Louis Farrakhan spoke at NIU because people want, and have the right, to hear him speak, Black Student Union officials said Tuesday.

BSU members held a small news conference after the Hillel Student Organization’s anti-racism rally in the King Memorial Commons Tuesday in which they said the gathering was really an anti-Farrakhan rally.

Students heard “about 45 minutes of anti-Farrakhan,” said BSU minister of information Demetricus Carlvin.

Brad Strauss, a Student Association senator and Hillel member, said the rally was not intended to be against Farrakhan and the Hillel did not censor anyone’s speeches to make sure Farrakhan was not mentioned.

Plans to bring the controversial black Muslim leader to NIU were in the works for more than a year, Carlvin said.

Students opposed Farrakhan because of anti-Semitic comments. However, Farrakhan is neither anti-Semitic or anti-white, said Carlvin.

BSU officials said Farrakhan is continually misquoted by the media concerning his Semitic position. Officials said Farrakhan believes any religious member that does not follow the religious guidelines practices a “gutter religion.”

BSU member Antoin Howard said the BSU tried to dispell any questions or confusion people had with Farrakhan but it was unsuccessful because critics did not know what “racism” and “prejudice” meant.

Farrakhan has successfully fought drugs and promoted the black community, while attacking all forms of injustice, officials said.

“Farrakhan attacks everyone righteously, not wickedly,” said Howard.