Stand Up For Local Charities
by John Weckerle
As our readers might imagine, it is with a great deal of interest that we have observed the developing story of the East Mountain Tea Party’s (EMTP’s) latest brouhaha, this time involving the Moriarty Lions Club and Wildlife West Nature Park. Both organizations recently discontinued the practice of leasing space to the EMTP. As reported by some, reasons given were public perception issues, threatened loss of donations, and potential concerns with respect to the groups’ status as charitable organizations in the context of Internal Revenue Service (IRS) policies. The latter is the official position given by both organizations.
In reality, we can see where there is likely a combination of these three factors at work. Let’s face it: the Tea Party in general, and the EMTP in particular, can be rather pugilistic in their approach to activism, and this has gained them a reputation for divisiveness and combativeness. Some of the positions they have taken have elicited concerns, including some expressed here, regarding bigotry. Both on the national and local front, the movement has indulged in a great deal of name-calling and denigration, excoriating those with whom they do not agree and insinuating that those with opposing viewpoints are somehow less American than those on the “right” side of the fence. Somehow, those affiliated with the Tea Party have taken the position that they are the (self-appointed) heirs to the Founding Fathers, the Sons of Liberty, and so on in terms of patriotism and American values. One need only read through some of the articles on the EMTP’s web site or read last week’s letter from Sylvia Bokor to the Mountain View Telegraph (or the much nastier diatribe on her blog) to get a feel for the tone of the “dialogue.” There are a substantial number of Americans who likely find this kind of invective extremely offensive, and probably a great deal more who are simply tired of hearing it. In short, while the EMTP and other similar organizations are very enthusiastic about their cause, they have expressed that enthusiasm in such a manner as to turn off a large number of people, some of whom are likely donors to the organizations in question.
The issues of public perception and potential loss of donor support are likely tied to this aspect of the situation. The EMTP’s supporters may want to (in typical hyperbolic fashion) toss around comparisons to organized crime and try to make this an issue of free speech (it isn’t), but the reality is this: donors provide support where and when they want, and if an organization is doing something of which they disapprove, they have every right to withhold support to that organization. If donors perceive the EMTP to be harmful, and see an organization to which they are providing financial support becoming involved with the EMTP, some of them are going to take their support elsewhere. This is not a road we’d choose, but we fully understand that others might do so, and I think we all understand that nonprofits are dependent on their donors for their continued existence. I think we should all also recognize that the IRS angle of this is not insignificant; nonprofits do from time to time find themselves in trouble with government (Federal or otherwise) when they are perceived as dabbling in politics. One need go no farther than Edgewood to see how this can play out.
The published response from the EMTP’s support base to date has been varied but generally negative – from the aforementioned letters and articles by Ms. Bokor to at least one statement of intent to organize a boycott of Wildlife West that we’ve seen – typical responses from this particular base. We find ourselves in agreement with the opinions stated in last week’s editorial in the Mountain View Telegraph, and wish to add this: if the neoconservative movement in the area is going to target these organizations, then they will need support from the rest of us more than ever. If you have been thinking of sending a contribution to either Wildlife West Nature Park or the Lions Club, this would be a great time to show your support to these organizations.
In associated news, this situation has led us to complete our investigation into the identity of the EMTP’s anonymous internet spokesman, perhaps a subject for a future article. For now, we will simply state that Bob Steiner of Edgewood is no longer a potential candidate.
2 Responses “Stand Up For Local Charities”
Thanks. Missed this one, despite having caught the opening salvos. I thought the dust would have settled by now. Wrong about assuming involved parties, whatever their ideologies, were adults. My mistake. Well, that’s just one of many reasons I subscribe to NM Central … and run feeds on the blogs. Time to pick up the story on this end ~ and throw some PR Wild West way
Thanks, Vanessa, for the compliment and your support for Wildlife West. I think they’re going to need all the help they can get.