Farrakhan's not "far right." But he is a convenient black boogeyman

[StarfishSaver]

So why not throw him in with the truly dangerous and influential white supremacists so we can all pretend that white extremism and black extremism are simply two sides of the same coin and not abject false equivalence.

[uponit7771]

1. Hmmm, I see the blatant false equivalence ... Lou is still an asshole.

[StarfishSaver]

6. Yes.

Yes. But he's not in Alex Jones/Milo Yiannopoulos territory

[eShirl]

2. he's antisemitic

[StarfishSaver]

9. True.

But they didn't ban him because he's anti-Semitic. If that were the standard, they'd have to ban millions of people. They banned him because they say he's dangerous and equated him with the likes of Alex Jones and Milo Yiannopoulos.

That's definitely a stretch. But he is black which increases his perceived danger to many people.

[eShirl]

11. he spreads hate

[riverine]

3. He certainly is far right

Right-wing politics hold that certain social orders and hierarchies are inevitable, natural, normal, or desirable,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right-wing_politics

[StarfishSaver]

4. No, he's not

In fact, the Washington Post just took down its tweet identifying him as such because it was inaccurate.

[hlthe2b]

8. Good, but his antisemitism is still the issue

[riverine]

13. The Southern Poverty Law Center calls the NOI a hate group

https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/group/nation-islam

Since its founding in 1930, the Nation of Islam (NOI) has grown into one of the wealthiest and best-known organizations in black America. Its theology of innate black superiority over whites and the deeply racist, antisemitic and anti-LGBT rhetoric of its leaders have earned the NOI a prominent position in the ranks of organized hate.

[hlthe2b]

5. That was my first reaction, but...

it appears to be his antisemitism that is largely at play. But, it also appears true that RW extremists have "adopted" him, so-to-speak, as they are aligned on his message of "separatism:

White Supremacists Praise Nation of Islam’s Message Of Separatism
October 16, 2017 By Sam Kestenbaum
White Supremacists Praise Nation of Islam’s Message Of Separatism by the Forward

https://forward.com/fast-forward/385263/white-supremacists-praise-nation-of-islams-message-of-separatism/

So, it appears they lumped Nation of Islam and Farrakhan on that basis...

[still_one]

7. He is a f**king purveyor of hate. That isn't a conventient boogeyman, that is the facts, and it

isn't just against Jews.

He is known for his anti-Semitic, anti-white and anti-homosexual views, so please don't minimize what he is

[StarfishSaver]

12. Half the people on Twitter seem to spread hate.

But he's does not have the influence and those the immediate harm that the others do. He actually has very little influence.

[Caliman73]

31. Not necessarily

Farrakhan is the leader of a national organization and has a certain clout in the community. His message carries a lot more weight that Joe Sixpack.

He was invoked by leaders of the Women's March, and other organizations. Certain politicians have drawn heat by being in solidarity with him. The NOI certainly do not have the power they had in the 1960's and 70's but they are out there and have some influence.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

10. Fine, he's not "far right". But he's far from normal, far from civil,

far from tolerant, far from peaceful, too far out to be taken seriously.

Why are we discussing this nutcase? Has he done something to get attention recently?

[StarfishSaver]

14. True, he's pretty reprehensible.

But that's different than saying he's dangerous and putting him in the same category of actually dangerous and influential people like Alex Jones.

"We're" discussing it because I brought it up and you decided to join the conversation. Feel free to not discuss it if that's your reference.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

15. Ok, but what's he done recently?

He seemed to have receded from public media events. If he's not doing anything now, then his past doesn't make him currently dangerous. I assumed he had become irrelevant, or eclipsed by bigger, current shit-stirrers (like Alex Jones).

[Blue_Tires]

16. His politics are all over the place... Just call him

"extremist" and "antisemitic"

He's just the black David Duke and that's the long and short of it

[Yavin4]

17. In the end, Facebook is a private corporation. They can ban whoever they want.

Unlike AM radio stations where there's a limited number of available stations on the spectrum, anyone can build their own social media platform.

[riverine]

18. I would like to ask you your definition of "right wing"

because I don't think you have one.

[ismnotwasm]

19. Thea was a Washington post correction on this very topic

Correction: Louis Farrakhan is an extremist leader who has espoused anti-Semitic views. An earlier version of this story and headline incorrectly included him in a list of far-right leaders.

