Who are the Black Hebrew Israelites?

[KO_ Stradivarius]

Never heard of them until the Coventington thing.
Sound like a swell bunch of people.

Black Hebrew Israelites: New York’s Most Obnoxious Prophets

Friday, February 11, will be remembered as the historic day Hosni Mubarak’s 30-year regime came to an end in Egypt.

But that same day, New Yorkers were lined up for a different reason on 34th Street: The new Jordan 6IX Rings sneakers were going on sale at midnight. By 7 p.m., hundreds of black people were lined up outside a Midtown store despite the temperature hovering around 11 degrees. Corralled behind rope lines and shivering on folding chairs, they waited patiently for the chance to plop down $160 and be among the first to own the newest Air Jordans.

From across the street, another black man, swathed in bright colors and not wearing Air Jordans, watched the scene.

“Look at those slaves to the white man!” he screamed at the top of his lungs. When a charter bus deposited dozens more shoppers directly at the entrance of the store, he laughed, yelling, “They’re even bringing Negroes in by the busload!”

............................


Zodach was eager to preach about the news story of the day. “You saw what they did to your country in Cairo?” he shrieked at anyone with light-brown skin. “That was us, and we’re going to do that to you here, too!”

A group of Indian guys who looked like they could have been frat brothers walked by, alarmed when they realized the prophet was addressing them.

“Huh?” said one, eating a shish kebab.

“Just go on drinking your pork Slurpee, you Egyptian!” Zodach screamed.

“Uh, we’re Indian—and this is chicken,” the man responded.

..........


It’s a strange thing to witness one black person trying to convince another of this fact. Still, it’s not an atypical reaction the Ambassadors get when “so-called black people” see the group’s cardboard sign of Barack Obama. The phrases “AfricaCON Monkey Devil” and “Illuminati Puppet” accompany Obama’s smiling Senate portrait, along with horns they’ve drawn coming out of his head.

..............


Members of the Twelve Tribes believe homosexuality is a plot to destroy the human race. Black Hebrew Israelites verbally lash out at “fags” and “dykes.” Bisexuals drive them nuts, too. (A typical response shouted at a bi woman: “Why do you like pussy? Were you molested as a child?”)

But it’s cross-dressers who really get under their skin (which is odd, given the ankle-length purple robes and black skirts they don). They can spend an hour discussing that age-old Talmudic question: Who is the worse transgressor transvestite—Tyler Perry as Madea, or Martin Lawrence as Big Momma?

Perhaps their Big Momma’s House fears are bred in the big house, where some Black Hebrew Israelites find religion. The true offense to them is “showing little boys that it’s OK to dress like a woman, so they can grow up to be faggots!”

https://www.villagevoice.com/2011/03/30/black-hebrew-israelites-new-yorks-most-obnoxious-prophets/


Historical background...

Black Hebrew Israelites (also called Black Hebrews, African Hebrew Israelites, and Hebrew Israelites) are groups of Black Americans who believe that they are descendants of the ancient Israelites. Black Hebrews adhere in varying degrees to the religious beliefs and practices of both Christianity and Judaism. With the exception of a small number of individuals who have formally converted to Judaism, they are not recognized as Jews by the Jewish community. Many choose to identify themselves as "Hebrew Israelites" or "Black Hebrews" rather than Jews in order to indicate their claimed historic connections.[1][2][3][4] They are not to be confused with African-American Jews who practice normative Judaism.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Hebrew_Israelites

[Salviati]

1. Who are they? Honestly?

A distraction.

[KO_ Stradivarius]

4. A "distraction"?

A distraction from what?
What the Covington kids did was wrong, but they are not solely to blame in this incident.
Had the Black Israelite people not incited and harassed the kids, none of this would have
happened.

[justgamma]

9. Yes those kids

looked as if they were traumatized by having those black people yelling at them. Therefore they rightfully made fun of the Native American who had nothing to do with the crazy black people. And by the way, I haven't seen anyone on here excuse the black nuts.

[GaYellowDawg]

14. I doubt that.

Those kids were going to harass anyone they didn’t agree with. They were a racist bomb ready to go off.

[DBoon]

17. When I was the age of those kids

I knew someone yelling weird, incomprehensible so-called religious messages was a complete nut, and I moved very quickly.

Kids these days....

[yardwork]

30. Because dozens of kids wearing MAGA hats while trying to take away women's' rights is fine.

What could possibly go wrong with taking dozens of teenage boys to DC, dressing them up in MAGA hats and t-shirts, leading them in a parade organized to take away women's rights, and then leaving them unchaperoned on the Mall?

