For Muhammad, there are two kinds of Jews. The first kind are to blame for the downturn in Black-Jewish relations. "The problem," Muhammad said, "seems to be a segment of Jewish people who have a lot of influence and power," like the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) of B'nai Brith.

The ADL has opposed awarding contracts by municipalities to a security firm formerly owned by the Nation of Islam. Why? Muhammad said Jews want to stifle Black economic empowerment. He did not mention that the firm disseminates anti-Semitic material--leaflets charging that the State of Israel has enslaved Ethiopian Jews, for example--in the housing projects it guards. (Porter had not heard of the issue but immediately condemned the ADL anyway.)

The second kind of Jews, in Muhammad's view, are those who have endorsed the book. That's because Muhammad subscribes to the canard that Jews are automatically experts on Jewish history.

"Some of [Gate's] colleagues... and at least one white Jewish scholar," Muhammad said, "...have inferred that he could not have even read [The Secret Relationship]".

Muhammad quoted a Black scholar who supported the book's scholarship and then a "white person--Jewish, no less." And then: "Whether you know it or not, a Jewish person from New York who was asked to critique this book" endorsed it.

"There is nothing in this book that did not come from the pen of Jewish person," Muhammad said. "We only compiled it. Now let me tell you what a Jewish person said against a person who criticized our book. This is a Jew talking now..."

As for Porter, Muhammad cited him as an example of a "Jewish person who doesn't buy into that foolishness," even though Porter, politely as ever, suggested that the Jewish sources Muhammad was naming were not considered first-rate scholars.

Muhammad's logic is akin to claiming that because you have Jewish friends, you couldn't possibly be anti-Semitic. And that's a crock.

It's no secret that relations between Blacks and Jews at Harvard have been strained recently. BSA, of course, has the right to invite any and all speakers they so desire to Harvard. And Blacks and Jews should get together to talk. But for a productive encounter, each side should be able to choose their respective spokespersons.

This time, unfortunately, BSA appropriated that choice for both sides. That decision did nothing to improve race relations at Harvard.