Dr.Martin Luther Kings ..."Letter to an Anti Semite"
Update:Welcome Atlas_Shrugs Readers
“Letter to an Anti-Zionist Friend"
“This I Believe: Selections from the Writings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.” (NY: 1971), pp. 234-235.
". . . You declare, my friend, that you do not hate the Jews, you are merely 'anti-Zionist.' And I say, let the truth ring forth from the high mountain tops, let it echo through the valleys of God's green earth: When people criticize Zionism, they mean Jews--this is God's own truth.
Anti-Semitism, the hatred of the Jewish people, has been and remains a blot on the soul of mankind. In this we are in full agreement. So know also this: anti-Zionist is inherently anti-Semitic, and ever will be so.
Why ? Because Zionism is nothing less than the dream and ideal of the Jewish people returning to live in their own land.
The Jewish people, the Scriptures tell us, once enjoyed a flourishing Commonwealth in the Holy Land. From this they were expelled by the Roman tyrant, the same Romans who cruelly murdered Our Lord. Driven from their homeland, their nation in ashes, forced to wander the globe, the Jewish people time and again suffered the lash of whichever tyrant happened to rule over them.
The Negro people, my friend, know what it is to suffer the torment of tyranny under rulers not of our choosing. Our brothers in Africa have begged, pleaded, requested--DEMANDED the recognition and realization of our inborn right to live in peace under our own sovereignty in our own country.
How easy it should be, for anyone who holds dear this inalienable right of all mankind, to understand and support the right of the Jewish People to live in their ancient Land of Israel. All men of good will exult in the fulfillment of God's promise, that his People should return in joy to rebuild their plundered land.
This is Zionism, nothing more, nothing less.
If you believe the Jewish people deserve to have an independent state, then you are a Zionist. It’s that easy.
Zionism is not a dirty word. It is a credo which reinforces the legitimate right of the Jewish people to self-determination."
You don’t have to be a Jew to be a Zionist, the same way you don’t have to be a woman to be a feminist, or a black person to believe in equal rights for blacks.
Being a Zionist does not mean that you believe Israel is perfect or makes no mistakes. You can support Palestinian national aspiration, and still be a Zionist. As a Zionist, you can disagree with Israel’s policies, you can criticize her government. You can speak out against policies, and demonstrate against them.
But you cannot take away her right to exist as a state for the Jewish people.
"And what is anti-Zionist? It is the denial to the Jewish people of a fundamental right that we justly claim for the people of Africa and freely accord all other nations of the Globe. It is discrimination against Jews, my friend, because they are Jews. In short, it is anti-Semitism.
The anti-Semite rejoices at any opportunity to vent his malice. The times have made it unpopular, in the West, to proclaim openly a hatred of the Jews. This being the case, the anti-Semite must constantly seek new forms and forums for his poison. How he must revel in the new masquerade! He does not hate the Jews, he is just 'anti-Zionist'!"
The Jewish people is one of the most ancient peoples in the history of humanity still surviving today.
For over 3000 years, since Biblical times, the Jewish people have kept all the elements which define them as a people: culture, tradition, religion, language, and connection to their land.
On 1948, the Jewish people became, once again, a sovereign nation in their home, the land that they were promised thousands of years ago, and in which they had a continuous presence since then.
The French people have an independent state.
The Japanese people have an independent state.
The Arab people have 22 independent states.
The Jewish people, who had sovereignty before any of these people, certainly deserve to have an independent state of their own. This is Zionism!
-Martin
posted by Libertas @ 12/08/2006 05:21:00 PM
Richard
Marcus
Skelton
Arnold Sidney 
Beautiful
Stranger 
Dell
Gines
bbqchickenrobot
Joe
Ekawu
Nino
Kristina
Alfred
How
You Can Contribute 
7 Comments:
You guys are the Hip Hope Republicans.
I love your blog.
Thanks for posting this.
By the way, I love the choice of the U2 song with Mary J. Blige. That's awesome. Better than the original.
And, while we're talking about U2 songs performed better than the orinigal, have you ever heard Cassandra Wilson's version of "Love Is Blindness"?
My God, it is genius.
i never knew about this letter. i have always been very impressed by dr. king and remember the horror of the late 60s too well. this letter reinforces how i have felt for this giant man among men. i have always wondered where the arab/palestinian mlk was? should he arise there would be peace in a month. i will keep looking in on your blog. thank you.
This is just another example of the right-leaning conservative ideas of King. He has been embraced by everyone, but I wonder where he really would be today.
