Nation of Islam's Final Call Asks if We are Moving to "An America for Whites?"

The Nation of Islam's Final Call is stirring the pot of racial tensions once again with its take on the recent immigration legislation signed recently by Gov. Jan Brewer. Final Call correspondent Charlene Muhammad asks if we are moving to an "America for whites only?" She cites anti-racism activist and author Tim Wise, who said that a sense of "white racial anxiety" has "taken over large segments of White America." He also states that the sense of entitlement that whites have always enjoyed is being challenged by demographic data showing tremendous growth of black and brown segments of the population, which is projected to become equal with the white population by 2050. He claims that growth, plus a challenge in the political landscape has the whites literally running scared. Er, is this happening in your communities? It's not occurring in mine. This is another attempt by the Nation of Islam to make a mountain out of a mole hill. We can never have a so-called White America. There are far too many whites in this country who have no issues with people of other races and ethnic backgrounds. 

“This idea that White folks give voice to every now and then that they're losing their country, sometimes they mean with Black folks and the Black president and sometimes they're referring to Latinos and Brown folks. It seems that though, when White folks say that they're referring to some nostalgic sentiments of the past that they want to resurrect,” said Mr. Wise.

“They can't fathom a country wherein they are not the norm, the prototype of what an American is. The way they've grown up for years is when they hear the word American, they see their (own) face and people of color have never been able to have that reaction, that when they talk about American, they're talking about me, but White folks have, so when all of a sudden you've got to share that title, that symbol with Black and Brown people that have different names and faith traditions than yours, that shakes them up because they have that sense of entitlement.”

SB 1070, the Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act, mandates that law enforcement stops anyone they reasonably suspect to be an undocumented immigrant and obtain their documentation. Anyone without it can be arrested, incarcerated, fined, and/or deported.

There are still racist elements in this country and there are still acts of discrimination across this country, but to ask if America is moving to a white-only country is preposterous. It is sad that some elements in our society prefer to fan the flames of racial tension instead of promoting inclusiveness, diversity and find ways to empower their communities. There are some serious social problems in Chicago and I believe the Final Call and the Nation of Islam can find ways to create change in "Murder City USA." To act as though we do not have a serious illegal immigration problem in this country is an affront. While I don't believe the law in Arizona is fair and it will likely lead to racial profiling, I can't seem to understand how Ms. Muhammad reached the conclusion that enforcing our borders and reducing illegal immigration will somehow result in the "whitening" of America.That is just baseless and ridiculous on so many levels.