The rare press conference was held at Mosque Maryam, the international headquarters of the Nation of Islam on Chicago's South Side, purchased with a $3 million loan from Gadhafi.
"It is a terrible thing for me to hear my brother called all these ugly and filthy names when I can't recognize him as that. Even though the current tide is moving against him ... how can I refuse to raise my voice in his defense? Why would I back down from those who have given so much."
Farrakhan got into hot water in 1996 when he launched a "friendship tour" of Muslim nations in the Middle East and Africa. He was criticized for meeting with Gadhafi in Tripoli, where Farrakhan alleged U.S. injustices against Muslim nations.
The following year, Gadhafi, addressed Nation of Islam members via satellite, lauding Farrakhan for being a "courageous freedom fighter" who not only galvanized blacks at the Million Man March in Washington, D.C., in 1995, but also sparked unity rallies in Islamic communities around the world.
During that speech, Gadhafi panned America for taxing poor people, who do not benefit from exploratory trips to Mars and support of "a Hebrew state."
"Consequently," he said, "the voice of Louis Farrakhan will be heard among the simple people louder than the president of the United States," at the time President Bill Clinton.
No comments:
Post a Comment