Black Muslim heads blast Jews leaving committee

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Officials of the black Muslim group Nation of Islam said that Jewish leaders who resigned rather than serve with one of their members on a state hate crimes commission should come back to the group or "shut up." The commission member, Sister Claudette Marie Muhammad, also said it is ridiculous that she has been condemned for remarks made by her leader Louis Farrakhan, whose speeches have attacked Jews, gays and whites over the years. "For those who try to condemn me because of the honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan's remarks ... which were perceived by some as anti-Semitic, it's ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous," Muhammad said Tuesday during a broadcast appearance. They were Muhammad's first public comments since four members of the Governor's Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes resigned last week rather than serve with her. Gov. Rod Blagojevich appointed Muhammad to the commission in August, but she was under the radar until she invited other commissioners to attend a Farrakhan speech last month.