Yesterday, Catholic League president William Donohue e-mailed and faxed a letter to the seven-member New Orleans City Council requesting that they stop a Nation of Islam official from conducting sensitivity training for the New Orleans Police Department.
Police Chief Edwin P. Compass was prepared to pay $15,000 to Nation of Islam security chief Captain Dennis Muhammad, but ran into trouble with fellow officers, local leaders and the Catholic League. Compass has now decided to rescind the offer and will replace Muhammad with another person, just as the Catholic League requested.
Donohue commented on this quick reversal today:
“We are happy that the New Orleans police officers will be spared the indignity of having to sit through lectures on tolerance given by a Nation of Islam official. Those familiar with the speeches of Minister Louis Farrakhan know him as a Minister of Hate, and anyone who supports his bigotry has no legitimate role to play in public affairs. We are thankful to those in New Orleans who pressured their police chief to show Farrakhan’s crony the gate.”
