From the Source; Farrakhan, the Issue

Good evening and welcome to from the source this is yours. Host Hayward Blackledge this is WMD FM Boston ninety one point nine FM. I guess this TV receiving line from the source is Peter Hardy the president of the political black task force and he'll explain that. And our other guest is Sally Greenberg the civil rights director for the Anti Defamation League. And we're going to discuss this night Farah Khan. The issue we're going to talk about Louis Farrakhan the Muslim leader who's who's risen in popularity very recently who had 30000 people turn out for him in Madison Square Garden last October. And what the implications of Louis Farrakhan's influence and what what the implications for Louis Farrakhan's influence on on politics and specifically black politics in this country are all we're going to start off by Peter explaining about his organization and what it does. And then we'll go to Sally and then we'll get to the issues. I

remind you this is WUOM B. Fm Boston ninety one point nine FM. I telephone call online is 9 2 9 7 9 2 9 that's 9 2 9 7 9 tonight. I guess so Sally Greenberg the civil rights director from the Anti-Defamation League and Peter Harvey from the black task force THANK YOU GO THANK YOU who are the right political task forces an organization about eight years old was formed back when John Bryant made his early rounds at the Boston School Committee to essentially organize the black community around issues of political power specifically in the electoral arena. Over the last few years we've basically done things like sponsor forums for elected officials to speak to our community. Screen candidates for elected office made endorsements in race and put out workers to try to influence the outcome of elections. We also get involved in

any and all issues really which we feel impact on our community impact on the issues of power for people of color in the city. And so your constituency would be. Well we primarily do the black community we're very interested in coalition building so we we really reached out political power for people of color is actually our motto. And so we really tried to reach out to the Hispanic community. OK. So I Greenberg civil rights director for the ADL. What does that mean. Well it's nice to be here Hayward but it means that I work for an organization the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith. It's been around for 72 years. We have as our mandate fighting in the semitism and bigotry of all kinds. That's what I mandated nine hundred thirteen when we were begun. And we have stuck to that mandate throughout I think the accomplishments of the the ADL and fighting anti-Semitism over the years are

fairly well-known We now have 30 offices around the country. We've been involved in you know all sorts of discrimination cases in fact the first case that we got involved in with the Supreme Court had to do with racial restrictive covenants that were. Cutting blacks out of neighborhoods etc.. And we we have a very broad base and we have a world of difference program in this city and in this region which reaches out to the entire community be they black hispanic asian handicapped you name it. And I mandate really is to try to better relations between people of different ethnic and other minority groups. And I must comment that you've been successful and these efforts in your director. Has been. In the forefront of many of the civil rights fights. And I believe he's been very effective. I think that that should be made clear to everyone that's listening

tonight. Back to the fact con issue the National Alliance what they term an truly independent newspaper. Printed that about the New York City mayoral elections that fair a crime is the issue. Farah Khan is the issue was she was the title of their cover article in October. And this this came about because 30000 and more black people crowded into Madison Square Garden to hear Louis Farrakhan deliver what they called a groundbreaking address. He summed up his 10 year crusade to build the Nation of Islam and chart a bold new course of struggle. For his organization and the liberation of black people in America. In his words. He did say that I must say to you that I'm honored beyond words to see my many Muslim brothers and

sisters from every persuasion of Islam. And many Christian brothers and sisters from the various dominations of Christianity. So we have Christians and Moslems nationalist pan-Africanist socialist communist all under one roof. Now while that was reported in. The alliance there was a very different view and this is what we'll talk about. That was printed in The New Republic in October in November I believe. We're fact one made some rather inflammatory statements and I believe you're probably familiar with them Sally. What's the response of your constituency of your folks. The Anti-Defamation League has a has a wide constituency. Many of whom are Jews. Any percentage. Well we don't have members. So I mean we had just had people who were active with

us and I have course our mandate has been to fight anti-Semitism and we are. Under the auspices of B'nai B'rith which is a Jewish organization so as well as fighting all sorts of bigotry that that it would have to be. I mean that was why we were formed originally to fight anti-Semitism and bigotry of all kinds. So no we don't have we don't have specific numbers but yes most of the people who are supporters of the Anti-Defamation League are Jews. The fact that he is the voice of Holy Truth and Jews are determined to silence someone has to come to separate God from Satan. Slave master and slave oppressor and oppressed so they can see each other and then go to war to see who is going to rule. God or Satan. These are political religious fundamentalism kinds of things that are being spoken by him that are viewed I think fairly dramatic what's the

