Interview: Minister Farrakhan discusses national, international events

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[FinalCall.com - Editor's note: Just days after participating as a panelist during the "We Count! The Black Agenda is the American Agenda" discussion at Chicago State University, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan sat down at the invitation of WVON radio host Cliff Kelley on March 24, 2010 to engage in a live discussion on national and international current events. The following article contains excerpts of this interview. Click here to obtain CD/DVD of the interview in its entirety.]

The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan

First, tell us what you think the Act, in itself, means; and what it means politically. And why are we having all these vitriolic comments, which seem to be getting worse?

HMLF: First, the bill itself is less than perfect, but it is a start in the right direction.

For America to be the greatest nation in the last 6,000 years on this Earth, and nearly 40 million Americans are without healthcare, there are smaller nations that have less money than America, but they are giving free health care to their people. That is sad, in itself, that many Americans, who are ill, cannot go to a hospital and get the type of treatment that they deserve even though they are tax payers.

As I saw the other night when President Obama and members of the Democratic Party joyfully reflected on their victory, I said to someone near me: It was a Pyrrhic victory. It was a victory in one sense, but great loss in another, because, when you have 13 or 14 states desiring to repeal this law; and you have the vitriol, and the manifestation of hatred—because President Obama is viewed and is being demonized as a "Socialist," and even as a "Hitler"; and then when members of the Congress who are Black, on the grounds of the Congress, could be called "nigga" 15 times; and then Democrats are being threatened [with]somebody like Mr. Limbaugh saying they should be "hounded," they should be "run out of town," according to what I read.

Well, when people of high regard, as Mr. Limbaugh, and, as members of Congress, lose civility, and don't understand how their influence on that rabid, racist side of this equation is fermenting and fomenting potential violence, that is why I called it a Pyrrhic victory, because even though Mr. Obama won one of the greatest things of his young presidency, something that America has been desirous of for many decades, yet, at the same time of the victory, there's a splitting of the country.

And the incendiary remarks are now inflaming the 60 million or more people that voted against him, that are being added to by members who are Independent, going away from him and the Democratic Party, toward the Republican Party.

So, it's a very dangerous time, Cliff. And I do believe we are only seeing the beginning of something that is going to get greatly worse than what it is.

CK: You said the bill was less-than-perfect. What did you mean? That it didn't have the public option; or even better than that, a single system as other industrialized nations have?

HMLF: Well, in that it didn't give the poor and the weak in the country all that would constitute real health reform. The insurance companies are, of course, being, I would say, "pushed" to a degree; that their lobbyists are really working very diligently, and others, to turn this back.

What this [bill represents] is a beginning; and we appreciate that beginning, but, it is the beginning of the end of what we are looking at as a civil society.

I have been saying that America is right now in the throes of what is referred to in the Bible and Qur'an as "Divine Judgment." We are fulfilling all the things that Jesus prophesied would be signs of the end of this present world and its system of things: Wars, and, rumors of wars; nation rising against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there would be famine and pestilence and earthquakes in diverse places. And Jesus said, "This is the beginning of sorrows." And then the scripture talks about how households will be torn apart: "And they of a man's own household will be his worst enemy."

And Paul, the Apostle, tells us about betrayal; how people would be heady, high-minded [and] lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. And, how they would turn the natural affection into that which is unnatural—all of these things are happening before our eyes! And we're witnessing floods and tornadoes and hurricanes and fire and wind and hail and unusual rain, and unusual snow. These are the Judgments of God coming down on America.

So, it's the beginning! But, it's the beginning of the end.

CK: Is there a way, Brother Minister, as you speak from the scripture—is there a way to avoid that? To, in fact, turn it around?

HMLF: There is always a way. God never judges a people or a nation without giving that people, or that nation, a way to come out from under His Divine Judgment.

And what I've been saying, and what I want America to know: The Judgment on America is not because of your foreign policy, and, its wicked effect on people all over the world.

The Judgment of God is coming down on America for what America has done, and continues to do, to the Black people in America, whom we believe are the real Children of Israel—the People of God.

God has chosen the foolish things of the world to be His People; and He declares that He is our God! And now, He's punishing America for what America has done, is doing, and plans to continue to do to the weak, the poor, the Black. And so, there is a way out, but it's a very narrow window.

President Obama, being a Black man, doesn't wish to address the concerns that God wants the government of America to address. Justice, and the lack of justice, is what has brought on Judgment! And, so, if there's no justice for the weak, for the poor, for the Brown, for the Red, for the Black, for the poor White—if there is no justice, then that's the end of the society, because all those who are ill-effected by injustice are rising up against it.

CK: [Expound on] what you just said, that the president does not wish to address the things that God wishes him to address relative to Black people.

HMLF: Our brother is in a "Catch 22." As I said, he was selected before he was elected.

What this means is that there are forces, and there are persons, who are called, in politics, "King Makers." And when they see someone of brilliance [and] intelligence that wants to rise in the political system, then the "King Maker" will approach them, and put money behind them to get them into office so that they might do that which favors the "King Maker."

If we watch our Brother President's rise, there are many, many, many, people who helped him to get where he is. And among them are many members of the Jewish community that nurtured him; that surrounded him; that were admirers of his intelligence and brilliance. …After all, he's light-skinned. He's part Black and White. And, he doesn't speak with a Negro dialect. And, he's electable.

But when we are chosen for a particular purpose, we may never know the purpose of the "King Maker," but they make the person think that he is the one that can save the country.

