Minnesota's Anti Muslim Propaganda Mill - Exposing the Financers, Producers, and Distributors of Hate in Minnesota - ISAIAH
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Minnesota's
AntiMuslim
Propaganda Mill
Exposing the
Financers,
Producers,
and Distributors
of Hate in Minnesota.
Minnesota's Exposing
Financers,
the
AntiMuslim Producers,
and Distributors
Propaganda Mill of Hate in Minnesota.
written by Logan Carroll for
Endorsed by
Minnesota
State Council
table of
contents
INTRODUCTION 4
THE NETWORK 6
THE PROPAGANDA 11
THE AGENDA 18
CASE STUDY: "MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN SUITCASES 22
FLY OUT OF MSP, BUT WHY?"
CONCLUSION 25
key findings
•Most antiMuslim propaganda in Minnesota is created by a closeknit
network of donors and activists as a longterm strategy of enacting
conservative policies that extend far beyond questions of immigration
and race relations.
•Vice Presidents of both General Mills and Comcast sit on the board of
directors of a group producing radical antiMuslim, antiSomali and anti
black propaganda, along with owners and executives from a handful of
midsized Minnesota businesses and half a dozen major law firms.
•The lazy and unethical Fox 9 KMSPTV story "Millions of dollars in
suitcases fly out of MSP, but why?" is modeled on propaganda, based
on uncorroborated allegations by an unreliable source and is being
used to advance a partisan agenda.
•The agenda of the network is closely aligned with mainstream
conservative policy goals, but some members advocate for radical and
regressive social policy.
4
Introduction
Minnesota's Anti-Muslim Propaganda race, religion and ethnicity. The tactic is
Mill is a special report by CAIR simple - to stoke distrust, cynicism and
Minnesota and ISAIAH that unmasks the fear among neighbors so as to inflame
financers, producers, and distributors of distrust in communal efforts, public
anti-Muslim propaganda in Minnesota programs and government-by-the-
today. It identifies the members of this people. The ultimate goal is to
network, analyzes their messaging, and discourage even basic collective action
documents their stated political agenda. or government regulation, to bolster
The final section of this report is a case their wealth and power. The first
study tracing the development and section of this report sketches a road
distribution of a single piece of anti- map of the blogs, think tanks,
Muslim propaganda, and how it has been individuals and institutions most
used to advance a partisan political closely connected to the propaganda
agenda. network built around two Minnesota
nonprofits: the Freedom Club and the
All Minnesotans, whether black or Center of the American Experiment.
white, Christian or Muslim, city or
rural, want to be able to care for their Scapegoating is the bluntest weapon
families, live in healthy communities, in the arsenal of propaganda (perhaps
and see their hopes and dreams from overuse.) In Minnesota today,
crystalize into a pearl they can hold: Muslims, especially Somalis, are the
safety, security, and happiness for them most common villains of this political
and their families. Minnesota has theater, but the propaganda is not based
enough to go around — every on the details of their religion or their
Minnesotan can realize their aspirations. identity. Rather, “radical islamic
Unfortunately, a close-knit network of
wealthy donors and activists foster a
politics of division and fear as a long-
term strategy to enact a host of policies,
some of them truly regressive.
This relatively small network of
wealthy and corporate political
operatives have deployed a paranoid
style of propaganda in Minnesota. This
propaganda is intentional in its design
and effective in its tactic of using dog
whistle politics and divisive, John Hinderaker
conspiratorial and apocalyptic rhetoric President and CEO, Center of the American Experiment
to isolate communities along lines of Director, Freedom Clubterrorism” is just the latest face to be several key aspects of this agenda in 5
painted on the well-worn effigy of detail, although the agenda itself is the
“invading parasitic subversives.” In the product of compromise and not every
past, freemasons, Jews, Catholics, policy is universally supported within
Italians and many more have served as the network.
models for the sneering caricature.1
Invariably, the subject of propaganda The Center for American Progress
becomes an apocalyptic threat to has conducted extensive research into
“traditional” values. The second section the national network that produces
analyses the building blocks of most anti-Muslim talking
“
conspiratorial propaganda; in points in the United States.
theory and with contemporary Text This network does not
examples from the Minnesota books in produce individual stories or
propaganda network outlined America give marching orders to
in the first section. regional networks such as the
must be one operating in Minnesota.
The network is a sophisticated approved Rather, they develop talking
operation to mold public points which lower-level
opinion. The propaganda they
by Islamist operators localize and reshare
produce is a tactic in the long- groups." like urban legends. One of
term strategy of enacting an Anonymous these talking points, “Somalis
array of conservative policies Deplorable fund terrorism with welfare,”
that extend far beyond Housewives of traces its origin to the “welfare
questions of immigration and the Midwest queen” catchphrase used to
race relations. Mostly, this turn public support against
agenda is aligned with the mainstream social safety nets in the 1980s and 90s.
conservative policy agenda, including The final section of this report will
union busting, deregulation and cuts to deconstruct the latest and clearest
social service programs. Beyond that, it example of this urban legend and trace
ranges from highly localized and its development and distribution, from
wonkish (changes in how public its conception in a 2012 Danish
pension costs are calculated) to newspaper, through its inception as the
medieval (enforcement of a “marriage Fox 9 KMSP-TV story “Millions of
norm” by punishing single parents, teen dollars in suitcases fly out of MSP, but
parents and unmarried couples who why?”, and ultimately to its use in a
cohabitate.) The third section examines 2018 Minnesota gubernatorial debate.6
the
network
Since 2011, the Center for American was a Muslim,3 and once said that
Progress (CAP) has conducted research “racism in this country that is the real
into the origins of anti-Muslim problem is black racism” and “certainly
propaganda in the United States.Their not white people.” 4
work revealed that “a small, tightly
networked group of misinformation In 2018, Horowitz generated
experts guid[es] an effort that reaches controversy by using inflammatory and
millions of Americans through effective false statements to criticize a project to
advocates, media partners, and document historical lynchings of
grassroots organizing. This spreading of African Americans. John Hinderaker
hate and misinformation primarily starts defended Horowitz on his blog, Power
with six key people and their Line. Hinderaker is the president and
organizations, which are sustained by CEO of Minnesota-based conservative
funding from a clutch of key think tank Center of the American
foundations.” 2 Experiment and a director of Freedom
Club, another Minnesota-based
One of these six key individuals is nonprofit. In 2017, Freedom Club had
David Horowitz, whose David hosted Horowitz as the featured speaker
Horowitz Freedom Center has been at their Spring Dinner.5
declared a hate group by the Southern
Poverty Law Center. As late as 2014, Just as the national network mapped
Horowitz insisted that Barack Obama by CAP comprises a relatively small
number of individuals driving the
creation and distribution of anti-Muslim
propaganda in the United States, Center
of the American Experiment (“the
Center”) and Freedom Club drive most
anti-Muslim propaganda in Minnesota.
