MOST Black Men...

MOST Black Men...

     One of the surest ways to get blindsided by life is to start off with a wrong or false premise. A premise is the basis [foundation] of an argument or theory. For example, if I start off saying, "MOST women...", that is the wrong premise to argue from. It suggests that I know most women when I absolutely don't. Therefore, everything that concludes that wrong statement has more of a chance to be wrong too. Why? The foundation isn't solid. If you've ever witnessed a person start off with the wrong premise you may have also seen that conversation take a sharp detour to address the wrong premise before going any further. For example, before I could even go into talking about "MOST women" a critical thinker would first address the fact that I don't know most women to speak on them. Starting off wrong sets the tone for whatever else I have to say about women that has a high probability of being wrong too. At best, all I could say is "most women I know" -which sets the right premise and frames the conversation in the proper context. 


     What inspired this article are the countless false premises and arguments I see offline and on social media. While some false premises are deliberately made as clickbait, there are those who simply don't know how to soundly communicate their ideas. They may be well intended, and even have a valid point to make about their own personal experiences or observations, yet it all goes out of the window when they start off wrong. I once saw a Facebook post get so out of hand that it resulted in violence offline, all because of a wrong premise about how someone died.


     I recently had an online exchange with a black woman who shared a post of a white man being interviewed by a black woman on a South African News Station. Out of frustration of her questions, the white man walked off of the show and threatened her to the point he had to be escorted out of the building. The woman who posted this video captioned it, "This is how most black men treat black women now a days. It's pitiful" Upon seeing this I commented that at best all she could accurately say is, "most black men I know." Instead of considering the fundamental flaw in her statement her only response was "My mother always told me only a hit dog makes noise." The irony in this is she was literally talking to a black man who is not "MOST black men" she described. In fact, all of my colleagues are not like that. When faced with this scenario some people take pride in trying to convince someone like this otherwise. If it's a child who lacks the experience then I share with them some examples they can consider outside of their sphere of awareness. If it's an adult with no physical/mental impairments that limits their experience or sphere of awareness then I don't waste time trying to explain anything. This is an able-bodied adult who is ignorant by choice. Meaning, they choose to ignore new information and experience anything outside of their limited sphere of awareness. With this person it is only a matter of time before life shows them something otherwise. In this woman's case, who was single, she'll miss brothers like myself who don't fit into her conceptual prison house.


     As I said, many arguments start from the place of a wrong premise. Consider Donald Trump's false premise about Mexican Immigrants that, "THEY [The Mexican Government] send the bad ones over because they don't want to pay for them" or Hillary Clinton's 1996 Speech at Keene State College Speech describing inner-city [black and brown] youth as "superpredators" -a word first mentioned by Princeton Political Science Professor John DiIulio to describe these youth as subhuman, wild, amoral creatures ready to violate and murder Americans without a conscience. Both of these false premises, and many others, have been used to criminalize people of color in this country and reinforce an image of inferiority/distrust that permeates every institution, that colors every resource and fuels this economy.


     How do we begin to change that? To start, knowledge must be our foundation, not belief, hearsay or feelings. Having the facts enables us to speak from a position of surety and confidence because our proposition is sound. When we start off right, with the right information, the conclusions drawn from what we say and do will be less likely to be wrong. Belief, hearsay and feelings don't afford us the same sense of security and stability because they aren't concrete. People believe whatever they want regardless of the facts, hearsay is nothing but a rumor and feelings change like the wind. While there's a place for all of these perspectives, they're not the most sound sources to build upon because they're too transitory [impermanent]. The more we know, we have the ability to make wiser decisions. It's difficult to make wise decisions when we don't know anything first. So as we become more informed about people, places and things ,we'll begin to expand our sphere of awareness and experience life beyond the limits of belief, hearsay and feelings. We'll begin to "know" the "ledge" [knowledge] of the false premises we once stood upon and willfully speak and act wiser than we did before.