[womanofthehills]

38. There was no reason for the kids to hang around the Black israelites

Any normal person would see those Black Israelites were mentally ill and move on out of there fast. If you choose to hang around the crazies, don't be shocked when they act crazy. How the f is a crazy person going to act? - crazy! Also, were the kids clueless that their hats made a racial statement?

[LeftInTX]

49. They were on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial

However, they could have avoided engaging with them and could have moved further up the steps.

[oberliner]

68. Is this post for real?

[yardwork]

86. What's your problem with it?

Seems like a very good point to me.

I recall going on school trips at this age. We were told to behave and to avoid getting into confrontations with people looking for trouble.

Frankly, this school group would have met my school's criteria as a group to avoid, because these kids were making a public spectacle of themselves wearing those MAGA hats and participating in a political parade. My chaperones would have kept us away from these obvious troublemakers!

Ironic.

What did the trip's leaders think was going to happen?

[Squinch]

2. 5 imbeciles with a microphone. So who really cares?

[uponit7771]

3. +1, looks like attempts at whataboutism

[hexola]

41. Could you possibly do a whole OP about "whataboutism" that suddenly seems so popular?

Seriously - about 100 mentions of this new phenomenon today - instead of injecting this into EVERY thread - could you just do an OP about this new and fascinating topic?

Im not kidding - never heard of "whataboutism" until today - so help us out?

What is it?

[uponit7771]

59. It's commonly used by enablers of racism to excuse abhorrent behavior. For instance, What about

... Chicago as if the whole city is a war zone.

[Squinch]

74. Another example: when Democrats pointed out that Individual 1 was a serial molester, there

would dependably be replies from Republicans to the effect of "well, what about Bill Clinton?"

In this case, while people are discussing the way the boys mobbed Mr. Phillips, there are frequent replies of, "But what about what BHI did?"

It is a way to spread the responsibility for an action, or to suggest it was not the fault of the person being discussed, or to suggest "both sides do it."

[Anon-C]

5. Black supremacist kooks and bigots, working out well for them, obviously.

FBI did some sort of threat assessment some years back I read, and concluded they were racist, anti-Semitic, homophobic, chauvinistic and utterly toothless... likely to commit no violence.

They are not black versions of Proud Bois, Atomwaffles or even the Westboro church. They are not the Nation of Islam (similar bigoted dogma) and not Muslims.

They are LOSERS, and in this case convenient stooges.

[KO_ Stradivarius]

7. So, you're not bothered with their rhetoric, beliefs or message?

"5 imbeciles with a microphone"?

History has shown us that all it takes is just one imbecile
with a microphone to spread the hate to others.

"Who really cares"?

It's that sort of apathy that got us where we are today.

[EffieBlack]

10. No

Not any more than I get worked up by the guy on the streetcorner yelling stupid things into a bullhorn - because they're irrelevant. The only time they have any relevance is times like this when people point to them as some kind of dangerous boogeymen comparable to really dangerous people in order to distract attention and play the both sides game.

It's an old trick ... Interesting to see it being attempted on DU.

[Judi Lynn]

15. You are directly on target. Thank you for taking the time to nail it, EffieBlack. n/t

[KO_ Stradivarius]

18. Regardless of that...

I'm guessing you're well into being an adult, and you've learned that arguing with, getting worked
up over idiots isn't worth your time or energy. Had I crossed their paths, I would have been like
'who are these crazy assed, racist, homophobic assholes' and continued on my way.

Teens... any teens are going to react differently to a confrontational situation like this.
Going back to my teen years, I probably would have reacted, responded the same way;
especially in a peer situation.

There were what, 4-5 adults doing their best to agitate, piss off a bunch of kids?
What you or I see as "irrelevant" and to be ignored is not the same to them.
They see it as a challenge or an invite to confrontation.
The BHI was very relevant in this situation.

[EffieBlack]

19. If a handful of crazy people called you names on a street corner, you and your friends would have

responded by swarming, taunting and mocking a completely unrelated group of people?

Seriously?

Wow.

Well, that DOES explain this thread

[KO_ Stradivarius]

25. Where did I mention anything about "swarming, taunting and mocking a completely unrelated group of

people?"

Or a single individual (Phillips)?

There are already a number of threads here regarding that, and honestly the difference between the
truth and fiction on this one isn't as clearly delineated as some here are preaching about.

That is why I posted this thread and ask, and question what is the Black Israelites role,
culpability involvement in this? Not to "distract" from the the Covington Kids behavior.