Between them, the two organizations
control or have close ties to four
different online media outlets that
regularly publish anti-Muslim content,
not counting the Center’s branded
publications that include a quarterly
magazine and an online blog. At least
Ronald Eibensteiner two of the anti-Muslim urban legends
Chair, Minnesota Republican Party, 19992005 developed by these sites have been given
Director, Center of the American Experiment7
“
buys, door knocking, and donations to
As usual when such candidates.10 They describe the impact of
questions are asked in polls, these efforts on their website:
the lack of support for free “In 2010 the Freedom Club led the
way in putting the Minnesota
speech rights is discouraging. legislature in Republican control for
Only 15% of respondents agree the first time in state history. Even
though Minnesota has not voted for
that ‘People should be allowed a Republican Presidential candidate
to use Nazi slogans or since Richard Nixon, the Freedom
Club has been able to help maintain
symbols.’" a Republican presence for the last 20
years. Freedom Club was behind the
John Hinderaker 2014 rural Minnesota wins for
President and CEO Minnesota House and the historic
Center of the American Experiment State Senate Republican takeover in
2016.”
credibility by Fox 9 as evening news
Notable members of their board of
segments, which are then shared and re-
directors11 include Richard Morgan, a
shared by these blogs and others across
partner at corporate law firm Bowman
the world.
and Burke who is also on the board of
This propaganda is funded by a small the Center;12 John Hinderaker, the
segment of political insiders and president and CEO of the Center; and
members of the state’s donor class. It is Robert Cummins, who is the president
overseen by organizations whose boards and CEO of Primera Technology. Their
of directors include executives of two executive director is Alex Kharam.
Fortune 500 companies. The propaganda
Cummins founded and is the primary
is used to demand legislative hearings,6 it
funder for Freedom Club.13 He has
becomes fodder for campaign ads,7 and
donated millions to conservative causes
shows up in debates as talking points.8
in recent years, but one of his most
recent donations was to a group called
Freedom Club Minnesotans for Bold Reform, which
The Freedom Club is an exclusive produced a series of pro-Jeff Johnson
organization founded by Republican ads. According to campaign finance
super-donor Robert Cummins. Their documents, the group has raised
events (such as the one where Horowitz $269,000 with $200,000 of that coming
spoke) are closed to non-members, and from Cummins and his wife.14
membership starts at $3000. According Alex Kharam is the full-time executive
to their website, their membership director of Freedom Club,15 the manager
consists of “CEO’s, business owners, of conservative political consulting firm
attorneys, accountants, entrepreneurs, The Greenbrier Group,16 and president
bankers, civic leaders and more.” 9 of the right-wing blog Alpha News since
They organize spending on behalf of its founding in 2015.17 When Alpha
conservative candidates and causes: ad News began, Kharam was also anGeneral Mills and Brad This inclination for secrecy and 8
Anderson anonymity is shared by another right-wing
blog, Deplorable Housewives of the Midwest,
Center of the American Experiment is not which uses a “.news” top level domain.
the first time an executive of General Mills
has been connected to anti-Muslim Like Alpha News, the domain was
propaganda in 2018. Former Best Buy CEO registered anonymously, and some
Brad Anderson resigned from their board of articles are published anonymously under
directors early in the year after the public the username “deplorablehousewife.” No
learned of his donation to a group that information is given about the people
produced anti-Muslim propaganda to support who finance or run the site. Some
Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential contributors are named, including
race. frequent Alpha News writers John
Gillmore and Andrea Mayer-Bruestle.
The group, Secure America Now, presents
itself as a moderate non-partisan group, that Business filings list three registered
simply wants to "bring critical security issues agents: Mayer-Bruestle, Donna Azarian,
to the forefront of American debate." and Susan Richardson.21 Like Mayer-
However, the content they produce is a Bruestle,22 Azarian23 is a writer at
playlist of typical extreme right-wing Alpha News. Richardson publishes
propaganda. It repeats debunked conspiricy articles on the site and is a director of
theories about Benghazi, the Muslim Minnesota Voters Alliance, a right-wing
Brotherhood, and Barack Obama. group that advocates for restrictions on
voting.24 Richardson also served with
One of their videos, "The Islamic State of Robert Cummins on Ted Cruz’s
France," repeats an idea common in anti- Minnesota Leadership Team during
Muslim propaganda. This same idea is alluded Cruz’s 2016 presidential campaign.25
to in one John Hinderaker's Power Line
posts, "Will We Always Have Paris?" Center of the American
Experiment
employee of Civis Communication, a
The Center describes itself as a think
conservative political strategy firm
tank. It was founded in 1990 by Mitch
owned by Cummins. Cole Mathisen was
Perlstein, a former staffer in the
also an employee of Civis
Department of Education under the
Communication and of Cummin’s
Ronald Reagan administration.
Primera Technology when he began
Perlstein said in an interview with
producing videos for Alpha News.18 The
Thinking Minnesota — the Center’s
site regularly publishes articles
quarterly magazine — that he tried to
anonymously, and it was once caught
avoid controversial issues such as
redacting Kharam’s byline.19 It has at
abortion, but also that he was
least once required a contributor to sign
interested in “questions of education,
a non-disclosure agreement that
families, culture, and the like right from
prevented her speaking about the site.20
the start.” 26are all rightwing blogs propaganda mills?
Though clearly connected to the network, Intellectual Takeout distinguishes itself
from the other media outlets connected to the Center and the Freedom Club in
some important ways.
