Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Will Carson Repudiate Farrakhan Like Obama?

Last year, a magazine published by the church Sen. Barack Obama attends in Chicago, Trinity United Church of Christ, bestowed an award on Louis Farrakhan who it said "truly epitomizes greatness." That led Washington Post columnist Richard Cohen to write, "For most Americans, [ ], Farrakhan epitomizes racism, particularly in the form of anti-Semitism." "Over the years, he has compiled an awesome record of offensive statements, even denigrating the Holocaust by falsely attributing it to Jewish cooperation with Hitler -- 'They helped him get the Third Reich on the road.' "His history is a rancid stew of lies," Cohen adds. Cohen was none too pleased when Obama initially took the view that he had no obligation to speak out on the honor his church handed to Farrakhan. Cohen explains why that doesn't cut it:

Any praise of Farrakhan heightens the prestige of the leader of the Nation of Islam. or good reasons and bad, he is already admired in portions of the black community, sometimes for his efforts to rehabilitate criminals. His anti-Semitism is either not considered relevant or is shared, particularly his false insistence that Jews have played an inordinate role in victimizing African Americans.

In this, Farrakhan stands history on its head. It was Jews who disproportionately marched for civil rights and, in Mississippi, died for that cause. Farrakhan and, in effect, [his minister], despoil the graves of Michael Schwerner, Andrew Goodman and, of course, their black colleague James Chaney.

I can even see how someone, maybe even Obama, could dismiss Farrakhan as a pest, a silly man pushing a silly cause that poses no real threat to the Jewish community. Still, history tells us that anti-Semitism is not to be trifled with. It is a botulism of the mind.

After Cohen's column ran in today's Post, Obama had a change of heart on the matter. "I decry racism and anti-Semitism in every form and strongly condemn the anti-Semitic statements made by Minister Farrakhan," Obama said in a statement. "I assume that Trumpet Magazine made its own decision to honor Farrakhan based on his efforts to rehabilitate ex-offenders, but it is not a decision with which I agree," he added.

That brings us to the candidate the Democratic Party has just asked the 7th District voters to send to Washington to represent us in Congress for the remainder of the term of the late U.S. Rep. Julia Carson (D). Carson's grandson, Andre Carson, was front and center throughout the recent "Going Home" funeral services honoring the life of Rep. Carson. The controversial Farrakhan was invited to speak. Seated next to Farrakhan at the services was a local Nation of Islam leader. While people of many faiths and backgrounds were invited to speak, no representative of the Jewish faith or the GLBT community spoke at the services. During Farrakhan's speech, he echoed the sentiments of U.S. Rep. Carolyn Kilpatrick that it was the dying wish of Rep. Carson, "send my seed" we're told, that Andre take her place in Congress and endorsed the dying wish.

While Carson's own campaign treasurer and long-time Carson supporter, Erin Rosenberg, stood up and walked out of the service when Farrakhan spoke, everyone else politely remained seated, including Gov. Mitch Daniels and Sens. Richard Lugar and Evan Bayh. To many people in the 7th District, it was a slap in the face of Carson's supposed legacy of supporting diversity and equal rights for all to have wanted such a controversial, known-racist and anti-Semite speak at her services. Andre, who is a Muslim like Farrakhan, said it was his grandmother's and not his decision to have Farrakhan speak in an interview with fellow blogger Ruth Holladay. Rep. Carson, who was a Christian, was not known, at least publicly, to have any ties to Farrakhan. Andre told Holladay that his grandmother came in contact with Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam while she was Center Township Trustee, presumably because some of the employees there were followers of Farrakhan. In his interview with Holladay, Andre credited the Nation of Islam with helping to clean up drug-infested neighborhoods, which he said his grandmother found appealing.