Of course we hope he would be with us like Roy Innis, and Bill Cosby (we hope). It would have been a shame to have seen him slide down the same path as John Conyers, Jessie Jackson, and Elijah Cummings.
I'll say though that I'm a Zionist like MLK jr.
This article of Dr. King's may be counterfeit. See http://www.camera.org/index.asp?x_context=8&x_article=369
That said, he did say some very encouraging things about Israel which are quoted later in the Camera article.
IT IS NOT A HOAX.."LITTLE BUSY BEE"
I was waiting for this one ....
TAKE THAT!@!!!!!
“Letter to an Anti-Zionist Friend” *
* Note from jewish-history.com: We searched the archive of Saturday Review where this letter allegedly was published. This periodical is a weekly, not a monthly, so there were four issues published during the month of August, 1967. Of these four issues, two contained 76 or more pages. On p. 76 of one issue, were classified ads, on p. 76 of the other issue, a review of the Beatles album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. There were no articles by Dr. King on Zionism or any other topic. Nor is there any anthology of Martin Luther King entitled This I Believe.
Dear Jewish-history.com visitor:
We received the following message from the media watchdog group CAMERA:
We am sorry to inform you that the “Letter to an Anti-Zionist Friend” allegedly written by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is apparently a hoax. Although, the basic message of the letter was indeed, without question, spoken by Martin Luther King, Jr. in a 1968 appearance at Harvard, where he said: “When people criticize Zionists, they mean Jews, You are talking anti-Semitism.” [from “The Socialism of Fools: The Left, the Jews and Israel” by Seymour Martin Lipset; in Encounter magazine, December 1969, p. 24. ].
We were initially doubtful of the authenticity of the “Letter to an anti-Zionist Friend” because the language in the first paragraph seemed almost a parody of language used in Dr. King’s “I have a dream” speech. And it was an odd coincidence that the “Letter” was listed as being published in one of the few magazines whose archives are not able to be checked online. Additionally, we could find no reference to the “letter” prior to 1999, which was odd because the text is such a dramatic denunciation of anti-Zionism-one that would have been cited widely.
However, we then found the “letter” in a reputable 1999 book (“Shared Dreams,” by Rabbi Marc Shneier) whose preface was written by Martin Luther King III. Since the King family is known to be extremely careful with Dr. King’s legacy, we assumed they must have verified the accuracy of the book before endorsing it.
Additionally, we found that quotations from the “letter” were used on July 31, 2001, by the Anti-Defamation League’s Michael Salberg in testimony before the U.S. House of Representative’s International Relations Committee’s Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights. The same “source” (Saturday Review, August 1967) for the “letter” that was mentioned in the Schneier book was also cited in the testimony. Since many in the Anti-Defamation League had actually worked with Martin Luther King, Jr. in the civil rights struggle, we assumed again they would be very knowledgeable about King’s work and would have thoroughly checked anything they chose to read before Congress. Based on the apparent verification of the “letter” by the King family and the ADL, we sent the “letter” to you on MLK Day.
However, because we do not ordinarily rely on anyone else’s research, we decided to double-check, by searching back issues of Saturday Review* (Rabbi Shneier’s book had referenced the “letter” as being published in the August 67 Saturday Review). Lo and behold, there is no such letter in any of the August issues, nor do the page and volume numbers cited conform to those actually used by that publication. CAMERA also checked with Boston University, where Dr. King’s work is archived. The archivists too were unable to locate any such letter. We can only conclude that no such letter was written by Dr. King. (Please note we are not implying that the apparently bogus “letter” originated with Rabbi Schneier.)
Since the message of the letter (Anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism) was one Martin Luther King, Jr. had indeed articulated, we can understand why the King family and the ADL did not feel the need to verify the “Letter to an anti-Zionist friend.” We at CAMERA apologize, though, for not looking past their endorsement when we had initial doubts about it. This episode is a reminder of the importance of verifying the authenticity and accuracy of sources, even when they appear to be solid.
Below is a January 21, 2002 op-ed by U.S. Rep. John Lewis, who worked closely with Dr. King. In the op-ed, he shares Dr. King’s views on Israel, views which stressed Israel’s democratic nature and Israel’s need for security. And he also relates that Dr. King said, “When people criticize Zionists they mean Jews, you are talking anti-Semitism.”
This quotation has been confirmed, so you should feel assured that you can use the quotation in letters. Just be sure to mention that it came from Dr. King’s 1968 Harvard University appearance, so that no one will think it is from the debunked “letter.”
