I received an email Monday morning that stopped me in my tracks. It contained a link to the seemingly noble organization called the Special Operations Warrior Foundation (SOWF) -- a 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt, federally registered charity whose own mission statement says:
The Special Operations Warrior Foundation provides full scholarship grants and educational and family counseling to the surviving children of special operations personnel who die in operational or training missions and immediate financial assistance to severely wounded special operations personnel and their families.As a veteran who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom I thought, "what a meaningful charitable organization to give my support." But sadly, things are not as noble as they look.
Read a little further on the homepage of the SOWF website, under the "Latest News" column, and you will see a link to none other than Glenn Beck. Yes, that Glenn Beck.
SOWF, it turns out, is the designated charitable organization that will benefit from a rally Glenn Beck is hosting on August 28th on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC -- it is being called the "Restoring Honor Rally." (www.glennbeck.com/828/).
Or at least that is what Glenn Beck and SOWF want you to believe.
What is actually happening -- and what is so obviously wrong -- is that the rally is not actually raising money for SOWF. SOWF is raising all the money to pay for the rally.
Don't believe me? Just read the plain-as-day, italicized font on the SOWF website:
All contributions made to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation (SOWF) will first be applied to the costs of the Restoring Honor Rally taking place on August 28, 2010. All contributions in excess of these costs will then be retained by the SOWF.
That's weird, I thought. I give $100 to SOWF and it goes to Glenn Beck first, college scholarships for children of deceased special operators (maybe) second? Why would Glenn Beck be using a charitable organization, whose mission it is to provide college scholarships to the children of deceased special operators, as the financing arm of his "non-political, non-partisan" rally?
Glenn Beck got paid $18 million last year. Surely, these kids need the money more than he does.
Should it not be the other way around? I would think you would donate to the rally and then they would donate the money to SOWF? I am a Navy veteran and not a lawyer, but does that not smell like someone exploiting a charity at the least, or money-laundering at worst?
Let's cut to the chase and stop being naïve. The Special Operations Warrior Foundation is now serving as a financial front man for the right-wing, Fox News demagogue that is Glenn Beck. This so-called "rally" has nothing to do with SOWF's stated (and noble) mission of giving college scholarships to children of deceased servicemembers.
We all know this rally is going to be nothing more than an anti-Obama, anti-government, pro-Tea Party hate-fest with Glenn Beck spewing his vitriol under the banner of "supporting our troops."
Well, as one of those troops, I am calling this for what it is -- a deceitful and deceptive attempt on behalf of far-right extremists to profit off of the memory of my fellow servicemen and women killed in action. Nothing is more wrong or disgusting.
Similarly, why is the leadership of the SOWF putting at risk their tax-exempt charitable status by engaging in this activity? Why would they risk the good name and good work they have done in the past in order to support someone like Glenn Beck?
Oh, I see, SOWF's Board of Directors is stacked with right-wing ideologues like Erik Prince, the founder and head of Blackwater (yes, that Blackwater).
Do what you want, but I will keep giving my money to real charities like Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Achilles International's Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans and The Wounded Warrior Project -- organizations that actually provide support to Veterans and their families who have earned and need the assistance.
I have no need to give my money to a multi-millionaire, hate-spewing faux patriot who has never served a day in his life in uniform, but would rather take money from those that have.
Shame on you Glenn Beck and SOWF. What a disgrace.
Follow Rob Diamond on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ridiamond
When you navigate your way to the donation page it clearly shows a link for the restoring honor rally. You have this completely wrong and I am sure you are aware of that making you an extremely dishonest person.
You also mentioned that Glenn Beck made $18 million dollars last year. Why do liberals always concern themselves with other people's wealth? Glenn is an extremely charitable person and just because you do not agree with his political stance doesn't mean you should desperately look for ways to smear him. How sad!
"Why would Glenn Beck be using a charitable organization, whose mission it is to provide college scholarships to the children of deceased special operators, as the financing arm of his "non-political, non-partisan" rally?"
Again, He selected a charity that would BENEFIT from any overages that were given to fund the Restoring Honor Rally. B-E-N-E-F-I-T people can donate to SOWF without donating to the rally.
If you cared to read, the author, Rob Diamond, DID note in his piece that any overages (contributions in excess of the cost of Beck's rally) would be donated to SOWF.
You said that "any amount that was raised under the costs of the rally would be paid by him". Because of the way you worded that, I don't quite understand what you mean. Just exactly what is it that Beck will be paying for himself?
Also, if Beck wanted to be sure that no allegations of his profiting (personally or his business) from the rally could be made against him, there are ways to do that. He could make every single contribution, transaction, expense, etc. completely transparent by opening the rally's financial records for anyone to see. To aid in this, he could get an independent, non-affiliated accounting firm to keep the rally's books too. He doesn't need to use a charity to do it for him.
Why is beck taking donations for the rally at all through this organization?
Your explanations are wanting, lacking, sycophantic and pathetic.
academic, financial aid and family support to Spec Ops families. The foundation had 112 students enrolled
in colleges and universities across the country in 2008.
In support of our injured special operations personnel and their families, the foundation provided
$308,000 in immediate financial assistance to severely wounded special operations personnel so their loved ones could be bedside at the hospital when they are needed most.
The charity has been around since 1980 long before glenn Beck,
Secondly, if you actually looked the charity (which receives top ratings) allows sponsors to host numerous event types such as golf outings and the cost of the event is always according to IRS rules allowed to be taken from the proceeds with the rest donated to the charity.
It's funny libs would complain about this since most of the donations are from Conservatives.
I am a vet and plan on attending the rally!
That is a truly noble mission and I call it "noble" no less than 3 times (including the headline). I'm attacking Glenn Beck for using this charity to pass money thru to host a Tea Party rally (which it is). If you don't believe its a Tea Party rally, just do a Google search and you will find the following groups planning on attending:
Portland Tea Party: http://constitutionalrights.ning.com/profiles/blogs/glenn-beck-event-on-august-28
ResistNet.com—Home of the Patriotic Resistance http://www.resistnet.com/forum/topics/glen-beck-washington-dc-rally?xg_source=activity
Tea Party of Western Michigan: http://www.teapartyofwmi.org/xn/detail/3249824:Event:26227?xg_source=activity
Beaufort Tea party, South Carolina http://beaufortteaparty.webs.com/apps/calendar/showEvent?calID=3363888&eventID=68378177
Tax Day Tea Party: http://taxdayteaparty.com/2009/12/buses-hotels-for-the-tax-day-tea-party-in-washington/
And that's just the first few....
Glenn Beck is leeching off of fear. Fear-mongering right-wing networks, e.g. Fox News, benefit from fearful (conservative) constituents. No use in having a flock that can not be sheared.
All of this, from groomed war, and the US industrial war complex has an incentive to continue global conflict. Mr. Beck is an excellent example. Keep the conservative megaphone crying, and the rabble reacts.
Without vote, the force of arms will conquer. The industrial war complex is reaping tremendous profit. Contractors like Xe (Blackwater) are receiving multi-billion dollar contracts. Eric Prince is a creationist, having had claimed his God is stronger than their God. Vote.
It be it,
Ronin Kannushi
You are a hero for outing Glen Beck's lack of character, morals and patriotism. Vets and the surviving children of Vets deserve so much better than Beck's greedy manipulation of children. Using children as a front for his greed is so despicable it almost makes Wall Street greed look benign. Not.
An old American Proverb says, "The love of money is at the root of all evil."
PS New incoming blogs usually go at the bottom of the page.....I start there and work my way up--tee hee