Louis Farrakhan, Obama's Chicago Friend

                 



   By Florida Bill


                     Does Louis Farrakhan get a pass when it comes to the use of incendiary language which clearly calls for violence from his followers?  Farrakhan has been spewing his white hate and anti-Semitic venom over the airwaves for many years with complete impunity.  But is he getting close to the edge in his current cross country "Justice or Else" crusade?
              President Obama and Farrakhan, leader of the Nation of Islam, better known as The Black Muslims, are longtime friends from Chicago. Their relationship is strong and when Obama ran for President in 2008,  Farrakhan told his followers that Obama was a "Messiah" whose words are to be followed.  With those credentials, is it "anything goes" for Minister Farrakhan?

                      In a  recent speech at the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C., the iconic minister of the NOI called upon Blacks to retaliate against those persecuting them.
                        Aiming his poison at white police, he asserted that "if the federal government will not intercede in our affairs, then we must rise up and kill those who kill us.  Stalk them and kill them and let them feel the pain of death that we are feeling."

                         Not long ago, in the aftermath of the San Bernardino murders by a radicalized Muslim couple,  United States Attorney General Loretta Lynch  threatened to prosecute anyone who speaks ill of Muslims in a way which "edges toward violence." Farrakhan's vitriol does more than just "edge" towards violence.

                         The attorney general should not be playing favorites.  If she wants to get after rhetoric which "edges toward violence" she need look no further than the classic orations of Mr. Farrakhan.  But so far, not a peep about Farrahkan's hate-talk rallying his followers to "stalk and kill" in retaliation.  The ball is in the court of Lynch, the first female African American woman to serve as Attorney General.  She was appointed by President Obama last April.          

                       At the very least, Lynch should call out Farrakhan for his hate talk which is clearly over the line.  Also, she has the authority to impanel a grand jury to investigate this kind of speech which incites violence and crime. There has been no reluctance for federal authorities to investigate police bias in Missouri, Los Angeles, Maryland  and in other parts of the country.  

                    My sense and experience tells me that if you are African American, you do not ever step on the big Chicago shoes of Louis Farrakhan.  After all, her boss, President Obama, is from Chicago and he would never have made it in Windy City politics without the endorsement of Farrakhan who backed Obama and spoke of him as a "Messiah," to be listened to and followed.
                     Dr. Vibert White Jr., a scholar of Black history who split from the Nation in 1995, has written a book critical of Farrahkan and the NOI.  In it he explains that a black man goes nowhere in Chicago politics without the Nation's leader, and around the Windy City, there is no dispute of that fact.  White, now a university professor of black history, also says that the relationship between Farrakhan and President Obama "runs deep."

                    Dr.White was a member of the NOI for 20 years, and a top deputy to Farrakhan.  He describes the NOI as a cult that utilizes black nationalistic and religious dogma  to exploit poor and working class African Americans for the leaders' economic and political gain.         

                       The 82-year-old Farrakhan" has been the leader of the Nation of Islam since the late 1970s when he succeeded Elijah Muhammad who was recognized by followers as a Messenger of Allah.  The NOI counts as members well known athletes such as Muhammad Ali, Shaquille O'Neal and Kareem Abdul- Jabbar; entertainers including Ice Cube, Kanye West  and Snoop Dog and the well known television personality Dr. Oz and political writer and commentator, Fareed Zacaria.  Actors Will Smith and his wife, Jada, recently donated  $150,000 to the NOI.   

                         The NOI is an Islamic religion which teaches that black people are the original people, and that all other people come from them. Critics call the Nation a black supremacy organization. Members follow the teachings of the Quran which recognize Allah as the one true God. They observe the holy month of Ramadan, pray five times daily and make at least one visit to the Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Other stated goals are the improvement of spiritual, social and economic status of African Americans.   

                          Farrakhan is revered by its members and he delivers long, spell-binding messages such as his recent "stalk and kill" proscription in the "Justice or Else" crusade.                               Frequently in his talks, he denounces Caucasians as " blue-eyed devils," and "Satanic."  He is fiercely anti-Semitic and has labeled Jews as "bloodsuckers" who have brought disharmony to the world. From time to time, the media reports the orations of Minister Farrakhan, but the publicity does not dissuade Farrakhan to be gentler in his messages.
                         Leader Farrakhan, born Louis Eugene Wolcott,  was a talented violinist and calypso singer before he dedicated his life to the Nation and to the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad.  He became a foot soldier to the Honorable Elijah Muhammad who changed his deputy's name to Farrakhan.  He also at one point functioned as an assistant to Malcolm X, who was assassinated in 1965.

                     Is Farrakhan's rhetoric protected by the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech?  Yes, but there are "time, place and manner" restrictions which can legally impact a first amendment right.  The age old example is the prohibition against screaming "Fire" in a crowded theater, when there is no fire or when the cry is in jest.  Say the words and you pay the price because there are time and place restrictions on the speech.
                   So, can Farrakhan's rhetoric be curbed by force of law?Just because it is hateful and biased, is not enough to make it illegal.   Many lawyers believe that it can be illegal since it clearly calls for the commission of violence and injury to citizens. However, I am guessing that the Justice Department under Obama won't be bothering Minister Farrakhan.  Let's just say, he is special. 


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