response from your well the response from the community would be we would be willing to say that Farah Candy is as crazy as he sounds when he speaks. We would be willing to say that fair can is is as crazy as we say is he sounds when he speaks. I heard Congressman Bill Gray once say to an audience you know don't blame us for all the nuts that are out there. This comes from a black congressman from a big big city and one who's gained a lot of. Success in last few years as chairman of the Budget Committee and others have said the same thing so don't ask don't you the Jewish community ask us to apologize for the nuts but that would be fine and we would be willing to accept that he's that he has no political following but you do see a crowd like 25000 come together to hear this man and we always hear from that from a number of black leaders. Listen they listen. The people in the audience are listening to one part of his message not

listening to the other. And that's something that we just can't buy. We've had people go to the various Farah Khan appearances and they've talked to people in the audience and they definitely are listening to what the anti-Semitism that comes out of his mouth and that's very upsetting. All I can say to you know to to try to make make it to paint the picture of how the Jewish community feels when that one that's going on is you know how would the black community feels a kind of canards and epithets racial and religious epithets that come out of this man's mouth about the Jewish community things like I have no conception misconceptions about the awesome power of the Jewish community or their willingness to use their power against any object of their disapproval etc. etc.. If if the same kind of stereotypes which we as minorities we both know exist about our two communities. What if those stereotypes were repeated by anyone let alone a Jew. Maybe a Jewish Defense League activists would

feel terrible I think the black community would have to say they wouldn't like those similar kinds of epithets to be repeated over and over again. Peter Peter Hardy. From your point of view what is what is that that message that two part message that Sally alludes to. On one hand I hear her saying that that it's anti-semitic on another. And I hear her saying that that there are two parts to the message one of the parts as you see from the black community. I must remind you you listen to WNBA from Boston our guests are Peter Hardy and Sally Greenberg. We're discussing Farah Khan on the issue. Our telephone line is 9 2 9 7 9 2 9 that's 9 2 9 7 9 2 9 and I asked Peter how he perceived. Farah Khans message and if it can be bifurcated What are the two parts.

I think the other part of the message which I think draws the crowds is a real appeal to a basic sort of nationalism. On the part of black people of binding that I think Jews around the world have have sort of experienced among themselves in the face of their own sort of national identity as a people a certain level of oppression throughout the world. I think that what strikes me is recently I had occasion to do some sort of reading of Malcolm X was assassinated last Friday 21 years ago and it caused me to do some sort of reading on some of his speeches. And I think that you find the reaction when Malcolm was speaking to be the saying that you find with Farrakhan I think Malcolm was saying things which made the white. White America very nervous. I'm not defending some of the things Farrakhan says about Jews. I think though that even if if you changed all

of his references to Jews to white people you'd still have the same reaction. People think he's. Preaching a certain gospel of hatred and yet the facts are that racism and and racist oppression of black people is probably more severe than any other profession in this country. And there's a natural sort of reaction from black people about that. And so I think people identify when Farrakhan says white people in this country are not going to do anything for us there. We need to do for ourselves that you know we've got to be wary of alliances with white people. I think there's a natural sort of belief in that given 400 years of what's probably minimal progress in this country. Again I'm not trying to defend sort of that. The remark that fire kind is made about Jews. But I think that the backlash that we see against

fire kind I think has a lot to do with the same backlash that we saw against Malcolm X against any black leaders who preach a real strident gospel of not black nationalism of of separatism. We're here and I throw this out to both of you where and at one point in time the. Blacks and Jews tend to split off and go in different directions. I mean for many years there are many Jewish particularly Jewish lawyers that worked with the NAACP the Urban League in still you know I've been in they still are. And it done a lot of work in civil rights and worked with Martin Luther King and there was a point at which we were much more in working in concert historically speaking from Europe from from your perspective. What what happened to result in this and this divergence of interest in this and this ability for Farah Khan to jump into the void and up

and apparently take advantage of the of the schism. There are a number of answers to that one of the things I'd like to do is we're here through this and in. I've sat in on a number of black Jewish dialogues including one I started in Washington D.C. between black women and Jewish women and we got into all these issues which are very difficult. There are a couple of areas which have separated blacks and Jews I think you know there's a perception on the part of the black community that the Jewish community is insensitive to the economic the economic struggles of the black community and that comes out in the in a perception that we're against affirmative action. Well just if you could on that point first I think moreover. Perception is taken from the black community. Some of their economic strength by being the merchants in the community by being the main wards in the community are