They (the BHI), certainly have some responsibility, hand in it whether intentional
or not.

Why is it so difficult for some to discuss and acknowledge that?

[EffieBlack]

27. You said you would react how these kids did

"Going back to my teen years, I probably would have reacted, responded the same way; especially in a peer situation. "

They reacted by swarming, mocking and taunting people who had nothing to do with the earlier situation. You seem not only to be ok with it, but said you would have reacted the same way.

Thus my Wow.

[KO_ Stradivarius]

28. What I meant was...

that if/when I was with a group of my teen peers, and we were gathered for whatever reason,
and another unrelated group showed up hurling vile insults, hateful language, wrongful accusations
lies, garbage, etc the challenge would be responded to.

At this point, Phillips and other Native Americans aren't even in the picture (and from another post
in another thread here, even the NA's weren't spared from BHI's hatred).

I'm talking about Scene One/Act One.
You and others here are talking about Scene One/Act Two

BHI was the catalyst here... not the Covenington kids or Phillips or other NA's

[EffieBlack]

29. The Covingron students are the catalyst. They are responsible for their own behavior

Last edited Sun Jan 20, 2019, 11:47 PM - Edit history (1)

And of course you're talking about "Scene One, Act Two." If the students had walked away after "Scene One, Act One" there wouldn't have been a "Scene Two" for you to try to blame on BHI.

[oberliner]

56. Have you watched the full video?

[Squinch]

58. Have you? I am thinking you have not, as you refuse to answer a simple question that

I will now ask for the fourth time:

You seem to think the asinine rants by the 5 idiots who identify themselves as Black Israelites, rants that were fully protected under our Right to Free Speech, drove those 50 near-men to abuse Mr. Phillips. Is that your position?

[EffieBlack]

77. Yes

[yardwork]

35. You're forgetting that the Covington kids were in DC with a vile message.

Let's not lose sight of why the CovCath kids were in DC to begin with, or the fact that they were proudly and ostentatiously wearing their little MAGA hats.

[marble falls]

40. Yeah those kids being intimidated by the BHI went after Native Americans why? The MAGA ...

caps were the catalyst. If you can't take it, don't wear it.

[yardwork]

36. Good summation.

[marble falls]

39. Those kids didn't need agitation. They had a plan and they lit into Native americans because ...

they were intimidated by the Israelites.

[yardwork]

31. +1000

[uponit7771]

61. +1

[Squinch]

12. Once again: they were exercising their right to free speech. They were ignorant assholes.

What difference does it make if I am bothered by their rhetoric? They have the right to spew it.

What, exactly, would you like my "being bothered" to look like? Would you like them arrested? Stoned? Yelled at? Tell me. What would you like to have happen to them?

When faced with other groups of imbeciles with microphones exercising their First Amendment rights in the worst possible way, I have always found that the best strategy is to walk away from them.

The Covington Hitler Youth, on the other hand, thought the best strategy to deal with the 5 imbeciles with a microphone was to make a mob circle around an old man who had nothing to do with the 5 imbeciles with the microphone, and intimidate, mock and torment him.

[KO_ Stradivarius]

20. Yes, they were exercising their right to free speech/1'st amendment rights

And I support it 110% regardless of the message even though I'm highly bothered by it.

I wasn't there, nor can I say what a proper response would have been had I been there,
but regardless of that, the BHI involvement (and they were involved), in this is being overlooked, ignored
by the MSM. That, I find troublesome.

[JI7]

21. how about the guys who called to lock up hillary Clinton ?

[Squinch]

57. Somehow that's different. Somehow, in this situation, if only someone had properly

dealt with those 5 assholes spewing bullshit 40 feet away, then the mob of fifty boys would never have surrounded Mr. Phillips and tormented him.

There were black guys in the area. That means they must be to blame for the white mob's disgusting actions.

Or something.

[Squinch]

55. And what involvement, exactly, do you think they had other than being 5 assholes with

a microphone standing 40 feet away from anything that happened?

Did they approach the boys?

Did they touch the boys?

Did they have anything to do with Mr. Phillips?

Or are you one of those who believes that, once the BHI said mean things to the boys, the boys were officially "provoked" and had no choice but to assault Mr. Phillips?

What, exactly, do you see as their involvement?

And three days ago, I guarantee you had no idea the 5 assholes called BHI existed. That means the media is covering it.

You say you can't say what the "proper response" to the BHI would have been if you had been there. What are the possible responses that you see, other than walking away from them? Is there something you could have done to the 5 assholes standing 40 feet away that would have prevented the mob of 50 boys from assaulting Mr. Phillips? Do tell. What would that action have been?