Some may be satisfied with Andre's explanation, but others think he is implicitly supporting Farrakhan's racist and anti-Semitic views by not publicly condemning him. Farrakhan's stature was only heightened, as Cohen would explain, by giving him such a prominent role at Rep. Carson's funeral. Should we assume from Andre's silence on Farrakhan that it's because Farrakhan's racism and anti-Semitism are either irrelevant to Andre Carson, or are they shared by him? The voters of the 7th District deserve to hear exactly how Andre feels about Farrakhan in the wake of the honor his family bestowed upon him by allowing him to speak at his grandmother's televised funeral service. And more importantly, does he accept the endorsement of his candidacy Farrakhan delivered to him at his grandmother's funeral.

51 comments:

Wilson46201 said...

The GOP Swiftboating continues. This campaign will be very ugly with rightwing bloggers utilizing every racial and religious bigotry imaginable...

Gary R. Welsh said...

And if David Duke had been invited to speak at the funeral of a prominent Republican politician you don't think the entire party, along with the deceased's family, would be besieged by people like yourself?

Anonymous said...

One word to answer your question: NO.

Wilson46201 said...

From www.AndreCarson4Congress.com : Issues:

We must demand extended protection for human rights. Discrimination & bigotry should not be tolerated on any level, whether the issue at hand concerns ethnicity, gender, religion or sexual orientation. The American way is justice for all - these principles must always be pursued and upheld.

Anonymous said...

Amen...Advance Indiana. As long as this young man has this kind of baggage around him, it will be a serious backlash to the democratic party. That is why we need experience in addressing these issues. Elrod and Carson are just babies! With not community experience in dealing with race relations.

Anonymous said...

Yes, Andre Carson needs to clear up this issue about his relationship, if any, with the Nation of Islam and Louis Farrakhan. I want te 7th Congressional District seat to remain Democratic. However, I cannot and will not elect a racist.
Cason needs to do this immediately or it is certain to be a major issue with me and other white Democrats when we vote in May.

Sarge

Anonymous said...

Wilson you do agree with 7:10 that there will be serious backlashes to the Democratic Party do ya? No one is swiftboating, they are stating the facts. How does one promote race relations with no experience? I am sure he has surrounded himself with older advisors, In stead of telling the citizens what they want to hear, tell them what they want to know. It is out in the open the American people and taxpayers need to know.

Anonymous said...

Andre is going to alienate a lot
of white Democrat and independent voters, over the next few months.
His best hope might end up if they sat out the special election and primary, rather than if they show up and vote against him. And BTW Wilson, don't waste your time trying to teach him any Yiddish expressions to try to make nice with the Indianapolis Jewish community.

indyernie said...

Andre told me that the caregiver of Julia Carson overheard a conversation between Julia and Farrakhan in which she asked LF to speak. Andre admitted that allowing LF to speak is hurting his chances of winning the seat.
I don't know what to believe. I can't imagine JC asking a hater to speak...however asking LF to speak sounds like something her staff would do, act before thinking. Andre deigned any activity. The truth will come out it's just a matter of time. He also admitted that Wilson's comments might be doing more harm than good.
Wilson knows the truth, will he ever share? NO.

Anonymous said...

I'm sure that you meant to say that no one spoke at the funeral who wears their Jewish faith or their membership in the GLBT community on their sleeve. I also noticed that their wasn't a blonde-haired women that spoke at the funeral. I am sure there also must be something nefarious about that.

From all appearances and statements (and none to the contrary), Andre is supportive of people of all faiths and walks of life.

Get over it. It was his grandmother's funeral.

With regard to this Congressional race, Gary, you are losing your objectivity piece by precious piece.

indyernie said...

"Get over it. It was his grandmother's funeral."

"Get over it"? Her memorial was used to kick off a campaign.

Tasteless, classless, at best tacky and degrading.

You need to get over yourself.

Wilson46201 said...

It was observed by some in the local media that Jon Elrod kicked off his campaign with a press conference surrounded by an all-white group of supporters...

Anonymous said...

Wilson, does Andre have so little to say that you must automatically turn everything in to color? Pitiful.

Anonymous said...

Wilson, does Andre have so little to say that you must automatically turn everything in to color? Pitiful.

