FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MARCH 14, 2018
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Aaron Welcher, JCRC Communications Coordinator
awelcher@indyjcrc.org; 317.376.0468
www.indyjcrc.org, 317.926.2935
INDIANAPOLIS, IN: The Indianapolis Jewish Community Relations Council today forcefully condemned the virulently antisemitic speech delivered by Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan at the Feb. 28 Savior’s Day event in Chicago, and expressed the Jewish community’s disappointment in Congressman Andre Carson’s refusal to distance himself from leaders of that organization.
The JCRC’s statement calls attention to the following:
- Farrakhan continues to perpetuate several anti-Jewish tropes and stereotypes; the Nation of Islam continues to be one of the most prolific traffickers of antisemitic propaganda.
- FBI reports that Jews are the number one victim of religiously motivated hate crimes; ADL reports that antisemitic incidents have increased 113% in the Midwest in the last year.
- JCRC calls on partners in the fight against racism and discrimination to fight as fervently against antisemitism as they do other forms of discrimination.
Lindsey B. Mintz, JCRC Executive Director, says:
“Jews in Indianapolis came together in 1942, in the midst of the Holocaust unfolding in Europe, to create the JCRC with the explicit purpose of conveying the Jewish community’s interests and concerns to elected leaders, particularly when it comes to antisemitism. The fact is, expressions of antisemitism and anti-Jewish incidents are increasing precipitously today, and are not being sufficiently recognized or forcefully-enough condemned. The Indianapolis Jewish community is extremely disappointed by the inadequate response Congressman Andre Carson, who, in several recent interviews, has refused to unequivocally denounce Farrakhan’s antisemitsm or pledge to distance himself from Nation of Islam leaders.”
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