First, while they host much anti-Muslim content, they also host a small amount
advocating tolerance. For example, one recent article is titled “5 Things Muslims
and Christians Can Agree On.” Though an occasional overture toward tolerance
does not mitigate the dangers of publishing anti-Muslim propaganda, none of the
other blogs makes even a token gesture of respect.
The second way that the blog distinguishes itself is in the absence of coverage of
the Fox 9 “Somali daycare” story.
Intellectual Takeout hosts some dangerous content, but it exhibits a degree of
independence lacking from the propaganda mills detailed in this report.
Their board of directors28 is large and
comprised of high level executives from
global finance firms, corporate law
firms, and Fortune 500 companies.
There are employees of seven law firms
(all of which focus on business law and
several of which focus on management-
side labor law,) seven financial firms
(investments include debt,29 banks,30
medical equities, and more,) two
Fortune 500 companies (General Mills
and Comcast,) and eight mid-sized
Minnesota businesses (including an
international manufacturing firm,31 an
industrial dairy,32 and a business
software developer.33) Notable
members of their leadership include:
Brent Robbins • Ronald Eibensteiner, the chairman of
VP and Deputy General Counsel, General Mills the board for the Center, he was also
the Minnesota Republican State
Director, Center of the American Experiment Chairman from 1999-2005. 34
• Brent Robbins, a director of the
The Center frequently hosts celebrities Center and a vice-president and deputy
from the political mainstream at their general counsel at General Mills. 35
annual dinner. Margaret Thatcher, Colin
• John Gibbs, a director of the Center
Powell, and Mikhail Gorbachev have all and the vice-president of state
keynoted the event.27 government affairs at Comcast. 36• Rob Parish, a director of the Center
and secretary of the Hendry Family
10
Foundation, which has given
“
thousands of dollars to the Center, to
the David Horowitz Freedom Center, Saint Cloud has been disfigured
to right wing blog Intellectual Takeout,
and to several organizations pushing and in many ways ruined by refugee
for the privatization of schools
including Better Ed.37 rese lement. The beneficiaries of
• Richard Morgan, on the boards of
these programs have li le to offer
both Freedom Club and Center of the the community, are welfare
American Experiment.
dependent and proudly seek not
• John Hinderaker, the President and
CEO. He serves on the board of to integrate into America but to
Freedom Club, and is a co-founder of replicate the cultural conditions of
and contributor to the right-wing blog
Power Line. their failed, backward cultures. In
Hinderaker took over as president of the teeth of this, local residents
the Center after founder Mitch are told by the Regressive Le
Perlstein stepped down at the end of that it is they who have to change,
2015. Hinderaker is a 41-year veteran not the newly arrived… This means
and former partner of Faegre Baker
Daniels (the largest law firm in you can’t object when your
Minnesota; formerly Faegre and children are bullied by feral
Benson.38) Hinderaker was chosen, in Somali youth."
part, because of his work at Power Line, John Gilmore
which received national attention in Writer, Alpha News
2004 for playing a role in debunking a Writer, Deplorable Housewives
CBS story based on forged documents
about George W. Bush’s National
Guard service.
The organization is closely linked with
Intellectual Takeout is another right the blog; an old staff page for
wing blog with ties to the Center. Its Intellectual Takeout identifies the
founder, Devin Foley, was formerly the organization as “Intellectual Takeout/
director of development at the Center.39 Better Ed.” 40 Between 2014 and 2016,
Better Ed and Intellectual Takeout
Foley also founded Better Ed, a non- together received $80,000 from the
profit advocating for school privatization. Hendry Family Foundation.41
mapping the network
A detailed interactive map of the network is available online:
https://littlesis.org/maps/3431-the-anti-muslim-propaganda-mill-in-minnesota-draft/?In_Minnesota,_anti-
Muslim_propaganda_paves_the_way_for_a_policy_agenda_that_benefits_corporations_and_the_ultra-
wealthy_11
the
propaganda
“Propaganda” is a pejorative term, but
it is accurate for the work produced by
this network. In 2017, Alex Kharam,
executive director of Freedom Club and
president of Alpha News, contributed an
article to Intellectual Takeout where he
wrote: “While theologians typically
deal in the realm of truth, political
consultants like myself typically deal in
the realm of power.” He tried to
undercut the cynicism of that statement John Gilmore
in the rest of the article, but advocated Writer, Alpha News
for a kind of non-violent political Writer, Deplorable Housewives
guerilla warfare.42
one Power Line post, Hinderaker
The members of this media network
bemoans the results of a Holocaust
routinely describe themselves as
awareness poll: “As usual when such
mainstream. Hinderaker described
questions are asked in polls, the lack of
himself and other Power Line writers as
support for free speech rights is
“vigorous advocates” but mainstream,
discouraging. Only 15% of respondents
moderate, and respectful;43 Freedom
agree that ‘People should be allowed to
Club says it is “the premier non-profit
use Nazi slogans or symbols.’” (Note
organization making a difference in
that the survey did not ask if the
Minnesota;" 44 Center of the American
government should ban the use of Nazi
Experiment says it is founded on “time-
symbols, just whether their use “should
tested American virtues;” 45 Deplorable
be allowed.”)48
Housewives' tagline is “serving up a slice
of truth;” 46 and Alpha News describes Shocking as some may find this, it is
their news as “fueled by citizens and not on its own propaganda. Propaganda
their interests.” 47 is a campaign, a coordinated effort to
sharpen a particular narrative into the
However, the work produced by these
keen edge of a wider agenda. There are
sites, funded by some of the wealthiest
five common components of this kind
men and women in Minnesota and
of propaganda: dualism, apocalypticism,
lended credibility by association with
conspiracism, anti-elitism, and
executives from Fortune 500
authoritarianism.49
companies, belies their moderation. InDualism
democrats and The
Sometimes called “manichaeism” or "Countering
“manichean dualism,” this is the belief
that the world is divided into absolutes.
Violent Extremism"
The forces of goodness and light defend Program
holy righteousness from the forces of
darkness, comprised of brutal ignorant
evil geniuses. There are no This report is limited in scope to the role
compromises or non-combatants: that a particular network plays in stoking
anti-Muslim sentiment, but this is only one
One fact that shines through is that
Dr. Virji, like many Muslims,
face of the problem.
resolutely refuses to admit that
Islam has a problem. Terrorism? On her official senate.gov website,
Extremism? Backward countries? Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar
Barbaric customs? Nothing to see trumpets her advocacy of the Countering
here! Islam is just like Christianity,
we all have our bad apples.
