Ed makes a savvy bet on Farrakhan T here are fascinating differences this time as Minister Louis Farrakhan prepares for yet another major speech in Philadelphia. Now Rendell's doing the inviting. The transformation is astonishing and, to many, inexcusable. While I respect both Friedman and Morrison highly, I must respectfully disagree with both of them on this one.
Nothing rips at the heart of America's cities as deeply as racism.
It seeps into and soils every aspect of urban life. Nothing can work well in our cities until we cleanse them of this cancer, which quietly destroys everyone and everything it touches. When Ed Rendell, as a Jew, reaches out to Minister Farrakhan, he does so on behalf of all of us. Of course, this is a major personal and political risk for Rendell. Farrakhan remains an enigma and, unfortunately, some of his followers continue to use bigoted language that is anathema to almost everyone.