Black Pastor Calls Farrakhan's 'Justice or Else!' March Toxic
Twenty years ago black men from across the nation converged in Washington, D.C., for the Million Man March - a rally orchestrated by Nation of Islam head, Louis Farrakhan.
On Saturday, the same Islamic leader organized a similar "movement." This one titled "Justice or Else!," an event one Christian civil rights activist believes will only lead to violence and destruction.
"Young black people who are listening to Louis Farrakhan will destroy their own lives," Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson said.
"Louis Farrakhan has been going around the country making comments such as 'I am looking for 10,000 fearless black men to stalk and kill those who are killing us,'" Rev. Peterson told CBN News.
"And he's talking about white police officers and white Americans. And for him to hold a rally like this with young men who are already angry due to the lack of fathers in their home is not a good sign," he added.
At the age of 18, Peterson said he started listening to the teachings of Farrakhan, Jesse Jackson, and "many other black preachers who were saying that, you know what? It's racism it's the white man trying to keep you down because you are black.
"And so I started to hate white Americans, too," he said.
Click play to listen to Rev. Peterson talk about the "toxic spring of hatred" that led him to hate whites, and how God changed his heart.
"What you put out comes back on you. When you hate others that's what comes back." Peterson said. "My life just went to hell in a handbasket,"
Peterson told CBN News his refusal to support leaders like Farrakhan have made him an enemy of the black community.
On the Justice or Else! website, Farrakhan writes, "By Allah's (God's) grace I plan to deliver an uncompromising message and call for the government of the United States to respond to our legitimate grievances."
The statement continues, "Justice Or Else!" is not a march, but a gathering of those who are sober minded and serious about placing a demand on the United States government and putting power behind that demand to force the government to give us what we deserve."
CBN News requested an interview with Justice or Else! organizers, we wanted to ask whether or not the rally was a direct call to violence. The organization did not respond to our request.
Is there still a problem with racism in America? Rev. Peterson says there is not. Watch the interview above to hear why he believes the issue with racial tension in the United States stems from anger in the black community.
Peterson believes the time has come for the church to "tell the truth" about racial issues in black community.
"They (the church) need to tell Black Americans that it's not a physical battle, but a spiritual one. We must be born again, we must turn away from evil and turn toward good." Peterson added.
