Day 1304: 5 Minute Freewrite: Monday - Prompt: mosque

in Freewriters3 years ago

Image by 2427999 from Pixabay

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Sometimes, you can drop just one word, and find out how people feel about you and everyone you love.

Thomas Stepforth Sr. had an elder brother who had become a Black Muslim in the 1970s and legally changed his name to Amir Kofi X. This had been a grief to his Christian family, but, father Theodore Stepforth had always called his son by the name he had chosen for himself, and respected his decision.

“You already know who Jesus be, and He'll be right where you left Him when you look back for Him.”

That had set the tone for the family – disputes erupted, but only on occasion. During the rare disputes, Amir's billionaire baby brother really got on his nerves, as did his nephew Major Thomas Stepforth Jr., for they not only could field his attacks on the corrupt church system in America that had permitted slavery – “We agree, and here's some more with it” – but they had dug up into Elijah Muhammad and the whole of the Black Muslim framework in the 21st century.

“So, what part of not working with white devils has to do with Louis Farrakhan making common cause with Scientology?”

Nonetheless, Theodore Stepforth had set the tone: Amir's decision was honored.

Uncle Amir – for so he had always been to his niece Melissa – had come to town to check on her, and spent exactly six days – he had to get home and to his mosque by Friday evening. Nonetheless, there was enough time for him to check out all that Black people were doing in Lofton County since his brother had returned there.

“Well, Dad was not a weak Christian man,” he said to his brother as they walked through Big Loft, VA, “and I see that his spirit is at work. I never thought I'd live long enough, but Christian Black people have decided they have some self-respect and some work-together in a powerful way down here.”

“Every now and again, Amir,” his brother said, “we do more than to go to church, but you already knew that.”

“But I've never seen it among my own, brother. I'm 78 to your 65. I'm telling you I've never seen it.”

This opened a deep conversation between the two brothers about their experiences as Black men in Lofton County and America, a conversation eavesdropped on for its respect, depth, and candor.

But, in case the brothers needed a reminder that all was not yet well, an overheard joke Amir made about whether the Morton Consortium would loan his Black Muslim brothers a little bit to build a mosque for the Black Muslim community in Lofton County caused an explosion of racist hate.