Gary R. Welsh said...

Wilson, Robert Cohen is a very respected columnist. The issue he raises with Obama is every bit applicable, if not more, in Carson's case. In Obama's case, it was his church which was embracing Farrakhan. In Andre's case, it is his own family who embraced Farrakhan at the most difficult time in their lives--putting to rest their beloved grandmother.

Anonymous said...

instead of wilson doing all of his blog spamming, andre should come out and make a statement. i get that he is a muslim but claims to be ultra tolerant. at the same time, he has a past with farrakhan and the man was in town speaking at granny's funeral. it does not look good.

i am a democrat but i am really, really weary of the carson crap and the sleazy bunch who until recently (still?) ran (run?) the county party. i'm glad the republicans selected a candidate that is palatable.

carson may win the special but there's going to be a lot of excitement around the primary. i can't wait. maybe we can finally correct course and get someone who, say, actually authors legislation or is willing to work for a leadership role in the house to represent us. god knows we didn't have that since, i don't know. jacobs really didn't do it either.

Anonymous said...

Speaking of repudiations, you've never publicly denounced this remark about you by former Republican candidate Mike Jezerski:

Not surprisingly another blogger, who is an abrogado representing immigrants and by extension possibly illegal immigrants, is publicly blasting Sen. Delph for this bill. Remember also Sen. Mike Delph is deeply based in his Christian values, something which is absolute bane to the blogger. Of course Sen. Delph supports SJR-7, another point which the Senator and the blogger vehemently disagree.

How else can I put it? Mathematically it's AI = TDW + Queer Eye for the Straight Guy

Anonymous said...

Once again, Wilson deflects a serious question with absurd, thoughtless partisan tripe. I do not believe Andre Carson is a bigot, but no one can deny that Louis Farrakhan is in the extreme. So, it is completely fair to expect Mr. Carson to explain his relationship to this awful man. Gary is exactly right in his David Duke analogy.

Wilson, if you were a serious person instead of the silly, partisan hack you appear to be time and time again, you would understand that this is not "swiftboating." That's lazy and intellectually dishonest.

And you cannot deflect this question by accusing the questioner of racism and bigotry. Louis Farrakhan will go down in history as on our our age's most pernicious bigots. Andre Carson should utterly renounce his endorsement. And you should try just once, to think for yourself.

Anonymous said...

"he is a muslim but claims to be ultra tolerant"

Oxymoron.

Gary R. Welsh said...

johnny, mike is what he is. I told him those kinds of comments cost him the at-large nomination for city-county council in this last election.

Anonymous said...

There is no more reason for Andre to repudiate Farrakkan than there is for Elrod....Is Elrod going to repudiate Farrakhan? You need to realize that Andre is quite capable of campaigning and serving as our congressperson.

indyernie said...

"You need to realize that Andre is quite capable of campaigning and serving as our congressperson."

I don’t have to do anything but live then die.

Typical liberal telling the masses what to do...I can make up my mind without you telling me how to think or what to do.

More leftwing BS.

Anonymous said...

It's funny that people will blog about things that are not important in our community. We have four babies dead on Hovey street and people think it's important to trash Farrakhan. Farrakhan is not a racist for simply being pro-black and helping to clean up the inner city communities throughout this country. Why does someone have to be racist for speaking out against the oppression in our community by certain groups of people? FYI, a Black person can not be racist in this country. In order to be racist, one must come from a racial group that holds economic and political power within that society. Last time I checked it's no one from the Black community. FYI Andre is not a member of the Nation of Islam. FYI Farrakhans father was a white man, so go figure. I believe that until we begin to blog about solutions and not gossip, our children will continue to meet their demise.

Anonymous said...

Wilson, this will not die. You can rest assured. You overreached by having Farrakhan speak at the funeral. Now lie in the bed you made.

Questions that have come to me:

If Carson loses the special to Elrod, will he step aside in the primary in favor or Orentlicher?