Violent Extremism program (CVE.) CVE is
— John Hinderaker, based on the bigotted notion that religion
Power Line50 and nationality determine how likely a
person is to commit violence. CVE spreads
Somali or Islamic, it is a distinction the idea that entire Muslim communities are
without a difference to women
living in a free society. Within the responsable for the actions of individuals.
Somali culture or under the
totalitarian regime of Islam, women Beyond stoking anti-Muslim sentiment
do not enjoy equality or individual among the public, CVE is also used by law
freedom. This fact is not debatable. enforcement to target Muslim communities.
— AJ Kern,
The FBI, one of the main agencies involved
Deplorable Housewives51
with CVE, has concluded that engagement
Saint Cloud has been disfigured and with radicalism is not a clear predictor of
in many ways ruined by refugee violence. However, they have used CVE as
resettlement. The beneficiaries of
these programs have little to offer a pretense to increase surveillance,
the community, are welfare informants, and other targeting of Muslim
dependent and proudly seek not to communities not connected to any
integrate into America but to
replicate the cultural conditions of suspected wrongdoing.
their failed, backward cultures. In
the teeth of this, local residents are CVE was the project of a Democratic
told by the Regressive Left that it is president, and Klobuchar is one of its
they who have to change, not the fiercest advocates in Minnesota. The subject
newly arrived… This means you
can’t object when your children are of this report is a group of Republicans, but
bullied by feral Somali youth. that should not be interpreted to mean that
— John Gilmore, CAIR MN holds all Republicans guilty or
Alpha News52 all Democrats blameless for anti-Muslim
sentiment in Minnesota.They [refugees] also bring cultural reach out to Muslim communities are
and law enforcement challenges: The also demonized and targeted:
practice of polygamy and female
genital mutilation, low workforce Many women will not feel
participation by men, and comfortable attending the RLC
inexperience with the requirements convention [Republican Liberty
of citizenship and voting. Caucus convention held in the Dar
— Kim Crockett, Al Farooq community center] and
Thinking Minnesota53 will not ignore the fact that the
RPM [Republican Party of
Minnesota] has embraced a
While Islam and Somali people are
community that does not recognize
frequently the foci of demonization, ‘individual liberty’ and certainly
they are not the worst offenders; there not the ‘equality’ of women.
is no bad/worse/worst, there is only — AJ Kern,
superlative evil. The words “liberal,” Deplorable Housewives56
“progressive,” and “Democrat” are used
interchangeably and are joined with the Apocalypticism
forces of darkness. As the Countering
Violent Extremism program In the narrative written by right wing
demonstrates, Democrats are equally propagandists, the forces of good and
capable of spreading anti-Muslim evil are not in static balance but locked
sentiment, but in the world of right- in war and hurtling toward a climactic
wing propaganda, they are part of the showdown. The stakes could not be
grand conspiracy: higher. In the extreme, life on earth itself
is threatened (see sidebar page 15.) At the
Minneapolis policeman and Somali
diversity hire Mohamed Noor shot least, the forces of evil want to destroy
and killed Justine Damond last the American Way of Life:
year… in court proceedings last
week we learned astounding facts It’s as big a mistake to believe that
about the depravity of those who Islam is a religion of peace as it is to
insist on “diversity” regardless of believe that diversity is our
the price. strength. Countering those two
poisonous and delusional narratives
— John Gilmore, is the central challenge of our age.
Alpha News54 The ongoing battles take place
along many fronts.
The Democrat Party is no longer
— John Gilmore,
the party of peace, love and
tolerance. It is the party of death, Deplorable Housewives57
destruction, derangement,
vindictiveness, vitriol, perversion, Speaking at the Conservative
bullying, revenge, intolerance, spite, Political Action Conference
hypocrisy and dishonesty. (CPAC) in 2011, [former director of
the CIA James] Woolsey defined
— Anonymous Sharia as a “theocratic dictatorship
(deplorablehousewife,) extremely opposed to democracy”
Deplorable Housewives55 and a movement to “eliminate and
destroy western civilization.”
Not all Republicans are responsible — Anonymous (Lil D,)
for spreading anti-Muslim sentiment, Deplorable Housewives58
but members of the right wing whoin which he described “a class of
political elites in America that could be
undermining American democracy.”
These were not business owners or
entrepreneurs; their class was not
economically defined, that is, it wasn’t
wealthy people. Rather, it was
“lawyers, media, government officials,
and academics.”
It might seem odd that Eibensteiner —
a millionaire financier and former chair
of the Minnesota Republican party
who has donated more than $170,000 to
AJ Kern politicians across the country61 —
Contributor, Deplorable Housewives would accuse journalists and teachers of
political elitism.
The Turks made a fearsome
example of Khatun’s family and the When the word elite is used in this
1.5 million other Armenians who
would not convert to Islam… The kind of propaganda, it is better
more I read about Sharia, the more understood to mean undeserving elite.
I fear it. The more I fear it, the It is a core conservative belief that the
more I see it implemented into our free market acts as a just system of
American fabric. And then I think
reward and discipline (though different
of Khatun and her family.
strains of conservatism may apply
— Anonymous (Lil D,)
Deplorable Housewives59 caveats to that statement.) Wealthy
elites, by definition, deserve their
They (the Muslim Students status. Relatively poor “elites” such as
Association) are a threat to every teachers, journalists, and civil servants
campus and every community in
which they exist. They are a part of have not proven their worth in the free
the Muslim Brotherhood’s network market but instead sponge off the
whose stated mission is to wage producers of wealth:
civilization jihad until our
Constitutional Republic is destroyed I thought they [three news articles]
and an Islamic state is established here. were a stark example of how
— Alpha News, quoting John malignant America’s self-appointed
“elites” are, even though, as we
Guandolo, author of Raising
never tire of pointing out, they are
A Jihadi Generation: anything but elite. In fact, they are
Understanding the Muslim below average. Which is why most
Brotherhood Movement in Americans rightly don’t think
America60 much of them.
