Minister Louis Farrakhan is revered by members of the Black community, but has a history of making derogatory comments against Jews. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
Three Black members of Congress have been dubbed “sellouts” for their denouncement of Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan.
In an open letter, the group blasted Reps. Danny Davis, Barbara Lee and Gregory Meeks, who disavowed Farrakhan’s anti-Semitic and racially-charged comments at a Savior’s Day speech in Chicago last month.
” … We’re writing this open letter to express our deep disappointment with your published denouncement of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan’s Saviors’ Day 2018 Message at the behest of the Republican Jewish Coalition, the anti-Defamation League and others who represent White supremacy and the continuing effort to destroy our community,” read the letter, dated March 9.
“It is abhorrent for you, as elected officials, to defend these people against the Truth that uncovers the horror that has been done to Black people and to serve as their mouthpiece, rather than allow them to defend themselves against their record and history which proves that they are anti-Black,” it added.
The 84-year-old minister spoke at the national organization’s conference in February where he reportedly said things like, “powerful Jews are my enemy” and blamed Jews for “all this filth and degenerate behavior Hollywood is putting out turning men into women and women into men.”
The new open letter directs the three congress members to a 2010 letter penned by the NOI leader that warned “Black leadership” against becoming so-called “apologists” for the Jews. It went on to suggest that befriending Jews would lead to Black leaders being “seen by the masses of our people as a modern-day Uncle Tom who believes that you owe more to them than to the masses of our suffering people.”
“Remember, it was the same Satanic Jews of yesterday that conspired against Jesus and had him killed by the ruling authority of the Roman Empire,” the letter reads, seemingly comparing Farrakhan to Jesus. “…They hated Jesus because he told the truth. Jesus was ridiculed, falsely charged, lied on, evil spoken of and called a hater and a bigot.”
In the wake of Farrakhan’s controversial speech, seven lawmakers were called out for their ties to the Islamic leader and asked to declare their stance on his views, — or be forced to resign. Davis, Lee and Meeks were among those who decried the minister however some have refused to be bullied. Indianapolis Rep. Andre Carson has pushed back against calls to resign from the Republican Jewish Coalition. He told Fox 59, “That organization doesn’t have any credibility with me.” He added, “I know they have a political agenda. The Congressional Black Caucus is asking that organization to condemn (Israeli Prime Minister) Benjamin Netanyahu and the (Israeli) government for discriminating against Africans who are migrating, who are fleeing dictatorships, who are fleeing oppression.
“There’s a great deal of bigotry and racism happening right now they fail to condemn,” he noted.
Women’s March organizer Tamika D. Mallory also defended herself after being condemned for her attendance and support for Farrakhan at the Savior’s Day speech.