and kind of siphoning off what little economic strength works. Let me give you a little vignette on that issue. One of the women who was involved the black woman was involved in our dialogue said she heard that from another of the black women and she said she cringed because her father in law was a black merchant in the community raised his prices every time paid payday came around the point of the story and he called her the meat read to make sure people didn't know that it was older than it really was the reason I tell that story is because I think it was really scapegoating to blame the Jewish community the Jews or 2.7 percent of the population of this country. Blacks are what 11 percent of the population to say than every black community were or was Jewish or Jewish merchant Origi wish landlord would be to put place the blame on a community that couldn't possibly have been everywhere. And you know all those black

communities the other thing is demographic patterns being what they are. Had Jews often lived in communities which were then became primarily black communities and I was a kid. I have find it very difficult to believe that it's rational to blame Jews who were still living in the community many of them or maybe they had moved out of whatever. To blame them for what is regarded as oppression of the black community whether it be you know landlords or whether it be storekeepers it really is an inability I think or and willingness of the black members of the black community or black leadership to point out that for the most part the oppressors if you will is cannot possibly be the Jewish community in this country. OK on that note you're listening and every year in Boston. Ninety one point nine FM. We are at 9 2 9 7 9 2 9.

Should you have any questions of our guest Sally Greenberg the civil rights director from the Anti-Defamation League. And Peter Hart the president of the black political task force. We'll be back in a minute. This is from the source. Let's carry on. Two plus 16 ounce if I take 10 percent of. My WMD FM wants to help you with your taxes. So we are running a special series of tax tips throughout the month of March. Listen for them. They'll be aired at various times throughout the broadcast day with new tips each and every week. It's just another service from WUOM BFM because we like doing things for you. And I. Don't. Think. This is Richard Reiner. I hope you'll join me. This Friday evening. And Saturday morning to hear Amy Farina when she comes on circles in the street talks about her music and her life. Join us please either Friday evening at

7:00 p.m. or Saturday morning at 9:00 am here Mimi Farina live on surfaces on the street. The sounds of minority enterprise if we as a nation are to remain the world leader in innovation technology and productivity. We must ensure that all Americans are involved in our economic progress. It's a challenge but American minority entrepreneurs are making it possible every day. Minority enterprise the more it develops the greater it gets. A public service message from the Minority Business Development Agency and the Small Business Administration. Welcome back to from the source. This is your host Hayward Blackledge. I guess this evening I shall Greenburg the civil rights director for the America the Anti-Defamation League and Peter Hardy from the black political taskforce. It was sent to WM B FM Boston ninety one point nine. Our telephone line is 9 2 9 7 9 2 9 that's 9 2 9

7 9. Tonight we're discussing this evening for our kind the issue the implications of Louis Farrakhan and the political climate of America today. My last question to you Sally was was where did in fact the Jewish Black relations breakdown. And I think I'd like Peter to respond to that question. I don't know if I can sort of speak specifically I think that there has been. A real sort of working together and particularly you saw in the civil rights movement. And I think that in many senses that carries over today you see a lot of. I personally and I know a lot of other people who are involved the community struggles work with a lot of members of the Jewish community here in Boston anyway on any number of issues. I would say that I think what's what what you're seeing is that the civil rights movement has erred.

We've seen that a lot of the gains or victories that we thought were in place are either being eroded or were never really in place. And so I think that the sort of coalition concept is being eroded by a basic fact that the condition of black people is just not improving. And so I think that as a result of that people feel like those coalitions were not really strong ones that they. Why communities that the women's communities that we have used in the past to work on things abandon us when their own needs were met. And in fact. Our conditions have not been getting any better and nobody seems to want to deal with that and there's a sort of myth that in fact there has been progress. And in fact that that's not true and I think that's what Farrakhan speaks to. Do you think that the the.