If Democrats cross over because they can't stand the militant Islamic views of Carson, will Elrod have an unbeatable advantage?

Wilson46201 said...

From www.AndreCarson4Congress.com

We must demand extended protection for human rights. Discrimination & bigotry should not be tolerated on any level, whether the issue at hand concerns ethnicity, gender, religion or sexual orientation. The American way is justice for all - these principles must always be pursued and upheld.

Anonymous said...

Actions speak louder than words. Let's see the actions: Carson is a member of NOI, led by a militant black separatist and renowned anti-semetic racist, Louis Farrakhan. He recently invites Farrakhan to come to Indy and endorse Carson. Farrakhan makes a public appearance and does that.

What does that action clearly state?

Next: does Carson have any qualifications for office, or his he the hand-picked successor of The Democrat Machine (Lacy, Cody, Corrupt Carl, Tony D., Glenn H., Black Panther Crawford et al)?

Anonymous said...

While I believe Andre Carson when he says that he is not a member of the NOI, I also I believe that anyone who shares the stage with Farrakhan has the obligation to disassociate himself from Farrakhan.


From the Nation of Islam website http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish/article_4292.shtml

"The term ‘Jew’ is not exclusively limited to describing a people who call themselves ‘Jews.’This term also describes a certain orientation of the mind and spirit. While the person may not be a ‘Jew’ in the religious sense, a person may be that by definition of his or her thinking and planned action(s) against the Apostle of God."

Anonymous said...

The true telling was when Erin Rosenberg stated to blogger Ruth Holladay that Andre Carson was an
Orthodox Universal Secular Muslim. There is no such thing as a OUSM!

Erin Rosenberg is Jewish. She is also Andre's campaign Treasurer. Many speculate that Erin is simply be used as means not only to attract Jewish money into Andre's campaign but also to deflect any allegations of the Carson's family involvement with the Nation of Islam, specifically Andre Carson.
Erin needs to seriously rethink her involvement in this campaign for obvious reasons.

Andre lied about who invited Farrakhan to his grandmother's funeral. Andre worked the invitation to Farrakhan thru Minister Luri Muhammad of Indianapolis Mosque 74 Nation of Islam. Muhammad has publicly stated the he and his fellow Indianapolis Black Muslims will support Andre. For Muhammad's support, Andre allowed Farrakhan to speak at the funeral service. Both Farrakhan and Muhammad were seated next to each other on the front row of the funeral service.

To verify this you can contact Luri Muhammad at Nation of Islam Mosque 74.

What Andre did was make a deal with the devil to gain Luri Muhammad's suppport which was akin to a white candidate do the same thing with a white supremacist to gain their support.

Andre made a very serious political mistake. Erin Rosenberg should hand in her resignation if she expects to safe face as well as her career.

Neither myself or fellow followers of the Jewish faith will support this type of candidate from either political party.

Anonymous said...

It appears that Wilson Allen has taken on the role of being the Joseph Goebbels of the Andre Carson campaign.
Nothing but hate and calculated disinformation.

Anonymous said...

If I were Andre, the very first thing I would do is tell Wilson to keep his mouth shut!

Anonymous said...

If I were Andre I would not be running for Congress.

Anonymous said...

Please stop this insanity.

My name is Jeffrey Slavin. I am Jewish and LGBT and was a close personal friend of Julia Carson. I spoke to her on a daily basis for over a decade AND I spoke at her public memorial service.

Julia Carson loved and respected Jewish people and had a pro-Jewish , pro-Israel voting record. But she also got along with everyone from the right to the left. I don't think this should be held against her.

Yes, The Minister spoke at her funeral, but so did the Republican Governor, Republican Lt. Governor and the Republican Senator. She worked well with all these people on behalf of her constituents---but that doesn't mean that she shared their policital or personal views!

And, it is totally unfair to bring Andre in all of this.

I know Andre and he has the same love and respect for the Jewish people that his grandmother had!
I am living proof of that, too.

Thanks for listening.

