The Anti-Defamation League’s Chicago/Upper Midwest regional office announced Wednesday that they are up in arms about a speech that was made by Louis Farrakhan to his followers on February 26. The civil rights group called the annual address “hateful,” “hurtful,” and “anti-Semitic,” reports the Sun Times.
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Farrakhan, who speaks passionately about worldly events, spiritual teachings, and prophecies, is not known for mincing his words or cloaking his ideologies.
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Louis Nasatir, the director of the ADL’s Chicago/Midwest regional location, accused Farrakhan of giving a speech that was divisive. He also said that the address was the same “vile stuff” that Farrakhan has lectured about over the years. Nasatir was especially offended because he felt that Farrakhan blamed Jews for the strained relationship between Iran and America.
“The notion that Jews can’t be trusted and that Jews are working on behalf of Israel to the detriment of this country — that is as nefarious a charge as you can get. When someone has 15,000 people potentially hanging on every word, you worry how it plays out when they leave that auditorium,” Nasatir told the Sun Times.
Farrakhan addressed his throngs of followers during the annual Saviours Day Convention. The event marks the 82nd year of the Nation of Islam’s existence in North America. Each year convention attendees commemorate the birth of its founder Master W. Fard Muhammad (February 26, 1877), thousands of Nation of Islam members and supporters from around the globe trek to the gathering for a weekend of fellowship, networking, information dissemination and spiritual renewal.
Farrakhan also discussed Obama and how he has suffered more criticism than any other president because of his race and it has created a negative climate that could lead to assassination attempts on the first Black president. The hours-long speech also covered such topics as the national debt, international policy, food, Israel and claims about the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. The 78-year-old Nation of Islam leader also used slides and photographs to illustrate his points on some subjects.