Your outrage is noted, but pointless.

[whathehell]

89. So were the Covington kids..

Why are they being pilloried while grown men are given a pass? ...Seems a rather obvious double standard.

[Squinch]

90. The Covington Hitler Youth surrounded an old man, would not let him out of the circle they

formed around him, screamed at him, tormented him, and intimidated him. That is quite different.

[whathehell]

91. "Hitler Youth"?....Really?

Sorry, but that level of hyperbole is a non-starter.

[Squinch]

92. Your designation of my words as a "non-starter" makes no sense whatseover, but you have

a lovely day. Fight on for the rights of the Covington Hitler Youth all you like. Have fun.

[whathehell]

94. Lol...Not to you, perhaps

You have a "lovely day" too.

[womanofthehills]

43. 5 imbeciles with a microphone, 100 kids with mega hats -- it's all the same I would say

I'm more bothered with young kids being so indoctrinated they don't even know how disgusting it is that they are wearing mega hats.
Young boys going to a rally sponsored by their school that says women will go to hell if they have an abortion even in case of rape or medical emergencies. Covington Diocese takes a very hard line on abortion.

[JI7]

6. they seem stupid

[dawg day]

8. Affluenza Kentucky Mama called them "Black Muslims," LOL

[EffieBlack]

11. Black Muslims, Black Israelites, Black Panthers ... What's the difference?

They all have the same thing in common, don't they?

[IronLionZion]

78. Black Lives Matter!

haters love to slip BLM in with other groups to pretend they are associated somehow other than being black

[whathehell]

88. Yeah, because they are such a well known, high profile group that

ANYONE could make that distinction, right?

[UniteFightBack]

13. Just coo coo. nt

[GusBob]

16. Fell out of the crazy tree

Hit every branch on the way down

[Baltimike]

22. About as legitimate as Antifa. nt

[Quayblue]

23. Your concern is noted n/t

[bullwinkle428]

24. They're the NEW "New Black Panthers".

[grantcart]

51. Not a new group

Invthe movie Barry a college aged Obama encounters them around Columbia

[essme]

26. Crazy people. Just like most religious nutcases. Just fucking crazy.

Not "cra cra" like the morons say.

[SMC22307]

32. Like the Phelps whackos, but black?

Evidently they antagonize everyone... the toxic little MAGATs shoulda just walked away.

[yardwork]

33. Did you join DU just to fuss about this?

[winstars]

48. Apparently...

[Squinch]

60. And he brought friends.

[uponit7771]

63. I'm thinking he already had some friends here

[Squinch]

65. Lots of sleeping beauties waking up to tell us the white mob's actions were inevitable because

5 black guys were shouting mean things from 40 feet away.

[uponit7771]

67. +1, it's the MAGA KKKultist justification de jor for those kids actions. They are still thinking ...

... people aren't going to hold them responsible post Benedict Donald for their support of such openly ignorant behavior.

[Squinch]

70. Sadly, I have real doubts that anyone will hold those kids accountable.

And there was something so disturbing in some of those faces. There was a really young kid, blonde, in the front row watching. There was such gleeful hatred in his face. He was so pumped up and mesmerized by his friend's attempt at hateful dominance. He couldn't have been older than thirteen or fourteen, but his face chilled me to the bone.

[uponit7771]

71. Yep, looks like that school is known for pumping out ignorant bastards. I was in the air port while

... a group of kids were coming back from DC and the first group was quite and settled then the next 5 groups came and I'm thinking not a brown face in them, they were all girls

One of them were carrying a baby as punishment for sex sign and was like ... ah, no wonder.

Then the boys were transferring planes and you'd think all hell broke loose, I'm keeping my kids well far away from schools like CCHS

[Squinch]

72. "Baby as punishment for sex"??!! Wow. That's sick.

[uponit7771]

75. That's my wording for their right to life signage and the root of twisted "pro-life" logic

[EffieBlack]

79. And always the same ones with their "There's another side to the story" bothsiderism

You know - the ones who push back on outrage when white cops kill unarmed black men because "we didn't see the whole encounter" and when black people get thrown out of coffee shops because "we don't know what they did before the camera was turned on" ...

But now, they found a video of 5 black people saying stupid things in a completely unrelated situation and yell "AHA! SEE! Those black people PROVOKED those kids into swarming that Native American man who had done nothing to them!"

Can you imagine if being called names were really a justification for harassing and assaulting other people - and black folk went around reacting to insults the way those kids did?

