Louis Farrakhan and Senator Obama

Parent Cafe
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<p>What exactly is the relationship between Louis Farrakhan and Senator Barack Obama?</p>

<p>*"**An avid Sen. Barack Obama supporter, Farrakhan said he has purposely stayed below the media radar with regard to the Democratic presidential hopeful.</p>

<p>“They’re trying to bring me into the political spotlight," a healthy looking Farrakhan told the congregation at Life Center Church of God in Christ recently.**</p>

<p>He continues to recover from a near-death battle with prostate cancer.</p>

<p>The Nation of Islam leader said that his silence during Obama’s presidential campaign is not due to having nothing to say or speak on.</p>

<p>Obama’s campaign has been dogged by controversy from comments made by his former pastor, Jeremiah Wright of Trinity United Church of Christ, and Rev. Michael Pfleger, pastor of St. Sabina church, but Farrakhan said he is holding his peace.</p>

<p>“I have something to say,” Farrakhan told the congregation.</p>

<p>“I’m going to take on the forces…once Barack is safely ashore,” he said, indicating that he would wait until Obama is in the White House before he makes public comments.</p>

<p>“I’m not gone. Let them use me to hurt my brother. I love that man,” Farrakhan said.*</p>

<p>Source: Rhonda Gillespie - The Chicago Defender [Farrakhan</a> mum on Obama, for now](<a href=“http://www.chicagodefender.com/article-1384-farrakhan-mum-on-obama-for-now.html]Farrakhan”>http://www.chicagodefender.com/article-1384-farrakhan-mum-on-obama-for-now.html)</p>

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<p>It sounds to me that Farrakhan admires Obama. But it does not follow that Obama is close to Farrakhan. He criticized the award given by Trumpet, the newsletter of his (then)Trinity United Church to Farrakhan.</p>

<p>[Sweet:</a> Obama distances himself from Farrakhan after Washington Post column about Farrakhan getting the Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. Trumpeter Award - Lynn Sweet](<a href=“http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2008/01/sweet_obama_distances_himself.html]Sweet:”>http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2008/01/sweet_obama_distances_himself.html)</p>

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<p>Maybe somebody in the media will explore the role The One playing in organizing Louis Farrakhan’s Million Man March.</p>

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<p>What specific criticism do you have against the Million Man March, Idad, besides the fact that it was organized by Farrakhan?</p>

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<p>So, you think the Million Man March was a bad thing, do you id? … Farrakhan himself is a questionable character at best, but the MM March had very positive objectives. I don’t know if THE ONE was involved in organizing it or not–right-wing bloggers seem to think so–but even if he did, so what? I lifted the following from Wikipedia:</p>

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<p>Wow, on second thought, I can see why you’d criticize THE ONE for any involvement he might have had in such a heinous event. THE ONE ought to be ashamed of himself! … As I recall, the MM March caused bi-coastal rioting in the streets and trillions of dollars in property damage. … It didn’t? Silly me. :)</p>

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<p>I didn’t offer any criticism of the Nation of Islam’s Million Man March.</p>

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<p>Sure you did. :)</p>

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<p>Like Farrakhan, I am a big Obama supporter, and like Farrakhan, I was Obama’s neighbor for years. I’ve even spoken to Obama once. I’m waiting for the post decrying Obama’s lack of commitment to education, judging from his long and intimate connection with Hanna the high school dropout.</p>

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<p>Hanna:</p>

<p>If you are a Muslim leader, then I would hope Barack Hussein Obama’s relationship with you would be fully vetted by the media. It would be relevant in assessing claims being made about his religious background.</p>

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<p>That sounds like Farrakhan trying to make himself seem like less of a has-been by attaching himself to Obama’s coattails, to me.</p>

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<p>Richard Cohen said this about Obama in January:</p>

<p>I don’t for a moment think that Obama shares Wright’s views on Farrakhan. But the rap on Obama is that he is a fog of a man. We know little about him, and, for all my admiration of him, I wonder about his mettle. The New York Times recently reported on Obama’s penchant while serving in the Illinois legislature for merely voting “present” when faced with some tough issues. Farrakhan, in a strictly political sense, may be a tough issue for him. This time, though, “present” will not do.
Source: [Richard</a> Cohen - Obama’s Farrakhan Test - washingtonpost.com](<a href=“http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/14/AR2008011402083.html]Richard”>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/14/AR2008011402083.html)</p>

<p>This relationship bears careful observation, particularly when The Chicago Defender explained such a relationship like this: </p>

<p>*While both men have instilled pride in generations of countless Black folk, apparently Farrakhan also instills fear or a great deal of apprehension in those who **don’t look like us<a href=“%5Bcolor=black%5Dp2n%20comment:%20where%20have%20we%20heard%20this%20phrase%20recently?%5B/color%5D”>/b</a>.</p>