The op-ed by Congressman Lewis appears below.
With our sincerest apologies,
Lee Green
Director, National Letter-Writing Group
CAMERA
Monday, January 21, 2002
(San Francisco Chronicle)
“I have a dream” for peace in the Middle East
Martin Luther King Jr.’s special bond with Israel
by John Lewis
THE REV. MARTIN Luther King Jr. understood the meaning of discrimination and oppression. He sought ways to achieve liberation and peace, and he thus understood that a special relationship exists between African Americans and American Jews.
This message was true in his time and is true today.
He knew that both peoples were uprooted involuntarily from their homelands. He knew that both peoples were shaped by the tragic experience of slavery. He knew that both peoples were forced to live in ghettoes, victims of segregation.
He knew that both peoples were subject to laws passed with the particular intent of oppressing them simply because they were Jewish or black. He knew that both peoples have been subjected to oppression and genocide on a level unprecedented in history.
King understood how important it is not to stand by in the face of injustice. He understood the cry, “Let my people go.”
Long before the plight of the Jews in the Soviet Union was on the front pages, he raised his voice. “I cannot stand idly by, even though I happen to live in the United States and even though I happen to be an American Negro and not be concerned about what happens to the Jews in Soviet Russia. For what happens to them happens to me and you, and we must be concerned.”
During his lifetime King witnessed the birth of Israel and the continuing struggle to build a nation. He consistently reiterated his stand on the Israeli-Arab conflict, stating “Israel’s right to exist as a state in security is uncontestable.” It was no accident that King emphasized “security” in his statements on the Middle East.
On March 25, 1968, less than two weeks before his tragic death, he spoke out with clarity and directness stating, “peace for Israel means security, and we must stand with all our might to protect its right to exist, its territorial integrity. I see Israel as one of the great outposts of democracy in the world, and a marvelous example of what can be done, how desert land can be transformed into an oasis of brotherhood and democracy. Peace for Israel means security and that security must be a reality.”
During the recent U.N. Conference on Racism held in Durban, South Africa, we were all shocked by the attacks on Jews, Israel and Zionism. The United States of America stood up against these vicious attacks.
Once again, the words of King ran through my memory, “I solemnly pledge to do my utmost to uphold the fair name of the Jews-because bigotry in any form is an affront to us all.”
During an appearance at Harvard University shortly before his death, a student stood up and asked King to address himself to the issue of Zionism. The question was clearly hostile. King responded, “When people criticize Zionists they mean Jews, you are talking anti-Semitism.”
King taught us many lessons. As turbulence continues to grip the Middle East, his words should continue to serve as our guide. I am convinced that were he alive today he would speak clearly calling for an end to the violence between Israelis and Arabs.
He would call upon his fellow Nobel Peace Prize winner, Yasser Arafat, to fulfill the dream of peace and do all that is within his power to stop the violence.
He would urge continuing negotiations to reduce tensions and bring about the first steps toward genuine peace.
King had a dream of an “oasis of brotherhood and democracy” in the Middle East.
As we celebrate his life and legacy, let us work for the day when Israelis and Palestinians, Jews and Muslims, will be able to sit in peace “under his vine and fig tree and none shall make him afraid.”
U.S. Rep. John Lewis, a Democrat, represents the 5th Congressional District of Georgia and worked closely with Martin Luther King Jr. during the civil rights movement.
http://www.jewish-history.com/mlk_zionism.html
litui I want to apologise to you about the letter it seems you are correct. I hope you forgive my "take that comment"...drinks on me..lol
Since posting Dr.Kings "Letter to an Anti Semite" a group of leftist bloggers have been barraging my email box with some of the most obscene replies known to men.
The simple answer to the question of whether the Dr King Letter to an Anti Semite was a hoax is NO and Yes.
It would seem that the letter has no hisrtorical basis but the quotes within the letter do,Martin Luther King supported a free democratic Israeal free of terror this is a fact.
The history behind this debate was started by an article on a website called CAMERA: Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America where they questioned the authority of the letter.
Below is history of the debate and how it was resolved.
From the media watchdog group CAMERA:
We am sorry to inform you that the “Letter to an Anti-Zionist Friend” allegedly written by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is apparently a hoax. Although, the basic message of the letter was indeed, without question, spoken by Martin Luther King, Jr. in a 1968 appearance at Harvard, where he said: “When people criticize Zionists, they mean Jews, You are talking anti-Semitism.” [from “The Socialism of Fools: The Left, the Jews and Israel” by Seymour Martin Lipset; in Encounter magazine, December 1969, p. 24. ].
