Farrakhan, Nation of Islam Responds
to Media Mischief
DURBAN, South Africa�Of all the hundreds of thousands of words that the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan has in fact uttered thus far on an historic 10-nation Peace Mission to the Middle East and Africa, it is 15 words, which the Muslim leader did not say, that have gotten the most publicity. Various news agencies, including Reuters, Agence France Presse (AFP), the British Broadcasting Corp. (BBC), Cable News Network (CNN), Associated Press (AP) and United Press International (UPI) reported on the Nation of Islam leader�s meetings with Iraqi government officials during a two day visit July 6 and 7. UPI alone, misquoted from an official Iraqi News Agency (INA).

See Also: Nation of Islam mobilizes against scurrilous attack  July 18, 2002

FARRAKHAN QUESTIONS "THE WAR ON TERRORISM" - WINDOWS MEDIA WEBCAST

Michael Jackson hits 'racist' industry
HARLEM, NY�Michael Jackson, "The King of Pop," took his gloves off here at the Rev. Al Sharpton�s National Action Network (NAN) July 6, when he accused Sony Records and the recording industry in general of conspiring to profit on the backs of artists while robbing them, "especially Blacks." He announced his intention to help stop what he described as an historical pattern. After the great performers like Sammy Davis, James Brown, Fred Astaire and others are older and are no longer chart busters, "they must stay on tour," Mr. Jackson said during a morning rally. They�re broke, victims of those recording executives whom they have enriched, he charged.

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The age of the U.S. Empire?
WASHINGTON (IPS)�Some call the present era one of U.S. hegemony. Others, especially in Europe, call it empire. Either way, apart from the zealots of the Christian Right and pro-Likud neo-conservatives in and outside the administration of President George W. Bush, the growing consensus among foreign policy thinkers here is that the more Washington indulges its unilateralist and military instincts, the faster its present hyperpower status will erode.

Political requiem for a Black conservative
The torrent of praise from President Bush, Republican Congressional leaders and, political pundits for retiring Oklahoma Congressman J.C. Watts sharply contrasted with the deafening silence from Black Democrats and civil rights leaders. This should hardly surprise. After his election from a predominantly White district in 1994, the former University of Oklahoma football player immediately threw down the gauntlet to Black Democrats. He proudly and defiantly declared that he would not join the Congressional Black Caucus.