More Muslim storm clouds gathering over St. Cloud, MN
St. Cloud, MN: Tiny pro-Somali group at Courthouse, large gathering at the VFW, media focuses on tiny group
Posted by Ann Corcoran on August 2, 2015
If you had no idea what was going on in St. Cloud, this story from the St. Cloud Times would not be very useful to bring you up to speed!
You might want to first start by reading our post from Thursday, here.
Union organizer, Jane Conrad, did some serious backpedaling after first planning a rally against a local VFW(Veterans of Foreign Wars for our readers elsewhere in the world!) that hosted local citizens wanting to hear about the economic and social costs of resettling more refugees in St. Cloud, MN***. As we reported, she and a faculty member from St Cloud State University were clearly aiming to intimidate the Granite VFW Club for daring to allow diners to speak freely over their meal. There is more at WND, here.
Veterans and friends arrive at the Granite VFW Saturday to show support for the VFW and for the right of citizens to gather and express their first amendment rights. Photo courtesy a local resident.
Obviously, quickly seeing the error of taking on a venerable veterans group, she and her Somali supporters moved their demonstration down town. You can read all about their tiny rally here at the St. Cloud Times where Conrad claims they are protesting a Minnesota citizen, Bob Enos, for talking about sharia law.
You might think Enos was some two-headed monster to listen to Conrad. I wonder did the Times reporter seek comment from Enos?
Here is Mr. Enos giving a thoughtful presentation to a local government body recently.
Meanwhile the Times, other than a few photos tacked on at the end of the ‘news’ story, doesn’t tell readers about the huge and friendly gathering of veterans and friends supporting the VFW (which remember was the original target of Ms. Conrad and Professor Mark Jaede).
And, what a coincidence the St. Cloud Times also published a pro-more-Somali-refugees opinion piece at the same time!
SC Times columnist Patrick Henry, who previously said this, is trotted out for the occasion! How convenient is this timing!
” Minnesota’s 5th District Rep. Keith Ellison’s taking his oath of office on Jefferson’s copy of the Quran was a quintessential American moment…..the portrait of America as a Christian nation is groundless.”
Guess we know where he is coming from!
I have no time or energy to rebut yesterday’s opinion piece by Patrick Henry, retired executive director of the Collegeville Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research who has zero understanding of the finances involved with federal refugee resettlement grants and contracts and that is precisely why Mr. Enos’ call for serious fiscal studies is vitally important now.
This is Patrick Henry, a Times columnist brought out at just the right time to back the Times reporting. See what he said in April about how we are not a Christian nation. Then shouldn’t it follow that Lutheran Social Services or any religious group should not receive government funding?
Here is how the St. Cloud Times opens its ‘news’ story today:
A group of St. Cloud-area residents took to the stairs in front of the Stearns County Courthouse to protest an anti-immigration speaker who visited St. Cloud earlier this week.
Jane Conrad, a field representative for the East Central Area Labor Council, planned the rally after Bob Enos, of Willmar, appeared at an event booked at the Veterans of Foreign Wars speaking out against refugees and Sharia, the Islamic law.
“We know we have issues in our community and we know they exist, but we don’t need people coming in and mixing it up and creating more problems,” Conrad said. “You’re welcome to come in and be a part of our community, but don’t create division.”
Worried that some citizens may be confused that Conrad and her group were speaking out against the VFW, Conrad made it clear they support troops and veterans and were strictly protesting Enos.
Enos, oh right! It is all about Enos!
Develop alternative media!
I guess what I am trying to say to all of you: it is time, past time! for the citizens of St. Cloud to develop their own alternative media. And, this applies to all of you in ‘Pockets of Resistance’. You do not have to depend on the local biased newspaper to reach like-minded people. I started RRW when my local paper wouldn’t publish FACTS about refugees and the cost to our community.
One of the first things I would post at your new publication are the financial facts about Lutheran Social Service of MN that clearly Patrick Henry has no clue about! ...
Posts
