Funding Extremism

There was a shocking report this week that major foundations are pouring millions of dollars into the Black Lives Matter movement. The Washington Times reports that The Ford Foundation and Borealis Philanthropy have announced a six-year campaign to raise $100 million for the Movement for Black Lives coalition.

Not surprisingly, George Soros, whose fingers can be found pulling seemingly every left-wing string, is all in with a $33 million investment.

Borealis Philanthropy says it is working with "young, Black, queer, feminists and immigrant leaders who are shaping and leading a national conversation about criminalization, policing and race in America." It is fine to have a debate over the criminal justice system. Where reasonable reforms can be made, they should be made.

But as we have reported, the Black Lives Matter movement is a radical organization, built on a lie, with deep roots in very extreme elements.

As we noted yesterday, the Black Lives Matter movement recently issued a platform that declared Israel to be an "apartheid state" that was "guilty of genocide." There was no mention of the real oppressors in the Middle East -- the radical Islamists like Hamas, Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad. Other demands in the platform include:
 

• A call for all kinds of reparations.
• Slashing defense spending by 50%.
• ". . .divestment from exploitative forces including prisons, fossil fuels, police, surveillance and exploitative corporations."
• ". . .electoral expansion and the right to vote for all people including . . . voting for undocumented people."

  This is what "respectable" foundations are pouring millions of dollars into?

  This is a perfect example of what we have been warning about -- many of the most influential institutions in our society are promoting ideas totally contrary to the values of the majority of Americans of all races. Yet what is considered bizarre and extreme today quickly becomes main stream among liberals.

  Obama's Iran Hostage Scandal

  More details have emerged about Obama's $400 million ransom payment to free American hostages held by Iran. As you know, the president is adamant that he did not pay a ransom as that would violate U.S. policy and law.

  When the story first erupted several weeks ago, the president angrily defended the exchange, saying, "We do not pay ransom for hostages. We didn't here, and we won't in the future, precisely because if we did we'd start encouraging Americans to be targeted." (I'll come back to this point in a moment.)

  Well, here's the latest from the Wall Street Journal: "'Our top priority was getting the Americans home,' said a U.S. official. Once the Americans were 'wheels up' on the morning of Jan. 17, Iranian officials in Geneva were allowed to take custody of the $400 million in currency, according to officials briefed on the exchange."

  Clearly, the cash was exchanged for the hostages. If that's not a ransom, what is?

  Iran clearly understood what it was. They told us it was a ransom. Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Naqdi, commander of Iran's Basij Force, said, "The . . . reclaiming of $1.7 billion of Iran's frozen assets after 36 years showed that the U.S. doesn't understand anything but the language of force. This money was returned for the freedom of the U.S. spy, and it was not related to the [nuclear] negotiations."

  Obama says we need to trust the Iranians more, especially when it comes their nuclear weapons program. So does he want us to trust the Iranians when they say he is lying and it was a ransom payment?

  The media and the American people should be outraged. Whether it is Obamacare or the Iranian nuclear deal, Obama has constantly misled us.

  Moreover, the ransom payment is quite possibly illegal. Members of Congress are demanding answers from the Treasury Department.

  The last time government officials skirted the law in their dealings with the Iranians, liberals in Congress were very upset. Anyone remember the Iran-Contra hearings? I do.

  Now, back to Obama's point that paying ransom would put more Americans in danger. The Iranians arrested Gholamreza Shahini, an American citizen, in June. There is news today that the regime is preparing to charge him with threatening the country's national security as well as blasphemy. But I'm sure they'd let him go -- for another $400 million.

  Louisiana Floods

  Many residents of Louisiana are struggling in the midst of historic flooding. More than 70,000 have registered for assistance. More than 40,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed. More than 30,000 people have been rescued. More than a dozen people have been killed.

  Eleven years ago, the left practically crucified George W. Bush for allegedly ignoring the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina. Then-Senator Obama blasted the "unconscionable ineptitude" of the government's response.

  Well, I keep waiting for President Obama to get off the golf course and offer some words of encouragement to the tens of thousands of Louisiana residents who quite literally lost everything.