JEWISH WORLD COVER STORY Farrakhan Talks to the Jews
For three hours, over colfee in his home, Nation oj Islam leader Louis Farrakhan spoke to the Jewish people through The Jerusalem Report. The anti-Semitism he repeatedly spouts was no less virulent at his dining room table, but his message "is Jor the Jews' own good."
VINCE BEISER Chicago
HATEVER ELSE WUIS White House, he has called it. have publicly called for the community to Farrakhan may be, let "I want you to feel at home, and ask any take Farrakhan up on his repeated ap no one say he is not a questions you feel your readers would be peals for a meeting with Jewish leaders. gracious host - even interested in," says Farrakhan, his voice Last year, at the urging of Jewish "60 to a Jewish j ournalist. as honey-smooth as a Motown Singer. One Minutes" journalist Mike Wallace, World Before beginning our reason he has become perhaps the na Jewish Congress head Edgar Bronfman interview at his palatial residence in an tion's most important African-American hosted Farrakhan and his wife at a dinner affluent, integrated South Chicago neigh leader is immediately obvious: The man in his New York home (although Bronf borhood, the leader of the Nation of Islam practically glows with charisma and man soon cut off contact with the minis- ter). And in April Edward Rendell, Philadelphia's Jew ish mayor, invited the minis 'I PLEDGE THIS to you. I have no intention whatsoever ter to speak at a rally to promote racial healing. Far- to do EVIL TO THE JEWISH COMMUNITY. rakhan tells me he is now talking qUietly with "several I members of the Jewish just want to stop the evil that's being DONE TO MINE.' community." To say that Farrakhan is makes sure that my photographer and I charm. The Honorable Minister is dressed an anti-Semite is accurate, but inade are comfortable in our high-backed chairs casually today, having swapped his usual quate. First of all, though it gets far less at his long dining-room table, well dark suit and bow tie for an off-white press, he also has plenty of ill will for gays, supplied with pineapple juice and coffee, pants and tunic ensemble set off by a cou Catholics, whites in general and, for that and apologizes for haVing made us wait, ple of hefty gold ringsand a gold necklace. matter, blacks whose conduct he dis even though we actually arrived .early. Farrakhan, who always has so much to approves of. Jews, however, occupy a spe The house feels peaceful, the quiet dis say about Jews, has agreed to speak to cial place in his pantheon of devils. In his turbed only occasionally by the muffled them directly through an interview with a speeches and writings, Farrakhan tire crackles of the walkie-talkies carried by Jewish publication, one of only a handful lessly promotes a range of nefarious Jew the neatly dressed security men passing of times he has done so and the first since ish-conspiracy theories, some borrowed, by outside. Soft light flows in from a sky the Million Man March he convened in some of his own invention; in conversa light over the adjacent atrium, in the cen Washington in 1995 catapulted him to the tion, a burning sense of resentment ter of which a fountain surrounded by forefront of black political leadership. against Jews boils easily to the surface. lush green plants burbles serenely. The Certainly not by coincidence, his willing But Farrakhan is no Nazi. He has never carpets are deep and soft, the floors mar ness to be interviewed comes also at a espoused violence against Jews, and ble, the chandeliers crystal. The mosque time when the American Jewish commu swears he holds no hate for any group. In like mansion is home to Farrakhan, 64, nity's consensus against opening a dia fact, his feelings toward Jews are much and is also the NOI's symbolic head logue with him has begun to erode. Since more complicated than simple hate: Co quarters - their black eqUivalent of the the march, a handful of prominent Jews existing alongside his antipathy is a pro-
26 THE JERUSALEM REPORT. JUNE 26, 1997 JOE KUS Your children are sacred to you, and to me as well." All of this is less schizophrenic than it sounds. One of the central tenets of Farra khan's ideology is promoting black eco nomic self-sufficiency and collective self help. And as a highly intelligent man and a former professional mu THE sician, he reveres educa HONORABLE tion and culture. U.S. MINISTER: Jews, with their vast net 'I criticize work of communal char you ... to put ities, affluence, and you back in prominence in business, favor with academia and the arts, God' are a most admirable model of what Farrakhan wants the black community to become. But Farrakhan's admiration for Jews doesn't necessarily make him like them. It shades easily over into envy and resent ment, which in turn provide emotional fuel to drive his relentless accusations of Jewish conspiracies. To begin with, he believes that Jews played a key part in the African slave