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Resolution seeking to condemn Farrakhan, blasted by activists, analysts: Congressional targeting of Minister denounced as driven by racial fears, double standards
BY CHARLENE MUHAMMAD -NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT
(Source: FinalCall.com) After failing efforts to get some Congressional Black Caucus members to repudiate Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan, a staunch supporter of Israel targeted the outspoken leader by sponsoring a House resolution to condemn him.
Several analysts and Nation of Islam officials blasted the resolution as indicative of a racial double standard in the country and efforts to control Black people. Min. Farrakhan, nor the Nation of Islam are anti-Semitic, added Black activists.
Republican Todd Rokita of Indiana introduced House Resolution 772 on March 13 claiming Min. Farrakhan promotes ideas that create animosity and anger toward Jewish Americans and the Jewish religion.
“This is insanity! Min. Louis Farrakhan is the only person in contemporary history who has been targeted by Congress for his views,” remarked Julianne Malveaux, Ph.D., economist, author, and former president of Bennett College.
“We have not seen the people in Charlottesville who killed the woman targeted. So the only person you could think of to target is a Black man who loves Black people,” she argued, referring to deadly violence that erupted during a Unite the Right rally in Virginia last May.
“We have tens of thousands if not millions of people, Black people, in these United States who are members of the Nation of Islam. They are productive people in our community, who many of us interact with, work with, on a daily basis. Min. Farrakhan is their chosen leader,” Dr. Malveaux stated.
She continued, “They are not racist people. They are not anti-Semitic. They are Black people. So, until these Jewish people who are running around asking Black people to buck dance, until they ask White people to buck dance, I ain’t having it! I’m just not having it!”
“If we’re gonna run around condemning people, I got a list! How come we have not condemned David Duke,” she asked, referring to the Ku Klux Klan grand wizard and former Republican state lawmaker in Louisiana. “What is this nonsense?”
Rep. Rokita’s proposed resolution came amid an onslaught of attacks on Min. Farrakhan in mainstream and social media by Jewish and Zionist groups, and repeated demands for some CBC members’ resignations.
The Republican Jewish Coalition was able to force Representatives Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Danny Davis (D-Ill.), and Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) to rebuke Min. Farrakhan, but Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), Andre Carson (D-Ind.), and Al Green (D-Texas) did not. The Republican Jewish Coalition targeted lawmakers after photos of them with the Minister surfaced, and after learning the CBC met with the beloved Muslim leader.