The Capitol attacker, Noah Green, has been the follower of Nation of Islam and had praised its leader Louis Farrakhan. Now, reports of a number of prominent democrats having ties with Farrakhan have made people question the integrity of these representatives.
Noah Green was killed by Capitol police after he tried to attack them with a car. Green's social media accounts are a proof to his strong ties with the Nation of Islam. In fact, he had identified himself as a follower of Farrakhan and had exalted the status of former Nation of Islam (NOI) cult leader Elijah Muhammad.
His latest Facebook post is a YouTube video of a 2009-speech by Louis Farrakhan. The speech negates Jesus as a Messiah and claims that Christian theology and beliefs are lies. In one of his earlier speeches, Farrakhan had praised German dictator Adolf Hitler as a very great man.
Louis Walcott Quits Music to Become Farrakhan
In 1950s Farrakhan, then known as Louis Walcott, began his music career as a singer billed as The Charmer. His popular works include Calypso, Ugly Woman, Stone Cold Me, Zombie Jamboree, Mary Ann, Brown Skin Girl etc. His single Don't Touch Me Nylon had explicit sexual lyrics.
He came in contact with the teachings of the Nation of Islam for the first time through his friend Rodney Smith in Illinois, Chicago in 1955. Walcott and his wife Betsy took part in the NOI's annual Saviours' Day address by Elijah Muhammad. Impressed by his teachings, soon Walcott became Louis X on joining NOI. Later, the X was replaced by holy name Farrakhan, which is a corruption of the Arabic word furqan, meaning the criterion.
Soon, Elijah Muhammad announced that all musicians must choose between music and NOI. Farrakhan performed as a musician for one last time at the Nevele, a Jewish resort in the Catskills and said goodbye to his career in music.
Then, he grew to be a prominent leader of Nation of Islam. While NOI's popular leader Malcom X got disillusioned by the works of NOI and git dismissed from the group, Farrakhan grew closer to Elijah Muhammad. Soon after Malcom X's assassination in 1965, Muhammad appointed Farrakhan to the two prominent positions which were previously held by Malcolm X. Farrakhan also became the national spokesman of the NOI and became the minister of the influential Harlem Mosque (Temple) in 1970s.
Farrakhan revived the group and officially adopted the name Nation of Islam in 1981. He had even organized and led the Million Man March in Washington, D.C. in October 1995. Due to health reasons Farrakhan relieved himself of major duties and only delivered sermons since 2007. His speeches have been criticized as an extremist and was banned from Facebook in 2019. Farrakhan has nine children and he is the grandfather of basketball player Mustapha Farrakhan Jr.
Farrakhan – Obama – Trump Equation
Farrakhan had supported Barack Obama as a Presidential candidate. But Obama had categorically rejected his support. Then spokesman of Obama, Bill Burton, had said: "Senator Obama has been clear in his objections to Farrakhan's past pronouncements and has not solicited the minister's support." Farrakhan had indirectly supported Donald Trump in 2016 and said: Trump is the only candidate who had stood in front of the Jewish community and told that he doesn't want their money. He had again in 2018 praised Trump for destroying every enemy that was an enemy of their rise".
Currently, Democrats who have been identified with Farrakhan are House Majority Whip James Clyburn, D-S.C., who had shared a stage with Farrakhan in 2011. Rep. Danny Davis, D-Ill was also seen praising Farrakhan in 2018 by calling him "an outstanding human being who does outstanding things." Later, he distanced himself from Farrakhan.
In 2013, Georgia Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock had said that the Nation of Islam's voice has been important for the development of Black theology. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-California was seen on video hugging Farrakhan and is said to have strong ties with him for a long time now.
