Free Republic

A conservative pastor and Christian broadcaster is urging Israeli officials to pursue a closer relationship with the black community in America -- particularly, he observes, since Jews and blacks have much in common in terms of their cultural experiences: their traditions of struggle and deliverance. Glenn Plummer, the outgoing chairman and chief executive officer of the National Religious Broadcasters, recently spoke at this year's NRB Convention in Anaheim, where he addressed an audience that included members of the Israeli Knesset. In his talk, he drew out the many similarities he sees between the historical struggles of American citizens of African...

     Black conservative leaders said they were surprised by the frankness on both sides in a meeting yesterday with Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, Republican National Committee Chairman Mark Racicot and Deputy National Chairman Jack Oliver.      "It was extraordinary," said Bob Brown, chairman and chief executive officer of a North Carolina public relations firm and a former domestic policy adviser in the Nixon White House. "The candor between black leaders and top Republicans was like something I haven't seen before — and I've been to a lot of meetings."      Mr. Brown added, "We got past the niceties real quickly." Each side...