I would like to wholeheartedly thank the Black Student Union for having the initiative to bring such an exceptional speaker, Minister Louis Farrakhan, to NIU and also for having the strength to fight for his right to be heard.

I have closely watched the debate these past few weeks and I was appalled at the way many students were so anxious to judge the man solely on the basis of hearsay.

In Jordan Kagan’s letter (Jan. 30), he stated, “I have been misinterpreted, misquoted, accused of wrongdoing and slandered the past week or so.” Well Jordan, now you know how Minister Farrakhan must feel.

Your organization, along with other misguided individuals on this campus, has done exactly that ever since this issue was first raised.

Only two paragraphs after complaining of being wrongly accused yourself, you indirectly refer to Minister Farrakhan as a “racist, bigot, religious or anti-semitic speaker.” What kind of double standard are you practicing?

I refused to let my judgement be swayed by the media, instead I decided to see the man and listen to what he had to say FIRST, and then form my own opinion.

I found no reason to disagree with anything that Minister Farrakhan had to say in his address here at NIU. It must be remembered that pro-black does not mean anti-white, though it is often wrongly perceived as such.

Sure, Minister Farrakhan has harsh views, but after 435 years of oppression, ANYONE WOULD!

I am just glad that he was able to shed some light on a campus blinded by ignorance. I just hope that we, as a race, have the strength and the intelligence to keep it burning and increase the intensity, and I mean the human race.

Melissa Jordan

Junior

Political Science/International Relations