• Women’s March co-presidentTamika Mallory defended her relationship with the Nation of Islam as “coalition work”
• The Nation of Islam is notoriously racist and anti-Semitic
• Mallory and other Women’s March leaders have come under fire for praising Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan

Women’s March co-president Tamika Mallory on Wednesday defended her relationship with the Nation of Islam, a notorious anti-Semitic group, as a form of “coalition work.”

Mallory has attended the Nation of Islam’s annual Saviours’ Day convention every year for the last 30 years, she wrote in an op-ed for NewsOne, a black news website. She declined to denounce the Nation of Islam’s leader, Louis Farrakhan, in the op-ed and argued that working with people she doesn’t agree with is a necessary part of “coalition work.”

Farrakhan consistently rails against Jews as “satanic” and as his “enemies.” The Nation of Islam’s doctrine preaches that white people are inherently inferior and were created in an experiment by a black scientist named Yakub. (RELATED: Seven Louis Farrakhan Quotes On Jews, Gays And White People)

“I didn’t expect my presence at Saviour’s Day to lead anyone to question my beliefs, especially considering that I have been going to this event regularly for over 30 years. I first went with my parents when I was just a little girl, and would begin attending on my own after my son’s father was murdered nearly 17 years ago,” Mallory explained. “In that most difficult period of my life, it was the women of the Nation of Islam who supported me and I have always held them close to my heart for that reason.”

“It is impossible for me to agree with every statement or share every viewpoint of the many people who I have worked with or will work with in the future. As I do not wish to be held responsible for the words of others when my own history shows that I stand in opposition to them, I also do not think it is fair to question anyone who works with me, who supports my work and who is a member of this movement because of the ways that I may have fallen short here or in any other instance,” she added.

Mallory is known to have repeatedly met with Farrakhan and has posted pictures on social media of herself and the hate group leader. “Thank God this man is still alive and doing well. He is definitely the GOAT [Greatest Of All Time],” Mallory wrote in one Instagram post.

She attended a Nation of Islam convention in February where Farrakhan railed against Jews and white people. Farrakhan took time out of his speech to praise Mallory, and she was seen on camera applauding at one point during his speech.

Mallory initially defended Farrakhan by implying that religious leaders are supposed to consider Jews their enemies. “If your leader does not have the same enemies as Jesus, they may not be THE leader!” she wrote on Twitter.

CNN anchor Jake Tapper on Monday called out the Women’s March leaders and House Democrats with Farrakhan ties for not renouncing the notorious anti-Semite. “Why is it so tough for some people to condemn a rabid anti-Semite who is also a misogynist and anti-LGBT?” Tapper asked. (RELATED: Seven House Democrats Have Direct Ties To Notorious Anti-Semite [VIDEO])

Women’s March put out a statement on Tuesday trying to distance the group from Farrakhan without denouncing him. (RELATED: Women’s March Featured Speaker Who Kidnapped And Tortured A Man To Death)

As of this article, none of the Women’s March leaders have renounced Farrakhan.

Follow Hasson on Twitter @PeterJHasson

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