What if that was a black basketball team from Detroit who got harrassed by 5 MAGA hat wearing idiots and then turned around and swarmed and mocked a white minister when he tried to diffuse the situation by praying and singing hymns?

You think these usual "there's more to the story" suspects here would be rushing in to defend them by blaming the 5 white guys for the black kids behavior?

We know the answer ...

[Squinch]

80. That's a good mental exercise. It would be very clarifying to those who most need to

get clarification, but sadly they probably would never take the time to imagine that scenario.

The thing is, the most vocal of the "whatabout"ists is a very, very successful troll. It is impressive that he has lasted as long as he has, but I always have to wonder why he would want to spend so much time among people he clearly disdains. Maybe some self-flaggelation, or maybe a desire to feel superior because he doesn't in real life.

But, yes, the narrative of "there were black guys in the area, so they must be responsible for the disgusting actions of the white mob" is very strong with our whataboutists in this case.

I also like their tactic of simply saying, "You should watch the whole video" to those who have watched the whole video, in order to suggest they know something - though they steadfastly decline to say what that "something" is - that others don't. Classic trollery.

[EffieBlack]

81. Perfectly said

[yardwork]

84. I've long admired the troll's use of a well-know progressive school in its name.

[yardwork]

83. It is deeply unfair, Effie. It's been unfair and worse for 600 years.

The double standard makes me incredibly angry.

The smirk says it all.

[obamanut2012]

62. Yes, this is the astroturfing call to action

Yesterday and today.

[yardwork]

85. The family outed themselves, though. This is Trump-like "winning."

When the dust settles, rational people are going to view this incident as distasteful at best. It will never reflect well on the kids involved.

And that's a shame. The kids deserved better parents and teachers.

[tenderfoot]

34. They're another version of the Westboro Baptist Church.

eom

[EffieBlack]

42. Except people who engaging racist behavior don't claim "Westboro made me do it." nt

[tenderfoot]

45. Exactly

Here's a great synopsis of the video:

Link to tweet

[jalan48]

37. Screwballs.

[IronLionZion]

44. They don't have any political power, MAGAts do.

It's easy to avoid the BHI. It's impossible for minorities, or immigrants, or LGBT, or women, to avoid the laws and policies of the Trump administration.

That makes a big difference. I can grab a bullhorn and stand on a street corner screaming to support flying spaghetti monster and it won't impact your life at all.

[oberliner]

69. Are you hearing what you are saying?

[IronLionZion]

76. Are you?

[writerJT]

46. The only ones spewing hate and racism in this entire event.

[winstars]

47. Boring people. They have been yelling in Times Square/Midtown since the early 70's...

And thats only when I first saw them screaming the cray cray... Sometimes their numbers swell to almost 9 or even 10 at one time...

Sorta like those 2 (two) lonely Black Panthers "scaring" people in Philly a decade ago that Faux News is probably still using to scare the white boyz today... LOL

Moving on...

[Blue_true]

50. Just another hate group.

One Black guy tried to debate them, got shouted at.

[stonecutter357]

52. if you vote for a racists pos you are a racists pos !

[stonecutter357]

53. Cool Story, Bro , !

[dalton99a]

54. They are a well-known annoyance

[obamanut2012]

64. Who fucking cares

They didn't do anything to Elder Phillips.

Shoo.

[oberliner]

66. They are the reason Phillips got involved

"They were in the process of attacking these four black individuals," Phillip said. "I was there and I was witnessing all of this ... As this kept on going on and escalating, it just got to a point where you do something or you walk away, you know? You see something that is wrong and you're faced with that choice of right or wrong. "

Phillips said some of the members of the Black Hebrew group were also acting up, "saying some harsh things" and that one member spit in the direction of the Catholic students. "So I put myself in between that, between a rock and hard place," he said.

But then, the crowd of mostly male students turned their anger towards Phillips.

"There was that moment when I realized I've put myself between beast and prey," Phillips said. "These young men were beastly and these old black individuals was their prey, and I stood in between them and so they needed their pounds of flesh and they were looking at me for that."

https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2019/01/20/native-american-leader-nathan-phillips-recounts-incident-video/2630256002/

[Loki Liesmith]

82. Yeah they did actually

They were taunting the Native Americans there all day

[whathehell]

87. Wrong -- they're heard denigrating Native Americans for "worshipping

totems and animals" and being told the white man took their land, because they abandoned "the true God".

[whathehell]

93. "Who fucking cares"?...Those concerned with "fairness" maybe?

Just a guess.

[Vinca]

73. Nuts seem to come in waves. Are the Moonies still around?