We were initially doubtful of the authenticity of the “Letter to an anti-Zionist Friend” because the language in the first paragraph seemed almost a parody of language used in Dr. King’s “I have a dream” speech. And it was an odd coincidence that the “Letter” was listed as being published in one of the few magazines whose archives are not able to be checked online. Additionally, we could find no reference to the “letter” prior to 1999, which was odd because the text is such a dramatic denunciation of anti-Zionism-one that would have been cited widely.
However, we then found the “letter” in a reputable 1999 book (“Shared Dreams,” by Rabbi Marc Shneier) whose preface was written by Martin Luther King III. Since the King family is known to be extremely careful with Dr. King’s legacy, we assumed they must have verified the accuracy of the book before endorsing it.
Additionally, we found that quotations from the “letter” were used on July 31, 2001, by the Anti-Defamation League’s Michael Salberg in testimony before the U.S. House of Representative’s International Relations Committee’s Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights. The same “source” (Saturday Review, August 1967) for the “letter” that was mentioned in the Schneier book was also cited in the testimony. Since many in the Anti-Defamation League had actually worked with Martin Luther King, Jr. in the civil rights struggle, we assumed again they would be very knowledgeable about King’s work and would have thoroughly checked anything they chose to read before Congress. Based on the apparent verification of the “letter” by the King family and the ADL, we sent the “letter” to you on MLK Day.
However, because we do not ordinarily rely on anyone else’s research, we decided to double-check, by searching back issues of Saturday Review* (Rabbi Shneier’s book had referenced the “letter” as being published in the August 67 Saturday Review). Lo and behold, there is no such letter in any of the August issues, nor do the page and volume numbers cited conform to those actually used by that publication. CAMERA also checked with Boston University, where Dr. King’s work is archived. The archivists too were unable to locate any such letter. We can only conclude that no such letter was written by Dr. King. (Please note we are not implying that the apparently bogus “letter” originated with Rabbi Schneier.)
Since the message of the letter (Anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism) was one Martin Luther King, Jr. had indeed articulated, we can understand why the King family and the ADL did not feel the need to verify the “Letter to an anti-Zionist friend.” We at CAMERA apologize, though, for not looking past their endorsement when we had initial doubts about it. This episode is a reminder of the importance of verifying the authenticity and accuracy of sources, even when they appear to be solid.
Below is a January 21, 2002 op-ed by U.S. Rep. John Lewis, who worked closely with Dr. King. In the op-ed, he shares Dr. King’s views on Israel, views which stressed Israel’s democratic nature and Israel’s need for security. And he also relates that Dr. King said, “When people criticize Zionists they mean Jews, you are talking anti-Semitism.”
This quotation has been confirmed, so you should feel assured that you can use the quotation in letters. Just be sure to mention that it came from Dr. King’s 1968 Harvard University appearance, so that no one will think it is from the debunked “letter.”
The op-ed by Congressman Lewis appears below.
With our sincerest apologies,
Lee Green
Director, National Letter-Writing Group
CAMERA
Op-ed
by Congressman Lewis
Monday, January 21, 2002
“I have a dream” for peace in the Middle East
Martin Luther King Jr.’s special bond with Israel
by John Lewis
THE REV. MARTIN Luther King Jr. understood the meaning of discrimination and oppression. He sought ways to achieve liberation and peace, and he thus understood that a special relationship exists between African Americans and American Jews.
This message was true in his time and is true today.
He knew that both peoples were uprooted involuntarily from their homelands. He knew that both peoples were shaped by the tragic experience of slavery. He knew that both peoples were forced to live in ghettoes, victims of segregation.
He knew that both peoples were subject to laws passed with the particular intent of oppressing them simply because they were Jewish or black. He knew that both peoples have been subjected to oppression and genocide on a level unprecedented in history.
King understood how important it is not to stand by in the face of injustice. He understood the cry, “Let my people go.”
Long before the plight of the Jews in the Soviet Union was on the front pages, he raised his voice. “I cannot stand idly by, even though I happen to live in the United States and even though I happen to be an American Negro and not be concerned about what happens to the Jews in Soviet Russia. For what happens to them happens to me and you, and we must be concerned.”
During his lifetime King witnessed the birth of Israel and the continuing struggle to build a nation. He consistently reiterated his stand on the Israeli-Arab conflict, stating “Israel’s right to exist as a state in security is uncontestable.” It was no accident that King emphasized “security” in his statements on the Middle East.
