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Farrakhan celebrates March's anniversary By KAl.PANA SRJNIVASAN THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan marked the third anniversary of the Million Man March by calling for Ameri cans to seek atonement, using President Clinton as an example of the need for redemption. Farrakhan said Friday night he returned to the Capital not to "pla cate Washington, but to cry out against America for her wickedness," He pointed to Clinton's personal troubles as an indication of a greater sickness plaguing the country. "America is under judgment," he told a crowd of more than 1,000 at Howard University in remarks carried on satellite television and over the Internet. rvcvcin uisasicrs, inuiiuing nurncancs, nave come in res pome to UK nation's sinful behavior, he said. If Clinton truly humbled himself, Farrakhan predicted, "God would not let a storm touch the country for 90 days." He urged his listeners to observe a day of atonement and seek to repent for their sins and reform themselves. L Farrakhan said he was stirred particularly to think about the nature ? of lying by the recent impeachment proceedings launched against Clin ftj ton in the Monica Lewinsky affair. Referring to the biblical story of Adam, he called Clinton's linguis ts tic denials of wrongdoing a "fig leaf to try and cover his mistakes. But f while Ginton may have lied, Farrakhan warned that those who have I condemned him are not in a position to judge. The self-righteousness and hypocrisy of religious and political lead ? ers is sickening," he said. "Is there any member of Congress that doesn't J - need washing?" Congressional leaders themselves have lied to constituents by promising to protect their interests and are instead serving the needs of corporate America, he said. And past presidents have committed far greater atrocities against their people than Ginton, Farrakhan said. He questioned whether Gin H ton's actions qualified as high crimes and misdemeanors, the standard necessary to warrant impeachment. Farrakhan also criticized Independent Council Kenneth Starr, accusing him of entrapping the President and trying to weaken him. He said Starr's investigation and the graphic report it produced had taken its toll on the nation's well-being. "You don't dump sewage into the water supply and expect the pop ulation to stay healthy," he said. The Nation of Islam leader maintained he was not defending the President, but rather the truth. He offered reasons why God might have allowed Clinton "to be brought before the world in such a humiliating way." The President's current situation illustrates how even the most pow erful man in the world can be humbled, Farrakhan said. And Ginton also may use this opportunity to take not just political but spiritual lead ership, if he seeks redemption, he added. "The truth will free the President and the truth will free this nation," Farrakhan said. > Farrakhan organized the Million Man March in October of, 1995, where he urged black men gathered from across the country to take ' responsibility for their actions and seek atonement for their sins. Lee to lecture at Wake Forest PROM STAFF REPORTS Acclaimed African American filmmaker Spike Lee has spent the past 10 years bringing the stories of African Americans to the big screen. On Nov. 3, Lee brings his cut ting wit and intellect to Wake For est University's Wait Chapel for a lecture on his works. Tickets are S3 and may be pur chased at the door or charged by phone by calling 738-4869. Tickets may also be purchased in Benson University Center, Room 333. The event is sponsored by the university's Student Union and Office of Multicultural Affaire. Lee's introduction to movie goers came in 1986 when his low budget eclectic "She's Gotta Have It" became one of the most talked about films of the year. Shot on a shoestring budget and financed mostly by credit cards, the movie launched Lee and his onscreen character, fast-talking-Nike-hawk ing "Mars Blackman into orbit. Since "She's Gotta Have It," Lee's 40 Acres and a Mule Film works has gone on to release a host of films including "Malcom X," which garnered actor Denzel Washington, who starred as the slain civil rights leader, a nod for an Academy Award for best actor. Last year, Lee .made history when he and a group of African American millionaires produced "Get on the Bus," one of the first movies to tell the story of the Mil lion Man March. Lee also produced the stellar documentary "Four Little Girls," one of the first to tell the story of four girls killed in the 60s bombing of a predominantly black Birming ham church. Since his first movie, Lee has produced more than 10 major motion pictures, starred in 25 com mercials and 35 music videos. He also has written several books. Mathabane to lecture at West Forsyth Snsdsl to THE CHRONICLE Mark Mathabane, author of the bestseiling autobiography "Kaffir Boy," will deliver a lecture to stu dents at West Forsyth High School at 8:45 a.m. Wednesday. Mathabane, who grew up under apartheid near Johannesburg. South Africa, describes the grind ing poverty, hunger and terrifying police raids he experienced as a child in the overcrowded ghetto of Alexander. To keep her children alive, his mother boiled cow blood to make soup and taught her son to eat leeches and scavenge for half eaten sandwiches in the local dump. Mathabane witnessed murders and riots. At age 10. he contemplated t i suicide. Mathabane says that what saved him from self-destruction were his mother and the love of learning she instilled in him, though she herself had never been given a chance to attend school. During a riot, he risked his life to salvage a few books from a burning library. Education became his passport to freedom. It freed his mind and allowed him to dream of worlds beyond the bitter reality of black life under apartheid. In September 1987, "Kaffir Boy: The True Story of a Youth's Coming of Age in Apartheid South Africa." reached No. 3 on The New York Times bestsellers' list. The r book is still used in many American schools and is accepted