Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan talks about his recent battle with prostate cancer, the perceptions and reality of his past ''war of words'' with the Jewish community, and his thoughts on the war on terrorism and black leadership in a rare interview to air in two parts on June 25 and 26 on The Tavis Smiley Show from NPR.
Smiley recently recorded the interview in Chicago at Minister Farrakhan's home. The audio version with additional interview material is available on the show's Web site, http://www.npr.org/programs/tavis.
On his much-publicized remarks about Hitler being a ''great man'' and Judaism a ''gutter religion,'' Farrakhan told Smiley, ''I'm not proud of any evil that Hitler did to the Jewish people, and I said, 'don't compare me with your wicked killers, because I have killed no Jew nor have I ever ordered those who love me and would do as I ask to harm one hair on the head of any Jew.' We have never boycotted one Jewish store or made any Jew in business uncomfortable. But my words taken out of context and improperly placed before the American people have put me in this ugly position.''
''I never said that Judaism was in fact a gutter religion,'' he told Smiley. ''I believe in that which God revealed through the mouth of his prophets to the Jewish people. Many Rabbis have come and sat at my table, and we've discussed these things amicably and amiably, but what I'm referring to is how people who claim to be religious can dirty their religion by their foul actions in contravention to what their prophets taught them.''
Farrakhan also talked about how prostate cancer has affected his outlook on life. ''Because of my prostate cancer and my near death experience and because people of many faiths, many ethnic and racial groups sincerely prayed for me, there was no way I could come out of that experience less conscious of my commitment to the struggle of black people for total liberation. But also I was much more cognizant of my duty to all of humanity. So those who prayed for me caused me to see in greater depth the silliness of people of God being divided by the misunderstanding of God and his oneness.''
He told Smiley that his Prostate Cancer Foundation ''will be raising money to help in making men in general, black men in particular, more aware of this disease and the impact that it is having on our community. It will make the remaining years of my life more meaningful if I can help tens of thousands, if they have it, to catch it early so we never lose our giants as we have up to this day lost so many.''
Farrakhan said he hoped to have a Louis Farrakhan Prostate Cancer Center at Washington, D.C.'s Howard University, where his foundation will raise money to help black men in need pay for and receive treatment.
The Tavis Smiley Show from NPR, a weekday, one-hour talk magazine presenting news, opinions and ideas from an African-American perspective, is broadcast on more than 60 public radio stations across the U.S. and on the Web. Visit http://www.npr.org/programs/tavis to find local stations and broadcast times, and to hear more of Smiley's interview with Louis Farrakhan.