Wisdom Be Born; Earth Science Interview

In Episode 52 of Atlantis Build Radio I feature an exclusive build with one of my Earth Sisters, Wisdom Be Born. Wisdom began learning this culture at the age of 12 and in this episode she talks about her journey of gaining KOS [Knowledge Of Self], 120 Lessons, her experience with First Born Prince Allah, some of the Nation initiatives she's been doing in Southern Ontario, Canada specifically with sisters other cultural elements.

Peace,
Saladin

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

The Original Woman and Planet Earth

The Original Woman
and
Planet Earth

Within Five Percenter culture, one of the common phrases people may hear us use is, "The original woman [black woman] is the Earth." Have you ever really considered what this means? I once heard a female say, "It means she's dirt", which is as far from the truth as Meek Mill's diss track response to Drake. Anyway, some of my female readers have been reaching out to me requesting that I elaborate on this perspective further and here it is.


We consider the original woman [black woman] the Earth because she corresponds to our planet. Meaning, she is parallel or equivalent to it in form, character and function. When we say 'black' we are referring to all women of color; from the darkest shade of black to the lightest shade of black. As black is the essence from which all color is derived, these melanated shades are gradations of that source. When it comes to geography, the study of describing the Earth, our planet has various shades [gradations] of soil yet it's still one planet. Human [hue-man] geography is likewise the same; as people of color we're one original family. I think it's important to clarify this because some people may think that being dark skinned is what solely makes us original or first. That is not entirely true because regardless how much melanin we have, we still may be last in a lot of things in life -including intellectual maturity. So in addition to color, we must also consider consciousness and cultural orientation when it comes to what being original means.


Various classical and indigenous societies view the original woman as Mother Earth, the Great Mother and Mother Nature because of her form, character and function -such as her physical composition, atmosphere and ability to birth and sustain life. One of the first things to keep in mind about the Earth is that it's a terrestrial planet. That's where the name 'Earth' is derived; the Latin root "Terra", the root word of terrestrial meaning 'of the land.' This means that our planet possesses a solid surface and a metallic core. This core is the source of Earth's geomagnetic field that shield's it from cosmic radiation. The Earth also has four different layers: an inner core, outer core, mantle and crust [surface]. Lastly, Earth is distinguished from the other terrestrial planets Mercury, Venus and Mars because it possesses water which is vital for life as we know it. All of these qualities have a symbolic relationship to the original woman. In regards to the Earth's primarily Iron [Fe] core, the source of its geomagnetic field that shield's it from cosmic radiation, iron is considered the life-force of the Earth in some societies such as the Aborigines of Australia. As a life-force of the Earth, it symbolizes a woman's vitality, integrity, resilience, strength and fortitude. In regards to functioning as a geomagnetic shield, that symbolizes a woman's protective instinct against outside danger. The four different layers of the Earth symbolize the layers of a woman. The crust is the surface or most outer layer of the Earth. This represents what and how we physically see a woman; this is her appearance. The mantle is the second layer or what lies just beneath the surface; as a mantle is that which cloaks, shrouds or disguises. Also keep in mind that movement of the mantle causes tectonic activity such as volcanic eruptions and earthquakes on the crust, her surface. In symbolic terms, sometimes it's something lying just beneath the surface, that's undetected by the naked eye, that causes the unstable activity we see on the outside. The hottest and deepest layers of the Earth are the outer and inner core which are primarily composed of iron and nickel, thus making the planet magnetic. It is in this interior place that our Earth derives its magnetic field; its North and South Poles [compass]. In symbolic terms, internally is where you'll find the core convictions and source of a woman's moral compass and sense of direction. As the Earth possesses other precious metals and minerals that develop within it's womb, women possess the ability to develop precious life within their womb; children. The Earth's weather is primarily determined by the state of its atmosphere, as a woman's mood is partly determined by the state of her emotional atmosphere. The Earth's magnetic relationship with the Moon's 28 day lunar cycle effects our planet's tides the same way a woman's 28 day menstrual cycle effects her emotional tides that are linked to her sympathetic nervous system that partly regulates her hormones and body's ability to cope with stress. As hunter gatherers that eventually transitioned into agriculture and industrialism, we directly consulted with women who were biologically in tune with our landscape, planting and harvest seasons. As forecasters, their wisdom and guidance was critical to our survival and that consultation also corresponds to the creation of calendars based upon a 28 lunar and her 28 day menstrual cycle. Among many societies, a woman is seen as an oracle [diviner] within its cultural matrix because of her intuition, what our southern relatives call "mother wit" and what Western Philosophy has come to define as a priori knowledge. In Greece for example, she was the priestess Pythia; central figure of the Gaia [Earth] society and Oracle of Delphi men would consult for guidance on the seventh day of each month.

