Leader’s death teaches about struggles, determination

Monday, 7/7/97 Leader’s death teaches about struggles,
determination Despite tragedy and violent environment, families
learn to cope

By Kamal Hassan The passing of Betty Shabazz gives us an
opportunity to reflect on many things that bring up feelings of joy
and pain. Joy? Yes, because in her we were provided with an example
of black personhood and honest, committed leadership that we can
take up and carry on. Joy? Yes, because despite her many personal
tragedies and setbacks she stayed committed to the struggle for
human rights and self-determination for her people. Joy because of
the network of extended family members who she was able to lean on
to keep her family together after the assassination of her husband
Malcolm X. Her unwillingness to expose her wounds for profit or
public consumption made it difficult to know her from the inside
out. But we could see in the unconditional love she gave to her six
daughters and her grandson Malcolm (who has been charged with
setting the fire that took her life), to whom she opened her home
when he could no longer live with his mother (and her daughter)
Quibilah. Shabazz had a love that even went beyond the grave of her
husband. I was always struck by the depth of her feelings for him.
Whenever she spoke about Malcolm’s work, his ideas or his life, the
great love she had for him would fill the room. It was a thing that
could be touched if you reached out. But, this is also a time of
sorrow. We have lost yet another of our great ones, seemingly by
the hands of one of our own. How much tragedy and violence and pain
is one family due? So much death. So many tears. It is no less than
a miracle that despite the history of our losses, most black
mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers find a way to go on. May God
help the rest of Malcolm and Betty’s family to do this too. Some
undoubtedly will see this as yet another example of the hell we
create for ourselves in this empire called America. But let them
not forget that the conditions that kindled the anger in the souls
of the thousands of Malcolm X’s and urged them to fight for
freedom, have today made thousands of angry young Malcolm
Shabazz’s. Watch out when they learn to fight on the right
battlefield. When I hear people say that women are not cut out for
leadership positions in our community, I will remember Shabazz.
When I hear people argue that single-parent families aren’t really
families, I will remember Shabazz. Through her pain she showed us
dignity, through betrayal forgiveness, toward obstacles she showed
resolve and an abiding faith in God. I rejoice today that the
reward for the way she lived her life is that God has rejoined her
with Malcolm her great love, and nothing will ever separate them
again.