Dear Mr. Parr:
 
My name is Najee Muhammad. I am the local Minister of Muhammad's Mosque, under the leadership of the Honorable Silis Muhammad, located at 1111-1/2 Bladensburg Rd, NE Washington, DC.
 
I was changing channels on my radio, when I happened to tune into your show Monday, December 27, 2004. I tuned in as you and your listeners discussed the issue of (some) black men who disrespect black women by referring to them as "bitches and ho's." I find this mentality disturbing and unacceptable.
 
Sir, I want you to know that I addressed the same issue in a lecture Sunday, December 26, at Muhammad's Mosque. Their lack of respect has had an impact on black women but what about little girls that attend elementary school? What about them?
 
I have three daughters in elementary school and all three are honor students. It was brought to my attention that two of them were called a "ho" by two little boys. This troubled me, to say the least. Where are they getting this filthy language? Could the fathers be using this filthy language around their sons, or could this be the filthy language they use in rap songs and videos, or could this be a combination of them all? Mr. Parr, what do you think?
 
According to my research and based on my observation, this mentality is caused by (some) black men's overall failure to fulfill their responsibility as nurturing fathers and positive role models to their sons. My main focus is on those fathers who fail to teach, explain and instill into their sons the fact that black women and little black girls are not to be disrespected, period. Civilized black men teach their sons to respect all women regardless of their race. Black men who have a thorough knowledge of self, know without question that black women, in all their glory, beauty, and splendor, are referred to as the Mothers of Civilization.
 
Black men who refer to black women as bitches and ho's don't realize that statistics show that nearly half (48.2%) of black households are headed by black women. (http://www.the-infoshop.com/press/pf16755_en.shtml) Do black men really know what those statistics mean? This troubling statistic means that nearly half (48.2%) of black men are not present in the home. It's unfair for black men to allow black women to carry such a heavy burden. My heart cries out for black women who are head of their households.

John Austin, an inmate at a Concerned Fathers Meeting, at Rivers Correctional Institution in North Carolina, said, "You have to be there when they need you. Spending as much time as possible with your child is important. I don't think fathers spend enough time with their child. That's why they have so many youth in trouble today."
 
Charles Wade, another inmate at the meeting said, "My son already got lost in the streets. My son may be in jail by the time I get home, and that's on me." Over the course of the meeting, the conversation ranged from DC schools to profanity in rap music.... (January 2, 2005, Washington Post Magazine, pages 26-27)
 
Since black men refer to black women as bitches and ho's, what should black men who fail to fulfill their responsibility be referred too as? Is the term "dog" befitting? Male animals in the animal kingdom help nurture their offspring. Why aren't (some) black men living in the household helping the mothers nurture their offspring (sons)? Why do black men of the Hip Hop generation refer to each other as dog? Have you ever heard men in the Jewish community refer to themselves as dog? Have you ever heard men in the Hispanic community refer to themselves as dog?
 
Black men in the Hip Hop generation fail to realize that civilized men do not refer to themselves as dog; however, an uncivilized black man would. A civilized black man would not justify using the term dog when he refers to another black man, nor would he embrace the word dog as a term of endearment. I cringed inside when a black man referred to me as a dog. There are thousands of words in the English dictionary, why would they choose the word dog when they refer to each other? Why not use the word brother, isn't that more befitting?
 
Since this mentality has caused wide spread disrespect among black women and little girls, what are black men who failed to fulfill their responsibility going to do? Are they going to allow their sons to grow up disrespecting black women or do they plan to change their behavior for the better and raise their sons to become civilized men?
 
I thought about the late Malcolm X before I gave my lecture Sunday. I told myself that this subject is so important it must be addressed in a classroom setting like a Mosque, Church or School. I also asked myself, how would Malcolm address this issue, if he were alive today?
 
I believe Malcolm would intelligently and strategically attack that mentality. I believe he would expose it for what it's worth. I also believe he would CHALLENGE the black men for being so lazy and irresponsible. He would also challenge their manhood by giving them the definition of what a boy is and what a (real) man is.
 
Then he would explain in precise detail that a man is not afraid to fulfill his responsibility as a father, nor is he afraid to be a positive role model to his son. He would also drive home the point that a real man does not disrespect black women, nor does he use an excuse to justify why he is not fulfilling his responsibility as a father. Malcolm would give them the definition of the word 'savage' and the definition of the word 'civilize.'
 
