Where is the next home of our Universal Parliament?

Universal Parliament, P.S. 154 Harriet Tubman elementary school 
[November 28th, 1982]

     For over four decades P.S. 154 Harriet Tubman Elementary school has been the home of the Universal Parliament of our Nation of the Five Percent. Now it seems to be the end of an era, yet the beginning of a new opportunity. As I expressed in my article The Political Science of Five Percenter Parliaments:

"Parliament comes from the Old French "parlement" which means to speak. By definition, a Parliament is the legislative body of a government. The role of that body is to make and amend laws and hold the government accountable for its policies, actions and spending. In the context of the Five Percent, our Universal Parliament in Mecca [Harlem] was established for our nation's citizens to function as an informal legislative body and government. The Old French etymology for Parliament meaning to "speak" means "to build" [communicate/add-on] in the language of the Five Percent. Thus as Five Percenters we come together monthly at our Universal Parliament to build, introduce and amend policies, actions and spending related to our national headquarters in Mecca [Harlem, NY]." 

I go on to further explain that:

"Our Parliamentary Procedure, whether nationally in Mecca or among our international, regional and/or local legislative bodies of Five Percenters, is based upon our nation's principles and customs, namely the concept of social equality. Coming together for one common cause and being equal in everything insures that any present member of our nation, regardless of their age, gender or physical ability, has the right to build upon policies, actions and spending at our Parliament. If a decision needs to be made regarding a certain policy, action or spending, all input is gathered by the present members and a decision is made based upon majority rule [vote]. If a decision cannot be made, the issue is tabled until the next scheduled Parliament." 

   The global pandemic surrounding COVID, the 2020 shutdown, social gathering/distancing restrictions and now vaccinations mandates has been a huge adjustment for all of us. Educational institutions had to pivot to online learning models that most were not prepared for. In the mid 2010s I taught a free online self-development course via the Periscope App and since then people contacted me about teaching another one. This was prior to the LIVE function being incorporated into the Facebook and Instagram Apps that people use today. It was through that demand for an online course and my desire to create something more comprehensive that I created seven Youth Outreach Development Courses in 2018. Pre-pandemic and during the initial shutdown from February to May 2020 I also co-taught an Online Class For Women via the Zoom App. Heck, prior to this podcast wave we currently see everyone with a voice riding, I had a Gabcast talk radio show in the early 2000s before Blogtalk Radio existed. Even with all of this forward-thinking making these digital learning opportunities available, I was still not fully prepared for the huge adjustment this pandemic has caused. Even though I received some criticism from Five Percenter colleagues in regards to teaching online, the majority of them had to reassess their stance. When the shutdown happened and people were not allowed to gather in public spaces, some of these colleagues adapted and started looking for online platforms to build/connect with one another through. Along with classes, some even began to hold online Parliaments, which I've had the opportunity to attend. 

    As the country began to open back up with some restrictions, and people have been allowed to gather, we [Five Percenters] recently learned that P.S. 154 Harriet Tubman is no longer available to us to hold our Universal Parliaments or any group. According to School Administration Staff whom I spoke to, the auditorium space is not available to the public due to COVID gathering restrictions and unclear vaccination status protocols. While we have been able to adjust during the Summer months by holding Parliaments outdoors, as we approach the Autumn and Winter months this will become problematic without an indoor gathering space. As I shared above, we have utilized Harriet Tubman for over four decades. How we handle this critical point in our nation's trajectory will shape the future of our nation. In my perspective, whenever there is an absence of something, that is my evidence of opportunity.

So what can we do about this?

      One of the obvious solutions is to simply find another location, which will not be around the corner from our Allah Youth Center. While challenging, this may also be a great opportunity to establish a collective presence in another community! Once we find another location we should be expected to rent that space which means we will need the money to secure and sustain it. This will require more than a few people pitching in to keep things going like we sometimes see with Five Percenter projects, programs and initiatives. Another solution is to continue our online Parliaments until the Spring or Harriet Tubman becomes available to the public again. Lastly there is a current initiative being promoted by Born Black and Divine Prince for 100 Gods to contribute $100.00 to purchase a $10,000 heat sustaining enclosed tent that is 30ft wide x 40ft long and 12ft high. That tent will be assembled and erected inside of the courtyard next to the Allah Youth Center and used for Universal Parliaments and other projects, programs and initiatives going forward. 

     Whatever decision will be made, if any at all, we will still be here as the Five Percent. However, whatever decision we make, if any at all, will affect our social norms and how we congregate moving forward. That can be a positive or it can be negative. We can build upon these challenges to grow or allow these challenges to destroy our tradition of Universal Parliaments. It is on us, as it has always been.

Peace,

Saladin

The Political Science of Five Percenter Parliaments

 

     According to Dasun Allah in his Five Percent Media article Universal Parliament Takes to The World Wide Web, "The Universal Parliament has been an institution of the 5% Nation since April of 1967 after the return of Allah the Father from his imprisonment in the Matteawan State Hospital for the Criminally Insane. It built on the tradition of house parliaments, and local and borough wide gatherings of Gods and Earths, bringing them to a unified whole. The purpose of Universal Parliament is for the nation to get to know their righteous family through reports on individual and collective works within the various communities and to tend to affairs of national interest." 

