Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, May 6, 1990 TAG: 9005080501
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: F2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Presumably he was invited by a radical element of black students at the school, but this was apparently condoned by Tech officials.
There was uneasiness and tension among the 100 or so students, including about 10 whites, who gathered at Burruss Hall because of the anticipated anti-white banter and anti-Semitic views constantly expressed by the Nation of Islam.
Muhammad made unreasoned accusations against people, segments of society and business, and various professional organizations. He even attacked our nation's first president, depicting him as a dishonest, lying slave-master who harbored black women in his bed. Such defilement was so basically offensive it should never have been allowed at one of the state's finest institutions.
Right or wrong, the question is: Was his distorted, unfactual rhetoric believed by those in attendance, or by those who read the newspaper account of the senseless tirade? One hopes that respectable black and white communities of responsible and decent people could not in any way condone such talk steeped in racism and provocation.
His assertion as to the origin of AIDS was certainly not based on any scientific research; nor was his senseless statement that AIDS was initiated by white scientists solely to eliminate the black race.
We are especially glad that the speaker was not white, because the racial wailing would have been something to behold. But Farrakhan and his special assistant, in their effort to spread racial hatred, based on nothing legitimate or factual, do nothing to foster understanding among our ethnic and multinational populations. It is hoped that all thinking and truly American citizens will categorically reject such radical elements in our society, regardless of color, ethnic background and religious belief.
\ M.A. TURNER\ ROANOKE
by CNB