{"id":22748,"date":"2026-07-31T04:54:23","date_gmt":"2026-07-30T23:54:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=22748"},"modified":"2026-07-31T04:54:23","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T23:54:23","slug":"rotary-forgets-its-own-values-and-history-in-elevating-bigot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=22748","title":{"rendered":"Rotary forgets its own values and history in elevating bigot"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<br \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content%2Fuploads%2Fsites%2F2%2F2026%2F07%2Fnewspress-collage-k4m63qijw-1785455554323.jpg?quality%3D90%26strip%3Dall%261785441182\" \/><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Rotary International is one of the most respected service organizations in the world. So it is disappointing that the organization has chosen someone with a <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2025\/11\/13\/lifestyle\/gen-z-ranks-slurs-worse-than-other-curse-words-new-data-says\/\">history of bigoted language<\/a> to lead its \u201cOrange County L.A.\u201d chapter.<\/p>\n<p>Farrah N. Khan is a former Irvine mayor, and was, until recently, a respected member of the community. She is not related to the notorious anti-white and anti-Jewish leader of the Nation of Islam, Louis Farrakhan, despite their similar names \u2014 but their rhetoric sounds similar lately.<\/p>\n<p>Khan\u2019s bigotry emerged in the wake of the Hamas terror attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. She posted an Al Jazeera article about an alleged \u201cIsraeli\u201d attack on a girls\u2019 school in Minab, Iran. She added: \u201cThe sick pedophiles\/cannibals are doing what they do best.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It turns out that the airstrike on the Minab school, near an Iranian military base, was carried out by the U.S., not by Israel. And the phrase \u201cpedophiles\/cannibals\u201d appeared to reference Jeffrey Epstein (who happened to be Jewish) while also paying homage to a medieval anti-Jewish blood libel.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Rotary International is one of the most respected service organizations in the world. So it is disappointing that the organization has chosen someone with a history of bigoted language to lead its \u201cOrange County L.A.\u201d chapter. <span class=\"credit\">Facebook\/@rotaryclubocla<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Farrah N. Khan is a former Irvine mayor, and was, until recently, a respected member of the community. <span class=\"credit\">Rafael Fontoura for CA Post<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Khan later <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/07\/29\/us-news\/irvine-rotary-under-fire-over-new-presidents-antisemitic-posts\/\">claimed<\/a> she was referring to the Israeli military and government officials. But it was not her only unhinged post.<\/p>\n<p>Khan made these statements after she left office. And is entitled to say whatever she wants, under the First Amendment.<\/p>\n<div class=\"single__inline-module inline-module inline-module--newsletter aligncenter inline-module--nypostbusinessunit aligncenter wp-block-nypost-editor-newsletter\" data-source-unit=\"Inline Newsletter Module Cali - Morning Report\">\n<div class=\"inline-module__inner\">\n<div class=\"inline-module__title-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"inline-module__unsubmitted-title-wrapper\">\n<h3 class=\"inline-module__title headline headline--combo-sm-md\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSign up for the California Morning Report newsletter\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<p class=\"inline-module__cta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCalifornia&#8217;s top news, sports and entertainment delivered to your inbox every day.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><h3 class=\"inline-module__title headline headline--combo-sm-md\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tThanks for signing up!\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>But she made them in public, so they are fair game for scrutiny. And Khan\u2019s rhetoric contrasts sharply with what Rotary believes.<\/p>\n<p>As local community leader Julie Heiman <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/07\/23\/opinion\/an-offensive-pick-for-rotary-president-in-orange-county\/\">wrote<\/a> at The California Post recently, Rotary is famous for its \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.rotary.org\/2026\/04\/09\/the-four-way-test-a-road-map-we-need-now-more-than-ever\/\">Four Way Test<\/a>\u201d: \u201c1. Is it the TRUTH? 2. Is it FAIR to all concerned? 3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? 4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Khan later <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/07\/29\/us-news\/irvine-rotary-under-fire-over-new-presidents-antisemitic-posts\/\">claimed<\/a> she was referring to the Israeli military and government officials. But it was not her only unhinged post. <span class=\"credit\">MediaNews Group via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Clearly, Khan\u2019s statements fail that test \u2014 as does Rotary\u2019s decision to elevate her.<\/p>\n<p>Rotary has faced criticism in the past. In 1953, a Rotary Club in London hosted a speaker who delivered a <a href=\"https:\/\/web.viu.ca\/davies\/H102\/CaseForAparthied.1953.htm\">lecture<\/a> on \u201cThe Case for Apartheid.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In Nazi Germany, many Rotary clubs complied with the regime and kicked out Jewish or \u201cfree-thinking\u201d members. A few did not. Those <a href=\"https:\/\/jewishstandard.timesofisrael.com\/rotarians-and-nazis\/\">expelled<\/a> included intellectual Thomas Mann and future West German prime minister Konrad Adenauer.<\/p>\n<p>Today, Rotarians study these painful episodes to learn how to avoid the mistakes of the past.<\/p>\n<p>Selecting someone with openly bigoted views suggests that Rotary has yet to take the lessons of history to heart.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters <\/strong><\/h2>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p><strong>California Post News<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TheCaliforniaPost\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Facebook<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/californiapost\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Instagram<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@CaliforniaPost\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TikTok<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/californiapost\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">X<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@thecaliforniapost\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">YouTube<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whatsapp.com\/channel\/0029Vb6a2IV1NCrL6q2AWq0E\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">WhatsApp<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/linkedin.com\/company\/californiapost\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">LinkedIn<\/a><br \/><strong>California Post Sports<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/capostsports\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Facebook<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/capostsports\/?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Instagram<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@capostsports\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TikTok<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@CaliforniaPostSports\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">YouTube<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/capostsports\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">X<\/a><br \/><strong>California Post  <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/californiapost\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Opinion<\/a> <br \/><strong>California Post Newsletters<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/email.nypost.com\/#california-post\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sign up here!<\/a><br \/><strong>California Post App<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/us\/app\/california-post\/id6751343487\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Download here!<\/a><br \/><strong>Home delivery<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/subscribe.californiapost.com\/defaultCAP\">Sign up here!<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/us\/app\/california-post\/id6751343487\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/><\/a><strong>Page Six Hollywood<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/pagesix.com\/hollywood-signup\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sign up here!<\/a><\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rotary International is one of the most respected service organizations in the world. So it is disappointing that the organization has chosen someone with a history of bigoted language to lead its \u201cOrange County L.A.\u201d chapter. Farrah N. Khan is a former Irvine mayor, and was, until recently, a respected member of the community. She&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":22749,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/newspress-collage-k4m63qijw-1785455554323.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&1785441182&w=1200","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22748","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pics-news"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22748","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=22748"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22748\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/22749"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=22748"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=22748"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=22748"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}