illinois governor tells jews to go to hell

[Fillmore]

March 9, 2006 - Governor Rod Blagojevich spoke publicly Thursday for the first time about the Hate Crimes Commission controversy. Five members of the panel have resigned over anti-Semitic comments made by Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan (pictured).
Governor Blagojevich says, despite the pressure to remove one of Farrakhan's top lieutenants from the commission or disband the commission altogether, he won't be doing either. He says that would "fan the flames of division" between the African-American and Jewish communities. The governor is, however, reaching out to both communities to set up a series of meetings aimed at figuring out how to reduce the tensions and help the commission live up to its mandate.

"I as governor am asking leaders from the Jewish-American community, the African-American community and the gay community to begin a process of meaningful dialogue so that they can give us recommendations on ways that we can address these deeper problems," said Blagojevich.

The governor is responding in a small way to a firestorm of criticism in the past week for his decision not to remove Nation of Islam official Claudette Marie Muhammad from the state's commission on discrimination and hate crimes. The allegedly anti-Semitic remarks of her leader, Minister Louis Farrakhan, to thousands of supporters last month, prompted five Jewish members of the commission to resign in protest, in part because she refused to condemn Farrakhan's remarks. That led several Republican candidates for governor to blast Blagojevich, after Wednesday night's debate at ABC7, for not dumping Sister Claudette or disbanding the commission.
"I think the governor seems to put politics ahead of everything. He's decided that the African-American community is more important to his re-election than the Jewish committee. He doesn't care about ending discrimination," said Jim Oberweis, (R)-candidate for governor.

"It's very irresponsible for political leaders to use for political purposes the kind of divisive talk and divisions they want to bring to the community ," said Bill Brady, (R)-candidate for governor.

"I'm the governor of the entire state of Illinois and every constituent is as important to me as every other," said the governor February 26.

The governor says he doesn't want to exacerbate the tensions in the African-American and Jewish communities by acting precipitously, and he is repeating what he said about the controversy a week ago.

"I condemn those remarks. They were anti-Semitic, but I don't agree with guilt by association," Blagojevich said Thursday.

The governor and his advisors haven't said who is being invited to the meetings, or what the game plan is, but they are promising more details Friday.

The Anti-Defamation League, which battles anti-Semitism, hasn't heard from the governor's office yet. But executive director Lonnie Nasatir says "The ADL doesn't dialogue with bigots," which means they'll happily meet with a lot of leaders, but not Minister Farrakhan.

[voltaires_priest]

Errr well that's kinda not what Blagojevich said then, is it Filly?



V

[-thetruth_]

Nation of islam are not Muslims . it is racist cult. islam forbids racism of any kind. and most importantly forbid muslims from disrespecting the people of the book. jews and christians.

[Fillmore]

[quote=voltaires_priest]Errr well that's kinda not what Blagojevich said then, is it Filly?


cockstein ,

what , then , did the honorable governor say ?

[voltaires_priest]

Someone from the Nation of Islam (which, as T correctly says, is a racist cult) made those remarks and Blagojevich condemned them. It's written in the article that you've posted, my illiterate little chum



V

[brim]

ha ha ha ha

[Fillmore]

your religion is an illusion

hahahahah


go to hell