Anonymous said...

Interesting spin Jeffrey but completely false

Wilson46201 said...

An anonymous nobody pronounces categorically as "false" something stated by an activist commenter with a name? Does the anonymous nobody care to document the falsities or are we to take the reputation of the anonymous nobody as sufficient authority?

What a doofus!!!

Anonymous said...

Julia Carson was certainly not a bigot, nor is Andre. However, the words of Dr. King clearly apply here:

"One who condones evil is just as guilty as the one who perpetrates it."

If you believe anti-Semitism is evil, Louis Farrakhan is evil.

Dr. King also said:

"We shall have to repent in this generation , not so much for the evil deeds of the wicked people, but for the appalling silence of the good people."

At this moment the Carson people are good people who are condoning evil with appalling silence.

Anonymous said...

I noticed that someone posting as "Angry Republican" posted something the other day at 7:10 p.m. That was not me (the person who normally posts as Angry Republican).

Certainly, AI could verify the IP address of this post to confirm that it is from one of the locations I often post to this blog.

AR

Anonymous said...

Jeffrey Slavin wrote:
"And, it is totally unfair to bring Andre in all of this."

No, it isn't. He is a public official. He is a candidate for office. If it is unfair to talk about his close association with a known anti-Semite and one of the most divisive men in America, then nothing is fair game.

On that point, I cannot agree with you.

He is a candidate. It is more than fair to question his association with the minister (just as it is fair to question Republican candidates on their associations with things like the KKK [David Duke] or their associations with Bob Jones University, for example.)

Jeffrey also said:
"Julia Carson loved and respected Jewish people..."

Really? That was clearly exemplified by the presence of LF at her funeral.

AR

Anonymous said...

Dear Anonynmous at 2:27 pm

Thanks for responding. What specifically do you mean by "completely false"? I would be happy to elaborate on anything I said.

Remember, I can be objective because I don't live in Indianapolis and I have good relations with ALL the people you are blogging about!

Anonymous said...

Dear Angry Republican at 5:06

Points well taken:

1. I agree that Andre needs to clarify his connection/association to the Minister in the same way he needs to communicate his views on Israel and Jewish issues. Once he does, I think you will feel better about him, whether you vote for him or not.

2. I certainly am not a supporter of the Minister either, but simply because he was present at her funeral doesn't mean Julia Carson didn't love and respect MY people. I know that from the personal conversations that we had--in addition she had a Jewish doctor, had many Jewish supporters, supported Rep. Orentlichter in his career, etc etc. Her family received a beautiful letter from the Indianapolis Jewish Community after she passed.

But you have the right to your views and perhaps you will understand Julia and Andre's over the course of time. I only ask you to keep an open mind.

Anonymous said...

Jeffrey wrote:
"...uneral doesn't mean Julia Carson didn't love and respect MY people. "

They are MY people, too, Jeffrey. As I've pointed out many times, I am Jewish.

So, I hope you will understand if *I* find his presence offensive. I also find it patently offensive that some would just sweep his presence under the rug as if it is no big deal. I'm sorry, but I know many of OUR people who were offended, and many of them are Jewish DEMOCRATS (like most of my relatives.)

AR

Anonymous said...

Dear Angry Republican

Glad to know you are a landsman!

I don't mean to sweep anything under a rug. I am a Democrat and quite bi-partisan but I am also LGBT and your party in many ways is just as hateful to MY people as the Minister is to OUR (Jewish) people...and frankly the presence of the anti-LGBT Governor and Lt. Governor at the funeral was just as unappealing to me as the presence of the Minister--but I certainly would not have been disrespectful and walked out. As they say, a good politician keeps her friends close and her enemies closer!!

Thanks for the dialogue... I think it is very constructive and educational.

This blog is great, by the way. I am so glad I discovered it.

Anonymous said...

Let's just step back for a moment and look at this whole situation.

Wilson Allen, the number one dumpster diver for the dems, loves to dig through ancient history on all of the people up against "his" candidate.

