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| Government Corruption |
| Illinois taxpayers footing $1 million bill for group inspired by antisemitic Nation of Islam |
| 2023-02-25 |
| [St. Louis Jewish Life] Throughout its nearly 95-year history, the Nation of Islam has been "notorious for its antisemitism, homophobia and anti-white bigotry," the Southern Poverty Law Center notes. The Chicago-headquartered religious group has "a consistent record of antisemitism and bigotry," and its leader Louis Farrakhan has said contemporary Jews are "not really Jews but are in fact Satan" and "the enemy of God and the enemy of the righteous," among many antisemitic statements, the Anti-Defamation League adds. The sixth most-populous U.S. state and its Jewish governor appear to have missed the memo. In 2021 and 2022, Illinois shelled out half a million dollars to the Nation of Islam, and it is slated to fund the hate group another half a million this year. This support in taxpayer monies comes at a time when antisemitic incidents in the U.S. have hit an all-time high. Chicago has had its share recently of synagogue desecrations, vandalism and violent attacks against Jews, and Gov. J.B. Pritzker and other Jewish state lawmakers have been targets of antisemitism. Yet a report by Focus on Western Islamism—a project of the Middle East Forum—revealed that Illinois is paying out substantial amounts of money to a group that is inspired by the Nation of Islam. Susannah Johnston, an investigative reporter for the one-year-old site, which Daniel Pipes publishes, found via public records that the Build Illinois Bond Fund—established by the state in the mid-’80s to promote economic development—gave $500,000 to the Coalition for the Remembrance of Elijah Muhammad (CROE) in 2021 and 2022. The state intends to give another $500,000 to that group this year. Muhammad, who died in 1975 and was a disciple of Nation of Islam founder Fard Muhammad, has his own hateful track record. The Nation of Islam leader, who appointed Farrakhan, "promoted the idea that white people were created by an evil Black scientist and that Black people are the superior race," according to the ADL. A man who answered the phone at the Coalition for the Remembrance of Elijah Muhammad but did not give his name said the coalition is "the archives for the Nation of Islam." Related: Nation of Islam: 2023-01-28 Hasbro warns of weak holiday quarter results, cuts 15% of its workforce Nation of Islam: 2022-12-11 Despite push, Jewish leaders can’t keep Farrakhan follower off Florida city council Nation of Islam: 2022-11-26 Revulsion as hundreds of black supremacists march through Brooklyn chanting 'we are the real Jews' in support of disgraced anti-Semitic Nets star Kyrie Irving |
| Posted by:Besoeker |
| #7 It is worth beginning and documenting the process. It stresses their defenses. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2023-02-25 16:54 |
| #6 They do, SH. Unfortunately the information requested might be severely slow-walked, 'lost in a fire', or otherwise misplaced though. |
| Posted by: Mullah Richard 2023-02-25 16:13 |
| #5 What is the rationale for the expenditure? I am sure Illinois has the equivalent of FOIA requests. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2023-02-25 16:05 |
| #4 Matt Damon loves Howard Zinn. What else do you need to know? |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2023-02-25 10:36 |
| #3 They're not "insurrectionists." |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2023-02-25 10:35 |
| #2 #1, Devoted family man? |
| Posted by: Penguin_of_the_Desert 2023-02-25 10:31 |
| #1 Our Tax dollars at work. Setting that 'hot mess aside', something here you may enjoy about a historian soldier, politician, devoted family man, amateur photographer, archeologist, and nation builder. Trivia possibly, but hardly trivial. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2023-02-25 02:24 |