     In the series Kung Fu, Master Kan in speaking to his student Caine about perceiving the way of nature said, "Avoid rather than check. Check rather than hurt. Hurt rather than maim. Maim rather than kill. For all life is precious nor can any be replaced." With growth and development comes power, and this influence makes us a resource and responsible to those who are unaware. There are times I didn't follow the above advice in regards to mental combat and killed rather than maim, maimed instead of checking a person and checked a person instead of avoiding them. As I've gotten older I realize that many arguments can be avoided with a few well chosen words or avoiding the conversation altogether in order to preserve the relationship. People are capable of drawing the right conclusions, such as "my love wasn't wrong, I just shared it with a person unwilling to reciprocate it" if they can get their premise right, "there is a chance for love" as opposed to  a false premise like "b*tches ain't sh*t but hoes and tricks" or "all men cheat." It takes courage and receptivity to think outside of the box before stepping outside of the box, but it's a way of thinking and a step that's worth it. To say that MOST or ALL people, places and things are a certain way, especially when we don't know MOST or ALL people, places and things, is equivalent to building a house with straw or sticks. And it's only a matter of time before the big bad wolf comes and huffs, puffs and blows that house down.

Peace,
Saladin

My Top 9 Political Lessons

First and foremost, I would like to THANK all of you for your love/support during my run for political office here in the City of Niagara Falls, NY. Now that a couple weeks have gone by since our General Election, and I’ve had alittle time to process some of my thoughts about my experiences, I wanted to share with you my Top 9 Political Lessons I've learned. Before I do this, I want to give you a summarized idea of what I was able to successfully accomplish as a political candidate, and what this means on our local geopolitical landscape. Willfully this encourages some of you to also take this step to serve your City in this capacity.

Let me begin with my July 4th, 2013 Press Release announcing that I’m running for public office to represent our 4th legislative district; the highest minority population, and poorest areas in the county, according to U.S. Census data. I had already begun my research and assessed my potential support months in advance, and was convinced that I stood an excellent chance of being chosen to represent our district; given my educational background, and experience serving this community, and other communities, on a grassroots level. From working within various local youth programs to creating my own mentorship programs, publishing several books, lecturing nationally, writing over 200 articles for various national/international publications, being a program consultant for Gangland, working as a media consultant for an Artist/Actor from the series OZ, and operating a national prison correspondence and book donation program, my goal was to inform my community members about what I’ve actually done, and what I do. Because I saw how Politicians usually sold people on the idea of what they wish to do, will try to do, and plan to do once they get into office, my approach was to simply bring people up to date on what I’ve actually done, what I currently do, and encourage them to research it for themselves. Thus, they can decide for themselves if I’m qualified enough to represent the needs of our community in a legislative capacity. I did this because I am 100% confident that the more knowledge a person acquires, the wiser choices they will make.

When I stepped into the political arena, I was a wild card from the start; neither an elephant, or a donkey, I was a strait up earthflower. Registered Green Party, I was one of about 7 other party members in a district of well over 6,000 registered voters. My core campaign team consisted of three people, no campaign manager, great advice, and a war chest of about $1,000. Because of my background as a youth mentor, and community activist, I then sought out to make the political process more accessible to everyday people who wanted nothing to do with the petty politricks, politicians, and political rhetoric ruining out city. Thus the Niagara Youth Party was created to emphasize unity in our family and communities, with our four pillars being Youth Outreach, Crime Prevention, Localism, and Health and Wellness.

The fact that I unofficially got about 25% of the voters in our Primary Election to write-in my name on the Democratic ballot was unheard of! I won the Working Families Primary via people writing my name in too. This successfully happened even though I have an uncommon/ethnic name, and I had no political mailers, no media coverage, no endorsements of a major political party, associations, or unions. In the General Election I doubled the number of votes I received during the Primary Election, and again received over 20% of the votes; almost the same amount of votes received by a major political party. This kind of voter turn-out has never happened before in the history of our City, which for years, and even during this past election, usually votes according to a party affiliation, not for people. This was one of the most significant examples to date, that demonstrates a paradigm shift of a party liner era. This marked a sign of things to come... for our next generation;  a growing segment of our population who actually vote across party lines for people who they know are the most qualified to represent them, regardless of their party affiliation, their name, or ethnicity.

That being said, now let me share My Top 9 Political Lessons:

