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In late April of 2012, I came across an article in a newspaper
about the electronics retailer, Best Buy, sponsoring a banquet of the Minnesota chapter of the
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). A bit of research uncovered the following information.
“The federal government designated CAIR as an “unindicted co-conspirator” in the
trial of the Holy Land Foundation, a charity discovered to be a front for Hamas. CAIR’s name appears on
a list of entities belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood’s secret “Palestine Committee” set up in the U.S.
to support Hamas. The FBI subsequently ended its use of CAIR as a liaison to the Muslim community.
CAIR lost its fight to have the designation lifted in 2009 when it was ruled that there was “ample evidence”
connecting CAIR to Hamas.
“On January 23, the Facebook page of CAIR’s Minnesota chapter announced that
Best Buy had become a “Platinum Sponsor” of its annual banquet to be held on February 11. . . .
The keynote speaker was Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf of “Ground Zero Mosque” fame. The Master of Ceremonies
was Hussein Khatib, a former official with the Holy Land Foundation who is also designated as an
“unindicted co-conspirator.” His name appears on a list of those who “are and/or were a part of
the HAMAS’ social infrastructure in Israel and the Palestinian territories.” He is also on the
National Board of American Muslims for Palestine.” (Ref. 1)
I had purchased stock in Best Buy for my wife’s IRA account. In addition,
I often purchase computer and electronic related items from Best Buy, both in their retail stores and
on-line. I had my wife send the following e-mail to several of Best Buy’s senior managers.
Gentlemen:
I am a stockholder in Best Buy and my husband and I have been long-time customers of Best Buy.
I recently came across information stating that Best Buy is a “Platinum Sponsor” of the 5th Anniversary
Banquet of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). I am also informed
that “CAIR was one of 3 Islamic organizations labeled by federal prosecutors as an unindicted
co-conspirator supporting Hamas, an internationally recognized terrorist organization.” I believe that
Omar Ahmad, a CAIR co-founder and current board chairman has made the following statements: “Islam isn’t
in America to be equal to any other faith but to become dominant.” and, “The Quran should be the highest
authority in America, and Islam the only accepted religion on earth.”
Can you tell me if this information is correct? If so, can you explain why Best Buy would support such
an organization whose co-founder and current chairman professes such totally un-American philosophies?
If this information is incorrect, I would hope that Best Buy would immediately issue a public statement
denying these allegations.
Respectfully,
My wife subsequently received the following response from Jill Nezworski,
Senior Executive Resolution Specialist, Best Buy Co. Inc.
I will respond with Best Buy's position so that you may share it with your husband. I realize
that it won't answer all your questions, but this is what Best Buy is sharing publically.
First, we know that we have a very large and diverse customer base, and we know that everything won’t appeal to everyone.
Best Buy’s customers and employees around the world represent a variety of faiths and denominations, and we respect our employees’ efforts to constructively promote diversity and education in their communities. Over the past two years, our Inter-Faith Employee Business Network, a group of employees focused on promoting diversity and inclusion at Best Buy, has supported CAIR-Minnesota with $1,450 in total contributions to support an annual banquet.
I hope this informaiton (sic) helps.
Many thanks, Jill
My wife responded to what we both considered to be a totally inadequate
response from Best Buy as follows:
Dear Ms Nezworski,
Thank you for your response to my previous e-mail and your acknowledgment that Best Buy has sponsored
the 5th Anniversary Banquet of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).
While I fully support Best Buy's efforts to promote diversity and education in their communities,
it would appear that Best Buy failed to investigate what CAIR and its co-founder and current board
chairman stand for. As stated in my previous e-mail, I understand that “CAIR was one of 3 Islamic
organizations labeled by federal prosecutors as an unindicted co-conspirator supporting Hamas, an
internationally recognized terrorist organization.” and Omar Ahmad, a CAIR co-founder and current
board chairman has made the following statements: “Islam isn’t in America to be equal to any other
faith but to become dominant.” and, “The Quran should be the highest authority in America, and Islam
the only accepted religion on earth.”
Why would Best Buy support such an organization, whose co-founder and current chairman professes
such totally un-American philosophies? I am confident that there are several other Muslim organizations
in the United States that are more deserving of Best Buy’s financial support, which are not
unindicted co-conspirators supporting internationally recognized terrorist organizations and
whose leaders do not say that Islam should become America’s dominant religion or that the Quran
should be the highest authority in America, and Islam the only accepted religion on earth.
I am deeply disappointed in Best Buy’s position in this matter.
Respectfully,
Later, I discovered that others had come across the same information regarding
Best Buy and CAIR and had voiced their displeasure with Best Buy’s actions. The following is taken from a Best Buy on-line forum.
From a Best Buy customer:
Because you give to CAIR, I will never buy anything from your store again.
Giving to any organization that supports terrorism is unacceptable. "CAIR is one of only three prominent
Islamic organizations to be named unindicted co-conspirators in a case alleging criminal conspiracy to
support Hamas." (Ref. 2)
The Best Buy response to the complaint was:
Welcome to the forum and thank you for sharing your comments on this recent event. Best Buy’s customers
and employees around the world represent a variety of faiths and denominations, and we respect our employees’
efforts to constructively promote diversity and education in their communities.
Over the past two years, our Inter-Faith Employee Business Network, a group of employees focused on
promoting diversity and inclusion at Best Buy, has supported CAIR-Minnesota with $1,450 in total
contributions to support an annual banquet. We also know that we have a very large and diverse customer
base, and we know that everything won’t appeal to everyone.
I appreciate you taking the time to provide us with your response; it is invaluable to us.
(Ref. 2)
I have subsequently found out that 8,000 or more outraged Americans have signed
a petition to boycott Best Buy over the company’s financial support for CAIR which has been found to be
associated with the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas.
Clearly, Best Buy’s response to my wife’s inquiry, its response in its on-line
forum, and in an on-line statement show that, “Best Buy has chosen to react, not by admitting fault, but
by inferring that the criticism is motivated by intolerance." (Ref. 1)
At best, Best Buy is guilty of incompetence or stupidity in funding the
Minnesota CAIR banquet. Maybe it didn’t fully check out where its corporate donation was going. But to
not investigate the facts after it was brought to their intention and to try and foist off complaints
as nothing but bigotry is inexcusable. A simple “we made a mistake and we’ll see to it that it won’t
happen again would have sufficed.” Best Buy blew it!
My wife’s IRA no longer contains stock
in Best Buy and I no longer purchase electronic items from the company.
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References:
- ‘Boycott Best Buy’ Movement Takes Off,
PJ Media; http://pjmedia.com/blog/boycott-best-buy-movement-takes-off/,
2 May 2012 {Accessed 11 May 2012}.
- Best Buy Unboxed; http://forums.bestbuy.com/t5/BestBuy-Com/CAIR/m-p/513602,
Accessed 11 May 2012.
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