On March 25, 1968, less than two weeks before his tragic death, he spoke out with clarity and directness stating, “peace for Israel means security, and we must stand with all our might to protect its right to exist, its territorial integrity. I see Israel as one of the great outposts of democracy in the world, and a marvelous example of what can be done, how desert land can be transformed into an oasis of brotherhood and democracy. Peace for Israel means security and that security must be a reality.”
During the recent U.N. Conference on Racism held in Durban, South Africa, we were all shocked by the attacks on Jews, Israel and Zionism. The United States of America stood up against these vicious attacks.
Once again, the words of King ran through my memory, “I solemnly pledge to do my utmost to uphold the fair name of the Jews-because bigotry in any form is an affront to us all.”
During an appearance at Harvard University shortly before his death, a student stood up and asked King to address himself to the issue of Zionism. The question was clearly hostile. King responded, “When people criticize Zionists they mean Jews, you are talking anti-Semitism.”
King taught us many lessons. As turbulence continues to grip the Middle East, his words should continue to serve as our guide. I am convinced that were he alive today he would speak clearly calling for an end to the violence between Israelis and Arabs.
He would call upon his fellow Nobel Peace Prize winner, Yasser Arafat, to fulfill the dream of peace and do all that is within his power to stop the violence.
He would urge continuing negotiations to reduce tensions and bring about the first steps toward genuine peace.
King had a dream of an “oasis of brotherhood and democracy” in the Middle East.
As we celebrate his life and legacy, let us work for the day when Israelis and Palestinians, Jews and Muslims, will be able to sit in peace “under his vine and fig tree and none shall make him afraid.”
U.S. Rep. John Lewis, a Democrat, represents the 5th Congressional District of Georgia and worked closely with Martin Luther King Jr. during the civil rights movement.
http://www.jewish-history.com/mlk_zionism.html
I stand corrected....it would seem that the letter indeed was a hoax
But the most important parts attributed to King were accurate.
Below are a few quotes by King on this topic
1)"Israel’s right to exist as a state in security is uncontestable.”
2)Peace for Israel means security, and we must stand with all our might to protect its right to exist, its territorial integrity. I see Israel as one of the great outposts of democracy in the world, and a marvelous example of what can be done, how desert land can be transformed into an oasis of brotherhood and democracy. Peace for Israel means security and that security must be a reality.”
3)“I cannot stand idly by, even though I happen to live in the United States and even though I happen to be an American Negro and not be concerned about what happens to the Jews in Soviet Russia. For what happens to them happens to me and you, and we must be concerned.”
4)During an appearance at Harvard University shortly before his death, a student stood up and asked King to address himself to the issue of Zionism. The question was clearly hostile. King responded, “When people criticize Zionists they mean Jews, you are talking anti-Semitism.”
5)“I solemnly pledge to do my utmost to uphold the fair name of the Jews-because bigotry in any form is an affront to us all.”
By Andrew G. BostomFrontPageMagazine.com
January 20, 2003
Martin Luther King, Jr. possessed a remarkable clarity of vision and purpose. He complemented these attributes with a sound, empathic understanding of the history of human oppression. Dr. King's unequivocal renunciation of anti-Zionism reflected his consistent, courageous opposition to all manifestations of bigotry. Against the backdrop of resurgent Jew hatred worldwide, epitomized by the hypocritical September 2001 Durban Conference on "Racism", Dr. King's candid, thoughtful reflections on the true nature of anti-Zionism are particularly edifying.
Shortly before his death, Dr. King had the moral courage to confront the burgeoning Jew hatred of both extreme leftwing Black organizations, including the Black Panthers and the radicalized Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee, as well as the Black Muslims. For example, during a 1968 appearance at Harvard University, he stated bluntly:
"When people criticize Zionists, they mean Jews, You are talking anti-Semitism." [ from "The Socialism of Fools: The Left, the Jews and Israel" by Seymour Martin Lipset; in Encounter magazine, December 1969, p. 24. ].
King immediately recognized anti-Zionism as anti-Semitism- Judenhass - refusing to indulge what he believed was simply another manifestation of the same hatred confronting Blacks. As Georgia Congressman John Lewis, who worked closely with Dr. King during the civil rights movement, observed last year on Martin Luther King Day,"He knew that both peoples [i.e., Blacks and Jews] were uprooted involuntarily from their homelands. He knew that both peoples were shaped by the tragic experience of slavery. He knew that both peoples were forced to live in ghettoes, victims of segregation. He knew that both peoples were subject to laws passed with the particular intent of oppressing them simply because they were Jewish or black. He knew that both peoples have been subjected to oppression and genocide on a level unprecedented in history."