1. Politics are a Team Game. Even though I had such a phenomenal turn-out, and received a lot of public/private support from people affiliated with the Republican and Democratic party, I was still looked at as an uncommitted, unsigned, free agent because I wasn't signed with the Democrats or Republicans on paper. I've had people literally tell me, "I wish you were a Democrat!" and others say they voted for me because I'm really a Republican. Now the most frequent questions people ask me are; "Are you going to run again?", and "Are you going to affiliate yourself with, and help build, one of our major parties?"
2. Certain things don't change, and won't change, because some people are in paid positions to uphold a status quo, and keep things the same. These gate keepers are people, black and white, who have rationalized that the scraps they're personally given, are alot better than the crumbs everybody else is getting -and the people giving them these scraps are eating a five course meal.
3. Fundraising. Although I did alot with the little money I raised, I know the importance of a real budget now. Something as simple as a political mailer with my unique Dos Equis lawn sign on it, would have definately gotten more votes.
4. When you run for political office, whether you're elected or not, you've still brought issues to the table that people will continue to consider, after that election year. In other words, whether you're elected or not, you're still front stage and center. If one of your main platform points was 'Health and Wellness', you better believe people are going to watch what you eat, the health initiatives you're now supporting, and if you're packing on pounds. In my case, the message I consistently shared with our voters is my Bio; I'm a successful youth mentor, published author, community activist, and public speaker. This is what I actually do for a living, not something I wished, hoped, and would try to do once I got elected to a local political office. Because people are starting to become more aware of this, various opportunities have opened up to me to continue doing just that. This only becomes more of an asset, if I'm considering running for a political office in the future.
5. Things people say about you become old news quick when you ignore it. Feeding into "some" things only allows it to live, and sting somebody else. Sometimes, the only statement you need to make is how inappropriate, inconsiderate, or even racist something is, and how you refuse to even dignify that question/accusation with a response.
6. Politicians buy votes, and people bet on political elections like the OTB.
7. Your enemy's enemy is your friend.
8. When people say, "I support you", it doesn't mean, "I'll vote for you." When people say "I'll vote for you", that doesn't mean, "I voted for you", or "I vote" at all. As a political candidate, aside from all the doors you knock on, hands you shake, donations you get, and etc., it all comes down to basic political science; how many votes were cast for you within a 15 hour period in one day. This is what thousands of hours of campaigning, and money, ultimately comes down to.
9. As I've stated, the consistent message throughout my campaign was, "This is what I've done, this is what I do, here is where you can verify it, and then you decide for yourself what my qualifications/potential is to represent our legislative district." In otherwords, I came to the local political table like a rapper meeting with a record label, who was already selling half a million albums out of the trunk of my car;  a business acumen Rapper E-40 coined 'independent hustle'). Therefore, I was looking for a distribution deal to help expand what the label (legislative district) was currently offering. I wasn't a starving artist begging for record deal. So instead of agreeing to these mutually beneficial terms, the artist that's currently on the label got their 360 Deal renewed for another two years.

In conclusion, my overall experience was excellent, and there are still many things I'm learning each day. I appreciate having this opportunity to learn, grow, and I can't thank those of you enough who helped support our local Movement. Because of this experience, I'm becoming more equipped to continue positively impacting the lives of people globally, and locally. As for what's next for me politically, we will see.

Peace,

Saladin

Support The Movement Ad

 

Support The Movement: Saladin for Niagara County Legislature. As a Niagara County Legislature 4th Dist. Candidate, I am the Official Endorsement of the Niagara Youth Party, Working Families Party, and Green Party.

 

“I’m Not Into Politics”

Them: "I'm not into politics."

Me: "Oh that's alright, politics are in you."

 

Running for public office has been one of the most educational experiences in my life. Not just on the 'Politician' side, but also what I’m learning about the politics of people, places, and things. Since announcing my candidacy for Niagara County Legislature on July 4^th, 2013, I am now about three months into this Election Year. That’s three months of campaigning, learning, and gaining valuable experience about a terrain that’s not reflected on a map.

On Tuesday September 10^th we had our Primary Election, and the unofficial results show that I won the Working Families party line endorsement. This means that in our November 5th General Election, I will be on the ballot representing 3 party lines; our Niagara Youth Party that I created, the Working Families, and the Green Party. The unofficial results for the Democratic Primary show that I got about 25% of the vote with a write-in campaign; a voter turn-out that has never happened in our district before. People were being told by poll workers that they could only mark the bubble for the candidate on the ballot because the ballots are jamming the machines, others didn’t know how to spell my name correctly, some simply marked an “X” in the write-in spot, and still others just voted for the other candidate simply because they were confused about how to do a write-in vote. I was speaking to a woman at a polling site and after she voted she came right outside and told me that she didn’t vote for me because she wasn’t sure about who I was and what I’ve been doing in our community. After a few moments of talking she realized that I was a Guest Speaker at her church Christ Redemption Tabernacle for a Black History Month Program a couple of years ago. She also reminded me that I had given her the framed picture of Jesus and his Disciples found in the catacombs of Domitilla Rome, that she proudly has on her wall and she sees every day. All of these challenges I saw and heard personally, or voters shared with me about their experience at the polls. And despite these challenges, without one lawn sign, house mailers, media coverage, or etc. our voter turn-out was a great success.