— John Hinderaker,
Antielitism Power Line62
In the Summer 2017 issue of Allegations of elitism of this kind
Thinking Minnesota, Ron Eibensteiner frequently pair with dualism and
wrote a column titled “The New Elite” apocalypticism, and almost always pairwith accusations of conspiracy with an Islamophobia
invading force of parasites:
The term "Islamophobia" borrows its form
Devaluing human beings,
specifically white people, seems from "homophobia," a word coined to
popular now days among the elites counter-pathologize those who consider
and the educated. The best educated homosexuality a mental illness.
in the West often lack wisdom and
they have become morally confused While Islamophobia is real, this report
which has given rise to evil attempts to explain, in part, how rational
ideologies. Education and
intelligence alone without wisdom
people turn to acts of violence and extremism.
will be the downfall of American We reserve the use of "Islamophobia" for anti-
culture and the end of human Muslim works so feverish that they have
civilization if this trend continues. detached completely from reality.
— Susan Richardson,
Deplorable Housewives63 Take, for example, this almost Lovecraftian
passage by the Danish conspiricist Nicolai
We’ve seen in abundance what has Sennels, translated from Danish:
happened to Europe when elites
open the borders of their countries Should our civilization collapse under
without regard to the quality of the Islamic aggression - helped by our own
people admitted. political correctness, cowardice, laziness -
— John Gilmore, the only known place of intelligent life in
Deplorable Housewives64 this universe will be a dark and broken
planet driving through space, populated by
And that’s the problem: regressive billions of mostly inbred people who live
cultural elites insist the wholesale in total misery, made slaves of freedom-
importation of Muslims into secular hating, death-loving, brutally mind-
western society is essentially the numbing sharia. What tragedy could be
same as an American expat in Paris. worse than that?
— John Gilmore,
Alpha News65 This passage is rightfully called
"Islamophobic," as is Sennels.
Conspiracism Each of the preceding three aspects of
right wing propaganda expresses itself
Scholarship that studies conspiratorial as a project to document a vast
propaganda begins with the assumption conspiracy. In the past, there have been
that adherents are no more crazy or conspiracies of freemasons more loyal
stupid than other demographic to their lodges than to the United
segments. To accuse them of stupidity or States, Jesuits disguised as travelling
to pathologize them en masse is bigotry. vagabonds looking for weak
In his seminal essay, "The Paranoid Style communities to subvert, and
in American Politics," Richard communist agents infiltrating all levels
Hofstadter commented that “It is the use of government. Today, it is “Islamists,”
of paranoid modes of expression by aligned with teachers, journalists, and
more or less normal people that makes politicians who are alternately
the phenomenon significant.” described as naively believing in the
power of diversity or else cynicallyprofiting off votes acquired through Textbooks in America must be
“population replacement.” Whether approved by Islamic groups.
malevolent or naive, tolerating Islam — Anonymous (Lil D,)
yields the same result: Deplorable Housewives69
The Democratic Party is now the It has long been reported that the
party of open borders and Obama administration had ties
population replacement. They’re with Islamic leaders. A 2015 article
nakedly honest about their goals by Breitbart reported that in
and people refuse to see this threat February 2015, fourteen Muslim
at their, and our country’s, peril. “leaders” met with Obama in the
— John Gilmore, White House.
Deplorable Housewives66 — Andrea Mayer-Bruestle,
Deplorable Housewives70
Written by The Muslim
Brotherhood in 1991, The [Ilhan] Omar has publicly identified
“Explanatory Memorandum” Ahmed Hirsi as her cultural
explains in the document that it was husband and father of her children.
created as a strategy to destroy However, Omar is currently
America through our own married to Ahmed Nur Said Elmi.
leadership. The document’s Elmi’s name follows the Somali
“mission statement” clearly states custom of being named after his
that it plans to conduct father, which is the same name as
“Civilization Jihad” by co-opting her father.
the leadership of the United States — Christine Bauman,
into believing a counterfactual Alpha News71
understanding about Islam and the
nature of the Muslim Brotherhood,
forcing our leaders to enforce the
Muslim Brotherhood narrative on
their subordinates.
— Anonymous
(Alpha News Staff,)
Alpha News67
The world described in this anti-
Muslim propaganda is a cyclopean
machine of wheels within wheels. The
larger plot to destroy western
civilization is advanced through a
project of smaller conspiracies:
Not a single story about who
[Linda] Sarsour is, what she has said
and what she has done has appeared
in any Twin Cities media outlet.
This is by design because to cover
Sarsour would lead to [Ilhan]
Omar’s association with her…
Alex Kharam
Executive Director, Freedom Club
— John Gilmore,
Deplorable Housewives68
President, Alpha NewsAuthoritarianism This insinuation is sometimes acheived
by juxtaposing legitimate religious
Each of these blogs is branded
considerations with invented demands:
libertarian, so displays of
authoritarianism are accessorized with Sharia law is the very basis for
hedge language and cloaked in every demand that Muslims make
on society today. Whether it be
insinuation. Perhaps the starkest
special treatment in hospitals,
example of authoritarian posturing books being vetted, women wearing
came from Hinderaker when he headscarves, the ownership of their
equated freedom of speech with bride, four male witnesses to
acceptance of naziism. A softer way of provide a testimony against a rape.
calling for authoritarianism is to — Alpha News,
quoting Republican
insinuate that Islam is not a legitimate
gubernatorial candidate
religion, and therefore Muslims should Christopher Chamberlin74
not be afforded basic religious freedom:
American employers and schools A final example is an 11-part series on
are met with demands for time and Power Line arguing in favor of racial
space for Islamic prayer and the profiling. The first part declares that
American banking system now has “racial disparities reflect underlying
Sharia compliant financing.
behavioral disparities,” and “blacks are
— Anonymous (Lil D,)
disproportionately subject to arrest,
Deplorable Housewives72
conviction, incarceration, and
Are the growing number of mosques sentencing because they are
in America, such as the disproportionately perpetrators of the
Bloomington mosque, a breeding corresponding criminal behavior.” 75
ground for a new wave of terrorism?
