Knowledge of God is my capital
Reason is the root of my faith
Love is my foundation
Devotion is my art
Enthusiasm is my horse
Remembrance of God is my friend
Patience is my mantle
Struggle is my manner
Truth is my redeemer
Poverty is my power
Sorrow is my companion
My pleasure is in my prayer
I thank Savino, Andrew, Jazmin, Kimberly, Chris, Rhonda, Marlene, Tonya 1, and Tonya 2 for sharing this experience with me.1) Ladies and Gentlemen my name is Muhammad Shabazz II, I am the father of two and the sibling of so many biological and adopted brothers and sister I simply cannot name them all.
This speech is supposed to be about passion, and like me people have many passions, but as I thought about it I figured I only have one real passion. A passion for the truth, you see, you cannot be truly passionate anything without the truth. Be it education or government. I have a passion for the truth! Why? I believe that knowing and living for the truth will provide me with a master that opens the door, which sustains life. Truth endows me with a passion to move with vigor to help life and to make a difference in the lives of those whose fortune does not permit a direct contribution to help life. This passion is to learn about myself and others, to feel the changes that demand a renewing, a reevaluation of those things that are past; to re-educate ourselves to our needs, our possibilities, and our potential. I believe that truth will create in me, a passion to engineer the highway or roadway,2) the pavement made of passages and freedom from that which deforms and maims……Lies
The truth is a precious gift, we seek it, we hold our hand out for it, but we hate it because it hurts. We love it when it benefits us, but hate when it puts us in our place. We live in a world where divisiveness is a reality because the lies of the past are so prevalent. We ask our religious leaders and politicians for the truth and most of us believe what they say, because it is simply easier to believe a lie than it is to believe the truth. White lies, fibs, and half-truths are all the antithesis of the truth. I look in the mirror every day, never once have I looked in the mirror and saw perfection, but I do see the truth. So when you speak to me, speak to me with the intentions of speaking the truth. Do not speak to me intending to speak with half-truths, fibs, or white lies, because I will eventually figure it out.
I also thank all who came out to support these future leaders, and I have to send out an extra special thanks to Dr. Kevin James and Ms. Gladys Muhammad for seeing my potential and sponsoring me in this program.