As I mentioned, one of the most educational parts of this whole experience is what I’ve been learning about the politics of people, places, and things. See, people are often under the impression that “politics” is an isolated world that people called “politicians” are associated with. The reality is, everything is political. Politics, by one definition, simply means “the science of power or influence.” Science comes from the latin root ‘scire’ which means “to know”, so everyone, on some level, even a baby crying for milk, knows how to use power to influence their environment. The clothes you chose to wear today are influential. The music you like has the power to persuade (influence). Every advertisement we see has a political aim, whether it’s influencing us to buy food, get a flu shot, or watch a new sitcom. The reason celebrities do or don’t speak about certain current events is political; they may not want to lose endorsements, they may been looking for endorsements, or there may be some other reason. Whether we know it or not, every person, place, or thing in this Interdependent Universe has a fundamental influence, a matrix, and that power was forged through a political process. What does this mean locally? What this means is that the less aware we are of our personal/collective power to influence our environment, our community, and our families, the more power we relinquish, by default; thus allowing others to influence our environment, community, and families for us. More times than not, those who we allow to influence the needs of our environment, community, and families, in a public official capacity, end up using this power to advance only themselves, or use this influence to only help their family. Hence why we have the common phrase, “politics are dirty”, which I don't agree with. The way people use politics can be dirty and our City has seen a lot of that over the years. 

In closing, I want to reiterate that “politics” are not an isolated world that people called “politicians” are associated with. Everything is political and was forged through a political process. The same politics some Politicians use to enrich themselves in office, are the same politics some Pastors use to enrich themselves in the pulpit. The same power of persuasion some Politicians use to get voters to accept a resolution, is the same power of persuasion some Employers use to get employees to accept a policy. The same influence a Politician has to positively or negatively impact the district they serve, is the same influence a Teacher has to positively or negatively impact the students they serve. For those of you who claim you don’t get involved in politics, that idea of neutrality doesn’t change the fact that you already are involved, and living on a local political landscape where the decisions of others impact your life each and every day. You mind as well find out more about the people making these decisions, their reasoning for doing it, and if these decisions are helping serve the needs of the community you live in. If not, then you do have the power to personally/collectively change that. Vote Tuesday November 5^th.

Peace,
Saladin
Website: Saladin for Niagara County Legislature

Everyday People

 

As we approach the Primary Election for Niagara County Legislator and City Council on Tuesday September 10th, there are a couple of things I wanted to share with all of you, our local voters.

 

Is it just me or have you also noticed that most County Legislator and City Council candidates only speak about their contributions and accomplishments to our county, and city, within the context of their job duties or affiliations? Rarely do I hear someone speak about anything they've done as an everyday citizen. Rarely do I hear of anything some candidates have done that they're not getting paid for, or that's not affiliated with a club/organization they belong to. In other words, if it wasn't their job, or expected of them as a club/organization member, you'll see almost no contributions or sacrifices being made to benefit anyone outside of their own family. We are all citizens first, and what we are willing and able to do first, as everyday citizens, regardless of our job, or the club/organization we belong to, is worth considering. This is especially important to consider when these everyday citizens, choose to run for public office, and serve our everyday people as elected officials.

Recently a citizen reached out to me about a public safety concern in his neighborhood. This person is not a politician, they are not a member of a club/organization, they are not getting paid, and their concern had nothing to do with their job, or affiliations. This was an everyday citizen being proactive and taking the responsibility to coordinate other concerned citizens to resolve a situation in one of our communities. That proactive approach towards the growth and development of our communities, as an everyday citizen first, is a quality we rarely see in public officials today. It is my assessment that many of the things we would like to see happen in our communities, and city, aren't getting done, or won’t get done, because we choose people to represent everyday citizens that have done very little to nothing as everyday citizens themselves. Imagine if the citizen who reached out to me also had this mentality "it's not my job, and I'm not getting paid for it" philosophy. Can you see how this increases the danger, and lack of growth and development, of a community?