— AJ Kern,
Deplorable Housewives73
The AntiMuslim Speaking Circuit
There are some connections depth interview by John Gilmore The rhetoric espoused by the
between the blog network and the published by Alpha News. speakers follows the same pattern
"anti-Muslim speakers circuit," as as the writers of anti-Muslim
the Star Tribune labelled it. John Guandolo has spoken in propaganda, though they can be
both rural Minnesota and the Twin even more naked in their
The Tribune identified several Cities. Guandolo's book Raising A sentiment. Guandolo told a crown
individuals active on the circuit, Jihadi Generation was quoted at in Warroad, MN, that Muslims
including AJ Kern, Clare Lopez, length by an anonymous Alpha had taken over the state, and used
and Jeffrey Baumann. Kern, who News contributor. military imagery to urge them to
has written for Deplorable fight back:
Housewives, is frequently cited in Gilmore has praised the work of
news reports about the circuit. Raheel Raza. Raza has been "I'm telling you. Marines,
Baumann participates in debates in connected by the Southern we fight for hills. We take
the Alpha News comment section. Poverty Law Center to multiple them back. It's time to put
Lopez was the subject of an in- hate groups. freedom back on the
offensive where it belongs."18
the
agenda
In a 2015 interview with MinnPost, Their agenda is mostly in line with
the outgoing president of the Freedom that of mainstream conservatism. For
Club gently mocked the paranoia that example, United States conservatives
frequently informed writing about the have sought to weaken unions for
club: “There’s no secret handshake.” decades, and in recent years have had
Their main area of focus is “economic success at the state level. In
freedom,” he said. “I don’t think it’s Minnesota, the Center marshalls
much of a secret plan; it is what several anti-union campaigns.
members of our club are passionate
about having a voice on — less They are also the force behind
government involvement and less MNPCA, a hazy organization that
taxes.”76 There is something claims to represent personal care
underhanded in the way Freedom Club assistants (PCAs), but which takes great
hides their involvement with Alpha lengths to hide its backers. Their
News, but they are transparent about address is a PO Box, their phone a
their agenda. As is the Center: VOIP number from Skype or Google
Voice, and their website was registered
“It not only researches and through a proxy.78 There are no names
produces papers on Minnesota’s given for agents or officers of the group
economy, education, health care,
the family, employee freedom and on the website. However, they work
state and local governance. It also with Douglas Seaton,79 senior counsel
crafts and proposes creative at a law firm that “exclusively advises
solutions that emphasize free
enterprise, limited government,
personal responsibility
government accountability.” 77
More details of their agenda are
and
apparent in the projects, publications,
“ They [refugees] also bring
cultural and law enforcement
challenges: The practice of
and endorsements of the Freedom Club polygamy and female genital
and the Center. For example, Freedom mutilation, low workforce
Club runs a project called participation by men, and
“MakeMNRed” that organizes voters to
support conservative candidates.
inexperience with the
(MNGOP party chair Jennifer requirements of citizenship and
Carnahan writes on the party website: voting."
“We invite you to learn more about our Kim Crocke
values and join our movement to Make Vice President,
Minnesota Red.”) Senior Policy Fellow, and General Counsel,
Center of the American Experimentand represents employers in labor and
employment matters,” according to its
website.80 The firm, Seaton, Peters &
Revnew, is represented on the Center’s
board of directors.81 The Center co-
host MNPCA press conferences.82 State
Senator Michelle Benson attended the
Center’s fall briefing several months
before introducing the PCA
decertification bill currently being
debated in the legislature.83
The nexus of anti-Muslim
propaganda and anti-union activism
within the network is clear. The
producers include owners and
managers of some of the biggest
businesses in the state - who would
gain the most from decreased union
strength. And union busting has long
been seen as a way of weakening the Mitch Perlstein
Founder, Senior Policy Fellow, and Director,
funding base of the Democratic party.
Center of the American Experiment
After the Supreme Court decision
2013/2014 than in the previous cycle.
Janus v. AFSCME, conservative groups
However, he made the maximum
around the country began a
contribution to Jeff Johnson’s
coordinated campaign to encourage
gubernatorial campaign. 88
teachers to opt-out of the teachers
union.84 In Minnesota, this campaign The Center regularly makes policy
has been undertaken by the Center recommendations. In 2014, they
through their project “Educated published a comprehensive policy
Teachers MN.” 85 blueprint for Minnesota. Many policies
are wonkish: disincentivizing cycling
The Freedom Club is also
and public transportation in favor of
fundamentally anti-union. In 2011, they
car use;89 matching public employee
undertook extensive polling to measure
contributions to retirement plans rather
how receptive Minnesotans were to
than investing a defined amount;90
right-to-work legislation.86 In 2012,
creating an internet-based database to
Cummins threatened to cut off all
provide more detailed and objective
financing of the state Republican party
economic and demographic analysis for
over their failure to pass a right-to-work
Minnesota policymakers and businesses.91
bill.87 He followed through on his
promise. He had given $430,000 to the Other proposals would result in a
party in the 2011/2012 cycle, and radically smaller government and
nothing in 2013/2014. He also donated substantially fewer public services:
to 40 percent fewer candidates in abolishing corporate taxes and loweringblatantly authoritarian. And that the 20
“
network would stoke fever-dreams of
One fact that shines Islam impinging on public life while
through is that Dr. Virji, like working to legislate a regressive kind of
many Muslims, resolutely Christian morality. But this opinion
does not come from a fringe of the
refuses to admit that Islam has group, nor is it outdated. The report
a problem. Terrorism? was published in January, 2018, and
Extremism? Backward begins with a glowing introduction by
the Center’s founder.
countries? Barbaric customs?