trade, as spelled out in "The Secret Rela tionship between Blacks and Jews," a book-length propaganda piece published by the NOr. (For the record, many schol ars have debunked the theory that Jews played any role out of proportion to their tiny numbers in slave-owning or trading. In fact, in the early 1800s there were more black slave-owners than Jewish ones.) He also buys the ever-popular notion that a Jewish cabal secretly controls the found admiration and respect for Jews. West Indian Boston neighborhood of lower government. In 1913, Farrakhan ex "Jews are leaders in every field of hu Roxbury -right alongside heavily Jewish plains, certain international bankers - man endeavor," he tells me. "Not only in upper Roxbury. As a young violin student, "Warburg and others" -led a conspiracy this country, but in every country where he went on to Gates, "all my heroes were to take control of the United States' Jews live. In spite of the negatives against Jewish. The greatest was Jascha Heifetz, money supply by creating the Federal Re the Jewish people, because of the wisdom and I loved him then and I love him now. serve. "You know and I know that there's a of God through his prophets through the "I've been leading the Nation of Is- Children of Israel, because of your cultur lam for 20 years now, and there's al heritage, because of your unity, you not one incident you can find of any 'II's NOT AN accident have been able to survive even in those follower of mine involved in any hate countries where you have been perse crime," he says. (This is true, as that the heads of the cuted. Yes, I admire that. Any intelligent even Farrakhan's arch-nemesis, the human being who is not bigoted would Anti-Defamation League, admits.) the FEDERAL RESERVE admire the accomplishments of the Jew "How is that possible if I'm such a ish people. You are world leaders." hater? Shouldn't there have been at happen to be JEWISH' In an interview with African-American least one synagogue defaced by one scholar Henry Louis Gates published in of my followers? Do you know why the New Yorker last year, Farrakhan even that's not so? In the Koran, if we saw group of bankers that print the U.S. claimed to suspect his paternal grand someone defacing the synagogue, it is our money," he says. Jewish bankers? "Yes. parents were Portuguese Jews. "I believe duty to stop them. The main ones. It's not an accident that that in my blood," he told Gates, "because "I pledge this to you, and to the Jewish the heads of the Federal Reserve happen when I was a little boy I used to love listen people," he goes on. I have no intention to be Jewish." The clincher: In 1913, the ing to the Jewish cantors in Boston." Far whatsoever, if I became the most powerful same year the Federal Reserve was estab rakhan was well acquainted with Jews in black man in America tomorrow, to do evil lished, so were the Internal Revenue Ser his youth. He was raised by his Barbados to the Jewish community. I just want to vice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation born mother in the working-class, heavily stop the evil that's being done to mine. and the Anti-Defamation League. "Is this
THE JERUSALEM REPORT. JUNE 26, 1997 27 JEWISH WORLD COVER STORY an accident?" he asks meaningfully. very vengeful ... You make people bow Black Jewish academic Julius Lester blacks and Jews were once both outcast "Who owns the big companies that down and crawl, day after day after day, has also pOinted out that Jews make a victims of discrimination, Jews have since manufacture arms?" he continues. "You and it's always too little, too late. Suppose much better target for black rage than gone on to flourish in mainstream Ameri look deep enough, you'll find some of the God used that same yardstick on your whites in general. Plagued with a sense of ca while things have only worsened for bankers." Certain nefarious Jewish bank own transgressions. How many of you vulnerability not felt by most whites, U.S. many African-Americans. Today, Jews Behind the Force ers even helped finance Hitler, he says. would be able to stand?" Jews invariably lash back full-force are wildly over-represented in America's Turns out that Jews' historic support In fact, God is so appalled by Jews' against any perceived anti-Semite, thus leading universities, law firms, busi OUIS FARRAKHAN'S NA projects. In recent years, mainstream for black groups like the National Associa wickedness that blacks have superseded giving their attackers a sense of power. nesses, and in government and the med tion of Islam grew out of black organizations that once kept Far tion for the Advancement of Colored Peo them as His chosen people. "How in the But Farrakhan also plainly believes all ia. Almost 90 percent of college-age Jews the teachings of Wallace D. rakhan at arm's length have become in ple is really just a world could God con the things he says about Jews. Although are enrolled in higher education. Per