I am currently running for Niagara County Legislature to represent the fourth district. The majority of the contributions I have made to our community, and other communities around the country, have been as an everyday citizen. I had the opportunity to work as a program consultant for the History Channel Show 'Gangland', and work as a media consultant for an actor from the T.V. Series OZ. I've created Mentor Programs including a free 8-Week Young Writers Program that empowered our youth to successfully publish a book. I operate a Prison Correspondence Program where I donate literature to correctional facilities around the country. I've done fundraisers to send two local youth on a College Tour out of state, and support a Reconstruction Project for an academy in Philadelphia, PA. I've hosted various educational forums, and taught life skills classes, at our Niagara Falls Public Library. I've volunteered with various community organizations, and have done workshops, radio programs, and speaking engagements about community outreach, economic development, and personal empowerment globally. I've authored 10 books, have helped publish other authors, and have written for various publications globally. These are just a fraction of the things I've done, and currently do, as a 38 year old everyday citizen whose concerned about the growth and development of our communities, especially our youth. These are contributions and accomplishments that have nothing to do with a job I'm getting paid for, a title, or a club/organization I belong to.

 

 

Citizens of Niagara Falls, if your goal is to elect people who are going to anticipate your needs as citizens, and exceed the expectations of our community and city, there are two things we must do. Number one is: assess candidates based upon what we've proactively done, and what we currently do, as everyday citizens. To be more accurate, begin your assessment of us prior to this election year because all of the dog petting, baby kissing, and festival photos can create an image of activism and community outreach that may have never existed. Secondly, public office is a job, and just like with any job, you have people who sit around and watch the clock, people that milk the clock, people that hide until it's time to punch out, and people that give you a hard day’s work. You also have people who don't treat their position like it's just a job, and will do everything in their power to help resolve your concerns of our community. Before you vote for any of us, find out who we are. Look for evidence that supports what we have been willing and able to do, as an everyday citizen; because this is who we really are. And this is who we will continue to be, after you have elected us to represent you.

 

Saladin Q. Allah,

Candidate; Niagara County Legislature, 4th district
Official Bio
Website



 

PRIMARY ELECTION

~Voter Message~

 

Tuesday September 10, 2013 is the PRIMARY ELECTION for Niagara County Legislature, 4th District!! This is an Election Ad I created that contains Voter Instructions for Registered Democrats and Working Families!!

 

 

 

To stay informed and connected to our Campaign every step of the way, please "LIKE" our Facebook Page: Saladin Q. Allah for Niagara County Legislature #NiagaraYouthParty #Saladin2013 #Vote

I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!

This video is about the importance of being Informed Voters by asking the right questions, and making sure you assess people who desire to represent the needs of your families and community. I call it "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" as a play on the promotional slogan of the Unilever Company that sold this popular product 'as a substitute' for real butter.

To stay informed/connected to our campaign for Niagara County Legislature, "LIKE/SHARE" our Facebook Page
Saladin Q. Allah for Niagara County Legislature!

#NiagaraYouthParty #Saladin2013

 

 

Saladin 2013 Red Carpet Event

Formal ~ Social ~ Elegant

 

I invite all of you to our Official Campaign Fundraiser at the historic Echo Club Mansion (341 Portage Road, Niagara Falls, NY 14303) on Saturday August 17th, 2013 from 7pm-11pm. This is a Red Carpet, Black & White Event.

Tickets $30 each, $50 per couple. You can make your Donation at the door or RSVP in advance at our Eventbrite page here: Saladin 2013 Red Carpet Event

 

*Music

*Hot and Cold hors d'oeuvres/Catered Menu

*Wine Tasting and Cash Bar

*Red Carpet Pictures

*Guided Tour of Mansion

 

Dress Code: Elegant/Formal Attire

Questions: Email 'The Friends of Saladin' at Saladin2013@yahoo.com. You can also stay informed/connected with our campaign at our Facebook Page Saladin Q. Allah for Niagara County Legislature

All proceeds from this Event support the candidacy of Saladin Q. Allah for Niagara County Legislature (4th District).

Local Politics and Lobby Groups

 

This video is about Local Politics, Lobbying Groups, and the importance of getting involved in our local political scene because it offers a greater degree of Accountability, Accessibility, and Transparency you don't see on a regional or national level.

 

To stay informed/connected to our campaign for Niagara County Legislature, "LIKE/SHARE" our Facebook Page
Saladin Q. Allah for Niagara County Legislature!

#NiagaraYouthParty #Saladin2013

We Are On The Ballot!!

