ok.... so sometimes I debate. I've been aware in this convo with you for a whie that I have to teach here. I dropped this tidbit earlier, but you seemed to have missed it, so I'll emphasize it for you.
Are you aware of why they NOI membership numbers rose in the 70's and 80s?
The damndest thing. In 1965, THE BIOGRAPHY OF MALCOLM X was published. Although by the end of it, Malcolm is out of the NOI, the book sold MILLIONS, and many young people became intrigued by the Nation. Somehow it just didn't register that he LEFT the nation. Member ship rose even while ELijah was alive, and he HATED that.He died in 75, and member ship kept rising, corresponding with the sales of the book. All the way up to the point when SPike Lee made the movie based on the book, which again made a spike in membership.
Since the split where NOI people have eventually decided to either go orthodox islam (as malcolm did and Elijahs own son, Warith) or leave it all together, the numbers have dropped again. The 90s was probably the peak, especially with the culmination of the influence of Malcolm, Public Enemy, the rise of Farrakhans leadership, and the million man march.
After the march, I think it became more obvious to many that there wasn't much Farrakhan was gonna do, but people still liked his rhetoric. The man has game, no debating.
Especially when he went sick, and wasn't putting out as many mixtapes, the streets moved on to others. But now he's back now for one last hurrah. Good for him, but there is no heir apparent.
Those ideas are antiquated and quickly debunked. Easy to take to, but easier still to see the holes in em.
It's a wrap my friend.