<p>If it isn’t fear why else would two Black presidential candidates, Rev. Jesse Jackson in 1988 and U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) today be prodded by white politicians and news commentators to “repudiate” Farrakhan? “Repudiate” is far from a common, everyday word but it has surprisingly been evoked in the same context exactly 20 years apart and in the same circumstances – a Black man seeking to occupy the Oval Office.</p>

<p>Most recently, Obama was asked to repudiate Farrakhan because of a statement Farrakhan made about Jews and the Jewish religion two decades ago. To very few - if anyone’s - surprise Obama deftly explained that there are statements the Nation of Islam leader has made with which he, Obama, disagrees with but that there was no reason to thrash the man for them.</p>

<p>Tim Russert, a law school graduate turned television commentator/interviewer, has interrogated heads of state and hundreds of prestigious people and generally comes off as exceptionally knowledgeable and unbiased. But his questioning of Obama about distancing himself from Farrakhan stunk of race politics, something the senator has refused to engage in during the 14 months of the campaign.</p>

<p>For too many white journalists and folk who have no appreciation for the kinship of Black folk, regardless of how disparate our views may be from time to time, they truly seem to believe they can get an “ah ha” moment by attempting to drive a wedge between us.</p>

<p>No principled Black person, such as Obama, is going to allow the blatant ignorance of others to create discord in our community – especially not now. Not now when we are closer than we have ever been in the history of this country to doing something many thought they wouldn’t live to see or that America would not tolerate – electing a Black man president.*
Source: [Obama</a> takes the high road regarding Farrakhan](<a href=“http://www.chicagodefender.com/article-518-obama-takes-the-high-road-regarding-farrakhan.html]Obama”>http://www.chicagodefender.com/article-518-obama-takes-the-high-road-regarding-farrakhan.html)</p>

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<p>p2n:</p>

<p>The voting “present” has been flogged to death. There are strategic reasons for voting present in the Illinois legislature, Hanna can explain better than I, so I will leave the issue to her. Obama criticized the Farrakhan award. What else should he have done?</p>

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<p>Personally, I believe that Barack Hussein Obama should be forthcoming about his relationship with and past associations working with the Muslim leader Louis Farrakhan as well as the terrorist bomber Williams Ayers and the convicted briber Tony Rezko.</p>

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<p>I agree. He should let the world know that he married Farrakhan in a secret ceremony a few years back, and is therefore a bigamist. :)</p>

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<p>Really? I hadn’t heard any rumors that Farrkhan is gay.</p>

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<p>I realize you’re kidding, but Farrakhan would be anything but gay. He would probably have them killed under Sharia (Islamic Law).</p>

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<p>If we rewrote the above piece like this:</p>

<p>*While both men have instilled pride in generations of countless White folk, apparently Duke also instills fear or a great deal of apprehension in those who don’t look like us.</p>

<p>If it isn’t fear why else would White presidential candidates today be prodded by Jewish politicians and news commentators to “repudiate” David Duke? “Repudiate” is far from a common, everyday word but it has surprisingly been evoked in the same context exactly 20 years apart and in the same circumstances – a White man seeking to occupy the Oval Office.</p>

<p>Most recently, McCain was asked to repudiate Duke because of a statement Duke made about Jews and the Jewish religion two decades ago. To very few - if anyone’s - surprise McCain deftly explained that there are statements the Ku Klux Klan leader has made with which he, McCain, disagrees with but that there was no reason to thrash the man for them.</p>

<p>Tim Russert, a law school graduate turned television commentator/interviewer, has interrogated heads of state and hundreds of prestigious people and generally comes off as exceptionally knowledgeable and unbiased. But his questioning of McCain about distancing himself from Duke stunk of race politics, something the senator has refused to engage in during the 14 months of the campaign.</p>

<p>For too many black journalists and folk who have no appreciation for the kinship of White folk, regardless of how disparate our views may be from time to time, they truly seem to believe they can get an “ah ha” moment by attempting to drive a wedge between us.</p>

<p>No principled White person, such as McCain, is going to allow the blatant ignorance of others to create discord in our community – especially not now. Not now when we are closer than we have ever been in the history of this country to doing something many thought they wouldn’t live to see or that America would not tolerate – electing a White man president.*</p>

<p>Would this make my concern a bit more clear?</p>

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<p>Nope. Ten chars.</p>

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<p>Then a double standard really does exist. :(</p>

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<p>Nope, I mean I didn’t get your meaning. Were you suggesting that Obama should not be made to repudiate Farrakhan or some other radical figure merely because the latter is AA? or the opposite? As in, if it’s ludicrous to expect McCain to repudiate Duke, the it should be ludicrous to expect Obama to repudiate Farrakhan? Or something along these lines?</p>