Climate of Hate?

I've been following the devolutions of the Air America/Gloria Wise funding flap at Michelle Malkin and Cap'n Ed's sites; allegedly, Evan Cohen - Air America's first CEO - "borrowed" a ton of money from a charity on whose board he served; the charity has fallen on difficult times; says Ed:

It turns out that the Gloria Wise Boys & Girls Clubs almost had to shut its doors following a funding shortfall despite receiving a half-million dollars in grant money and much more in city contracts, getting rescued at the last moment by other independent groups. The $500K in grant money had been loaned out -- to Air America

Of course, Air America's financing is an endless train wreck.

But here's the part I think is interesting. Air America's association with the Gloria Wise foundation is a serious, public thing; it even has prompted them to name one of their kids' summer camps, "Camp Air America". Here in the Twin Cities, other non-profits and charities - including Chrysalis, a women's advocacy group, education center and shelter clearinghouse, among many other things - actively participate in Air America advertising, spending grant money to put ads on the flailing local amateur radio outfit.

Remember when Hillary Clinton blamed Rush Limbaugh's ostensible "Climate of Hate" after the Oklahoma City Bombing? The mere act of disagreeing with the establishment mainstream was spun as hatred.

Now - if you're a parent (or, in the Twin Cities, a woman needing help, or a carpenter or a casino-goer) who might happen not to be a radical left-winger, and you hear your favorite non-profit or union in the same breath as the likes of genuine hatemongers as Janeane "They're All Fascists" Garawful or Mike "Republicans are Fascist bastards" Malloy, what does that tell you?

And why is it that non-profits are spending grant money to advertise on a politically motivated network or affiliates like that anyway?

Posted by Mitch at July 29, 2005 06:47 AM | TrackBack