B'nai B'rith filing of an amicus brief brief in the Bhakti case for those of you that aren't familiar with the. Legal jargon an amicus brief is one where people say that they agree and they support the claim of the plaintiff in this case it was a party who claimed that he was discriminated against in reverse. Do you think that had anything to do with the schism that exists I think in part I think that that may or may not have been widely publicized but I think I think it reflects the perception that when things are good and when there's plenty that we stick together when it gets tight. And it's you or us and it's us it's not you. Let me just speak up speak to that your question. You know what happens the affirmative action. Most Jewish organizations not just B'nai Brith have a position against. What are known as quotas or mandated levels.

Can you explain why they do. Well because the Jewish community was a victim of quotas during the 20s the 30s the 40s and I'm sure the black community was to quotas that said we can in fact the president of Harvard like you believe was president Harvard Law said I don't know why these Jews don't just back off don't they know that if they keep trying to get their students into this law school that is just going to create bad feeling for Jews. It's going to make anti-Semitism of people just going to hate them more. Those kinds of things where and there are still and I hear it all the time because I think in this area there are still quotas in various law firms in this city. There are quotas and law firms in a lot of places that I choose. We're not talking blacks we're talking Jews. And there might be for blacks too. But you know the fact is Jews are still very sensitive to that particular issue and that has been something that the Jewish community has

stuck to time and time again. Now I think about it as though the blacks are not in the same situation as Jews and you've got to face that fact whether you were victimized in the past you're clearly not as victimized as blacks are now. So to say that you're opposed to quotas even recognizing that it's going to have a negative impact on blacks. It's not enough to just justify it by saying we were the victims of it before and we don't want more to happen. I understand that that sense on the part of the black community I'm not unsympathetic about it. What I do hear from our constituency is no quotas no we will not even contemplate the idea of quotas for anybody. You know I'm talking about very progressive members of the Jewish community. Now there are very there are a number of Jews in the community. I must point out there Are they think quotas are acceptable but our constituency has chosen to take this position time and time again it's not just the ADL and it's you know people despite an understanding of the impact that have absolutely is an anathema to the Jewish community it's like putting

something similar it hits the Jewish community. If I can try to explain it hits the Jewish community the same way putting it. Need to view the scene on a public park that sort of issue which is a visceral kind of reaction and I think with there's been a real failure to be able to convey that to the black community not that not that you can be sympathetic necessarily with it I wouldn't necessarily expect that. But that is a visceral reaction that we hear from our constituents. You're listening to WM BFM. This is your host Hayward Blackledge our show is from the source. We're at ninety one point nine FM our telephone line is 99 7 9 2 9. Our guests are Sally Greenberg from the civil rights. She's the civil rights director for the Anti Defamation League. And Peter Hardy who's from the he was the chairperson of the black political task force Peter. One of the speakers going back to the Farah Khan issue.

One of the other speakers in this issue of control is going to come up a number of times and I think we can deal with it well. But it's because Russell Means of the American Indian Movement. And he said he said that those people who control Hollywood and I think he meant shoes at the time so that they have made movies denigrating and stereotyping Indians Mexicans Asians and blacks but never have you seen a movie denigrating the Jewish people. I don't know whether that's a statement of fact or not but that's a perception. How do we how do you what's your response to to Russell mean statement that that when Jews control things like the media as Sikh as he suggests that that they tend to tilt tilted in their favor and tend to denigrate the lesser of of us as they perceive it.

I think that. The statements that he made about the media I think are probably true there has been the media has traditionally stereotyped denigrated people of color in this society. I'm not even going to attempt to address the question of whether the Jews control Hollywood. I don't know if my prime minister and I don't I mean if that's what I do I don't make any claim to say the jews own all the real estate in Roxbury either or that you know Jews are in control of the banks in Boston and you know you have to discount those statements for for for what they are. I think that if you look at it. From from from the from a sort of black liberation point of view I think we only have to decide who are our allies and who are not allies. And next week I think there's going to be a forum where Byron Rushing is going to be on the same platform as Bernadette Devlin. And yet there's been this sort of traditional tag between Irish

people in Boston and black people in Boston. What does all that mean. It simply means that we only have allies and we have enemies you know. I don't make any categories ations of our enemies as being all Jews or all Irish. Nor do I say our friends are all Jews or all Irish. It depends on circumstance and it depends on the issues. I think if we have a disagreement about affirmative action then that's one area would then where we're not on the same say we're not allies on that issue and other issues we maybe. Will make those decisions purely tactically and not not not as sort of gross categorizations of people. OK. You were you know I was I'm a feel that. You know when you repeat something that go like Russell Means like the Jews control Hollywood or whatever else you know you see. I find that those kinds of statements I'm not I'm not necessarily I'm not criticizing it I'm just saying this goes back to the whole fair kind of issue when those things get repeated Whether they're not true or are true. They start to become

the truth. And that is one of the real issues that frightens I think the Jewish community more than anything else about Louis Farrakhan or Russell Means or Kwame Ture Is that how he uses his name who is Stokely Carmichael and Eldridge Cleaver was stalking him and then the Eldridge Cleaver profile etc. You talked about black Jewish relations. Being harmed over the period of the last two decades one of the one of the things that contributed to that also was an anti-Semitism that came from various radical black leaders whether they're black nationalists. That's the. Best way to characterize them or not so the Stokely Carmichael who is now Kwame Toure said at the University of Maryland only last week the only good Zionist is a dead Zionist. Well I don't have to tell you that first of all he I find it ironic that he's using the expression for Indians which is. And he was on a platform

of Russell Means also at that time the only good Indian is a dead Indian. Second thing is I'd say the vast majority of the Jewish community in this country are Zionists and and they are Zionists means that they support a state in the continuation of the state of Israel. Well to say that is almost kinda SAYING THE ONLY GOOD JEW IS A DEAD JEW. For a lot of Jews it has that effect. OK now he says that on the platform of the University of Maryland it causes it big. Of course it causes an uproar among the Jewish students there because and the repercussions from that is the number of Jewish students are having swastikas put under their doors. You know this whole it creates a climate of very very dangerous kind and that I think is what should be of concern not only to the Jewish community but to the black community and to any minority community that knows what it feels like to be in a state in a precarious situation.

I think the other part of that though is that and this may get us off on another tangent but I think the sort of growing. Visibility of the struggle people in Palestine. I think has also had an effect in that I think that people are starting to say Israel is a country. Jews are identified with as preventing the Palestinians a dark skin people from having a place to live from having their own homeland. And I think that that also is tied in and you know I don't know the answer there but I think that when you say 90 percent of all Jews are Zionist I think that has real implications I don't know if people understand the sort of real definition of what a Zionist is on the other hand well you know this is a good for I mean if we're going to if we're going to get into that it's I brought it up in the whole design is question what you know what the Jewish community response to that is you know you're taking this homeland away from the Palestinians.

First thing is that from 1948 to 1967 that land was own that was run and governed by Jordan and no one ever mentioned a Palestinian state. OK. No one ever thought about it until Israel took over the second thing is that Zionism for Jews means a liberation movement for Jews because you realize we all have to Bruce Boeing say this is only a week ago the Jews have been spreading countries all over the world they never had a real place they never had a place that was really their country they've been thrown out of everywhere. At some point or another. Finally there's a place for them to go and they're called racists for wanting to go their place come up there I mean it wasn't as if there was any empty land that's correct. The Jews have been talking about the land of Israel for the last thirty seven hundred years. So people I often hear things about Israel you you know you just grab this land out of nowhere. The fact is there's been Jews there continuously for thirty seven hundred years every single prayer that we say as Jews whether it be on Hanukkah whether it be on the high holidays etc. refers to return to the land of Israel.

And it's deeply you know many times the Qur'an refers to Israel never you know there's a real history there I didn't you know I want to I don't want to dominate this what with one of Israel I don't get why we bring this this issue back home again. And you mentioned the visceral response that Jews have the certain issues politically. What is the response to to to Barack and the implications for for the white electorate generally in your mind. Now we know that. When Mayor Bradley was running for for governor of California his black constituencies is relatively small but he promised black leaders that he wouldn't criticize Farrakhan until after September 15th which I believe was the. Primary. But he did call for a kind of messenger of hate and bigotry

and that the Los Angeles City Council accused Farrakhan of sowing seeds of hatred fostering racism and anti-Semitism. But it was too late. The politically powerful Jewish community in Los Angeles a traditional source of support for Bradley was gone. They called on him and his prospects for for ousting the governor were gone. Is that going to happen every time a black person does not repudiate the one. High profile black leader that that for purposes of this discussion spouses in Semitism let that happen. Look at this. I understand the resentment on the part of black leaders who feel that they have been pounced upon by the Jewish community. And I'm sympathetic to that Jewish community. I'm well it's mostly they're just coming out because for me when I am what you see I don't think fair kind really I don't think most.

