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I was extremely disappointed with this interview. As a teenager, I was attracted to the Nation because of the discipline and self-reliance it championed. Later, I like the vast majority of black muslims in America converted to Sunni Islam. The story of the Nation is rife with triumph, tragedy and corruption. This guest shed very little light on a fascinating subject.

what we needed, more than a positive picture of the NOI, was a truly balanced and accurate picture of the NOI. Just answer the questions fully and accurately and allow the listener to make up their mind. The professor simply didn't do that, and judging by her credentials, course syllabi, etc., she is more than capable to give expert knowledge of the NOI and Islam in general.

If she was unwilling to do so, I don't know why she agreed to appear on the program.

I was very disappointed with this interview. Dr. McCLoud presented as if she is a spokesperson for the NOI. I had expected Dr. McCloud to provide information about the current state of NOI in an unbiased an honest manner. Instead she sounded guarded with her answers to questions, and clearly committed to presenting an overall positive picture of NOI both historically and currently. Dr. McCloud's answer to the question about the murder of Malcolm X was preposterous and extremely dismissive.

she was evasive and i could sense lenny's frustration with her. she sounded more like an advocate or apologist for the nation than like a scholar.

i think the noi is meaningless in this day and age. i think the burgeoning orthodox muslim immigrant population has shown african americans that there is a better alternative.

i was dissappointed with the interview. i would have liked Dr. McCloud to discuss the theology of the NOI and the differences of Sunni islam a little bit more.

Also, it would be interesting to discuss how she as a traditional muslim is able to have a cordial relationship with a community that believes Fard Muhammad is the Mahdi and Elijah Muhammad is the final prophet.

Some of it was touched on, but not enough. I think alot of her responses were vague and even evasive, which is odd for an academic.

From what I understand Warith's community is substantially larger than the NOI and they do identify as Sunni. From what I understand, the largest mass conversion to Sunni Islam occurred with Warith brought the community to Sunni Islam and to this day the majority of muslims in the US are black.

this is past NOI violence: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zebra_killings

My experience is that the Nation is an oddity, even here in Chicago. I think that people see it as more of a social movement than as a religious movement. All of the Black Muslims I know, and they are many, are orthodox Sunni Muslims.

Dr. McCloud just referred to the regimen of the Nation and that is what fascinates people...people are drawn to autocratic regimes.

I think that the Nation is, for lack of a better word, a cult.