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Response To Congressional Subcommittee hearing

[The following is a March 20 response to Rep. Christopher H. Smith from Nation of Islam officials concerning Nation of Islam officials being denied the opportunity to testify at a March 19 Congressional Subcommittee hearing on Minister Farrakhan's recent World Friendship Tour.]

In as much as you had agreed that we could testify at the hearing, and then summarily denied us the right, we hereby submit this response. We hereby request that this response be part of the record of the March 19, 1996, proceedings of the Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights, subject "Attempts by Rogue Regimes to Influence U.S. Policy."

Once again, the political apparatus of the United States of America was used immorally and possibly illegally to attack the character, good name, and reputation of the Nation of Islam in general and the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan in particular. The hearing was obscene and grotesque, and showed no resemblance to, nor respect for, the concept of due process. In fact, sir, we believe that the hearing was in direct violation of the oath taken by every Congressman to uphold the Constitution and laws of the United States of America.

It was also apparent that you and other Republicans intend to use Minister Louis Farrakhan as a political weapon in your efforts to defeat President Bill Clinton in November. It is apparent that you wish the Clinton administration to unjustly attack Minister Louis Farrakhan, causing a political backlash or a negative response from the millions of Black voters in this nation that you assume to be Democrats. Would your attacks be so venomous if those who attended the Million Man March and the millions who supported it were registered Republicans? We both know the answer to this question, and so do the American people.

During the World Friendship Tour, we observed Americans--including missionaries and businessmen--in many of the countries we visited. We saw Americans in countries you call "rogue nations." These citizens, by and large are white and apparently enjoy greater freedom than Blacks who travel. Why is there no concern for the presence of these persons and their activities in these so-called "rogue nations"?

Minister Louis Farrakhan has said that the leaders of the countries that he visit did not hate the American people, but were opposed to the unjust foreign policies that ill-affect their nations and sovereignty. Minister Louis Farrakhan is not the only American citizen to express his views and disagreement with American foreign policy. The Minister's disagreement and advice to America is not for her destruction; on the contrary, such advice should be viewed as a sincere effort to aid this nation in its moral responsibility to establish peace and good will on earth.

Historically, the American political leadership has not taken kindly to moral voices and their warnings. This was particularly true during the Vietnam War, the invasion of Panama, the intervention into Somalia's civil strife, etc. --In each case the moral voice of disagreement was considered an unwelcomed interference in American foreign policy. And now years later, evidence suggests that these past actions were examples of misguided foreign policy which caused the loss of American lives and millions of taxpayer dollars.

Many of you do not like the Nation of Islam and its leader, Minister Louis Farrakhan; and you do not like that we seek to express our right to freedom of speech and freedom of association. Through propaganda, you seek to make your attacks on Minister Louis Farrakhan acceptable to the American people in general and Black people in particular. This wicked propaganda is not a new practice. You should know that the world is watching America to see if a nation that encourages human rights and democracy around the globe grants the same to its own citizens.

Our legal counsel advised us that your hearing, conducted March 19, 1996, by the Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights, was a violation of your March 14, 1996, statement that "[i]t is not a hearing about any particular individual, and no such hearing has even been scheduled." The subject matter of the hearing was in fact consistent with Vice-Chairman Peter King's Congressional announcements.

Finally, we urge that no resolution be offered to Congress concerning Minister Farrakhan's World Friendship Tour, unless Minister Louis Farrakhan or his representatives are allowed to give testimony in defense of the purpose of his travel. The Million Man March spirit of Atonement, Reconciliation, and Responsibility was successfully introduced to the 16 countries visited; and most, if not all, have agreed to participate in a World Day of Atonement. This is good news for us and the American people--many of whom continue to show keen interest in the establishment of world peace, based on principles of justice and fair play.

We applaud those lawmakers who refuse to allow the American political system to be used in an improper manner ignoring the Constitution, and their commitment toward justice for all regardless to religion, race, creed, color or ideology.

Leonard F. Muhammad
Chief of Staff to the Honorable
Minister Louis Farrakhan and
the Nation of Islam

Abdul Arif Muhammad
General Counsel, Nation of Islam