation "on the brink of the racial divide". And some have discerned in his speech that "danger signs of a sharp racial division are multiplying". Such hasty conclusions are not only baseless but to some extent provocative. which are liable to do more harm than good to the American nation.

Institution of Slavery

There are indeed valid reasons for the African Americans to repct violently to the existing socio-economic situation which tilts more mercilessly against the blacks than the whites. In a recent analysis, a columnist in the Canadian dally The Toronto Star, has said: The deep structural inequalities that affect every aspect of American life begin with the institution of slavery which made African Americans a permanent other' in the American life. The divisions that slavery created have never been resolved, they continue today.'' The columnist pointed out that the "racial inequality is a central, not a peripheral feature of American life." This clearly indicates that social inequality In the US has gradually deepened and there is hardly any robust sign of its early recovery. This just can't be pushed under the carpet. And it would be suicidal to give any 'colour' to the growing unrest among the deprived and disadvantaged black community of America, which manifested itself boldly in the recent 'Million-Man-March' in Washington. In fact, the obnoxious legacy

of the institution of slavery still continues with all its virus, although it was offl ciaily abolished about a century back through the bloody civil war.

Uncle Toni's Cabin 'Exhibits'

Here it won t be out of place to recall the heinous tragedy of slavery in America, as described in the world famous bock titled, Uncle Tom's Cabin, written by Harriet Beecher Stowe in which a living character. Rev. Josiah Henson, who was both a slave and a preacher, has been immortalised as tIfe central character. The curse of slavery was brought and institutionalised in America by its British rulers, by importing hundreds of thousand workers from Africa to Work

. their cottoh and sugar "plantations as "dumb-driven cattle " They were used more as 'animals’ than human beings. as portrayed vividly in this book. To give it a more lively picture, a museum has been established with exhibits' of instruments of torture, as described in the book. At the museum are displayed the iron manacles, hand-cuffs, bull-whips and neck harnesses — the routine instruments of slavery. The museum, which stands at a place named Dresden, in Ontario province of Canada, where Rev. Henson took shelter, along with his family, slipping from the slavery to freedom in 1830. Slavery was banned in Canada much earlier than in America. The museum contains an antique drawing which shows a ship, filled to the brim, with "countless, nameless, faceless black slaves", being taken to a US harbour. According to one estimate, millions of Africans were shipped to the Caribbean and America between 16th and 19 th Centuries, but "only 15 mil lion survived the nightmare journey".

Slavery and American Civil War

The question of slavery gradually assumed such a dangerous shape that the unity of America reached a dithering point. In fact, the US was on the verge of dividing into two separate states — the northerners, supporting the abolition of slavery, later known as "abolitionists', and the southerners, as die-hard supporters for the continuation of slavery. It went to such an extent that some of

the southern states revolted against ihe Union Govern meat in Washington by declaring the establishment of a "Federated States of America", against the United States of America It was a terrible shock for Washing ton. But just as every Pharaoh has his Moses. there appeared a great saviour and deliverer of Amern a Abraham Lincoln, a dedicated "soldier" who vowed to put broken America together again and abolish the cancer of slavery from the American society for good. His dream came true during his lifetime — he became President of America in 1861. when began the Civil War against the secessionists and the war ended in 1865 with the capitation of the rebel forces on 9 April the same Md USA again emerged as one country under the dynamic' leadership of Lincoln. He returned in Washington as a triumphant soldier but he didn't know that an assassin was waiting for him for retaliation. He fell at the hands of that killer on 14 April the same year.

Perhaps the ghost ol the

assassin Is still haunting America. depriving the African Americans the fruits of the abolition of slavery The benefits have trickled down very slowly to the victims That is why America witnesses upsurges from time to time to settle the score . of course, peacefully. Thus came Matin Luther King Jr in 1963. and the recent

Million-Man-March'. under leadership of Luis Farrakhan.

From Here to ...?

But where America goes from here? The "Million-Man-March has sent out its clear message and a signal for the US government and the people to appreciate and react positively. Much depends on the flexibility and magnanimity on the part of the so-white.'Xflii&icanB .who had enjoyed so far most of tlfie privileges and opiSoftufti' ties in different aspects of socio-economic and political life They should now be ready to share them with their much-neglected neighbours since the days of independence. They shouldn't forget that it was a white President who had to wage a

five-year bloody war to clean ugly America from the virus of slavery and for this tremendous national Job to succeed thousands of white Americans sacrificed their lives. It's true that the ghosts of the slave masters are still haunting and dominating some Americans. They will have to lie exonerated in the Interest of the American nation. It's no use to Ignore reality or the upcoming gathering storm by assuming an ostrich-like posture by hiding its head In the sand. Nor It would be wise to push the ugly things’ under the carpet to put up a show of cleanliness around. The slip’ will be showing all through.

Let the new generation of Americans begin where Abraham Lincoln ended and complete his unfinished task. It is one thing to say that America champions the cause of democracy and human rights around the world and it is something else to practice 1t at home. Isn't it a pity that a country like America Is yet to see a 'Black President’ in the 'White House'? Let the historic message left by Martin Luther King Jr and now by Luis Farrakhan move the American people to a new path of peace and prosperity. through reconciliation and understanding.