And Obama could have, but they won't let him. Since he's been in office, [he has] surrounded himself [with] certain very powerful elements—Zionists—within the Jewish community; and has brought around him as "advisers" some of those from Goldman Sachs, who advised him about this bailout money.

[However], our brother, now, is disappointing to some aspects of that community, and that is the beginning of the end. Because, when they're disappointed with you, the force that they have, the power that they have, the influence that they have is gradually turned against you if you don't submit.

CK: There are a lot of people who are thinking that we are at fault for not being accountable to ourselves. And as you even mentioned, why would we be asking folks for anything [if they] don't want to do anything for us?

Is this a time for mass mobilization? Do we need something like that now?

HMLF: Yes, we do need mass mobilization. Some of our people think "marches" are passé. But, it was the Civil Rights Movement that literally ignited the spirit of marching for justice in every government on this Earth. And, it was the fact that the Civil Rights Movement set that tone, that you could see it going on in European capitals; and, in other capitals around the world.

So we do need mass mobilization—but "mass mobilization," as you notice when our Latino brothers and sisters went to Washington, President Obama sent a message to them; and pledged that he would work for Immigration Reform. Well, I think their presence is making him do it.

The Gays in America: "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"; and their organizational prowess, is making government—local, state and federal—respond to the rights of those who are gay, lesbian and transgender.

Well, Blacks are saying, "Well, you know, that's passé. And, after all, we live in a ‘post-racial' America now that we have a Black president. And, so, you know the ‘marching days' are really over." But in reality, you're not living in a "post-racial" America, because a Black man was voted into office to manage White affairs, for the benefit mainly of White people.

That's why I mentioned [at the "We Count!" event on March 20, 2010]: "Look at all the Black mayors we've had! Look at all the Black city councilmen we've had! Look at the governors that we've had! But the condition of Black people has not changed, appreciably. In fact, it has gotten worse."

So, yes: Mass mobilization—but mass mobilization to put before the government of the United States a sane program. Not going there to beg massa for jobs that he doesn't have to give us; or beg massa for justice that he does not have the will to give us! But strongly, tightly organized Black people.

With what is about to go down in America, you're going to be willing to mobilize for sure, because the Bible says that those who rejected the call of Moses and Aaron: They were bitten by fiery serpents. It only means angry White folk—and angry White folk, now, are going bite you in your butt!

And all of you that think that he (the Caucasian) is civil, the mask of civility is coming off! And a beast-like human is going to manifest itself!

As you see it happening, it will get worse!

CK: We talked about the Israeli-Palestinian situation, but the most dangerous thing, immediately, could be—which would be disastrous for not only the world, but particularly, our soldiers and the United States—is the foreign policy situation in Iran. How should this administration be handling the Iranian situation?

HMLF: Dr. Mohammed El-Baradei, who was the head of the Atomic Energy Commission, in October last year, made a statement that Iran was not doing that which the world is demonizing them for, "making an atomic weapon." All right. Let's take the other part of that: Suppose she is? What can she do with it?

Do you think Iran is stupid; that she would bomb Israel with an atomic bomb, when Israel has more atomic weapons—enough to destroy every country in the Middle East, and then some?

If England, France, Germany and the United States come after Iran, it would annihilate not only Iran, but everything neighboring Iran.

So, Iran has very harsh rhetoric; and naturally, that would frighten Israel. But let me tell you, man: People sell wolf tickets all day long, but when it comes time to throw down, they don't have it.

Now, if America is goaded by Israel into attacking Iran; and if our policy is that America should stop Iran from having any kind of atomic knowledge, or weapon, and you're goaded into a war, you're going to face something that you had not considered.

And let me tell you what's going on in Iran right now: Did you know that America, according to what we've read, has spent $400 million to mobilize the dissatisfied in Iran to produce what is called "regime change"?

Let me tell you what Iran has done in the treatment of women: More than half the university students in Iran are women. More than a third of the doctors, 60 percent of civil servants, and 80 percent of all teachers in Iran are women. And, at the time of the 1979 Iranian Revolution, 90 percent of rural women were illiterate in towns; and now, the country is going toward 100 percent literacy.

In the social progress, there is now full literacy for Iranian youth. By 2004, the number of university students had increased by six times over 1979. There are currently 2.2 million college students. There are 54 state universities, and 42 state medical schools, where tuition, room and board, are totally free. In addition, there are 289 major private universities.

Iran's comprehensive, social protective system includes the highest level of pensions, disability insurance, job training programs, unemployment insurance and disaster relief programs. National subsidies make basic food, housing and energy affordable to all!

Today, Iran boasts modern cities; a large auto industry; and miles of new roads, railroads and subways. Iran is free of the crippling debt that has strangled so many developing countries. This means billions of lost revenue for the international bankers.

And in health, they have 16,000 health houses, which are the cornerstone of the health care system.

And, if America attacks, this is what you're going to get: Gas prices will rise uncontrollably; China and Japan threaten to dump U.S. dollars; gold rises hundreds of dollars an ounce; and the dollar plummets against the Euro; violent anti-American protests in Paris, London, Rome, Berlin and Dublin; international businesses with American corporate logos are imperiled, [facing] violence and boycotts; and violent coups occur on American-backed regimes, like Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Do you want this at your doorstep? I warn you: Leave Iran alone.

CK: Brother Minister, love you. Thank you so much for coming out.