Divine Iz Earth [photo credit: Rugged Vision]

Women defining themselves as the Earth is not a Five Percenter trademark nor is it our intellectual property. That idea has existed for many years, in different geographic locations and among various societies before there was a North America and the Father was born. Culturally speaking, how we define, articulate and apply that idea as Five Percenters is unique to us, and how we define and articulate those parallels are customarily represented by our women. So for example, as the Earth is covered 3/4th's under water, 139,685,000 square miles of water and 57,255,000 square miles of land, Five Percent women dress modestly; clothing themselves 3/4th's as various other women around the planet likewise do. Something that also distinguishes Earths are the customary head wraps [crowns] they wear. We consider all of this her refinement because that style of dress reflects a sense of decency, cultural elegance, sophistication and grace. To learn more about refinement you can check out the blog of Izayaa Allat. Nutritionally, and to promote optimum health, our women strive to not pollute their bodies the same way many of our ancestors did not pollute, defile or desecrate themselves or the Earth. Therefore, our women strive to make certain dietary choices and engage in those people activities that help them maintain a positive physical, emotional, mental and financial state. As men we strive to reciprocate that state by making corresponding dietary choices and engaging in those people activities that help us maintain a positive physical, emotional, mental and financial relationship with our woman, and the planet Earth. The Earth rotates on its own axis yet revolves around the Sun. The rotation, travelling 1,037 1/3 mph, is symbolic to a woman's autonomy, identity, self-determination and purpose. It's her motion, personally. The Earth's revolution is her motion around another body; her orbital relation to the Sun within the context of our solar system. In symbolic terms, as man corresponds to the Sun, a woman's revolution as the Earth is her interdependent role and relationship within the nuclear family.


These are just a few of the countless examples why we as Five Percenters, and various societies around the world, view the original woman as the Earth's twin. Even if we were to say a woman were a Goddess, as a deity she still maintains a terrestrial correspondence and is personified/defined according to earthen qualities. So there is no way around, below, above or through that; a woman is analogous to the Earth. I think it's also important to note that just because a woman doesn't call herself the Earth within the context of the Five Percent, it doesn't mean that she's not functionally corresponding to the Earth. There are various indigenous societies who have never heard of Five Percenters that equate their women as the Earth and who've been successfully expressing that worldview for hundreds of years. There are also various women today who live by non-Western cultural norms that are Earth-centered. It's likewise true that just because a woman calls herself the Earth it doesn't mean that she automatically corresponds to that. Some women, and people for that matter, are more aligned than others, regardless what we call or don't call ourselves.


In closing I want to remind those of you who have read this intellectual breakdown of the original woman's correspondence to the Earth that it does not substitute learning from, walking with and having an actual relationship with the true and living Earth. As a male/man, I do not correspond to the Earth and there are many things I am not personally qualified to speak on. That is the role and responsibility of the Earth, not the Sun; I am simply shedding light. So in addition to reading these articles, my books and watching my videos I strongly encourage you, particularly women who are interested in learning more about the Earth, to do so from the true and living Earth. You can email me directly at: atlantisbuild@gmail.com and I can strive to connect you with the sisters I know in your respective regions.

Peace,
Saladin

Of course 'All Lives Matter'

According to US Census data, females outnumber males throughout the United States between 50 percent and 56 percent. Niagara and Erie counties are both 51 percent female. Have you ever wondered how females are defined as a minority even though they’re actually the majority of our population?

Demographically, it doesn’t make sense. Maybe issues concerning females are a minor concern of the dominant society. Maybe it’s because females don’t share the power, opportunities, rights and privileges as their male counterparts. Here’s some facts to consider:
                              
• Even though females are out-graduating males in college they’re still under-earning males in almost every degree.
                                                                                                                                                                         
• Females earn about 75 cents on the dollar compared to males.
                                                                                                                                                                          
• Unlike many countries, the U.S. still doesn’t have a national law to guarantee paid maternal leave for females.
                                                                                                                                                                           
• Females make up only 4 percent of the CEOs of the S and P 500 companies.
                                                                                                                                                                         
• There has never been a female vice president or president of the U.S.
                                                                                                                                                                
Because of this historical and present day reality affecting our female population, there have always been people, organizations and movements dedicated towards establishing human/civil rights and fair economic opportunities for women. The facts I’ve shared, and other statistics, show a historical sexist and misogynistic sentiment that has pervaded American society since its 1776 conception. Females lives matter and we cannot diminish, minimize or trivialize this. That would be equivalent to going to a woman’s rally against domestic violence and arguing that they need to stop talking about this because “All Lives Matter” and men are DV victims too. Some may even advocate that dogs lives matter because x amount die every year protecting their owners from home invasions. 
                                                                                                                                                                  
Whatever a person’s reasoning is for hijacking an important narrative like this, and redirecting attention away from the main concern that females lives matter, it’s one of the main reasons institutional sexism persists. The same lack of consideration and engagement also applies to the infamous “R-word” — Racism.

 On Dec. 13, in conjunction with an International Day of Resistance, there was a rally held at Legend’s Park to bring awareness to the disproportionate instances of police brutality toward African-American citizens. The rallying cry was, and is, “Black Lives Matter.” According to data from 1999-2012 from the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice on police brutality:
                                                                                                                                                                     
• A black person is killed extra-judicially (unlawfully) every 28 hours by law enforcement.
                                                                                                                                                                      
• Black men between ages 19 and 25 are the group most at risk to be shot by police.
                                                                                                                                                                         
• Black youth are 4.5 times more likely to be killed by police than any other age or racial group in America.
                                                                                                                                                                           
• Black people comprise 26 percent of police shootings we only makeup 13 percent of the U.S. population.
                                                                                                                                                                         
Like females, and various segments of our population deemed “minorities,” African-Americans are also disproportionately affected by socioeconomic conditions including police brutality. Although some of you would love to believe these issue are because black people are on welfare, criminals by nature and/or uneducated, many times we are discriminated against simply because of the color of our skin — the same way many females are discriminated against because of their gender. This also gives you some insight into the degree of scrutiny, bullying and outright attacks black women, double minorities, have historically received when they play prominent roles or hold executive positions within this society. Of course “All Lives Matter,” including females and black lives.
                                                                                                                                                                           
In this critical day and time it’s important to understand that in the U.S. there are still marginalized segments of our society, deemed minorities, that are outright disrespected and discriminated against simply because they’re female, they’re black or both. These problems specifically affects these groups, not all people, and it must be discussed and resolved because whatever is allowed to happen to the least of us eventually affects us all. We share neighborhoods. We are your co-workers, doctors, public officials and prepare your food at restaurants. We are your children and grandchildren’s peers. We are your family members through marriage or birth.
                                                                                                                                                                            
Learn more about the plight of your fellow citizens and what you can do to be a positive agent of change. Knowledge empowers you to “know” the “ledge” or limitation of certain ideas that no longer reflect our changing societal landscape.