Fard, a door-to-door cloth creasingly willing to embrace him. tactic to keep blacks tinue to choose you, he tones down his rhetoriC speaking to capita JeWish income is almost double salesman in Detroit in the The peak of Farrakhan's career so far down. "Why must 'How in the world over your violation mainstream audiences, when asked di that of non-Jews. But one-third of blacks 1930s. Fard preached a came in spring 1995, when hundreds of Jews attempt to rectly he unhesitatingly repeats the accu melangeL of genuine Islamic beliefs thousands of black men gathered in of the agreement? live in poverty. One-third of young black control organizations could God continue Somebody else is sations he has been leveling at Jews for men are in jail or on parole. Half the black mixed with his own innovations, espe Washington for the Million Man March that are supposed to given a chance now," years. He has nothing to fear. He is, after men between ages 24 and 35 lack full cially the idea that the "so-called Ne dedicated to personal responsibility and be for our advance to CHOOSE YOU, says Farrakhan. all, a prophet who has walked with the time jobs. It's not hard to understand how groes," not the white "blue-eyed devils" atonement for their own transgressions, ment?" asks Farra "God has chosen us." messiah himself. easily demagogues can channel the re- who oppressed them, would be the true which he initiated. That stunning khan. "You were in over vour These tidings were AP inheritors of the earth. He at achievement made Farrakhan a media terested in black so revealed in the tracted thousands of followers, sensation and thrust him to the fore of cial mobility, but violation of the 1930s by itinerant including his star acolyte, Elijah America's black leadership. right in the founding silk peddler Wallace Muhammad, who founded the Almost immediately, however, Farra of it, economics was AGREEMENT? D. Fard, who the NOI NO! after Fard's mysteriOUS dis khan squandered much of his momen written out of it. " now calls Farrad Mu- appearance in 1934. The NOI is tum with a worldwide "friendship" tour Of course, Jews SOMEBODY ELSE hammad and an in- today by far the largest of several paying chummy visits to notorious dic control the media. groups sometimes known as tators in Iran, Iraq, Sudan and Nigeria, Last March, he told is given a chance now.' ~~~~.ati~~::,~OdC~i:~ "black Muslims. " appalling many of his admirers. None CNN that Jews "meet minister, Elijah Louis Eugene Walcott, then a theless, he continues to routinely pack once a year or so in Muhammad, concre rising calypso singer, was re speaking venues, and drew tens of thou Hollywood or in Park Avenue to look at the tized Fard's movement into today's NO!. cruited into the NO! by Muham sands of people into the streets of New trends of America and the world. And if Elijah Muhammad, Farrakhan now be mad and his protege, Malcolm X, York for last year's follow-up rally to the there are trends they do not like, then lieves, was nothing less than "that one in the mid-1950s. Renamed Min Million Man March. Polls conSistently they write scripts, they write movies, they foretold in the Gospel and the Torah": the ister Louis Farrakhan and show large chunks of the black public write books. They do things to influence messiah himself. trained personally by Malcolm, approve of him. the trends. And that is why I intend to No wonder Jews have failed to keep Far he rose quickly in the NO! hierar Recently, Farrakhan launched a bid to stay on this path until there's some rakhan's influence from growing. "Noth chy. Farrakhan fiercely de break into mainstream politics. The NOI change made. Black people are going to be ing you have done has been able to ill af nounced his former teacher when has begun to push voter registration. free of Jewish control." fect my rise, and nothing you do will be Malcolm left the NO! in 1964. Farrakhan talks of mobilizing a "Third able to ill affect my rise. And if you want to Speculation has lingered to this Force" in the political system, and has HEN PRESSED, FARRAKHAN have a showdown, and you call on your day that Farrakhan was some endorsed a few candidates for local of says that all of this devilry is God that you think is the holy one of Is how involved in Malcolm's assas fice . He has sidelined Khalid Abdul perpetrated only by Jewish rael, and let me call on mine, I'll show you sination the following year. Muhammad, his most radical minister, Wleaders, not all Jews. But it's where the real God is. " With Elijah Muhammad's and elevated former NAACP head Ben clear he thinks all Jews share responsibil Why does Farrakhan say these things? death in 1975, leadership of the Chavis, who is known as a bridge ity. Several times, when talking about the On one level, it's clear his anti-Jewish fu NO! passed to his son, Wallace builder to Jews and other groups. iniquities of "you people," he would lit sillades serve him politically. Until 