But the topic here is very much a current event. No need to see what might have happened so many years ago, we are talking about the here and now.

So, come on Andre, step up or step out.

Wilson46201 said...

from http://www.AndreCarson.com

We must demand extended protection for human rights. Discrimination & bigotry should not be tolerated on any level, whether the issue at hand concerns ethnicity, gender, religion or sexual orientation. The American way is justice for all - these principles must always be pursued and upheld.

Anonymous said...

Words on a page, Wilson. When Mr. Carson follows Barack Obama's lead and explicitly dissociates himself from Farrakhan and his bigotry, then the words will become real. I don't know what possessed Mrs. Carson to put her grandson in this position by asking a hateful bigot to speak at her funeral. Perhaps she was not in possession of her full faculties at that difficult time. The fact remains, however, she did, and now Mr. Carson must clarify his relationship to a rabid anti-Semitic separatist bigot who endorsed him. Words on a page don't erase the message of standing together on a stage.

Anonymous said...

Jeffrey,

It is true, I think, that my party has a less than admirable record on LBGT issues. It is ironic, I think, that the party of Lincoln, which once was very much about personal responsibility and government staying the hell out of people's lives, isn't so much anymore.

I haven't given up on the Republican Party, and moderates are starting to speak up again, which gives me hope for the party.

For the record, though I'm not LBGT, I worked very hard in college through our student government to broaden the university's anti-discrimination policies to include sexual orientation. I thought it was wrong (and still do) that any student organization, including religious ones, could deny membership to students. In fact, I was so vocal about it, one member of a religious organization came up to me and said, "I don't know your sexual orientation, but based on your position on this issue, I can guess." I did it, not because it was fair, but because it was right.

This was the very issue that made me fall in love with politics, and in part, it's why I teach it. Sometimes one person does make a difference, and that entire debate (which led to my becoming a member of student government) changed the direction of my life.

In this case, I just don't think that person is Andre Carson. We'll have to disagree, but his absolute refusal to distance himself from LF is troubling to me.

And while Wilson can point out that Andre's web page says:

"Discrimination & bigotry should not be tolerated on any level, whether the issue at hand concerns ethnicity, gender, religion or sexual orientation. "

that is not a repudiation of LF. And I find that entirely disturbing.

Believe me: not all Republicans are anti-Semitic or anti-LBGT (contrary to what Wilson tells you.)

AR

Anonymous said...

Dear Angry Republican at 8:46 PM

Thanks for your comments. I am glad that someone like you remains in the Republican Party to fight bigotry--and hopefully you will advocate for full equality for LGBT people, too. And while you are at it, you might help out the Mormons, too, because it was awful what has been done to them by some of your party's extremists.

And regarding Andre, I am confident that over time the record that he achieves in Congress will nullify the negative feelings that you have at this time.

And I think that Julia's record of support for Jewish issues and causes throughout her career will be remembered longer than who spoke at her homegoing---because those achievements are much more important to the constituents that she so admirably served.

Anonymous said...

Jeffrey wrote:

"And I think that Julia's record of support for Jewish issues and causes throughout her career will be remembered longer than who spoke at her homegoing---because those achievements are much more important to the constituents that she so admirably served."

And those achievements are irrevocably damaged by the presence of that hate-monger.

AR

Anonymous said...

I have one question. "Where does the late Julia Carsons campaign money goes? Last I've heard she had over 100,000 dollar in her campaign fund? Just wondering.

Anonymous said...

It was observed by some in the local media that Jon Elrod kicked off his campaign with a press conference surrounded by an all-white group of supporters...

Response:

That will change, they've hired a token, Aveechino Reeves. So, you'll see 1 black face in the future. It's call republican diversity.

Anonymous said...

To Concerned!

You are nuts!

Anonymous said...

Concern you've just answered your own rebutal, who has Economic and Political power in Indianapolis? Julia Carson, so what does that make her. Wake up pleassssssssss! And the ever so corrupted political machine.