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: We are Officially in the Primary Election (September 10th) to win the Democratic and Working Families Party endorsement, and we are on the ballot for the General Election (November 5th) in our run for Niagara County Legislature!! I want to THANK our Campaign Team for their hard work, sacrifice, and commitment to making sure I got on the ballot, and their confidence in me to represent the VISION, and PLAN for our community!! ‪#‎NiagaraYouthParty‬ ‪#‎Saladin2013

If you would like to help us purchase lawn signs, you can donate at this link: Lawn Sign Fund

The Challenger Newspaper (Buffalo, NY) July 24th, 2013

 

Thank You in advance for all of your support in helping make this a successful campaign!

Peace,

Saladin‬

Niagara Youth Party
Making History!!



I am excited and proud to announce that for this year's 2013 Local Election, we're creating a new party line that I will be running on called the Niagara Youth Party!! That's right, as an alternative to the every day party politics many of us have grown dissatisfied with, we now have an opportunity to create and VOTE for a Party that best reflects the needs of our families and community!!

The Niagara Youth Party emphasizes unity in our family and communities. Our "four pillars", which serve as guiding principles, are as follows:

YOUTH OUTREACH: increasing activities, opportunities, and community alliances that support the growth and development of our youth. We believe our youth are the ambassadors of our future and must be encouraged, educated, and empowered to be the future leaders of our society.

CRIME PREVENTION: promoting initiatives that address juvenile delinquency, neighborhood safety, and community deterioration. We believe in taking responsibility for the community we live in, and protecting our most vulnerable members; children, women, seniors, and the handicapped.

LOCALISM: investing in local businesses, co-ops, trade programs, home ownership, and education that supports our local economy and maximizes the circulation of each dollar before it leaves our community. We believe in "local first" and that our economy begins with us through: increasing our social capital, lowering taxes, and pooling our ideas, skills, and resources to support each other locally.

HEALTH and WELLNESS: supporting projects, programs, and collaborations that increase the health of our families, and promote wellness in our communities. We believe that healthy families are the vital building blocks of strong communities, and to maintain wellness we must invest in activities that support our spiritual, mental, and physical health.

 

CALLING YOUNG ARTISTS!! BE A PART OF MAKING HISTORY!!

 

To get you all involved, I am having an Art Contest for youth ages 17 and under to come up with an emblem to represent the Niagara Youth Party!!

What are the Rules?

1. Youth must be 17 and under. One art submission per youth.
 

2. Art submission must be an original design that does not include any symbols of the present Political Parties (ex. Democratic, Republican, and etc.)

3. Art submission, whether graphic design or scanned drawing, must be a JPEG format with 300 dpi resolution.

4. To submit Art, the image must be posted to our FB Page Saladin Q. Allah for Niagara County Legislature. All submissions must include the youth's NAME, AGE, LOCATION (City, State, and Country if not the U.S.). Submissions also must include the hashtags: #NiagaraYouthParty #Saladin2013

5. The last date of submission is Friday, August 2nd at 12:00am (EST).

How do we VOTE?

• Go to our FB Page Saladin Q. Allah for Niagara County Legislature.
• Go to our photos and click on the album “Facebook Youth Art Contest”
• "LIKE" which photo you think best represents our Niagara Youth Party.

After the closing date for all submissions, ALL OF YOU will decide which emblem will represent our Niagara Youth Party by going to our Facebook Page and "LIKING" which photo you think best represents our youth!! The TOP THREE images that receive the most "LIKES" by Monday, August 5th at 12:00am will then be voted on, and the image with the most “LIKES” will be the winner of our contest!!

Ms. "Jordan" Ladd

Every "Jordan" Doesn't

Play Basketball

 

Since putting out my FULL PRESS RELEASE I've monitored the various local news sources to see how they'd cover the story. Not one of them have printed my press release in its entirety. All of them took only parts of it, put their own spin on it, and gave it back to the public the way they saw fit. While I do appreciate some of the publicity, there are other things I saw that were completely inaccurate. You can read my FULL PRESS RELEASE here: Saladin Q. Allah Official Press Release

Now, The Niagara Falls Reporter printed, and I quote, "Allah is a convert to Islam and changed his name as is customary for Muslims converts."

I am not sure where they got this from. I never spoke to anyone from The Niagara Falls Reporter about the weather let alone religion. I never said that, it's not in my press release, it's not in anything I've published online, and it is completely inaccurate. I am not Muslim nor was my name change for religious reasons. The Niagara Falls Reporter did accurately state, "Allah says his ancestor was Rev. Josiah Henson, who is said to be the inspiration for the fugitive slave in 'Uncle Tom's Cabin'." Yet it's this very part of my ancestry that would have given them more insight about me, my family background, and my name change if they asked me. Since they didn't, I can tell you directly.

