The Family Thread - November 11, 2006
I regret not having mentioned my family line in any of my earlier notes, so here is a little background about me and mine.
I am married to a wonderful and caring woman who is called Malinda. She is from the Parks family with roots in the State of Louisiana as I am. We didn't know each other until 1991 and was married in October 1992. We don't have any children, but we do have two cute dogs who she named Cooper and Jazz. Cooper is a Maltese and Jazz is a Yorkie. Malinda is a pre-school teacher and is currently enrolled in National University taking online courses to get her B.A. degree. She is an "A" student and should be finished sometime in 2010. The sky is the limit for her and I know that she will do well. The children and their parents love her and her employer really appreciates the skills she brings to the table.
I am an offspring of two wonderful families: The Richardsons and the Williams; my dear mother comes from the Richardson clan and my father is an elder son of the Williams tribe. {My father recently passed on to his reward on Sunday, July 20, 2008}. Both come from Louisiana and many of our relatives are still there. I am amazed at how many relatives I have!
I have three brothers living and three sisters still in their prime spread out from California to Louisiana and offsprings of their own as I have. I have three children, all living in Los Angeles and three grandchildren, so the thread will continue through me as well, but with the sir name of Muhammad.
Both sides of my family have a gathering that we refer to as "Reunion", with my mother's side holding it every year in Minden, LA. and my father's side holding it bi-annually in various cities within the United States.
Some of my family have wondered out loud as to why I changed my name to Akbar Muhammad. The short answer is because I do not wish to be associated with my ancestors being once owned by someone named Williams or Richardson, both of which are linked to Europeans. We are decendants of Africa and we are now Americans. I don't deceive myself and think that African people fully accept us as full brothers of our native land, so I choose to be associated with the religion that I have embraced in Islam. I believe in entire submission to the Will of God (Allah) and the messages of all of his prophets. I AM NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THE RADICAL VIEWS OF SOME ARAB MUSLIMS WHO HAVE COME TO BE KNOWN AS TERRORISTS. I am associated with the views of any person in this world who objects to the invasionary policies of the present government of our Nation. We should make war with those who make war with us, but not occupy their lands and force them to abandon their culture and traditions.
Hopefully, a new president will move in another direction without sacrificing our national security efforts to-date.
Most of my people on both sides are of the Christian Faith and will remain so as far as I know. My wife is a Christian with the Church of Christ. it is the way of our grandmothers and it is not easy for any of us to separate from that path, although there is clear evidence in my mind that we should. What will be will be, so I don't argue with anyone over it. In the end, God will be the Decider.
We have Caucasian and Indian blood flowing in our bloodlines and it is highly possible that we don't know each other yet. It's also possible that we don't want to know each other. Let's talk about it.
To all of my known family: I love you and wish you well.
I am married to a wonderful and caring woman who is called Malinda. She is from the Parks family with roots in the State of Louisiana as I am. We didn't know each other until 1991 and was married in October 1992. We don't have any children, but we do have two cute dogs who she named Cooper and Jazz. Cooper is a Maltese and Jazz is a Yorkie. Malinda is a pre-school teacher and is currently enrolled in National University taking online courses to get her B.A. degree. She is an "A" student and should be finished sometime in 2010. The sky is the limit for her and I know that she will do well. The children and their parents love her and her employer really appreciates the skills she brings to the table.
I am an offspring of two wonderful families: The Richardsons and the Williams; my dear mother comes from the Richardson clan and my father is an elder son of the Williams tribe. {My father recently passed on to his reward on Sunday, July 20, 2008}. Both come from Louisiana and many of our relatives are still there. I am amazed at how many relatives I have!
I have three brothers living and three sisters still in their prime spread out from California to Louisiana and offsprings of their own as I have. I have three children, all living in Los Angeles and three grandchildren, so the thread will continue through me as well, but with the sir name of Muhammad.
Both sides of my family have a gathering that we refer to as "Reunion", with my mother's side holding it every year in Minden, LA. and my father's side holding it bi-annually in various cities within the United States.
Some of my family have wondered out loud as to why I changed my name to Akbar Muhammad. The short answer is because I do not wish to be associated with my ancestors being once owned by someone named Williams or Richardson, both of which are linked to Europeans. We are decendants of Africa and we are now Americans. I don't deceive myself and think that African people fully accept us as full brothers of our native land, so I choose to be associated with the religion that I have embraced in Islam. I believe in entire submission to the Will of God (Allah) and the messages of all of his prophets. I AM NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THE RADICAL VIEWS OF SOME ARAB MUSLIMS WHO HAVE COME TO BE KNOWN AS TERRORISTS. I am associated with the views of any person in this world who objects to the invasionary policies of the present government of our Nation. We should make war with those who make war with us, but not occupy their lands and force them to abandon their culture and traditions.
Hopefully, a new president will move in another direction without sacrificing our national security efforts to-date.
Most of my people on both sides are of the Christian Faith and will remain so as far as I know. My wife is a Christian with the Church of Christ. it is the way of our grandmothers and it is not easy for any of us to separate from that path, although there is clear evidence in my mind that we should. What will be will be, so I don't argue with anyone over it. In the end, God will be the Decider.
We have Caucasian and Indian blood flowing in our bloodlines and it is highly possible that we don't know each other yet. It's also possible that we don't want to know each other. Let's talk about it.
To all of my known family: I love you and wish you well.