Rep Mike Chippendale is already distancing himself from the State house event planned for 2pm today in which Congressman Pete Hoekstra (R-Mich), a former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and Dr. Charles Jacobs, President of Americans for Peace and Tolerance, will call on Governor Gina Raimondo to reconsider her unconditional welcome to Syrian refugees. Listed in the original press release for the event, Chippendale disavowed any connection on Twitter, telling @jefflevy “I am not speaking at the press conference.”
Charles Jacobs, who runs the Orwellian named Americans for Peace and Tolerance (APT). Founded in 2008 as a “pro-Israel” group, APT has actively worked against the interests of the Muslim community in Boston, fighting to prevent the opening of the Roxbury Islamic Center and mosque. Though Jacobs claims to represent the Jewish community in his antics, in 2011 a “group of seventy Rabbinical community leaders together published a letter in The Jewish Advocate… calling upon Jacobs, ‘to discontinue his destructive campaign against Boston’s Muslim community, which is based on innuendo, half-truths and unproven conspiracy theories.’ The Jewish religious leaders also called ‘upon members of our community to reject the dangerous politics of division that Mr. Jacobs fosters.'”
As for Representative Hoekstra, he’s little more than a paranoid fear monger in the best tradition of Fox News. For just a taste of his batshittery, see here. Rest assured, there’s much more.
Fortunately, Rhode Island, founded by religious refugees, is meeting the lies and hatred straight on. A counter protest is planned to coincide with the APT event at 2pm, and a multi-faith response to their demand that Governor Raimondo rescind her invitation is scheduled for directly after their event, at around 3-3:30pm.
The APT event is in the Bell room, the responses are planned for the main rotunda. Consider attending and showing support for the refugee families fleeing terrible violence, like this one:
