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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, JUNE 1, 1984
House Speaker Tip O'Neill to postpone action on it until after the June 5
primary in California, a state with a large population of Hispanic-surnamed
voters.) The Simpson-Mazzoli bill would try to get a handle on the massive
illegal alien problem--last year there were from two to four million il
legal border crossings, plus a million apprehensions along the border. It
would penalize employers for hiring illegal aliens, but provide for the im
portation of seasonal agricultural workers from Mexico (similar to the old
Bracero program) plus amnesty for those illegals resident in the U.S. for
five years or longer. Even this "sweetener" is opposed by some Hispanic
leaders who claim that legally-resident Hispanics would, by their very ap
pearance, be discriminated against in employment.
Feelings of Latin
dignidad (dignity) are very much tied up in this emotional issue.
Certainly one of the most explosive issues so far in the 1984 political cam
paign in the United States has been the outrageously outspoken remarks at
tributed to one of the leading public supporters of Jesse Jackson. The per
son in question is Louis Farrakhan, a fiery SO-year-old Black Muslim minis
ter. He is head of the 10,000-member Nation of Islam. This figure however,
belies his influence, which is much greater because of a weekly nationwide
radio program.
Mr. Farrakhan came to national attention a few weeks ago, when a black WASH
INGTON POST reporter, Milton Coleman, reported that Mr. Jackson had used
the word "Hymie" to refer to Jews and "Hymietown" to New York City. In his
radio broadcast, Mr. Farrakhan called the reporter "Judas" and said, "One
day soon we will punish you with death." He said some Jews sought to harm
Mr. Jackson, and in the same program called Adolf Hitler a "very great
man," albeit "wickedly great."
Jesse Jackson disavowed Mr. Farrakhan's words. But he has refused to de
nounce the man or renounce his political support. He even said, "Minister
Farrakhan has a very high batting average for fighting for good."
It turns out that Mr. Farrakhan's remarks were nothing new. He has "a long
history" of threatening reporters and others, according to NBC News. Among
reported incidents, Mr. Farrakhan's remarks once convinced a witness not to
testify at a murder trial in Washington, the network said. As reported in a
May 23 UPI dispatch:
In 1974, Nation of Islam member James Price and six other members
were charged in the killings of seven members of a rival sect in
Washington, D.C. Price, who became a government witness, lis
tened to Farrakhan's weekly broadcast on a car radio as he was
being driven to the courthouse.
"Let this be a warning to those of you who would be used as an in
strument of a wicked government•••• Today there are younger men
and women rising up who have no forgiveness in them for traitors
and stool pigeons. And they will execute you as soon as your
identity is known," Farrakhan was quoted in the broadcast. Price
refused to testify and was killed by two of his co-defendants and
a third black muslim seven months later at Philadelphia's Holms
burg Prison. No link between them and Farrakhan has been dis
covered.
Another background report on Louis Farrakhan appeared in the April 17 NEW
YORK TIMES: