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Farrakhan Speaks At Saviours' Day Speech, Criticizes Bush
WASHINGTON, Feb 26 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Talking about his health and the future, Louis Farrakhan made his first public appearance Sunday since undergoing major surgery last fall and, in a nationwide speech, spoke at the Nation of Islam's special Saviours' Day celebration, the 26th anniversary of the death of group founder Elijah Muhammad.
Speaking to a crowd of 4,000 who gathered at a church on Chicago's far South Side, Farrakhan said, "It will take a little bit more time for me to get all the way back to where I want to be. But I thank God and Allah for allowing me to be with you today. That I can look at you and you can look at me and we can praise God together."
Commenting on whether, since the surgery, he had lost any of his hard edges and wanting to set the record straight for anyone who thought his health issues have caused him to soften, he said, "When I said I had a near-death experience, [people] said, 'Here is a kinder, gentler, sweeter Farrakhan,'" he said, to which he replied, "To hell he is."
Farrakhan then went on to rattle a familiar tirade against white oppression and the U.S. government in a rambling 2˝-hour speech.
At last year's Saviours' Day speech, following a near death experience with prostrate cancer, for which the surgery in fall was required, Farrakhan pledged to join and initiate dialogue with orthodox Islam, in which tirades against groups because of their race is deemed un-Islamic.
Farrakhan's continued attacks against American whites leave many orthodox Muslims speculating on the sincerity of those words, spoken that day.
Much of his message was aimed at African Americans, urging them not to be "prey" for a U.S. government Farrakhan says is dominated by whites.
But he also criticized U.S. President George W. Bush for recent missile strikes launched in Iraq, a predominantly Muslim country.
Farrakhan also urged Christian and Muslim clergy not to participate in Bush's faith-based initiatives, seeing it as pandering to whites who desire to control blacks, and a partial ploy to woo the large number of black Americans who voted for Democrat Al Gore.
"Don't you think for one minute you will see me begging for crumbs," he commented.
But it is unclear if such faith-based aid would be offered to the Nation, who may not be eligible for it under the Bush plan.
Farrakhan also addressed Bush administration education proposals that he said would do little to help minority and poor children.
Farrakhan was also skeptical whether the appointment of Colin Powell as secretary of state, and Condoleezza Rice as national security adviser, both African Americans, would advance the black cause.
Additionally, once called "bloodsuckers" by the group, the Nation of Islam has recently toned down some of its fiery rhetoric towards Jews.
So much so, that on Sunday, Farrakhan said white supremacists manipulated the presidential election so Joseph Lieberman, an orthodox Jew, would not be "a heartbeat from the presidency" if elected vice president.
"They robbed the black and brown and elderly Jewish voters," he said, referring to the ballot count controversy in Florida, adding that, "The government of the United States is your perpetual oppressor."
He also spoke of Reverend Jesse Jackson, called critics of Jackson hypocrites in the wake of revelations that Jackson had an extra-marital from which he fathered a now 20-month-old daughter.
Commenting on the affair and sin in general, Farrakhan said, "Let no one throw a stone at Reverend Jackson or anyone else," commenting that, "There is no human being who is sinless. If we were sinless, God would not have the attribute of mercy and forgiveness."
Farrakhan also questioned the timing of the Jackson story, published just days before Jackson was to lead a rally in Florida to protest allegations that black voters were kept from the polls.
Turning to his health, Farrakhan's daughter, Fatima, a registered nurse, told the gathering she has cared for her father for 15 months and he is making steady progress.
He is to undergo another minor operation later this year, coupled with continued therapy. His daughter added that Farrakhan is cancer free and the next operation would "restore the minister's condition and bring him back to his old self."
"There is no such thing as retirement for us. We die on the job," Farrakhan said.
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