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NATIONAL
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Blacks and Jews Split – again – over Farrakhan
by Makebra M. Anderson
NNPA Washington Correspondent
WASHINGTON (NNPA) – A prominent Jewish leader’s insistence that African-American leaders distance themselves from the Millions More March organizer Minister Louis Farrakhan is more likely to stir up more anti-Semitism rather than soothe frayed relations between Blacks and Jews, says Hip Hop mogul Russell Simmons.
He was reacting to criticism from Abraham H. Foxman, national director of Anti-Defamation League (ADL). In a letter addressed to national Black leaders, Foxman said it is unacceptable that mainstream African-American leaders would participate in a march whose conveners include Farrakhan and Malike Zulu Shabazz, head of the New Black Panther Party.
“While its stated goal of bringing together the African-American community is laudable, the involvement of Minister Louis Farrakhan and Malik Zulu Shabazz as co-conveners of the March taints the proceeding with the baggage of anti-Semitism and hate,” Foxman wrote. “When will someone in the African-American community stand up and say that the Million Man March had a positive message, but the pied piper is a racist and anti-Semite?”
Russell decided to stand up – against Foxman.
“…I know that your above quoted statements and the urging and pressure of the ADL for African American leaders to reconsider their support of the Millions More Movement and the 10th anniversary of the Million Man March will do nothing more than increase the polarization of relations between millions of African American and Jewish Americans. It is a sad commentary that your actions will only help to spread anti-Semitism rather than help to end it.”
As chairman of the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding and the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network. Russell Simmons had been singled out by the ADL for appearing in an ad deploring anti-Semitism.
“It’s hypocritical for Mr. Simmons to lead a charge against anti-Semitism, while failing to denounce manifestations of anti-Jewish hatred within his own community.”
In his letter to Foxman, Simmons was unapologetic.
“Simply put, you are misguided, arrogant, and very disrespectful of African Americans and most importantly your statements will unintentionally or intentionally lead to a negative impression of Jews in the minds of millions of African Americans,” he wrote.
Replying to Simmons’ reply, Foxman posted a statement on ADL’s Web site accusing Simmons of advancing “some highly disturbing thoughts.” He said Simmons “engages in a blame-the-victim tactic in which he claims that if I continue to criticize the roles of Farrakhan and Shabazz and call on Black leaders not to give them legitimacy, that I would be causing anti-Semitism.”
Drawing on their own history of persecution, many Jews were active in the civil rights movement during the 1960s. However, as African-Americans demanded greater control of their struggle, pockets of tension developed, some that exist until this day.
A 2005 poll commissioned by ADL shows that 14 percent of Americans – nearly 35 million adults – hold “unquestionably anti-Semitic” views of Jews, down from 17 percent in 2002.
“The number of African-Americans with strong ani-Semitic beliefs continued to remain high and stable since 1992,” the ADL says. “The 2005 survey found that 36 percent of African-Americas hold strong anti-Semitic beliefs, four times more than the 9 percent for whites.”
Foxman said in a statement, “We continue to remain troubled and somewhat at a loss to understand why African-Americans consistently have such strong anti-Semitic propensities.”
In an interview with the NNPA News Service, Simmons says Foxman does not speak for all Jews.
“There are many, many, many voices with different opinions in the Jewish community,” he explains. “We don’t want this to be a march of defiance. The basis of this operation is love and upliftment for the African-American community. We don’t want to let anger be the reason we go to Washington.”
For years, the ADL has tracked and catalogued what it describes as Farrakhan’s anti-Semitism. Jesse Jackson’s association with Farrakhan became a major issues during Jesse Jackson’s 1984 bid for president, ultimately leading to Jackson’s disavowal of Farrakhan. It became an issue for then-NAACP Executive Director Benjamin Chavis and Congressional Black Caucus Chair Kewisi Mfume when they included Farrakhan in a summit on Black America. And Foxman was the lead critic of the original Million Man March.
Unlike 10 years ago, when Colin Powell, Bill Clinton, National Urban League President Hugh Price and many others were vocal critics of Farrakhan’s leadership and views, this fall’s march has already attracted Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and D.C.Delegate Eleanor
Holmes Norton, among others.
Simmons says Farrakhan should be praised for what he did 10 years ago.
“When you keep demonizing Farrakhan in front of the Jewish community and you put him Number One on your list, that might be another way to raise money,” Simmons says. “I like to take his notes that say no Muslim can hate a Jew. Why don’t you take the high notes in his most recent speeches and sell those.”
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