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Editor's Letter

The Folly Of Farrakhan

I

sraelis are "liars, thieves and murderers" who have "taken succeeded in alienating Jews and whites.
Continuing in his March 1 address, Farrakhan chastised the
the position of God" and are out to "kill everybody." So
says Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, the anti-
U.S. Congress for not speaking up to the pro-Israeli lobby. "It is
Zionist champion who ridicules the "Nazi-like State of Israel"
because you fear a lobby that has money and influence that will
and blames America's ills on Jewish-controlled halls of gov-
turn you out of your seat," he said. "So you're terrorized. That's
why you don't act for the American people that sent you to
ernment, business, finance, entertainment and the press.
His keynote address at the annual
Congress. You are not their representative. You are the represen-
tative of the money and interests that have bought your soul."
Nation of Islam Saviours' Day, held
March 1 at the Rosemont Theatre in
Wow.
Rosemont, Ill., underscores the hatred
ADL National Director Abraham Foxman is right:
Farrakhan relishes "putting his bigotry on display, unfettered
and disdain he harbors for Jews.
He portrayed Israel as a satanic and
and unhidden for his supporters and the world to see."
I'm reminded of Farrakhan's infamous Black History Month
militaristic force with diabolical ambi-
speech, delivered Feb. 27, 2005. In unleashing a torrent of dis-
tions. Is that a scary viewpoint for
dain, Farrakhan declared the special responsibility that Jews
such a powerful and influential black
bear for the 400-year-long, trans-Atlantic slave trade. "Listen;'
leader, or what?
I took the time to read speech
he told a crowd at Christ Universal Temple in Chicago, ewish
people don't have no hands that are free of the blood of us.
excerpts provided to the IN by the
They owned slave ships; they bought and sold us. They raped
Anti-Defamation League's Michigan
Region office in Southfield. I hesitated to repeat his anti-
and robbed us."
He said Jews lack the courage to atone and repent.
Semite canards, but I couldn't allow his rage to go unchal-
Granted, Jews did sell, own and abuse slaves, but while ter-
lenged. That would be a shande.
Nearly 14,000 Nation of Islam supporters heard Farrakhan
ribly wrong, that does not excuse the Nation of Islam for false-
ly inflating our role and influence in slavery. Jews did fight
rake Jews, Israel and the Israel lobby. Many others viewed the
on the Confederate side. But many more Jews fought on the
speech on the Internet and in a DVD available for purchase
on the group's Web site. His tirade came in a portion of the
Union side and supported abolition. And in modern times,
Jews have fought for civil rights and racial equality for blacks
speech evaluating Israel's winter conflict with Hamas in Gaza
— and earned the embrace of Rev. Martin
and its role in other world events.
Luther King Jr., whose star 41 years after
In one hardly surprising passage, he
his death still obliterates Farrakhan. I've
said: "When the people of Gaza were
never met a Jew proud of Jewish slavers.
being slaughtered, the pro-Israeli lobby
sent messages to the House and the
Haunting Claims
Senate of words that they wanted them
His Rosemont audience, meanwhile, heard
to use, gave them the language, and now
Farrakhan rail about the number of Jews
you have bipartisan support. And there's
lost in the Holocaust, suggesting "you can't
not a vote that the pro-Israeli lobby wants
even engage in constructive argument over
that doesn't get bipartisan support. Why?
the veracity of the figures."
Because the Israeli lobby controls the gov-
"We know something happened, sure,
ernment of the United States of America."
but you can't talk about [it]," he said. "In
Now that's a damning stretch. The
certain cities in Europe, they arrest you and
American Israel Public Affairs Committee
put you in prison for denying such."
and other Jewish lobbying groups cer-
Rev. Louis Farrakhan
To that, I'll only point out that historic
tainly have clout given the strategic
records document the 6 million Jews who
importance of Israel, our closest ally in
Nazi Germany murdered.
the beleaguered Middle East. But they have their share of
Farrakhan's take on Zionism and democracy came into
detractors as well.
sharp focus in his 2007 Saviours' Day speech in Detroit. He
Farrakhan, 75, maintained that politicians who deny
the pro-Israeli lobby won't get re-elected. He cited Cynthia
praised Israel's enemies — Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas — for
doing God's work by trying to export theocracy, a form of
McKinney, the Israel-bashing former U.S. representative from
Georgia, as one example. "You can't criticize," he said. "You
government in which Divine power, via Earthly representa-
tives, reigns. He concluded that "democracy is no replacement
can't say nothin' because if you do, you're branded as an anti-
for the rule of God."
Semite
Let there be no mistake: Rev. Farrakhan is dangerous.
The implication is that a motley group of public servants
failed at the polls only because they dared take issue with
He has a right to rant. But where's the outrage? Berate his
claims. To let them pass is to give him what he craves: an
Israel, not because their stances didn't measure up when it
came time to seek voter approval.
uncontested forum. ❑

Wild Thoughts

Clearly, Farrakhan prefers flailing to reality.
Over the years, he has preached how the Talmud teaches
that blacks were cursed, that "poor Jews died while big Jews
were at the root of what you call the Holocaust" and that Jews
plotted to crucify Jesus. His defamatory pronouncements have

0 :

Do Jews challenge Rev. Farrakhan

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enough?

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How dangerous do you consider
his ideas?

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