in major textbooks. Mathabane has been writing and lecturing ever since, dedicated to inspiring young people to read, study, excel, believe in themselves and overcome any obstacles they may face. In 1996-97, he served as a White House Fellow at the Department of Education in Washington, D.C. While there, he helped implement the American Reads program, which helps Amer ican children read fluently by thud grade. Mathabane lives in Kernersville with his wife Gail and three chil dren. He is completing his fifth book. Defendant's fiancee speaks out about dragging murder JASPER, Texas - One of three white men accused of dragging a black man to his death rejected a plea agreement because he wants to prove his innocence in court, according to the man*s fiancee. Shawn Berry, who could face the death penalty if convicted of capital murder, turned down an offer of a life sentence because he fears prison would be worse than dying by lethal injection, said his fiancee. Christie MarconteU. Marcontell. who spoke Satur day with several newspapers, including the Houston Chronicle, said that if Berry goes to prison, "he's got both sides against him. He's got the white supremacists and the blacks against him." Berry, John William "Bill" King and Lawrence Brewer are accused in the June 7 slaying of James Byrd Jr., who was chained to a pickup truck and dragged for nearly three miles along a rural road. Authorities allege they killed Byrd because of his skin color. AO three are tmpnsooed awaiting thai, scheduled for Jan. 25. ? Berry, 23, had cooperated with authorities after his arrest, telling them he watched from a distance while Kong. 23, and Brewer, 31, killed Byrd. But authorities say subsequent evidence, including blood found on Berry's shoes, shows he might actually have par ticipated in the attack. Berry's attorney, Joseph Hawthorn, acknowledged his client turned down a plea bargain. Jasper County District Attorney Guy James Gray has declined to comment on any discussions he may have had with Berry's lawyer. Hawthorn arranged for Ms. MarconteU to speak with reporters after she expressed concern that Berry was being painted with the same brush as his co-defendant* MarconteU, 22, the mother of Berry's 13-month-old son, said she visits Berry twice a week. However, she said she purposely avoids ask ing about the killing because she wants to keep Berry's spirits up. Berry also has not discussed the slaying with her, Marcontell said, except to say that "it was all Bill (King), and he pushed Russell into it." But Stella Byrd, the mother of the dead man, insists Berry is at guilty as his co-defendants "They found blood on hit shoes. They know he was there.' she said. "He's as guilty as the other ones" Admission of race war will be used in serial killer's trial THE ASSOCIATED PRESS CINCINNATI - A taped con fession that aerial killer Joseph Paul Franklin later recanted will be uaed by prosecutors attempting to reaoive the case of two black teen-agera who were shot to death 18 yean ago. Franklin, 48, has said he was try ing-to start a race war when he went on a killing apree in 1977. Relatives of the two Cincinnati victims were to testify today. On Monday, a jury waa seated in Hamil ton County Common Pleas Court and was taken to a railroad trestle where police said Franklin, a white supremacist, lay in wait and uaed a high-powered rifle to kill the youths Franklin, already facing a death sentence in Missouri, could only be sentenced to life in prison if convict ed here Ohio did not have a death penalty when Franklin allegedly shot cousins Darrell Lane, 14, and Dante Evans Brown, 13, on June 8, 1980. Frpoklin allegedly told prosecu tor? last year, did it... Lsfcot those dudes." He later contended that he made the incriminating statement because he was tricked by an attrac tive female prosecutor. Hamilton County Prosecutor Joseph Deters plans to play a tape of the confession Franklin allegedly gave to Assistant Prosecutor Melissa Powers in April 1997. In opening statements Monday, Deters told jurors that Franklin's confession includes details only the killer would know. It also includes comments about Franklin's career as a bank robber and chilling remarks about his plan to "cleanse the world of Macks," Deters said. "Joseph Paul, Franklin, in June of 1980, was robbing banks for a liv ing and killing people for a hobby," Deters said. "Darrell Lane and Dante Evans Brown had the god awful circumstance to cross paths with him." Franklin has pleaded innocent by reason of insanity to two counts of aggravated murder. "He killed two kids, two kids who didn't have a chance to have a life;" Brown's uncle, Gary Trumbo, said outside the courtroom Monday. "He's going around killing people not because of what they've done, but because of the color of their skin." Judge Ralph Winkler is permit ting Franklin to represent himself during the trial, along with his court-appointed lawyer. But a request to move the trial from Cincinnati was denied. Franklin has admitted to a series of racially motivated killings from 1977 to 1980. He is awaiting execu tion for the 1977 sniper slaying of a Jewish man outside a Missouri syn agogue. He also received life sen tences for killing an interracial cou ple in Madison, Wis, in 1977, and two black men in Salt Lake City in 1980. Franklin has said he shot and wounded Vernon Jordan, iher national president of the Urban League, in Fort Wayne, Ind.; in 1980, and Hustler magazine pub- \ lisher Larry Flynt in Georgia ir I 1978. He was acquitted of wounding \ Jordan. Georgia prosecutors decid ed not to try Franklin in the shoot ing that left Flynt paralyzed. MotAm cmMm pe*emrf fcr *? jWEw Alen jHerdi *?w ywen egeu Awtrwlid Prmm phou, rhdMndi |futhmmd far 0m hmmrot at Kobart Byrd in tuna. Byrd warn I \ ?>? ? * . I With free |a 1 I I .unlimited < .? * you can now ? v ?* e.- . ? t - ? ?,v*y?u?lo your boss. your crazy Aunt Edna, your mother-in-law. . In But you don't have to. 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Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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