The Des Moines Register, Friday, January 2, 1998, Page 10A

THE REGISTER'S READERS SAY

Farrakhan's goal: World peace

Minister Louis Farrakhan's Third World Friendship Tour began in Mali, Africa, on Dec. 4, 1997, not in Iraq as was eroneously reported in The Register's Dec. 10 edition on Page 13A.  Minister Farrakhan is on a 52-nation tour to promote world peace.  Prior to his departure, he thoroughly briefed the State Department of his plans.  Wire service accounts of Minister Farrakhan's every move are sent daily to the U.S. media (the public can also access the Farrakhan World Friendship Tour via our website, http://www.noiworldtour.org).   The least the press could do is to report accurately, so that the American public is not unduly polarized.
    Minister Farrakhan included Iraq in his tour to encourage dialogue between President Clinton and Saddam Hussein in the interest of saving innocent human life.  In the seven years since the Gulf War, 681,000 Iraqi children have died as a direct result, of U.S.-government-inspired U.N. sanctions.
    It is sad to see Secretary of State Madeleine Albright hypocritically holding a baby victimized by civil war in Sudan while turning her back on more than 7,000 Iraqi children who die every month for the lack of food, medical supplies and parts to repair incubators.  Children should not have to to die or even suffer because one nation hates the leadership and politics of another.
    We must never forget that America played a major role in arming Saddam Hussein's war machine as Iraq fought Iran, America's No. 1 enemy for 10 years.  Now, the American government has changed its position with Iraq and uses media disinformation campaigns to polarize the American public against a whole people and thereby anesthetize us regarding the real victims in this deadly game.

-- Minister Preston Muhammad,
Iowa Representative,
Minister Louis Farrakhan
and The Nation of Islam
2105 Forest Ave., Des Moines

He's free to condemn his country

    I recently read Louis Farrakhan's latest accusations equating sanctions being used for terrorism against the Muslim states.   What a joke this guy is.  His constant rhetoric against the United States, the Jews, etc., is getting old.
    What were Farrakhan's feelings on the cowardly terrorists responsible for the World Trade Center bombing?  Innocent lives were lost, but does he speak out against these acts?
    I would like to remind Farrakhan the difference between our country and some of the Muslim states.  Over here, he has the right to constantly put down America and still walk freely among the U.S. citizens.
    Imagine if Farrakhan lived in places like Iraq or Iran and came over to America and said what a barbaric and ruthless country he lived in.  I doubt very much Farrakhan would want to return there, and if he were crazy enough to do so, he would in all likelihood never be heard from again.

-- Jim Forkenbrock,
232 S. Chestnut, New Hampton.

The Des Moines Register
Friday, January 2, 1998, Page 10A
letters@news.dmreg.com