1984, Elijah Muhammad, however, was never sentment this breeds into MEDIA HIT: Dean Muhammad. The younger Mu These efforts have begun bearing erally point an accusing finger at me. he was the relatively obscure leader of a as fixated on Jews as Farrakhan. Which anti-Semitism. Magida Farrakhan's hammad, however, quickly renounced small fruits. Republican vice presiden When he really gets worked up, his ver small black sect. But that year, with the raises the question of where Farrakhan's notes that Farrakhan's career the NOI's black supremacist doctrines tial candidate Jack Kemp praised Farra bal brush grows suspiciously broad. He is media paying attention, thanks to his in attitudes come from. A strain of anti mother used to clean peaked with and recreated it as a mainstream Is khan's economic self-help philosophy furious about the ADL's successful recent volvement with Jesse jackson's preSiden Semitism does run through African houses for wealthy Jews the Million lamic organization dubbed the World last year. Jude Wanniski, an eccentric efforts to ban NOI-affiliated security com tial campaign, Farrakhan's remarks call American history. Arthur Magida, author when he was a child. Far- Man March Community of aI-Islam in the West. An but influential right-wing academic, has panies from working in public housing ing Hitler "wickedly great" and Judaism a of a recently published Farrakhan biogra rakhan gave a hint at the outraged Farrakhan soon broke with been pushing the Republican party to projects (for proselytizing and unfair hir "dirty religion" catapulted him into the phy, traces its roots to crude stereotypes bitterness he has stored over that humil him and reestablished the Nation of Is work with Farrakhan, and brought him ing practices), despite their generally ex headlines. (The remark about Hitler is one of Jews as miserly Christ-killers passed iation in a speech years later, saying: "We lam with himself as leader. to speak at a Florida retreat for fmancial cellent record in reducing crime. That of the few used unfairly against Farra on to black slaves by their Christian own left our homes uncleaned, yet cleaned Since then, Farrakhan has steadily and political nabobs last March. And in proves, says Farrakhan, "you don't care khan. As Gates notes, "It's clear, in con ers. Several black nationalist leaders, in yours. We left our children unkempt to grown in prominence. Estimates of NO! April, Philadelphia's Jewish mayor in nothing about black suffering ... about text, that Farrakhan meant 'great' in the cluding Marcus Garvey and Farrakhan's clean yours." followers range from 20,000 to 200,000, vited the minister to speak at a rally for murder and violence in those places ... same spirit in which Time magaZine NOI mentors, Elijah Muhammad and Mal Though it gets far less attention than but its influence in black communities racial healing. Whether or not his bid for You're very selfish, self-centered, and named Hitler Man of the Year for 1938.") colm X, also fulminated against Jewish his attacks on Jews, Farrakhan spends goes far beyond its card-carrying mem mainstream acceptance succeeds, Far what you give to others is really, if you "Suddenly, he was able to fill Madison slumlords and exploitative merchants. much of his time castigating blacks for bership. The group has won broad re rakhan will clearly remain a major force look underneath it all, to benefit yourself." Square Garden," observes black Chicago The aftermath of the civil rights move drug abuse, crime and other evils they in spect for its work rehabilitating drug ad in the black community - and America His sunshine smile gone, replaced by a Tribune columnist Clarence Page. "Ob ment, the most celebrated example of flict on their own communities. His calls dicts and criminals, and providing se - for years to come. 0 baleful scowl, he goes on: "A very vindic viously, he got the message. This was the black-Jewish cooperation, ironically also for blacks to take on responsibility are a curity services in dangerous housing Vince Beiser tive people you are, very unforgiving, and way to cut himself out from the herd." gave rise to anti-Jewish feelings. Where large part of his appeal. But that message