Non Jewish white people feel fair kind as any kind of threat at all. I think I could be wrong but that's my perception from where I sit now. If you think that's wrong then that's you know that's you know I think I think some other liberal types have a similar visceral re-allocate Well that's let me remind our listeners that you're listening to WM BFM ninety one point nine. We're at 9 2 9 7 9 2 9 should you have any questions of our guest Peter Harvey the president of the black political task force and Sally Greenberg civil rights director from the Anti-Defamation League. Florence you know Hayward I said at the beginning when we we were discussing the issue we wouldn't it would be fine for a fair kind just say what he says and we wouldn't we wouldn't even. Care whether a black leader repudiated him or not. If he were not drawing the kind of audiences strong you need if you were not having seeming to have the impact and since that seems to be going on and since

anti-Semitism still seems to be a part of a large part of his message and by the way when we talk you talk about bifurcating it when I said in fact was that I don't think you can honestly bifurcate me that that kind of rhetoric I think you've got to take the whole thing as it is. He is you know if your account to me is like all good demagogues I mean some of what he says is very good. So it's you know and it's the same with America. Some of what he says is very good. He has a message for the Jewish people deep be strong again go after these Arabs they're the ones that making your life your life impossible here you know get rid of him the only good Arab is a dead Arab. You know those kinds of comments. Peter what about what about the need the apparent need for for black politicians to to repudiate Farah Khan and his statements within a certain amount of time and having to pay a political price for not doing it. See you know I don't want to generalize again I think that is absolutely

wrong for any community to put the black community on the spot for any one of its sort of visible leadership. They are not accountable for the Jesse Helms with the rest of the sort of right wing racist ideologues that exist. Nobody asks people who are running for office to repudiate people like that. And yet because the black community is sort of we live in a fishbowl you know where and and there's a continual attempt to suppress readership in our in our community you know through sort of ostracism or even as far as assassination. And I think that again I'm not defending Farrakhan but I think that the response to Farrakhan is motivated one by one. I think that a lot of white folks who are not Jewish are scared of Farrakhan I think that his message aside from the part about Jews is a real dangerous one because he's really

encouraging. Black people to to see the situation as a war to see their situation as a struggle which we're not making gains until we really organize. I think that message is loud and clear and that's why people listen to him. I think that. That's that's the real fear and it's not just you know I think that's why people are being put on the spot. Can I respond and when can I have to say that they really. Bristle at the idea that the Jewish community is saying please you know it's the anti-Semitism coming from this black nationalist whether he's a leader or not I don't know. As as a move to suppress black leadership that's not there's not. No you said you said there is. I said there is no repudiation is required by peace. All right well let's yeah.

OK that I think you know this is historical. There's been a historical attempt to keep black leadership down I mean that's that's part of you know I really don't think that's where the Jewish community is coming from I think. One thing I think the black community does not appreciate about the Jewish community the Jewish community is a very secure community despite the fact that they look look as if they made it in this country economically or otherwise professionally. It's a very insecure community because of the history of the Jewish people. And that's one thing that never caught so difficult to convey when in a black Jewish dialogue situation. OK we're going to take a break now this is from the south. I'm your host hey we're black. Boston ninety one point 9. 9 7 9 2 9. No one has an opinion on this issue out there if you agree or disagree please call and our guests are Sally Greenberg from this civil rights director from the

Anti-Defamation League and Peter Hardy from the black political task force will be back in a minute. Can you tell the real scene from a fake trial listening to these two questioning sounds one is a real duck the other is a fake a call see if you can tell the difference. Here is the first. Now here's the second. Sound pretty similar don't think. Well fakes can often seem very much like a real thing. And every year thousands of Americans are lured into buying fake quack medical products. From baldness remedies to cancer cures are a waste of money. Many endanger your house. So if you're not sure whether a medical product is a quack ask your doctor a pharmacist first. Oh by the way about which cracking sound was the real one back. From a free brochure on quackery right to quackery HFT 55 Rockville Maryland five centers. This is Governor Mike Dukakis. When thousands of disabled people were cut off from their Social Security benefits for many their only source for food shelter and medicine.

