Rotary International, a global service organization, is facing criticism for appointing Farrah N. Khan, a former Irvine mayor, to lead its Orange County L.A. chapter. The decision has drawn scrutiny due to Khan's public statements made after leaving office, which some interpret as having anti-Semitic and anti-white undertones.
Khan's remarks emerged in the wake of the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. She shared an article from Al Jazeera detailing an alleged Israeli airstrike on a school in Minab, Iran, and added the comment: "The sick pedophiles/cannibals are doing what they do best." According to reports, the airstrike in question was conducted by the U.S., not Israel, and the phrase "pedophiles/cannibals" was linked to Jeffrey Epstein, who was Jewish, and also evoked medieval anti-Jewish blood libel tropes.
Khan has since stated that her comments were directed at Israeli military and government officials. However, these statements, made publicly, have led to accusations that her rhetoric is inconsistent with Rotary's core values, particularly its "Four Way Test," which emphasizes truth, fairness, goodwill, and beneficial outcomes for all.
This controversy revives discussions of Rotary's past. Historically, the organization has grappled with incidents such as a London Rotary Club hosting a speaker who defended apartheid in 1953 and some Rotary clubs in Nazi Germany complying with the regime by expelling Jewish members. The organization has since used these historical events as learning opportunities. Critics argue that Khan's appointment suggests a failure to fully learn from these past episodes.