Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Anti-Semitism interrupts black frat event?

Below is the choicest nugget of an e-mail from Daphna Ziman, a respected Jewish philanthropist and political contributor in Los Angles, that has spread like a viral video during the past few days. It accuses a black leader, the Rev. Eric Lee, president and CEO of Southern Christian Leadership Conference's L.A. office, of espousing some virulent anti-Semitism at a ceremony Friday night that honored Ziman for her work with foster children.

Lee emphatically denies saying what follows, but, like those rumors about Barack Obama that spread around the Internet a few months ago, Ziman's missive has taken on a life of its own.
He began his speech by thanking Jesus for Obama, who is going to be the leader of the world. He continued by referring to other leaders Like Dr. King,being that this was the moment of celebrating Dr. King's spirit on the anniversary of his assasination, and Malcolm X.

It was right after the mention of Malcolm X that he looked right at me and started talking about the African American children who are suffering because of the JEWS that have featured them as rapists and murderers.

He spoke of a Jewish Rabbi, and then corrected himself to say "What other kind of Rabbis are there, but JEWS". He told how this Rabbi came to him to say that he would like to bring the AA community and the Jewish community together. " NO, NO, NO,!!!!" he shouted into the crowd, we are not going to come together. "The Jews have made money on us in the music business and we are the entertainers, and they are economically enslaving us"
I received this Sunday morning and spent a good part of the past four days trying to figure out heads from tails. What I ended up with was a he-said, she-said atomic bomb of accusations.
Ziman left in tears during Lee's speech. The guests who accompanied her, including two women who work for her and a friend, have corroborated her account.

"He said that the African-American community is not going to bridge any gaps because the Jewish community is responsible for the defamation of African Americans on the silver screen," said Branka Gonzales, Children Uniting's chief financial officer. "His feelings were that nothing is going to change until those things change, until the Jewish community stops its ways."

"When the reverend got up, it almost felt like he was ... promoting Barack, and he said he is the only leader for where our country stands today," said Chase Dreyfous, who is Episcopalian. "Then he went on a tangent to say the Jews are holding the African-American musicians captive, that they had portrayed their children as thieves and murderers. I don't know if it was his intention or not, but for not being a Jewish person, I was extremely offended."

Others in attendance - from a state assemblyman to a civil rights attorney to the event's organizers, who invited Ziman - said they didn't listen carefully enough to the speech to confirm or deny Ziman's accusations.

"I vaguely remember hearing something about a conversation he had with a rabbi and dealing with the media," said the evening's emcee, Damon M. Brown, head of the Los Angeles alumni of Kappa Alpha Psi. "I don't recall hearing anything that was offensive to me, and then again, I'm not Jewish so I don't know if there are some sensitivities one would have."

Curtis R. Silvers Jr., the head of the fraternity's Western Province, which held the gala as part of its annual conference, also said he heard nothing offensive. He said there was no audio or video recording of the event and that, like Brown, he was preoccupied during Lee's keynote and paid it only intermittent attention. Assemblyman Mike Davis, a Los Angeles Democrat who has been supported by Ziman and her husband, said the same.

"I speak for a living, and I learned a long time ago that when you speak about controversial issues you have to be really careful and sometimes, even the best of people, will make mistakes," Davis said. "I can't say I was tuned into what he was saying, but I do know people make errors."

People are listening now.
The full text of the e-mail, and Lee's characterization of what he said, can be found here.

3 comments:

Rocker 419 said...

This could be and probably is going to be trouble for Obama and the Democrats. Of course his supporters are going to say "I don't see the connection" so let me spell it out for them. Obama is the tip of an iceburg, and the ice is black mistrust and paranoia, coming from years and years of using the "victim" card a bit too much. Asians, and many other "groups" come to America and are doing fine, thank you. ANd as whites become more and more a minority, NOBODY is going to give a damn about what the blacks feel or say, especially when their so called "Reverands" (what a joke THAT is) continue to rave against the Jews. Enough of this racism from the blacks and the Democrats. ENough.

Anonymous said...

Copy of email sent to Daphna Ziman:

Dear Daphna,

Shalom to you from Israel.

Realize, Jews of color (Ashkenazim Darkies and Sephardim) are not recognized
by
mainstream Judaism. We are today mislabled 'African-Americans'. And
Mainstream Judaism (fair-skinned) are powerful/accepted in the U.S. because
they look 'White'. And realize the Jews of color today are
misplaced/unknown.

So,how do we expect the 'African-Americans' to know, they are a mixture of
authentic Jews of color (Ashkenazim 'Darkies'/Sephardim). They too are
brainwashed into believing Jews are only 'white'. So, when they see the
'White' Jews its 'White Supremacy' to them.

Instead of continuing this division, we should educate people like Rev.
Eric Lee, the truth. That even Ashkenazim 'Darkies' (in the Warsaw Ghetto
during Hitler) and Sephardim exist among the so-called African Americans
communities. And we can not see the difference. Note: And my family was not
the only ones living in HARLEM, NY. during the 1940's-1970's. LOL

Maybe,Rev. Eric Lee's ancestors also hid his Jewish Identity because of
racist America. He would have been not only hated for being Black but, also
Jewish.

Note: Daphna Ziman educate instead of continuing to hide the
truth. You are now part of the problem instead of part of the solution.

Pesach Sameach,
Hadassah Harrell
hadassah@actcom.co.il

Anonymous said...

daphna,
this is your wake up call! with all your good heartedness do you now see?

dr. king's main speeches had jewish torah themes. one of his most famous sentences "righteousness come down like water" is from amotz hanavi. the black freedom struggle in america is based on the torah! it is inspired by the jewish liberation from egypt.

now that you see, please recognize that your people need you. the precious jews of gush katif, the jews of yesha, all of israel needs your energy, passion,creativity and resourcefulness. whether you live there or in the usa.

you want real inspiration? look at rebbe nachman of breslov, r' levi yitzhak of berdichev, the besht...shimon bar yochai, rabi akiva.

daphna, what is your hebrew first name??? daphna is greek.

you are a dedicated precious neshama yehudit and your people need you now!!!!

use your wonderful energy to bring the torah vision to the world and help the jewish people. G-d gave us the vision! to isaiah, to moshe rabenu. daphna!!!

this is your wake up call.

it doesn't have to be so painful.

it can be an awakening on where you need to put your life energy. put it where your soul knows it needs to go!!!!!