Nothing to see here! Islam is “Family fragmentation” is a common
theme within the network, especially as
just like Christianity, we all an explanation for racial disparities.
have our bad apples." Power Line, in the 2015 series arguing
John Hinderaker in favor of racial profiling, says that
President and CEO, racial disparities arise because of
Center of the American Experiment “behavioral disparities” which arise in
part because “in Africa itself nuclear
the tax rate on top earners;92 replacing family ties were weak.” 96
MinnesotaCare with a premium
subsidy program;93 and abolishing the This is just a small sampling of the
Met Council.94 causes that Freedom Club and the
Center have advocated. Cummins was
One report published by the Center is the main financial sponsor of the 2012
titled “Restoring a Marriage Norm.” The marriage amendment. He donated
report tries to solve the problems of extensively to the authors of both the
increasing divorce rates, unmarried Senate and House versions on
cohabitation, and out of marriage Minnesota’s 2012 voter ID amendment.
pregnancies. It jokes that perhaps the The Center’s magazine has had cover
solution to the problem is for higher stories that argued against green energy,
income Americans with college educations alleged a conspiracy of indoctrinating
— among whom, we are told, marriage is school children to be tolerant of
alive and well — to tell everyone else to transgender people, and opposed racial
“shape up.” Those most in need of equity in schools.
intervention, according to the report, are
poor people and African Americans. It Both the Freedom Club and the
advocates social stigmatization or legal Center were early supporters of
punishment of single parents, those who Republican gubernatorial candidate Jeff
live together before marriage, and Johnson. Robert Cummins, his wife,
divorcees, demanding that “violators must and fellow Freedom Club member
pay a price.” 95 Phillip Lindau together contributed
$225,000 to a group called Minnesotans
It is incongruous that the Center — for Bold Reform that produced two pro-
which purports to be dedicated to Johnson ads during the primary, and
libertarian principles — would be so conducted market research to learnwhat would motivate people to vote for
Johnson. And Hinderaker wrote on
Power Line:
Johnson’s campaign was based
largely on work done by my activist
policy organization, Center of the
American Experiment. Jeff spent
two hours with me before he
launched his campaign, doing a
deep dive into state policy issues.
He adopted our themes and
repeated, over and over, our data. 97
Johnson has made many statements
lifted directly from the Center’s
publications. At the beginning of 2017,
the Center wrote that local
communities are burdened by the
refugee resettlement program and that:
There is perhaps no clearer example
of this than Minnesota which not
only receives the highest number of
refugees but also receives a high
number of ‘secondary migrants’ Jeff Johnson
who move to Minnesota after brief Republican Gubernatorial Candidate
stays in other states. 98
In July 2018, Jeff Johnson penned an Other aspects of Johnson’s platform
editorial for Alpha News attacking the lifted directly from the Center include
refugee resettlement program: dismantling the Met Council,100 turning
MinnesotaCare into a subsidy program,101
In 2016, Minnesota accepted 3059 and cutting taxes and government
refugees from other countries. We
also, however, became home to programs.102 While Johnson uses more
many “secondary” refugees – those traditionally populist rhetoric when
who are originally placed in other describing his tax plan, the end result
states but then move to Minnesota. would disproportionately benefit the
In the two-year period ending in
wealthiest individuals and corporations,
2015, Minnesota became home to
more secondary refugees than all such as those on the boards of the
other states combined. 99 Freedom Club and the Center."Millions of dollars in suitcases 22
fly out of MSP, but why?"
case study
The Center of American Progress has juxtaposes unrelated factoids to imply a
concluded that most anti-Muslim sinister conspiracy:
propaganda in the United States 1) Factual stories or statistics about crime
originates with a small group of committed by people of Somali heritage.
individuals and organizations. In this
2) Factual stories or statistics about
section, we will trace the development of Somali people receiving welfare.
one anti-Muslim story from its
3) An assertion that at least some welfare
conception in a 2012 Danish news article money falls into the hands of terrorists.
to its inception as Fox 9 KMSP-TV’s The claim is so cloaked in hedge
wildly unethical "Millions of dollars in language that it is both unprovable and
irrefutable. Hawala, Al Qaeda, and Al
suitcases fly out of MSP, but why?" Shabaab are frequently named.
After following the story through the
networks, both national and In 2012, Danish newspaper Jyllands-
Minnesotan, we will look at some of the Posten published a story “Police:
ways this story has been used to advance Danish millions fund terror.” Within
the agenda of the Minnesota network as days, portions of the article were
outlined in the previous section. translated into English and molded into
propaganda by notorious European
On May 13th, 2018, Fox 9 ran a islamophobe Nicolai Sennels (see
segment on their nightly news that sidebar on page 15.) Sennels’ post was
purported to exposee massive welfare hosted on Jihad Watch, a member of the
fraud. The report claimed to be “based propaganda network identified by CAP.
on public records and nearly a dozen In this post, we see the outline of the
government sources who have direct Fox 9 story:
knowledge of what is happening.”
However, only four sources were named Only 43.3 percent of male Somali
immigrants and 33 percent of
and only one, a retired Washington state
female Somali immigrants in
police officer named Glenn Kerns, Denmark have a job. It is therefore
affirmed the story’s key assertion. fair to guess that social benefits
from the Danish states finance
The Fox 9 story closely follows a terror against Denmark. On May
template laid down by right-wing 27, two Somali immigrants were
propagandists as early as 2012. The arrested for planning terror against
Denmark. 103
template is a variation on the “welfare
queen” story. It spreads like an urban
Note that while two of the above
legend — the basic structure stays the
statements may be factually correct, they
same but details are localized — and
are non-sequiturs welded together with a2013, to 5,950. At the same time,
food assistance participation
23
increased 98 percent, to 17,300
adults and children, which does not
include U.S.-born Somalis.” 106
The similarity in language is not
coincidental, but a requisite part of the
story. Technically factual but unrelated
statistics buttress airy implications of
sinister forces. This story doesn’t
mention crime, but stories of crime
committed by people of Somali
heritage are endemic on Alpha News.
Less than two weeks after the above
post was published, the site ran an
article titled "More Somali daycare
fraud in Minnesota, could abuse have
Kim Crocke been prevented?"107
Vice President, Senior Policy Fellow
and General Counsel, It is well known that the Fox 9 story
Center of the American Experiment was a rewrite of "Suitcases full of cash
leaving Sea-Tac Airport," a 2016 story by
baseless assertion written in such
Seattle television news station King 5.
equivocal language that it cannot be
Both stories are lazy, unethical, and base
refuted. The story was picked up a week
their most salacious allegations on the
later by right wing blog Money Jihad,
uncorroborated word of Glenn Kerns.
which linked to the Jihad Watch post.104
This was, in turn, linked to by Terror At the top, the King 5 story admits there
Finance Blog in a 2014 post arguing that is nothing illegal or even unusual about
hawala funds Al Shabaab. 105 cash being shipped via airport. Then,
buried deep in the story, is a statement
In 2015, Alpha News published an
from a source within the U.S. Attorney’s
article about hawala being used to send
Office in Seattle. The source said they
money to Somalia. In it, the
looked into Kerns’ allegations of Somali
anonymous contributor alleged that:
welfare fraud and terrorism financing and
Without a secure and stable that there was no case. They
government there is absolutely no recommended steps to potentially develop
way to ensure the money doesn’t
end up in the wrong hands. If the a case, but Kerns did not follow up.