30 THE JERUSALEM REPORT. JUNE 26, 1997 THE JERUSALEM REPORT. JUNE 26, 1997 31 JEWISH WORLD COVER STORY is easier to accept, perhaps, when coupled to believe it. At the end of our interview, ington, D.C. But days later, after Farra with the idea that someone else is contrib after everything he has said about how ar khan made a speech comparing the suffer uting to their self-destruction. Farrakhan rogant and vindictive my people are, he ing of Iraqis under international sanctions loathes the popularity of gangsta rap, for tells me with the utmost sincerity: "I want to the Holocaust, Bronfman cut off his con instance. But he blames both the rappers you to know I meant no disrespect of you." tact with Farrakhan and rejoined the ranks and the companies like Time-Warner that His criticisms, he insists, are simply of Jewish leaders who insist Farrakhan is distribute the records. "Yes, we're in a truths that he must tell. ''I'm not criticiz an inveterate anti-Semite who must not be savage condition. It's our fault. But your ing Jewish people out of a wicked motiva granted recognition. people are the ones distributing this." tion, to see Jewish people killed," he says. Farrakhan, however, can no longer be One wellspring of Farrakhan's anti- "but I'm criticizing what I believe Jews are easily sidelined. He is today perhaps the guilty of in their most powerful black leader in America, relationship with and is working to break into mainstream black people so politics. Ironically, the anti-Semitism with that that action which Farrakhan has become virtually sy that is not good nonymous is now hurting his political ca can be stopped reer at least as much as it is the J ewish and replaced community. While many politicians would with a better ac love to tap Farrakhan's base of support, tion. " It's also for his extremism keeps most fro m embra the Jews' own cing him. "He rode the headlines as long good: "If I crit as he could, but now the Jewish issue is icize you for working against him," says Magida. "He's something that trying to enter the mainstream, and find you're doing ing major roadblocks labeled J-E-W." that ill affects American Jews have so far come up justice, liberty with only two responses to Farrakhan: and the pursuit work to isolate him, or sit down and talk of happiness, with him. Neither is particularly attrac that's to put you tive. Harping on his extremism is the INTERFAITH Jewish animus is his back in favor with God. " easiest way for Jews to help contain his HEALING?: overwhelming, easily af- Over and over, at the Million Man influence. But constantly attacking Far Farrakhan fronted pride. In our March, at his appearance with Mayor rakhan only keeps him in the news, and three-hour conversation, Rendell and in our interview, Farrakhan strengthens him with his supporters, and Philadelphia his angriest moments calls for dialogue with Jewish leaders. The makes Jews look intransigent and spiteful Mayor came not when the issue first item on the agenda would be to dis even to blacks who don't support him. The Rendell was Jews oppressing his cuss the things he says that have upset whole issue is damaging the already race in the abstract, but Jews and try to resolve the controversy. strained ties between the communities. when it was something Jews had done to him per sonally. At one point, I 'You've got AHELL OF ANERVE . No, Sir. Not with me. asked him about a meeting he had had with two Chica By the grace of God, not ever. When you talk like that to me, go rabbis in 1989. The rab bis had insisted he meet a you make the WARRIOR in me come out. I WILL FIGHT number of conditions such as renouncing "The Secret you until death when you come like that to me!' Relationship" before they would continue a dialogue with him. To And Farrakhan would like Jews to But talking with him would bolster his Farrakhan, this was a mortal insult. share the secrets of their success. "In claims to mainstream acceptability. More He seethingly recounted the episode to practically every city in which there's a over. it is unlikely to change his views. me, every detail still fresh in his memory Jewish population, there's a Jewish hos How can you change the mind of someone eight years later. "To approach me like pital. There's not a black hospital," he who has spoken with the messiah? that, like I'm some little boy and you the says. "How have you been able in certain Perhaps part of the answer is to recog slave master and I'm your slave and I've cities to capture part of the market in nize that there is much more to the Farra been out of order," he says, finger pound clothing, foo d, shelter? Black people are khan phenomenon than just what he says ing the tab~e, "you've got a hell of a nerve. weak in those areas. This puts us in a po about Jews. He wins much of his support No, Sir. Not with me. By the grace of God, sition to have our weakness exploited, not because of his hatred, but because of not ever. When you talk like that to me, when you could be the teachers to help us the positive things he does in black com you make the warrior in me come out. I come up out of this weakened condition." munities blasted by poverty, crime, drugs will fight you until death when you come This idea apparently appealed to Edgar and hopelessness. Jews might have more like that to me!" Bronfman when the two met; reportedly, success at limiting his influence by work But through it all, Farrakhan swears he there was talk of Bronfman putting up ing to improve the conditions that give rise is not anti -Semitic - and actually seems funds to launch a black-run hotel in Wash- to leaders like him. 0
32 THE JERUSALEM REPORT. JUNE 26. 1997