Massachusetts joined the fight to get those benefits back. We won a court battle and cleared the way for our disable citizens to get the kind of support they needed this or. If you were disabled and were cut off from SSI benefits asked Social Security to review your case. While you wait. You can start getting your checks again. Your Medicare and Medicaid to. Social Security rules in your favor. You can get every penny owed to right back to the day you stop receiving your benefits. Or visit your social security office today. Get back what you are entitled to. For more information call the toll free number at Legal Services 1 800 1 5 1 2 0 for the hearing impaired. 7 2 0 4 2 8 5 1 800. Going to for the hearing impaired call 7 2 0 0 4 2 8 5. Welcome back to from the source. This is your host Hayward blacklegs You're listening to WNBA FM Boston ninety one point nine. My telephone line is 99 7

9 2 9 9 9 7 9 2 9. Our guests this evening are our Peter Hardy from the black political task force and Sally Greenberg civil rights director from the Anti-Defamation League. Peter has his response to the issue of accountability of black politicians as it relates to repudiating Farah Khan the issue. Well I think in response to a comment that Sally made earlier I don't think you know and I don't want to get into the comparison but I don't think you can talk about the insecurity of Jewish people and compare that to real plight of black people in this country. And I think that black people are saying is who is on our side who is going to say that what we want is righteous that what we want is justice. And who's going to take that up as their banner. I don't think I think that the erosion of the correlation between black people and Jewish people. I think I think isn't just Farrakhan or a few leaders who talked about how bad Jews are. I think that there may be a substantive erosion that gets us back to the issue of whether or not Jewish

people are really in support of affirmative action is that we are. You know I didn't mean to be comparing. The plight of the black community which has obviously in this country been the victim of a horrendous and ongoing racism unlike you and this you know continues to today and I wouldn't deny that and I don't mean to compare the insecurity of the Jewish community to that when I didn't mean to say I don't know if I said it clearly is that when the Jewish community sees 25000 people going to Madison Square Garden to hear Minister Farrakhan speak Farrakhan speak and in a number of people in the audience say during that there to tell the people who comment are white the Jews are responsible for the plight of black people it's had roots. Yes the Jewish community feels its insecurity looming large once again and that is why that is why we

requested to make a request to a guy like Tom Bradley who's a very you know obviously very responsible and well-liked politician to repudiate those remarks. We're going to take a call now. This is Paul from Boston thank you very much. I want to thank you. I DON'T YOU KNOW YOU CAN CALL ME. But I hope you make it a habit from here on in. I just wonder you know if you were in Geraldine reading a load of New York Times of all kinds of columns and all kinds of subjects and I was just wondering what the tension in the country and various groups would be impossible for somebody like you or one of your guests to try to newspaper car and syndicated where questions are revolving around the fate of Jewish interests in Israel were black affairs of this country. So our So what were people could write in an economic question and get our answer pertaining to issues.

That's a good question Peter. Paul I think I think we can respond to that. Thank you thank you. Your honor I would agree with the crowd there is definitely a need for sort of more of dialogue in general I think that the dialogue is going to become heated. I think the real sort of political issues involved here they exist with or without the presence of people like Farrakhan I think that the black nation in this country has or or is in the process of developing an agenda that speaks to their needs and then the real issues are. Who is interested in those needs who is also interested in that agenda and who is not. So but I think that people don't know for example the real plight of black people is going to people who live in this country. I think that's that needs to get out. You know there's something in. Chicago called the Chicago observer I believe a newsletter that goes out to two upper management and federal levels in

industry that speak specifically to racial issues I think something like that would be appropriate for Boston and the wing Glynne region generally but centered in Boston and the input of different ethnic groups and this is Paul suggested. Real questions. I really inspired me real answers to real questions who would be appropriate what do you think selling anything that fosters a. Better understanding. Of how people feel about their particular minority group over the sensitivities or the criticisms of one group or another. It's said that those things could be laid out on the table more productive way. I think that would do us all a break. I was going to say and I think that. The programs like the world of difference thing I think are real significant I remember watching an extended program where they had audience debate about it. I think it was really helpful I think that it takes time to people start

talking about these things you can at least get them out and you know Miami which happened a few years ago is not you know that far away is right around the corner. Every major city where you have teenage unemployment it goes up like that. That kind of stuff is going to happen people are going to. So the black leaders well do you approve of what happened in Miami Well my response is you know you caused it. You know I mean America caused Miami and it's not a question of whether responsible black leaders are going to say well it's irresponsible black youth to be rioting. The question is really going to become how do you address the problems. And and that's why I think we really got to talk about things. Is that answer going to come from within the black community. Do you think can it come within the black community. Well the answer to what the answer to How do you address the situation of black teenage unemployment etc. I wish those answers come from I think the answers have to come. That's a national problem it's not a problem that the black community can solve. And to the extent that there are forces in the society that they