 

Article in the Niagara Gazette about my Grandmother Inez Frank (1986)

 When some of my ancestors were brought to America during the trans-atlantic slave trade, they were enslaved and forced to give up their cultural identity, regardless of their religious ideology. They no longer were allowed to speak their own language, use their own names, maintain the same diet, or even establish stable family units. This process continued, by law, for approximately nine generations or three hundred and ten years. So while some people of Italian descent can trace their last name to an actual village in modern day Italy, or others can trace their lineage to a Family Crest or Coat of Arms, tracing my lineage has consisted of looking at cargo logs for ships or doing DNA tracking to find out the geographic location of my ancestors. The trans-atlantic slave trade, and slavery, interrupted the cultural identity and arrested the development of an entire group people. It interrupted the cultural identity and arrested the development of the people enslaved and the slave holders.

In indigenous societies of the past and today, our birth names where a central part of our cultural identity and role we played within our societies. For example, when a child was born a name would be given to them, usually by our elders, to communicate a part of that child's purpose and destiny. This was sacred and ceremonial, not done without consideration. If the child's name meant "sincere counsel", that was an important role our elders knew our society needed to birth and cultivate. It's no different than people giving birth to a child and providing them with all the support and resources they need to become a productive member of society. Many of our ancestors wisely took it a step further by making sure this support was reinforced by a person's actual name. So instead of simply providing a child with the resources to become sincere counsel, we gave them that name to live up to as an attribute. During slavery this cultural tradition was interrupted. Slaves who were bred to produce children for labor no longer had the power to name them. These children were sold off to other plantations and given names to identify them as a master's property. So a slave named "Smith" was identified as Master Smith's slave. "Walking Henson" was known as Henson's slave who walked alot. Not only was this naming method used to track the slave masters property, but it was also used for insurance purposes. There are many wealthy companies and families today, that accumulated their wealth, from Slave Insurance.

Many present day African-Americans can trace the last names we currently have, whether it's English, French, or etc. directly to the slave masters who once owned our ancestors. Again, regardless of our ancestors religious views or how we chose to worship, this slavery system legally interrupted our cultural identity and arrested the development of us all.

 

Article in the Buffalo News and letter from African Ancestry Inc.
about my International Family Tree Project (2005)

The reason I legally changed my name was to reconnect to my ancestors cultural identity, and build upon this rich legacy that was almost entirely destroyed. In 2005 I received a grant for my L.I.F.E. Afterschool Program and partnered with the Washington DC based genetics company African Ancestry Inc. to create an International Family Tree Project. With this Project I was able to provide twenty DNA Kits, free of charge, to families in our Community, Pittsburgh, Missouri, and Canada who were interested in finding out where their maternal ancestry came from. I found out my maternal ancestors came from Cameroon and my tribal affiliation is the Tikar Tribe. Saladin, pronounced Sa-la-dean means "Honor or Righteousness of the faith". A great Muslim King popularized this Arabic name, yet the name is Arabic, not Muslim. Arabic does not equal Muslim and to assume that would be no different than assuming my nephew plays basketball just because he has the name "Jordan." My middle name Quanaah, pronounced Kwa-ni-ah means "fragrant". In honor of my indigenous american (native american) ancestry, I chose this name. It's Quahadi in origin and comes from the Last Comanche Chief Quanah Parker; who successfully made the transition from Chief to Statesman and was responsible for founding The Native American Church. My last name, Allah, is also Arabic which means "The God." Again, Arabic does not equal Muslim. There are many arabic speaking Christians and other Religions who refer to God as Allah, simply because they speak the arabic language. So my name, Saladin Quanaah Allah, means "The honorable faith and fragrance of the God." Since taking this step to change my name in 1999, I have since published a book entitled 'How To Change Your Name Without A Lawyer' and have assisted many others change their name for various reasons (cultural, religious, stage name, immigrants, and etc.)

In closing, I didn't appreciate the Niagara Falls Reporter for even citing what they believe my religion to be, making an assumption about what it is, and then printing misinformation without even asking me about my worldview or my reasoning for changing my name. That was poor reporting and prejudiced. I am a scientist of life and study all religions. I am just as much Muslim as our Commander and Chief, President Barack Hussein Obama. My perspective about any religion is that people should strive to have a personal relationship with who they worship. A relationship that's so personal, that they strive to live in such a way that others can see their creator within them.

