Minnesota Public Radio recently launched a Regressive Left jihad against former Best Buy CEO Brad Anderson for the crime thought of donating $25,000 to a pro-Trump, pro-Israel group, Secure America Now. That group later ran ads, unrelated to the reasons for which Anderson donated, pointing out the dangers of Islamism. For this, some dishonest local media characterized the ads as “anti-Muslim.”
MRP’s own initial reporting was written by an astounding six–count ‘em!–reporters. Why the overkill? Because MPR is the major Minnesota news outlet promoting the warped agenda of terrorist affiliated CAIR. This is why MPR went after Anderson over something he had no control over and bore no relation to the nature of his contribution.
That MPR story reported that “the campaign included mock travel ads in which France and Germany are subject to Sharia law. It also promoted an “Islamic States of America” mock travel promo in which Syrian refugees had overtaken America. The Statue of Liberty is dressed in a burqa and holds a star and crescent.”
There’s nothing wrong whatsoever with those ads or the images they contain. They are squarely within the mainstream of normal civil discourse about the future of this country. You may not like them but CAIR’s bullying sensitivities should not be allowed to be the standard which governs our speech and First Amendment freedoms.
Anderson, to his credit, was having nothing to do with the smear job, telling MPR “It seems to me hard to understand that you would expect that I would be held accountable for everything somebody subsequently does with a contribution,” he said. “As an example, I’ve given many, many times to American Public Media, Minnesota Public Radio, and I don’t always agree with things that go on the air, but I don’t assume I’m responsible for every part of the enterprise.”
That’s exactly right. No one donor is responsible for everything an organization does or says after a contribution. Anderson was explicit about his motivations about his generous support to Secure America Now: the security of Israel. His personal discussions with the founder of the group centered around that issue exclusively.
But here’s the real agenda: getting rid of conservative donors and supporters of Trump & Israel through any means available. MPR continues: “The Council on American-Islamic Relations’ Minnesota chapter called on Anderson Thursday to step down from the boards of Minnesota Public Radio and General Mills, two of the several boards he serves on.
Anderson said the call was “unbalanced,” and “does not fit the circumstances,” but said he “will honor whatever the companies and the boards I serve on [want].”
Anderson has subsequently resigned from the board of directors of Mayo. It’s unclear if the jihad against secularism by CAIR will be sated by this or if they’ll continue to insist this good man be punished over something for which he had nothing to do. Of course, Anderson was forced to “condemn” the ads, in the best tradition of Cultural Revolution of reeducation schools where victims were forced to learn the approved line of thought.
Worries about Islamism, hoevever, are not misplaced. Look at Europe, whose culture is being destroyed by unfettered immigration. Look to Great Britain, where Pakistani muslim rape gangs roam free in Rotherham and Telford. A terrorized populace is told that to complain about their daughters being raped is racist.
Brit Katie Hopkins has warned us: do not let America fall like my country has fallen.
As a friend of mine said: “the idea that every donor would be responsible for every piece of lit that a non profit does or that the media can objectively claim something is racist with no proof and then go after their donors is fascism via the HR department.” Quite right.
The actions by MPR & CAIR are designed to intimidate business owners and others from supporting groups that are supportive of Trump, Israel or are worried about the Islamization of America.
Actually, it is broader than that because the reasons you may support a group will be vitiated if later they say or do something not explicitly tethered to your original reasons for giving.
Such a standard is never applied to the numerous non-profit groups on the Regressive Left. That’s the point and we must fight against these efforts. Brad Anderson is first but you’re next. Believe me.
John Gilmore
John Gilmore is an author, freelance writer & former opinion columnist for Alpha News. He blogs at minnesotaconservatives.org & is @Shabbosgoy on Twitter