Currents News Staff
St. Sabina Church in Chicago hosted Minister Louis Farrakhan Thursday night, just a week after the Nation of Islam leader was one of several people banned from Facebook for promoting “violence and hate.”
At least one Jewish-led organization is criticizing the church for the Farrakhan event, saying it will provide a “platform for bigotry.”
“There’s not another human being on this earth that speaks like Farrakhan, that challenges just like Farrakhan, that has the wisdom of Farrakhan. Even to the Pope of Rome. And all those that you think are wise,” Louis Farrakhan said as cheers of support for himself and Father Michael Pfleger filled the packed church.
“Perhaps that is why Facebook wanted to ban him. To keep people from hearing his whole talk, his entire message. And the truth that he seeks to teach us,” Pfleger told the crowd.
Pfleger invited Farrakhan to speak after Facebook banned the Nation of Islam leader last week, citing its policy against those who promote and engage in violence or hate.
“If you’re going to ban Farrakhan from social media, why not ban the President from social media when one could say why, or the black community could say our president’s rhetoric can invoke violence, and it has,” said one attendee.
Earlier, leaders from the Illinois Holocaust Museum in Skokie joined a representative of the Archdiocese of Chicago at a press conference raising concerns that Pfleger was providing a platform for bigotry and anti-Semitism.
“I know words hurt. I have lived through it and as a Holocaust survivor I know what was done to me and to us in the concentration camps because of words,” said one woman.
“We hope that the platform tonight will be focused in a positive way on our common humanity,” another added.
In a statement the Archdiocese said Cardinal Cupich was not consulted before the event was announced.
“This is not an Archdiocese sponsored event. The Cardinal has made clear his support of the First Amendment, but that that comes with great responsibilities and calls upon all of us to not use hateful and denigrating language.”