promote and in fact. Substantiate the poverty the economic oppression of black people face then those forces have to be eradicated. And and you know I can't be any plainer than that I think that there are interests who are opposed to the interest of black people in this country that is not just a matter of sort of understanding why black people think the way they think. It's understanding why black people can't get jobs and who's not letting them get like sluts looks like you still want to talk about Farrakhan I want to know. Now I think I think we're we're moving on to another level here when we talk about areas where people can work together and Peter just gave an example of what was useful for you anyway and you thought it would be a useful useful tool. What about organizations like one formed by Charles and I believe when he came from and from the Anti-Defamation League are they going to make strides in to closing this gap or are making

and I think we all feel this way making each other more and rich by participating with each other. One I believe is that is the concept in the word in the name of the organization. Do you think they can make some real strides in and getting groups together or or is it just another attempt that. Maybe evangelizing. RICHARD Well you see in this city you have the greater Boston Civil Rights Coalition which has been very out front on employment issues here as is chaired by. Barbara Arnwine the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and several other people like Marty Walsh from the Justice Department. Those kinds of groups which really do something. In other words they for instance have been going to corporations now and saying you you know you promised in the last five years to prove you're hiring minorities you have a dismal record. You have less than

and I don't know what the percentage is I don't want to misquote it but those caught and in the coalition we're not talking just about the black community doing it by themselves we're talking about a broad coalition of people saying you have a dismal record in hiring blacks and that's really what it comes down to. And those kinds of efforts I think are really what we're talking about if we're really talking about working together and then black Jewish relations don't need to be focused on the negative. They don't need to be focused on some of the things that have have cause the rifts. I think you know you have a Jewish leader like when he's a come and who is obviously willing and anxious to promote. The well-being of all people minorities. You know this is learning representative of all ADL leaders around the country or see if he happens to be a very dynamic. But in his ideology yes I think so and he

has had a you know positive response from members of the other minority communities to as a result I think I think that those kinds of things are the things that will get us out of this. What I think is it is a bad habit we've gotten into about talking about the deterioration of black Jewish relations and can move us one step ahead to a sort of a new level a new plane and a new dialogue to help. Is there any role that the black political task force might play Peter or groups like it. And again as I said before we we we actively sort of look to work in coalitions to look to work in sort of ad hoc groupings of people who have an identity of interest. I think that on that level the task force will continue to to to really look to build alliances where we can around issues that we feel are important. Those are. But those are sort of by our definition I think we want to be able to say

this is important for black people and not have somebody say well we're with you but we're not for that. We want to be able to define who sort of we see as our leadership. And I think resent a little bit of intrusion into sort of who is going to be called a black leader or responsible black leader and who isn't regardless of you know the political differences I think that that's some of the message that we seem to be getting and I'm not talking about just use I'm talking about from white America as a whole. I don't disagree that OK I'm VERY don't disagree on that. We've had an interesting discussion here I think we could go for another 45 minutes or so I must thank our guests Peter Harvey the chairman of the black political task force and Sally Greenberg the civil rights director from the Anti-Defamation League.

This is Debbie UN BFM Boston. I'm your host Haywood Blackledge. This is from the source. Joining me on from the source on Thursday March 6th at 8:00 p.m. for discussion on retention in universities in the studio with me will be Marianne Alexander from academic services in admissions at the University of Massachusetts and Donald Brown from a H A and a program at Boston College that's Thursday March 6th at 8 p.m. on from the source right here on the FM Boston. Thank you I guess. Thank You see you again. Good night. The views expressed on this program are not necessarily those of WUSA or at the University of Massachusetts at Boston. The absolute trust treasure moments to hold for ever. It takes time to build happy memories and time is money but when the kids

are out on their own memories are better than go from the station and the second thing and the next. You have been listening to you from the source here and WNBA fan your comments and suggestions are welcome. You can write to the attention of Kevin De Rocher W-M BFM University of Massachusetts at Boston Boston Mass 0 2 1 2 5 3 3 9 3 from the sources made possible in part through funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the University of Massachusetts at Boston. This is WM BFM Boston.