Million More Movement Less Than Advertised

Louis Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islam, tried to reprise the somewhat-less-than-a-Million Man March ten years later, and the crowd was an order of magnitude less than a "million more."

AP photos showed the gathering was significantly smaller than that of 1995, when Boston University researchers estimated between 600,000 and 1 million participants. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority said subway ridership by noon was 152,000. On the day of the march 10 years ago — a weekday, when regular commuters drove up overall ridership — that number was just over 804,000, the third-highest ever recorded.

Still, participants said they were inspired by the gathering.

Farrakhan "is the only one who can pull this magnitude of people together," said Michael Warren, 41, a Washington resident who attended for about five hours with three youths that he mentors. "No other leader since Martin and Malcolm have done this."

I had recalled the estimates for the original march were lower.  It probably would have helped if Mr. Farrakhan's exhortations were as inspirational and founded in decency, truth and equality as Dr. King's.  Instead, we got this:

Railing against the delayed relief for victims of Hurricane Katrina, Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan said Saturday that the federal government should be charged with "criminal neglect of the people of New Orleans."

"For five days, the government did not act. Lives were lost," Farrakhan said at the 10th anniversary of the Million Man March. "We charge America with criminal neglect."

He apparently did not mention the inaction of Louisiana officials Mayor Ray Nagin and Governor Kathleen Blanco.  He did stay away from one bit of inflammatory tripe, at least.

He did not repeat his speculations in recent weeks that someone bombed New Orleans' protective levees, deliberately flooding black neighborhoods after Katrina struck.

"We want to know what happened to the levees," Farrakhan said Saturday. We don't want to guess about it and we don't want to be guilty of following rumors."

Oh, now he wants to know.  Maybe it would have been for the best if he had found out before concluding the levees were deliberately bombed to destroy black neighborhoods.

Farrakhan's appears to be broadening his message beyond those of concern specifically to black Americans and the poor. He denounced President Bush, the war in Iraq and Muslims who kill "innocent life for political purposes." He also called for unity with Africa, reparations for slavery, inclusion of undocumented immigrants and a government apology to American Indians.

Of these, the only statement that can be generally and universally supported is the condemnation of Muslims who kill "innocent life for political purposes."  Otherwise it's a standard menu of left-wing protestations.  If blacks in America would rally around a leader, straighten out their communities, and advance as a group and as individuals in this open and pluralistic society I would happily cheer.  I think it would be a lot easier, however, if the leader chosen had an intimate relationship with the truth.

10/16/05 0800: As I said, this was a standard menu of left-wing tripe.  Including a sympathy for a brutal butcher, "Father Saddam"

Comments

[Zsa Zsa]

Farrakhan is the most racist individual I believe I have ever seen! He has so much hate in him it is scary!!! Yikes

[Zsa Zsa]

One more thing! Do you think the ASTROS and the White Sox are going to be in the world series?... I hope so. They both are awesome!

[Giacomo]

As regards Farrakhan, I'll simply say that when you make an unsupported inflammatory accusation, such as suggesting the levees in New Orleans were destroyed by bombs, you have demonstrated so little regard for truth and fairness that you should really never be trusted.

I do think the Sox and Astros will be in the series, but don't count your chickens yet - they've both still got some work to do!

[jpe]

I find it highly disturbing that the black community would allow Farrakhan to be seen as representing them (he is one of the best oraters I've ever heard, but whatever). This is far from empirically supported, but I get the sense that blacks tend to be more sympathetic toward insane consipracy theories.

(Granted, they were actually victims of insane conspiracy theories as little as 40 years ago, but the truth of one conspiracy theory [Jim Crow, etal] isn't truth of even crazier ones [Bush, oil, illuminati, protocols of zion, etal]).

[Giacomo]

Exactly. Just because someone is charismatic in their oration and steps up to the leadership plate does not automatically confer verity to the content. Similarly, someone who speaks with a drawl and sometimes jumbles his words may be speaking the truth.

You have to examine the contents of the vessel with the pestle and the chalice from the palace to know whether you have the brew that is true. (Sorry - shameless plug.)

[Zsa Zsa]

Cabrera has so much pine tar on his cap! Isn't that illegal? I love your shameless plug! I remember that movie... I just don't know how he said it so fast!