As many of you know I wear the title ‘eclectic’ with great honor and distinction – especially after the first intellectual in my life - my beautiful Mother, born in Panama and raised in Jamaica gave me her definition of the word 10 years ago. Notwithstanding the wisdom of the man who has been my Business and Life Mentor, since I was 17 – Frank - who tells me that ‘eclectic’ is just a nice word for ‘mish-mash,’ I take great pride in my rather unique and eclectic collection of dear Friends and great influences who are also public figures or celebrities. There is my Beloved Minister Farrakhan (the human being with the most beautiful heart I have ever known). There is the Wu-Tang Clan who gave me so many different life experiences I think it will take me a life time to fully appreciate them. There is my dear, dear Cynthia McKinney who in 2004 gave me a chance to guide a successful congressional campaign while just over 30. We have the genius Reuven Brenner – more scientist than economist who freely shares his insights in reaction to virtually everything I do. And of course there is the individual with the most ‘compelling’ personality I have ever encountered – the multi-talented media personality and philosopher Troi ‘Star’ Torain of Star and Buc Wild. That these meaningful relationships with such ‘controversial’ persons make so many others very uncomfortable is actually half the fun in my life (smile).

Some say I am loyal to them and that is true, but even greater than that, I am grateful to and for them. I am so grateful to the Creative Force of the Universe for bringing forth such unusual, talented, gifted, and matchless human beings to make the world a better place and constantly glorify that which is progressive in Nature.

And I am grateful to Allah (God) for what each of them has brought into my life to develop me, challenge me, and encourage me to do better. You will note I publicly acknowledge them – with a specific note of thanks - in the beginning of my book, ‘The Entrepreneurial Secret’ (http://theEscret.com/).

One day I hope to host all of them (and a few others to be named later) for a great dinner for what would have to be the most spirited and wide-ranging conversation in the history of humanity (LOL).

But there would be a seat left open in honor of one person whose impact on me has also been great – Mr. Jude Wanniski, who passed away around this time, nearly 5 years ago. Anyone who was blessed to have the unique experience of interacting with him will bear me witness that there is, was, and never will be another Jude.

Another very dear, important and influential person in my life, Brother Jabril Muhammad has often made reference to a maxim, ‘the more unlikely an event, the more information it yields.’ What could be more ‘unlikely’ to some, than my friendship - at age 25 while part of the management for the biggest rap group in the world - with a man four decades my senior (and much ‘Whiter’) who rose to prominence from the editorial pages of the most influential business publication in the world, and who, at that time had the White House, Federal Reserve, and halls of Congress on speed-dial?

If there were one picture that both symbolizes and explains this paradox it is the now ‘classic’ (for those of us who know both men and have seen it) and absolutely beautiful photograph of a beaming Jude Wanniski with his friend, Minister Louis Farrakhan. It is this picture, if none other, that represents ‘a thousand words’ (smile):

I continue to miss Jude and wonder what he would be writing to the masses or advising world leaders to do in a world like this, at such a critical time as this.

Most of all, I wonder what he would think of what I have been able to do, in no small part because of him.

I hope you will enjoy and find stimulating my eulogy of him published, September 7, 2005 at BlackElectorate.com:

http://www.blackelectorate.com/articles.asp?ID=1456

If nothing else I hope it causes you to reflect, with gratitude, over the value of the many special people we encounter in life, and who bring out of us, something very wonderful, for the benefit of others.

Cedric Muhammad
August 23, 2010

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