Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 10 May 2002 — Page 16

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THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

FRIDAY, MAY 10,2002

UK wrong to ban Farrakhan

COMMENTARY

By MARK RILEY Electronic Urban Report Minister Louis Farrakhan is no doubt, a controversial figure, both here in America and abroad. He's been labeled an anti-Semite, a hate monger and worse. And yet, the man brought together hundreds of thousands of Black men in peace pnd harmony. ;• That’s what makes Britain’s decision to continue keeping him but of the UK so perplexing. 1; An Appeals Court decision is die latest wrinkle in a 16-year-long saga that began when the British government banned Min. Farrakhan for being racist and anti--Semitic. • ;! A succession of home secretaries maintained the refusal to enter ^Britain until last year, when lawyers for the Nation of Islam leader challenged the ban in the High Court. Their argument was that Min. Farrakhan is regarded as a legitimate spokesman for the Black community. They also said the ban mterfered with his right tocommunicate freely with supporters inside England. All these arguments have merit. After all, Britain is the land of the crazed soccer hooligan, who does violence not over ideology but over whose team, is best. Min. Farrakhan has never caused a hair on the head of any English person to be harmed. Yet he is the one that is dangerous to the health of Britain’s body poli-

Minlster Louis Farrakhan tic. For a country that says it has freedom of speech to ban a religious leader on such flimsy terms is indeed an outrage. You don’t have to agree with anything the minister says to feel this way. In fact, a High Court justice did overturn the ban based on the case his lawyers made. The government, in its finite wisdom, appealed, asking three Appeal judges to overrule the High Court. And so they did. But what exactly, have they accomplished? The British are deathly afraid their right wing party, the British National Party, will repeat the success of Jean-Marie LePen, France’s far-right wunderkind. Some apparently feel Farrakhan’s presence in

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England would encourage Britain’s far right. That’s flat out nuts. Britain has nothing to fear from Farrakhan’s presence, or his message. He still has one appeal avenue to pursue, and right now it’s not clear if he will. He should, if only to show to the world how hypocritical governments, particularly “enlightened” ones, can be. The U.S. was dead wrong when it banned John Lennon years ago for a marijuana possession conviction. Britain is being just as dumb as our government was in that case. Black folks around the world should rally around this man’s right to speak in England. It doesn’t matter if you think he’s wrong 90 percent of the time. Let him speak, and speak freely. If he’s wrong, challenge him. That’s what free speech is really all about. Respond to Mark Riley at: mriley @ wlib. com.

Thanksgiving

Bishop Larry Grlnstead (pictured), pastor of Puritan Baptist Church, joined his congregation for their dedication service on May 6. Pastor Ivan Hicks, Pastor of First Baptist Church North was the guest speaker.

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Pastor Ivan Hicks shares a moment with one of his daughters during his third pastoral anniversary celebration at First Baptist Church North. The church’s choir members belted out a mighty sound during the special event.

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Obituaries Mr. Jewell Waller Jr. Mr. Jewell Waller Jr., 55, Indianapolis, died April 21. He was a self-employed sub-contractor for 12 years; previously he worked as a cement finisher for McDougall and Pierce for 16 years. Mr. Waller vyas a member of Calvary Temple. He is survived by his wife, Ollie Grant Waller; three sons, Robert R. Rockingham, Ryan R. Rockingham and Jermaine T. Waller; five daughters, Toy A. McCormick, Veronica Moore, Rochelle L. Stewart, Robin R. Rockingham and Rachel R. Cosgray and 14 grandchildren. Mr. Roy Howard “Baby Brother” Mr. Roy Howard “Baby Brother”, 63, Indianapolis, died April 20. He had worked 20 years as a fireman with the Indianapolis Fire Department, retiring in 1993; he was also an independent Barber in many shops for 40 years. Mr. Howard was a member of Saint Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Jane Terry Howard; one son, Carleton Howard and four grandchildren.