DETROIT (WJBK) - Minister Malik Shabazz made headlines when he made this impassioned remark at a Detroit financial review meeting on Monday: "This is white supremacy, and we will fight you. Before you can take over our city, we will burn it down first." Shabazz is upset that Governor Rick Snyder will appoint an emergency manager to run the city of Detroit if it cannot find a way to restructure the budget.
On Monday, the Detroit Financial Review team declared the city is in a state of Financial Emergency. (See Taryn Asher video report, including remarks made by Shabazz ) Negotiations continue with the board, Governor Snyder, Mayor Bing's office and the Detroit City Council. All parties involved say they want to avoid the appointment of an emergency manager. Instead what's being considered is a consent agreement or what is being called a "financial stability agreement." Both Snyder and the City Council predict a solution will be reached by the end of the week.
In the meantime, some people are upset, including Shabazz. He wasn't the only one speaking out at Monday's meeting, but his words really stood out. A day after he made his comments, is Malik Shabazz ready to back off from his inflammatory comments? That's what Fox 2's Charlie LeDuff wanted to find out. Play the video above to hear their conversation.
"What ... is the matter with you?" LeDuff asked Shabazz.
"I love freedom," he said.
"I know, but dude, like freedom requires some responsibility. So, when you're like saying burn the ... town down, you're out of your mind," said LeDuff. "You know that thing's ricocheting around town today."
"Well, as a student of history, I look at Saginaw, I look at Benton Harbor, I look at Inkster, I look at Flint, I look at Highland Park, I look at Detroit, all of the African-American majority populated cities are being taking over by emergency manager. But I see fascism being inflicted upon the peoples of the inner cities of Michigan," Shabazz responded.
"But what about this, look, I mean, people got to live in this, right?" LeDuff asked as he motioned to a decrepit home in Detroit. "So how is this white supremacy when finally white dudes want to help fix this?"
"Because -- and when I say white supremacy, that's not an assault on my white brothers and sisters -- I'm talking about institutions, power, financiers, bankers, they willfully, skillfully and purposely through subprime lending depopulated and deconstructed Detroit, which leaves us in this dilapidated blight," Shabazz explained.
"Do you agree it's time we did something here?" asked LeDuff.
"We need to do something," Shabazz replied.
"Do you agree it's time to get a reign on our budgetary process here?" LeDuff inquired.
"I agree," said Shabazz.
"Do you agree that the people are suffering because the status quo won't work?" LeDuff further asked.
"This status quo is not working," Shabazz stated.
"So, tell the people what you want them to do," LeDuff said.
"What I want the people to do? I want you to unite -- black, white, blue -- unite, come together, deconstruct this wicked, reprobate-minded society and let's build a new one," Shabazz explained.
"And, don't burn it," said LeDuff.
"Don't burn it down," Shabazz said. "Don't burn the city, but burn evil and injustice and white supremacy, not white people."
"And you want to apologize?" asked LeDuff.
"No sir," said Shabazz.
Posted By: Siebra Muhammad
Thursday, March 29th 2012 at 2:58PM
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