Peace,
Saladin

 

Saladin Q. Allah for Niagara County Legislature

Twitter: @Saladin_2013

 

 Saladin Q. Allah
for
Niagara County Legislature

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

July  8th, 2013

 
Youth Mentor, Published Author, and Community Activist Saladin Q. Allah has announced his candidacy for the Fourth District Niagara County Legislature seat in the City of Niagara Falls, New York

Niagara Falls, New York -- Saladin Q. Allah said that he is seeking the seat of Fourth District County Legislator because he believes that his vision to expand youth outreach, increase community alliances and initiatives, promote neighborhood safety and crime prevention, and to develop a local living economy is what his district both wants and needs.

 
“I was born in the City of Niagara Falls into a family of seven,” he said. “My parents, Lois and Philip Frank, were pillars within the same Community that I was raised in, and that I am seeking to represent as our next Niagara County Legislator.”

 
Allah said that he knows what it is to both struggle and serve; and he believes that his parents set a great example for him in that his mother, Lois Frank, received her Bachelor’s of Arts Degree from Niagara University at the age of forty-two, majoring in psychology and a minoring in sociology. She had seven children at that time and she went on to become a case manager for both Community Missions and for Family and Children's Services. She later served as a Director of the Niagara Community Center.

 
Allah’s father, Philip Frank, served as a member of the National Guard and completed a machinist apprenticeship program during his twelve-years working at Carborundum. Philip later became a member of the Painters Union Local for another twelve years.

Just as Allah is proud of the example that his parents set, he is just as proud as the one Josiah Henson, his great-great-great grandfather, set was a forerunner of the Underground Railroad. Harriet Beecher Stowe merged elements of Henson’s life into her popular anti-slavery novel Uncle Tom's Cabin, which inspired the abolitionist of President Lincoln’s day to rail against slavery, setting into motion the end of that kind of America. Henson later established a community for fugitive slaves called the Dawn Settlement, and he founded the British-American Institute in Dresden, ON.

 
Allah said that it is through those members of his family that he learned the value of education, a strong work ethic, sacrifice, and teamwork. He believes those to be the same vital building blocks of any successful community.

 
“I attended Central State University in Wilberforce OH,” Allah said, “as a therapeutic recreation major, and since returning to WNY, I've been invested in our community from the grassroots level, working particularly with our youth.

 
Allah said that he has been doing youth outreach by creating successful mentorship programs and assisting with other community youth projects for over fifteen years.

 
“I've shown my commitment to our youth and my confidences are in their ability to one day lead our communities when given the continual support and guidance they need.” That’s why he said that he is a strong advocated for the reopening of the Niagara Community Center in the city’s north end and instituting anti-bullying campaigns.

 
Allah, a published author, added, “Professionally, I've self-published ten books that explores various social issues, and have worked as a program consultant for an episode on the History Channel’s show, Gangland.

 
But it was not enough that he is published, he sponsors young writers programs to help others to do so, too. Some people, he said, may know him from his National Prison Correspondence and Book Donation Program, or have heard him as a guest speaker at several national colleges.

 

As his forbearers have instilled values in him, he has likewise instilled similar values in his two daughters. One is a recent high school graduate who has earned a lacrosse scholarship to Howard University; and the other is an eleventh grade honor student, whose goal is to become a local business owner.

 
Allah believes that as the next Fourth District County Legislator that he will have a larger platform to better serve our community. “We need leadership that understands that a seat and a voice is still not enough at the table. We need leadership with an activist spirit, someone with an actual agenda and work ethic to help transform our collective quality of life. Together, the community and I, are that kind of leadership.”

 
Allah further said that crime prevention starts with us. He said that, “The crimes in our neighborhoods are primarily committed by relatives or people we know, not people who are unknown. We need members who are willing to protect our most vulnerable members: children, women, seniors, and the handicapped.”

Allah concluded, “As our next county legislator I will remain transparent, accessible, and responsive to our district, because I am for the people. You will still see me utilizing our resources at our local public library, playing basketball with our youth at Legends Park, and proactively involved in community functions. I will also hold local community circles; forums designed to keep people informed about community and legislative issues, and I will seek input on issues related to our city and county. For the future of our youth, community, and the City of Niagara Falls, I look forward to speaking with you in the coming months, and I will fully earn your vote of conscience, and confidence.

Saladin Q. Allah
Email: Saladin2013@yahoo.com

Twitter: @Saladin_2013
Facebook: Saladin for Niagara County Legislature

Campaign Fund: Saladin 2013 Campaign Fund