Mill i on

PHIL JACOBS EDITOR
JENNIFER FINER STAFF WRITER

Mayor Dennis Archer discusses why he marched.

entirely on goals male African-Americans need-
ed to set and meet to help families and their cities.
The mayor added, however, that during this
meeting he did not admonish Mr. Farrakhan for
his anti-Semitic, anti-Catholic, anti-white, anti-
gay rhetoric. He said he didn't feel it was his place.
Mayor Archer spoke a great deal about black-
Jewish relations during a two-hour interview with
The Jewish News. The meeting was supposed to
last only one hour, but the mayor kept it going,
expounding on reasons the two communities
should work together.
Still, there was the issue of the Million Man
March.
• "I was satisfied, after meeting with Minister
Farrakhan and listening to what his goals and
views were for the march, that I felt comfortable
going," Mayor Archer said.
He also said that while the opinions of the Jew-
ish community are important, he hoped Jewish
leaders would understand that he hoped to de-
velop his stature as a role model by going to the
march and addressing the men there.
"There are some things over which we act on
the basis of principle and on the basis of individ-
ual beliefs about what is in the best interest of the
community we serve," the mayor said. "While I
have a number of good friends within the Jewish
community, I knew they would understand. In
my discussion with those whom I am closest with,
there was an appreciation for the fact that I am
person who is committed to my community and
who has the responsibility for the leadership in a
city that is 76 percent African-American. They
knew of and supported my efforts."
He added that Jewish friends said it would be
helpful if he made it clear that he did not associ-
ate himself with Mr. Farrakhan's bigotry.
"Those who know me know that I do not share
the views of Minister Farrakhan, and it was

pointed out to me that not only is Minister Far-
rakhan anti-Jewish, but he is also anti-Catholic.
I happen to be Catholic."
The Jewish Community Council sent a letter
to the mayor asking him to reconsider his deci-
sion. "We need to use lines of communication to
express our serious concerns about the march,"
the letter read. The mayor responded by saying
that while he supported the message of the march,
he did not support its organizer, Mr. Farrakhan.
The Council letter also pointed out that May-
or Archer's participation lent political credibility
to Mr. Farrakhan, and that it was difficult to sep-
arate the message from the messenger.
"Our feeling was that his participation as one
of the leading mayors of America would add le-
gitimacy to Farrakhan and provide an opportu-
nity for others to look to Farrakhan as a significant
leader of the African-American community," said
David Gad-Harf, executive director of the Jewish
Community Council. "It is very troubling to me
and to the entire Jewish community that Far-
rakhan, who is a clear-cut bigot, has a position of
importance within the African-American com-
munity. His stature was greatly enhanced through
the march and he gained credibility because May-
or Archer was there."
Mr. Gad-Harf said many significant national
black leaders distanced themselves from the
march because of its association with Mr. Far-
rakhan.
"There are just some times we and he need to
speak honestly with one another," Mr. Gad-Harf
added.
Elaine Driker, a longtime Detroit resident who
serves as vice president of the Jewish Communi-
ty Council and co-chair of its Detroit Initiative
Task Force, which seeks to re-engage the metro
Jewish community with the city of Detroit, holds
a different view. "I think in assessing the mayor's

involvement with the march, one has to separate
the message of the march from the messenger,"
she said.
"I completely understand Dennis' need and de-
sire to go as a black man in America today. I don't
view his participation as a slap at the Jewish com-
munity locally or nationally. In terms of his pri-
orities, this was something he needed to do."
Richard Lobenthal, Michigan regional director
of the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith,
said he was sorry the mayor went to Washington,
but, like Ms. Driker, he understands his reasons.
"Archer is an outstanding guy, I've known him
for years," Mr. Lobenthal said. "He's had a long
relationship with the Jewish community. He's
known for being fair and friendly with the Jew-
ish community specifically, and non-blacks (in
general)."
Mr. Lobenthal said Mayor Archer's participa-
tion in the Million Man March was not an indi-
cation that he supports Mr. Farrakhan's bigotry.
"The march itself was a good idea," Mr. Loben-
thal said. "Almost everyone felt the march was
marred by Farrakhan's involvement."
Judge Avern Cohn, who has memories of a
young Dennis Archer beginning his legal career,
said he fully understood the mayor's reasons for
attending the event.
"I think the mayor made it clear that he joined
in going to the march because of the inspirational
aspects of it," Judge Cohn said. "The conditions
of the African-American is deplorable in this city.
That march transcended, in my judgement, Louis
Farrakhan. It had a larger meaning for America.
Mayor Archer made clear he doesn't believe in
what Louis Farrakhan stands for. It was fine with
me that he was there."
While supportive of the ideas advocated by the
march, Herb Kaufman, funeral director of Ira
Kaufman Chapel Inc. and president of Temple

