metro CHARLES COLMAN Congratulations on your graduation with honors from Columbia Law School. Sending love and best wishes as you start your new position as an Acting Assistant Professor at NYU Law School. Love, Grandma Beverly Colman & Grandma Eleanor Minkoff !4. May all your dreams come true! You have been such a joy in our lives! Love, Mom, Dad, Danielle, Ari, Safta, Saba, Adi & Jacob BRYAN BROWN May all your dreams come true. We are so proud of you! Love, Bubbie Helen, Zadie Fred Bubbie Fran and Zadie Ron er all your aunts, uncles & cousins 14 May 30 • 2013 Farrakhan In Detroit Jewish groups outraged by Nation of Islam leader's anti-Semitic remarks. I Robin Schwartz Contributing Writer M aking reference to "Satanic Jews" and the "Synagogue of Satan" during a recent visit to Detroit, controversial Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan drew harsh criti- cism from several Jewish organizations. It was Farrakhan's first trip to Detroit since 2007, when he addressed 50,000 people at Ford Field. On May 16, he spoke at New Destiny Christian Fellowship Church in Detroit. The next day, he visited Fellowship Chapel, a Detroit church led by Rev. Wendell Anthony, presi- dent of the Detroit Louis branch of the Farrakhan NAACP. Farrakhan also spoke to mem- bers of the Detroit City Council at their invitation and paid a prison visit to former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, who he defended and depicted as a victim of white racism. Kilpatrick is awaiting sen- tencing on federal corruption charges; he could face up to 20 years in prison. "I know he didn't do everything right:' Farrakhan is quoted as saying. "Do you think white folks in office weren't playing a little on the side?" A number of prominent black leaders attended the various speeches, including Detroit City Council members, Anthony and U.S. Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), prompting the Jewish Community Relations Council, the Anti-Defamation League and the American Jewish Committee to issue this joint statementt: "While JCRC, ADL and AJC are outraged but not surprised by Louis Farrakhan's virulently racist and anti- Semitic comments in Detroit last week, we are especially distressed that a num- ber of Detroit's community leaders — including a sitting member of Congress, the head of the Detroit NAACP and members of the Detroit City Council — listened to Rev. Farrakhan spew his hate- ful rants in the sanctuary of a church and failed to respond afterwards. "Together we are reaching out to non- Jewish communal organizations, asking them to join with us to underscore a basic truth: Silence in the face of hatred — but especially silence by leaders — helps promote the racism that continues to divide and cripple Detroit:' At Fellowship Chapel, Farrakhan is quoted as saying he loves President Barack Obama but, "he surrounded himself with Satan... members of the Jewish community" He countered those who say he's hate- ful, by saying, "Why do they say that Farrakhan is anti-Semitic? I'm 80 years old. I've never been arrested, not even for spitting on a sidewalk... Is there a Jewish synagogue I've defaced?" That comment drew cheers. Before Farrakhan's visit, Heidi Budaj, ADL-Michigan Region director, wrote to Detroit City Council members about their invitation to Farrakhan to speak at the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center. "Although we acknowledge the signifi- cant challenges Detroit faces, providing a platform to an individual with a history of promoting anti-Semitism and bigotry is not a solution," Budaj wrote. "Minister Farrakhan has espoused bigoted and anti-Semitic rhetoric over the past 30 years as head of the Nation of Islam:' Following the Detroit appearances, Budaj issued a press statement saying Detroit leaders should have spurned, not embraced, Farrakhan. She indicated none of the leaders who attended his speeches immediately condemned the Nation of Islam leader's anti-Semitic remarks. A week later, on May 23, Conyers issued this statement: "Last Friday, I attended a speech by Minister Louis Farrakhan at Fellowship Chapel in Detroit. During this speech, Minister Farrakhan made unacceptable racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic state- ments, which I condemn in the stron- gest possible terms. "It was my expectation that Minister Farrakhan's speech would focus on the many challenges facing the City of Detroit. In previous days, he had dis- cussed efforts to revitalize our city by purchasing property and investing in blighted neighborhoods. Regrettably, he used this opportunity to promote views that have no place in civilized discourse. "The fact that Minister Farrakhan has engaged in important charitable work aimed at expanding economic opportuni- ties for underserved communities does not excuse these statements:' he wrote. "I sincerely offer my apologies to my con- stituents and others who also may have been offended by the minister's words:' At press time, attempts to reach Rev. Anthony for comment were unsuccess- ful. ❑ Go to www.adl.org to see a full report on Farrakhan's speeches.