id evoke fear in the eyes of many whites and other non attendants, some even comparing it to a Ku Klux Klan rally, or making other references to reverse racism.(2) Despite the few extreme viewpoints of those at the march, and the fear it caused in many outside the march, most people were just there to participate and show their support of a social movement towards empowerment of black people and black communities. The speeches given, and the overall morale at the million man march was definitely less focused on hatred and finger-pointing, and more focused on the unity, support, and power of black people themselves. Much emphasis was placed on repentance of their own sins, the cleansing of themselves, the work they must do to help their own families and communities. (3) I believe the ultimate goal Farrakhan had in mind for these men was to someday conquer the need for any connection with white culture, and in some way prove that they were better off that way. Whether that is the case or not, the basic message communicated at the march was one of self-empowerment and racial unity. This kind of mentality is great, and shouldnt necessarily be viewed as a scary, potentially dangerous thing. What I am more concerned with is the fact that Farrakhan himself was capable of reaching enough people to actually pull something like this off. It does indicate how much leverage he has in the black community as a powerful social leader. Since the march, Farrakhan has not done anything nearly as newsworthy, but he continues to give sermons and speeches on smaller scales, and has a strong voice in the NOI newsletters and publications. And, apparently, he is still managing to anger some people. One angered group is the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a worldwide organization which attempts to fight anti-Semitism and bigotry. They have obviously been listening closely to everything Farrakhan has publicly said in the years following the Million Man march, and ...