Congress members get their way,
then it’s fair for Minnesota A simple internet search of Kerns
taxpayers to question whether their turns up a blog post by Jeff Siddiqui, a
money, via welfare cash assistance Muslim-American activist who
programs, is being sent overseas. describes an encounter he had with
According to the Star Tribune, new
Somali refugees in Minnesota using Kerns in 2010. Siddiqui writes that the
the “family cash assistance program then-detective “launched into how
jumped 34 percent from 2008 to Somalis by nature are criminals andterrorists and cannot be trusted and In this iteration, the hedge language is
how he could never tell whether a replaced by a source-of-a-source:
24
family had five children or twelve and
“‘We had sources that told us, 'It’s
they were all scamming.”108 Neither welfare fraud, it’s all about the
Siddiqui nor Chris Ingalls, who daycare,'” said Kerns.
reported the King 5 story, responded to
multiple requests for comment. Since its release, the Fox 9 story has
been the focus of five stories on Alpha
Despite the complete lack of substance, News, six on Power Line (including a
the King 5 story lent credibility to right three-part series,) and two on Deplorable
wing propaganda. It was shared around Housewives. It has been mentioned in
the world on right wing blogs as far many more stories on all three sites.
away as New Zealand.109
In 2016, Fox 9 retracted another story
In 2018, the King 5 story was that first appeared on Power Line. It
repurposed, localized with old stories of repeated a feverish conspiracy theory
crimes committed by Minnesotans of about Ilhan Omar falsely attributed to a
Somali heritage, and breathlessly U.S. attorney.111
presented as “the worst scandal in
Minnesota history,” as John Hinderaker The story has also been used to
wrote. He concluded with a call to directly support political causes. It was
“totally revamp both our immigration used by Robert Cummins and
policies and our welfare system.”110 Minnesotans for Bold Reform in their
early pro-Jeff Johnson ads.112 Johnson
The Fox 9 story reproduced the has adopted it himself, tweeting about
template of the urban legend: technically it several times and using it as a talking
factual stories of Somali people receiving point in a debate with Tim Walz.113
welfare are juxtaposed with technically
factual stories of crime committed by Though Minnesota is facing a deeply
Somali people, connected only by an underfunded healthcare system, some
assertion insulated from factual rebuttal. legislators are using the Fox 9 story to
argue, along with the Center, for still
deeper cuts.114
Obliterate nuance
The stories about hawala financing while hawala is increasingly being used simple steps that regulators can take
terrorism provide a clear example of to fund terrorism, the problem is not to prevent money laundering, but
how propaganda shapes opinion by in the system itself but the result of these are similar to traditional
obliterating nuance. crack-downs on traditional western western financial institutions. For
financial institutions, a lack of example, by watching for unusually
A professional association for people regulatory oversight, and a general high turnovers of funds.
involved in preventing financial lack of understanding of the system.
crimes, ACAMS, released the report Hawala poses unique challenges for
"A guidance to understand hawala and In the United States, hawalas are those working to prevent financial
to establish the nexus with Terrorist classified as money services crimes, including the funding of
financing" in March 2018. The report businesses and regulated as such. criminal organizations. However, it is
stressed that those who operate Hawalas maintain detailed records hardly the shadowy, conspiratorial
hawalas are running a legitimate when properly regulated as they are system propagandists describe.
business. Further, it observed that in the United States. There are25
conclusion
Those who consume anti-Muslim observances. The article said residents
propaganda are not crazy, stupid, or “fear for their personal safety” when
bigoted. They make rational decisions using the park near Dar al Farooq and
about the world in which they live. that the center is responsible for
Like most of us, they live in the world speeding cars that cause “fear and
created by the media they consume. To concern for the children and other
the extent that they consume right residents in the residential
wing propaganda, that media is the neighborhood.” 117
product of a coordinated propaganda
campaign. In the world created by this At the end of 2016, the Center for
propaganda, preemptive violence Security Policy — another major
towards Muslims is not only defensible producer of anti-Muslim propaganda in
and necessary, it is rational. the United States according to CAP —
published a book called Mosques in
On April 8, 2016, the Investigative America. The introduction says:
Project on Terrorism published a blog
“Mosques in America is a how-to
post: "Islamic University of Minnesota manual for patriotic Americans
a Hotbed of Extremism." The Project is who are ready to counter the
a main producer of anti-Muslim leading edge of Islamic
content in the United States according supremacism: its infrastructure-
building through the construction
to CAP. In the post, they state that of Sharia-promoting mosques that
“Dar al-Farooq Islamic Center and Al- serve to alienate and radicalize.” 118
Farooq Youth & Family Center have
produced at least five young members The book includes several case
who left to fight for ISIS.” 115 studies to demonstrate the threat. “Case
One” is the Dar Al Farooq Islamic
On May 21, 2016, Scott Johnson
Center.
posted a blog for Power Line where he
wrote “In an April 3 recording of On August 5, 2017, Dar Al Farooq
Abdurahman and Farah at Dar Al- was the target of right wing terrorists
Farooq Mosque in south Minneapolis, who broke a window and threw a
Farah mocked the deaths of American firebomb into the imam’s office. When
soldiers fighting in the Middle East.” 116 they were arrested several months later,
according to the affidavit, they said they
On July 26, 2016, Andrea Mayer-
wanted to “scare [Muslims] out of the
Bruestle penned an article for Alpha
country ... because they push their
News about Dar Al Farooq. The article
beliefs on everyone else.”
accused the community center of
violating their land use ordinance by The media focused on the crime, the
hosting normal Islamic religious anti-Muslim statements of theYou can also read