(San Francisco Chronicle, Monday, January 21, 2002)
Historically, 20th century black intellectuals prominent before Dr. King had regarded the Zionist movement favorably because of their own strong impulses for self-determination. W.E.B. DuBois in 1919 wrote, "the African movement means to us what the Zionist movement must mean to the Jews.." In 1941, DuBois elaborated that Palestine was, "the only refuge that harassed Jewry has today". During Israel’s War of Independence, Menachem Begin recalled that Dr. Ralph Bunche, Jr. conveyed to him, "I can understand you. I am also a member of a persecuted minority."
Dr. King’s empathic awareness revealed a profound understanding of both the Jews complex embrace of Zionism, and the thinly veiled Jew hatred inherent in anti-Zionism, "After 2000 years of exile, the Jewish People has emerged traumatized. The source of that trauma has been the constant insecurity and fear that characterized most of the Diaspora, in most parts of the world. It is a product of landlessness, massacres, periodic expulsion and flight, persecution by tyrants and abuse by the Church and Mosque who encouraged antisemitism to satisfy their own insecurities and political desires. …Physical security for the Jews has traditionally been improved in a number of ways: usefulness, mobility, bribery and assimilation.
Psychological responses to this insecurity and trauma are well known: self-hatred and blame, identification with and appeasement of abusers, obsessive fantasy of a future paradise on earth. These solutions and responses are so integrated into the Jewish psyche that they have been passed down from generation to generation, displaying themselves even in relatively free societies, even in America and the recently liberated homeland, Israel….Despite its significance to the Jewish Nation, the State of Israel has failed to alleviate most of this trauma, and has not reduced the levels of antisemitism - it has simply allowed antisemites to masquerade themselves under the new banner of "anti-Zionism".
We cannot expect antisemitism to disappear - Jewish existence and Jewish philosophy will always be threatening to its children: Christianity, and Islam... The trauma and insecurity, on the other hand, is within our power to diminish - should we decide to do so…And what is anti-Zionist? It is the denial to the Jewish people of a fundamental right that we justly claim for the people of Africa and freely accord all other nations of the Globe. It is discrimination against Jews, my friend, because they are Jews. In short, it is antisemitism….The antisemite rejoices at any opportunity to vent his malice. The times have made it unpopular, in the West, to proclaim openly a hatred of the Jews. This being the case, the antisemite must constantly seek new forms and forums for his poison. How he must revel in the new masquerade! He does not hate the Jews, he is just 'anti-Zionist'!..."
Dr. King’s deep historical, theological, and social understanding are sorely missed. But there are hopeful signs. The influence of shrill, shallow demagogues such as Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, may be waning. Their hypocritical agenda has been exposed: A perverse "Third Worldism", where jihad terror against a democratic Israel is rationalized, while the slaughter, enslavement, and mutilation of tens of thousands of Black African South Sudanese Christians and animists during a jihad campaign waged against them by the Islamist Arab Khartoum government, is ignored. The indifference of Reverends Jackson and Sharpton notwithstanding, Dr. Charles Jacobs, an Orthodox Jew and founder of the American Anti-Slavery Group, helped forge an extraordinary coalition with Congressional Black Caucus members, as well as various Christian and Jewish organizations, that lobbied successfully for the passage of the Sudan Peace Act. Columnist Nat Hentoff summarized the salient features of this legislation as follows
(http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20021104-26222734.htm ):
"…The Sudan Peace Act authorizes $300 million to aid the blacks in the south over the next three years for humanitarian purposes and ‘to prepare the population for peace and democratic governance.’ Under the law, the president is to certify every six months that the Khartoum government and the [South] Sudan People's Liberation Army are negotiating in good faith. If he finds that they are not, sanctions go into effect. As described, for example, by the [Human Rights organization] Freedom House, if there is evidence of ‘continued bombing of civilians, slave raids, and bans on relief flights,’ the United States will oppose ‘international loans and credits to Khartoum,’ and among other punitive actions, seek ‘a U.N. Security Council Resolution to impose an arms embargo on Khartoum.’.. ."
It is reassuring to see the direct, lasting impact of Dr. King’s noble legacy on this contemporary struggle for human rights: as an impressionable college student, Dr. Jacobs stood on the Washington mall listening to the "I Have a Dream" speech.
http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=5628
I hope this helps sum up this matter
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home