Civilize means: To educate in matters of culture and refinement; make more polished or sophisticated.
 
Savage means: Lacking polish or manners, rude.

Once Malcolm had given them the definition of both words he would ask them if they understood the definitions. Then he would ask them what category they fit into, based on their own behavior. They can only fit in to the category of civilized black men or the category of a savage. They are either one or the other. There are no gray areas, no in-betweens. They are either civilized or they are savages.
 
Black leadership has not seriously challenged the rappers in the Hip Hop generation about their rude behavior toward black women. They have not been held accountable for their actions. Some have gotten paid degrading black women in their rap songs.
 
On the other hand, I do not believe the so-called gangster rappers would ever refer to Laura Bush or Barbara Streisand as a ho or a bitch in their rap songs. I do not believe the white community would stand by and allow the first lady of the United States to be disrespected, without putting forward a sustained protest. Nor do I believe the Jewish community would sit by and allow Barbara Streisand to be disrespected, without putting forward a sustained protest against the rapper.
 
Are Laura Bush and Barbara Streisand better than our black women? Then why on earth are men in the black community not standing up and putting forward a strong, sustained protest for black women; against the rappers who disrespect them in their rap songs? If Laura Bush and Barbara Streisand were called a ho or a bitch in a rap song, what radio station would be foolish enough to play it?

It is reported that Cathy Hughes, the Chairman and Founder of Radio One Inc., owns over 60 radio stations. Do you think she would allow a rap song to be played on her stations degrading Laura Bush or Barbara Streisand? Do you know how many Radio personalities have been fired by station executives, simply because they morally objected to the indecent lyrics in many songs played by stations?

The rappers in the Hip Hop generation who use these filthy terms try to justify the use as a musical expression. Have you ever seen or heard young Jewish men degrading Jewish women on national television? Are they more civilized than black men in the hip hop generation? What about the rich music executives who promote this madness? The shrewd rich music executives who promote rap music indirectly disrespect black women. What do you think would happen, if a young rapper would make a rap song that refers to the rich music executive's wife as a bitch or a ho in his rap song?

 As long as (some) rappers degrade black women and the rich music executives say nothing about it, the rich executives' behavior is telling the rapper and black community that they don't respect black women. As long as the rich executive knows he is making millions of dollars and the rappers are foolish enough to degrade their own women, the rich executive may feel...why should I care? They may feel it's not their responsibility to protect black women. That speaks volumes about rich music executives and the mentality of (some) rappers.
 
The cause of this problem is (some) black men's overall failure to fulfill their responsibility as fathers, and to be a positive role model for their sons. They fail to realize that if they don't correct this on-going problem, they are promoting an assault on their own mothers, daughters, grandmothers and black women as a whole. 
 

When little boys degrade little girls in elementary school, it clearly reflects on the (father) parents of the child. It also reveals that the child is not following the home training that his (father) parents should have taught him. When a father gets a bad report from school about his son degrading little girls, he must take the necessary measures to discipline him and bring him in line. He should enforce this by making him apologize to the little girl for offending her. If this is done, he may grow up to become a civilized young man. If this is not done, he may destroy the self-esteem of the little girl. "The duty of the civilized man is to teach civilization to the uncivilized. A well educated, cultured and courteous people make a beautiful society when it is spiritual.  Good manners come from the civilized man who does not fail to perform his duty."
 
We must love, nurture, protect and defend the black woman, especially our young daughters. They are very precious. Last but not least, there were two wise men who spoke on the subject. One said, "Even animals and beast, the fowls of the air, have more love and respect for their females than have the so-called Negroes." The second one said, "A woman is a nation's greatest asset."
 
Since the two statements are true, when will black men stand up and protect their greatest asset? I hope you will share some moments of this letter with your listeners.
 
Thank you for reading this letter.
 
I am your brother,
 
Minister Najee Muhammad

In the 3-part (Cassette) Lecture Series, Min. Muhammad follows the money trail to (until now) unknown participants behind the doors. This series will help unravel some of the many questions about where Hip-Hop is going.

MUHAMMAD’S MOSQUE

1111 ½ Bladensburg Rd. NE – Washington, DC 20002