points of view
Kilpatrick from page 31
Commentary
Kwame Kilpatrick's curious affection for
Farrakhan in 2005 and again in 2007 should
have tipped off all of us to his unhinged
demeanor long before the Free Press broke the
text-messaging scandal in January 2008.
In Detroit,
Farrakhan spoke of
"a few greedy ones"
who have taken con-
trol of Washington.
The conspiracy he
alluded to harkened
to his 2004 belief
Louis
that a "small group
Farrakhan
of neo-conservatives
are using American
power to destroy the enemies of Israel."
By neo-conservatives, he meant the
several Jews within President George W.
Bush's inner circle who pushed to topple
Saddam Hussein to thwart Iraq's per-
ceived threat to the world.
In theory, the Millions More
Movement was noble despite
Farrakhan's bear hug on it. The intent of
the Millions More March, as Kilpatrick's
staff noted in a Sept. 8, 2005, letter to
the IN, was "to generate the spirit and
energy of the original Million Man
March in a constructive effort to build
the African American community in
America" and "to generate mutual love
and respect among all people and to
take personal responsibility to uplift
African Americans and others out of the
devastation of poverty and ignorance
I had no problem with that or with
the wide-ranging mainstream African
American groups that supported the
march, including the NAACP and
National Urban League, both powerful
and valued.
Alienating Leadership
Sadly, the Millions More March, sup-
posedly redemptive, broke apart, in
my view, when Malik Zulu Shabazz,
the anti-Jewish and racist leader of the
New Black Panther Party, signed on as
co-organizer with Farrakhan. Shabazz
not only sympathizes with Hamas and
Hezbollah, but also claims that U.S.
support of Zionism was the root of
why so many people died on 9-11. Like
Farrakhan, Shabazz espouses the anti-
Semitic fantasy that Jews had a special
responsibility for the trans-Atlantic
slave trade.
Kilpatrick's staff seemed to think
I was out of touch because former
President Bill Clinton and then-Gov.
Jennifer Granholm issued statements
supporting the Millions More March.
32
August 18 2011
That rebuke, claiming I "completely
misunderstood" the event and the spirit
behind it, missed the point.
The march itself certainly held prom-
ise. But I couldn't gush about it given
the two organizers, Louis Farrakhan and
Malik Zulu Shabazz, would be there to,
directly or by inference, poison the mes-
sage by damning Jews — ironically one
of the African American community's
foremost supporters during the civil
rights struggle and in Detroit's rebuild-
ing following the 1967 riots.
A Worthy Dream
At the time in 2005, I did say that
Kilpatrick "is a friend of the Jewish
community, has addressed Jewish
groups and counts Jews among his
financial backers." But for his staff
to describe what I wrote as a tirade
because "he would never engage in any
activity that he felt was disrespectful
of the Jewish community or any other
group" was balderdash.
Yes, Kwame Kilpatrick's dream of a
new spirit and a new energy in Detroit
resonated and should remain a top-
shelf pursuit under current Mayor Dave
Bing.
But by spotlighting Farrakhan with
the Spirit of Detroit Award, Kilpatrick
and the city of Detroit also put, by
extension, Malik Zulu Shabazz in the
limelight. Peaceful advocacy of health
care, education and job creation on
behalf of the masses deserves plaudits.
But neither Farrakhan nor Shabbaz was
ever a mainstream black leader. Yet,
mainstream black leaders, like Mayor
Kilpatrick in 2005, perpetuate that illu-
sion when they give legitimacy to this
hateful duo.
My rereading of history reinforces
my belief that Kwame Kilpatrick's curi-
ous affection for Farrakhan in 2005
and again in 2007 should have tipped
off all of us to his unhinged demeanor
long before the Detroit Free Press broke
the text-messaging scandal in January
2008. I guess we were all too enamored
by Kilpatrick's charismatic, come-from-
behind re-election victory over Freman
Hendrix in November 2005 to notice the
gathering political storm clouds that
would bring a torrent of court convic-
tions and sweep the hip-hop mayor not
only from office, but also into jail.
Bibi Should Go To Ramallah
New York/JTA
F
Easing The Tension
or the Arab spring, Israel
In America, perception is fast
represents the hope that in
becoming reality, and a growing
the Middle East, a nation
number of people are question-
can be both a national homeland
ing support for Israel. Worrisome
and a free society. Israel is a
for the longer term, even among
modern, thriving democracy amid
younger Jews, support for Israel is
a region dominated by despotic
now a debatable question instead
regimes that brutally oppress
of an undisputed fact.
their people
Through
and rape
Hillel, Birthright
their land's
Israel, the
resources.
Bronfman Youth
Freedom
Fellowships in
enables
Israel and many
Israel's
other initiatives,
advancing
we work tire-
economy,
lessly to educate
robust edu-
Jewish youth
cational
and expose them
Edgar Bronfman and Adam R.
system,
to the wonders
Bronf man
unique cul-
of their heritage
ture, prolific
and to the bless-
media and independent judiciary to ing that is the Jewish state. But
thrive.
when this generation is bombarded
Yet Israel and its neighbors
constantly by images and descrip-
remain in a perpetual state of war,
tions of Israel's villainy, it becomes
and the majority of the world's
increasingly difficult to combat
nations regularly condemn the
negative impressions. Through
Jewish state. Unable to beat Israel
action and inaction, Israel is fast
on the battlefield in 1956, '67, '73
losing ground in this battle.
and the '80s, Israel's Arab neigh-
Misguided ideologues advance
bors resorted to terrorism, the
Israeli construction in parts of the
perpetuation of Palestinian suffer-
West Bank hoping for the realiza-
ing and endless propaganda.
tion of a greater Israel that encom-
In this context, Israel has strug-
passes the entire biblical home-
gled for peace. For decades, Israel
land. However romantic the notion,
has been a willing and reliable
facts on the ground preclude such
partner in peace with Jordan and
an eventuality. Annexation of the
Egypt. However, a lasting peace
entire West Bank would require
with the Palestinian Authority
the displacement or repression
and Israel's surrounding enemies
of millions of Palestinians and is
not something a moral and just
has remained elusive. Hamas,
Israel could or should do. It is in
Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad, all
neither the long-term nor short-
active surrogates of the Iranian
term interests of the Jewish state
regime, are sworn to Israel's
to govern burgeoning Palestinian
destruction, oppose peace at every
populations. Then-Prime Minister
turn and promise not to be bound
Ariel Sharon recognized this when
by any agreement.
he withdrew Israel from the Gaza
Nevertheless, the Jewish
Strip, and many recognize this now
state must regain the moral high
in the West Bank.
ground. Israel and Prime Minister
Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu are
Changing The Sands
vilified as obstacles to Palestinian
Short of unilateral action, there is
self-determination. So strong is
little anyone believes that Israel
the impression that Israel per-
can do to truly alter the situa-
petuates Palestinian suffering
tion on the ground. But there is a
that a majority of United Nations
way for Israel to create conditions
members may vote to support a
conducive to a just and lasting
unilateral Palestinian state at this
peace by completely changing the
September's General Assembly.