Facebook said on Thursday it has permanently banned several far-right and anti-Semitic figures and organizations, including Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, Infowars host Alex Jones, Milo Yiannopoulos and Laura Loomer, for being “dangerous,” a sign that the social network is more aggressively enforcing its hate speech policies under pressure from civil rights groups.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/05/02/facebook-bans-extremist-leaders-including-louis-farrakhan-alex-jones-milo-yiannopoulos-being-dangerous/?utm_term=.a4217abace2d

[11 Bravo]

20. Farrakhan is an anti-semitic racist ...

and would be regardless of his melanin content.

[riverine]

21. Nazi's are also anti-Semitic racists

Yet only one is far right?

This is why Democrats lose messaging battles.

[Anon-C]

22. It's nationalism and supremacism...

...all the same. Like Rumi says if you are a King of Kings, what fear you other Kings?

[Tarc]

23. Farrakhan is a virulent antisemite, should have been kicked to the curb long ago

I applaud this wholeheartedly. He's obviously not "far right", the Post has already issued a correction on that.

[obamanut2012]

24. I'm a gay woman -- he certainly is far right

Ask someone Jewish. He certainly is far right.

Saying he isn't doesn't make him so.

Farrakhan deserves to be kicked off of social media platform as much as the white Alt-Right.

[Mosby]

25. Antisemite - check

Misogynist - check

Homophobic - check

Separatist - check

He seems pretty far right to me.

[doompatrol39]

26. Is he that much of a presence?

I mean honestly until today I have not heard him mentioned in I don't know how long. Like years.

So, yeah he's a fucking dingleberry but I don't see bringing him up today out of nowhere, along with still regularly squawking nutjobs with millions of followers like Jones and Milo is anything other than a stab at false equivalency.

Yes, he may be equivalent in the reprehensible nature of his rhetoric but was he really reaching that many people that his banning needed to be given that much of a high profile in this announcement?

[StarfishSaver]

27. That's my point

He's minor league player with little to no real influence.

False equivalence.

I believe Facebook included him out of fear they'd be accused of only going after white right wingers.

[doompatrol39]

30. Seems like it to me (n/t)

[OilemFirchen]

29. He is to some:

But this year seems to pose a special problem as the leaders of the March are accused of anti-semitism. According to Hannah Alam at Buzzfeed, “the latest controversy seems serious even by the standards of its battle-tested leadership.”

The problem has to do with Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, who Women’s March co-chairs seem to have a friendly relationship with. In 1984, Farrakhn called Adolf Hitler “a very great man”. His views seemingly haven’t changed much since then. At a speech last February he claimed that powerful Jews were his enemy and said “Jews were responsible for the filth and degenerate behavior that Hollywood is putting out turning men into women and women into men.” I have to admit that cramming those two horrible sentiments into a single statement was, at least, very efficient of him. That is the only positive thing I can say about it.

Women’s March co-chair Tamika Mallory was in the audience—and received a shout-out on stage from Farrakhan at that speech. She posted warmly about him on social media, describing him as the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time).

https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/politics/a25920871/womens-march-controversy-explained-louis-farrakhan/

[tenderfoot]

28. He was a huge Ronald Reagan and Adolph Hitler fan and one serious anti-semite

and a punk ass bitch.

Fuck that charlatan

[JI7]

32. he it's far right in the general sense. but in the US it's usually used on white supremacist typesp

[Mc Mike]

33. The NOI have been far right since the '50's. Allied with the bircher Hunt family, the Klan,

the skinheads. They get sweetheart treatment from the white righties who run the prison system, and get sweetheart contracts from righties in the world outside of prison.

Farrakhan called Hitler 'a great man'. You either haven't studied Farrakhan, or have studied Farrakhan from pro-Farrakhan sources only, or you know you're not telling the truth.

[superpatriotman]

34. I pick the last one

Trying to affiliate DU with a hyper-scumbag like him is Active Measures in process IMO

[Mc Mike]

35. I don't know the post-er, supe, but am willing to discuss it with them.

Also willing to take the hide, for uncivilty. Because I'm really just being uncivil to Farrakhan, who is a black nazi.