Black Supremacist Religion Given Green Light

Members of "Five Percent," a militant offshoot of the Nation of Islam that teaches black supremacy, may start getting the freedom to practice and learn about their religion while in prison. The first to start down this road will be the New York State prison system, which like most prison systems has treated Five Percent as a gang, not a religion.

Paul von Zielbauer writes in The New York Times:

In many states, prison officials track "security threat groups," as jailed members of a handful of gangs and supremacist organizations are commonly called. Five Percenters have challenged prison restrictions in other states with little success. In 1999, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled that South Carolina's prison system was justified in treating Five Percenters as dangerous gang members. Last year, the Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit upheld disciplinary rules in New Jersey that punish any prisoners possessing The Five Percenter, a Nation of Gods and Earths newspaper, or even discussing aspects of their beliefs.

The real question will be whether prison officials are able to put together evidence that members of this group organize to commit acts of violence. If they can do this, then judges are likely to allow restrictions to continue. Otherwise, the restrictions won't appear justified and judges are likely to insist that prisoners be given more religious freedom.

Read More:

• Nation of Islam
• Malcolm X