CNN - Foxman calls meeting a 'gimmick'
Isabella Ramos
Published Apr 12, 2026
Aired October 13 at 8:35 a.m. EDT
Transcript of interview on Early Edition
October 13, 1995
Web posted at: 11:30 a.m. EDT
ANDREA ARCENEAUX, Anchor: Well, the Million Man March is not without controversy, and joining us now from New York to talk about the Million Man March is Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League. Mr. Foxman is a leader in the fight against anti-Semitism and a recognized authority on the Holocaust.
Mr. Foxman, we thank you for joining us this morning.
ABRAHAM FOXMAN, Anti-Defamation League: Thank you. Good morning.
ANDREA ARCENEAUX: What are your concerns regarding the Million Man March that's going to take place Monday?
ABRAHAM FOXMAN: Our concern is that the march is being led by a flawed, tainted individual. I'm sorry to hear that Congressman Payne didn't illustrate the difference between the march of 30 years ago. The march 30 years ago was led by a moral, upstanding, tolerant leader. This march is being called, unfortunately, by a racist and an anti-Semite, and good people who will stand to be heard and be counted unfortunately are unwilling to separate themselves from the message of hate and bigotry and anti-Semitism.
ANDREA ARCENEAUX: But Congressman Payne just said that the message and the purpose behind this march is one of unity and he also said that it's- send a message that we don't have to think alike. What do you respond to in terms of that stated purpose?
ABRAHAM FOXMAN: There's no- I'm all for unity and I'm all for dissent and different views, but a march which its stated purpose is atonement and reconciliation, who's avowed purpose is to stand against racism, is a- is a hollow- is a hollow message if it's led by someone who is unwilling to rid himself or purge himself of racism and bigotry and anti- Semitism. It undermines the moral fiber and nature of that unity, which America needs and certainly the African-American community needs.
ANDREA ARCENEAUX: Did- We understand that you received a letter from the Nation of Islam requesting a meeting with you to discuss divisive issues between the Jewish community and the black community. Did you, in fact, receive such a letter?
ABRAHAM FOXMAN: Yes, I received a faxed letter yesterday from the son-in-law of Minister Farrakhan. It's not the first time. The last time there was an issue with Khalid Muhammad and his bigotry, the public relations gimmick was, `Let's meet.' There really is nothing to meet about. Minister Farrakhan knows exactly what his words mean. There's no reason for us to dialogue. What am I going to dialogue about - how guilty I am in slavery, how guilty the Jewish community is for the ills of- that beset the African- American community? The answer is very simple. Minister Farrakhan knows that the words that he uses are hateful, knows that they are painful, knows that they are full of anti-Semitism and bigotry.
There's no reason to meet. If he wants to reverse the course, a public statement, a specific statement and consistency in no longer attacking Jews, whites, Catholics, gays, and to stop selling a library of anti-Semitic books, which the Nation of Islam peddles throughout this country.
ANDREA ARCENEAUX: And, so you're saying that you won't meet?
ABRAHAM FOXMAN: There's no-
[crosstalk]
ANDREA ARCENEAUX: Do you think at any time in the future you will be able to sit down - you and the Nation of Islam leadership - and resolve any kind of divisive issues that you may have between you?
ABRAHAM FOXMAN: The answer is, in the future, absolutely, but as a prerequisite, the leader of the Nation of Islam must give up, must purge himself from racism, bigotry and anti- Semitism. There's nothing really to meet about, to debate. As he says, he's not a racist, he's not an anti-Semite, he tells the truth. David Duke says he tells the truth. Hitler said he told the truth. All bigots, all racists, say it's the truth. He knows it's not the truth. And if he stops, there's nothing really that separates us and we can march together for unity in terms of the fight that we need to stand together on, which is racism.
ANDREA ARCENEAUX: There are a number of prominent African- American leaders, besides Congressman Donald Payne, that are associated or supporting this march. One is the Reverend Jesse Jackson, and I understand that you spoke with him. What did you have to say to him?
ABRAHAM FOXMAN: Well, he reached out to us, asked us that we refrain from being critical, and I've indicated to him, as some of us did, that the Jewish community, probably more than any other community, understands the pain and the anguish of the African-American community, but at the same time, I think we've earned the right to have a sensitivity to our pain. There's been a deafening silence from the good people who are joining the march. Congressman Payne and the Black Caucus that endorsed the march, which is their sovereign right, their American freedom right, made a caveat. The caveat was that they were disturbed that women weren't there. I was waiting- waiting for the other caveat, that yes, they will march because there is a crisis; yes, they will be there because there is a need. However, just like women should be there and it shouldn't be sexist, they reject, or they stand aside from the racism and anti-Semitism. There was deafening silence.
Reverend Jackson said that he spoke to Reverend Farrakhan about that. Well, private meetings and private discussions is not what it's all about. We don't have the luxury to silently talk about bigotry and prejudice. We need to have the courage and the conviction to stand up, even in a- certainly in a moment of crisis, to say, `Yes, there is a crisis, but, at the same time, we reject racism and anti- Semitism and bigotry of whoever it is that engages in it.'
ANDREA ARCENEAUX: Abraham Foxman, and we thank you for joining us this morning on Early Edition.
ABRAHAM FOXMAN: Thank you.
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