   Contrary to what some may assume or have experienced at our Five Percent Nation Universal, international, regional and/or local Parliaments, they are not get-togethers or vent sessions. Our Parliament also didn't derive from the 1956 doo-wop group that was founded by a fifteen-year-old George Clinton and named after Parliament cigarettes. Parliament comes from the Old French "parlement" which means to speak. By definition, a Parliament is the legislative body of a government. The role of that body is to make and amend laws and hold the government accountable for its policies, actions and spending. In the context of the Five Percent, our Universal Parliament in Mecca [Harlem] was established for our nation's citizens to function as an informal legislative body and government. The Old French etymology for Parliament meaning to "speak" means "to build" [communicate/add-on] in the language of the Five Percent. Thus as Five Percenters we come together monthly at our Universal Parliament to build, introduce and amend policies, actions and spending related to our national headquarters in Mecca [Harlem, NY]. 

     In the United States, the policies, actions and spending implemented in this nation's capital [DC] may or may not affect regional and/or local legislative bodies in different states and cities. Likewise in our nation's capital [Mecca], policies, actions and spending implemented there may or may not affect international, regional and/or local legislative bodies of Five Percenters in other countries, states and cities. Our Parliamentary Procedure, whether nationally in Mecca or among our international, regional and/or local legislative bodies of Five Percenters, is based upon our nation's principles and customs, namely the concept of social equality. Coming together for one common cause and being equal in everything insures that any present member of our nation, regardless of their age, gender or physical ability, has the right to build upon policies, actions and spending at our Parliament. If a decision needs to be made regarding a certain policy, action or spending, all input is gathered by the present members and a decision is made based upon majority rule [vote]. If a decision cannot be made, the issue is tabled until the next scheduled Parliament. Although our Parliamentary Procedure does not follow the entire Robert's Rules of Order [RONR], we do acknowledge these basic RONR guiding principles:

• Everyone has the right to participate in the discussion if they wish, before anyone may speak a second time. 
• Everyone has the right to know what is going on at all times. Only urgent matters may interrupt a speaker.
• Only one thing (motion) can be discussed at a time.

Political Science: a social science which deals with systems of governance, and the analysis of political activities, political thoughts, associated constitutions and political behavior. 

   In 2013 I ran for public office as a 4th District Legislative candidate. I didn't run as a Democrat or a Republican. I used what is called an Independent Nominating Petition and created my own Political Party; the Niagara Youth Party. I was also the endorsed candidate of the Green Party and Working Families Party via my Opportunity To Ballot [OTB] Petitions. Although I was not elected, in the General Election I received 20% of the votes in comparison to the Republican candidate who received 25% of the votes and the Democratic incumbent who received 55% of the votes. In that General Election my name was on the ballot for the Niagara Youth Party, the Green Party and the Working Families Party. Based upon the registered voters in the 4th District, over 95% of the votes I received were from registered Republicans and Democrats. This is unheard of and never happened in my city before because most people vote for their party line. The votes I received proved that regardless of party affiliation, people will actually vote for a person. That is both threatening and viewed as an opportunity for political parties who see this. So of course this voter turnout shocked the county/city Republican and Democratic Committees and to this day I get asked by both parties if I am willing to run for public office again. If you have been watching the 2020 Presidential Race, this is a similar position Kanye West is in regarding his presidential bid via his filed Independent Nominating Petitions for his Birthday Party. The votes he receives will be from people who are voting against their party line. If he receives a national turnout that is similar to the turnout I received locally, he will get the same response from political parties who are seeking to draft him. Why am I sharing even this? Because in my experience navigating political landscapes in addition to community outreach, I have learned and still learn a lot about Legislation and how Legislative bodies function; the cornerstone of a Parliament. It does not make me an expert yet it does enable me to make a unique contribute to our nation. This education affords me, and other brothers and sisters in these political spaces, a vantage point of view that many Five Percenters do not have. There are likewise Five Percenters who navigate other spaces which affords them a vantage point of view that I and others do not have. This is what collectively makes us all-eye-seeing, of course when there is social equality and we share those perspectives. It is through those shared perspectives that we access the knowledge [1] that shapes our power [5] dynamics.

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     In conclusion, we are as strong and efficient as our ability to organize. While we can always improve upon what we are doing, I am proud to see those Five Percenters who are selflessly stepping up at our national headquarters, internationally, regionally and locally to help push our nation forward. Parliaments are a key component to this and with COVID-19 it has been challenging for us to gather together. The introduction of Virtual Parliaments have been a great way to help address this issue and maintain our cultural continuity. While immature, gossipmongering "interlopers" still exist on the fringes of our nation, they are becoming less visible and influential in leading people in the wrong direction. The launch of digital publications such as the Five Percenter Newspaper and Five Percent Media, young Five Percenters such as The 5% Percent Connection using social media platforms to globally engage learners and Five Percenters such as Darkim who are now using YouTube LIVE to expound upon our teachings are all positive examples of our collective effort to push our nation forward. This is successfully happening in spite of this current global pandemic and the interlopers on the fringe. 

Peace,

Saladin