MN Clergy Demand Racist, Fear-Based Ads Be Removed
Faith Leaders Call on GOP Candidate for Attorney General to have big corporate backers remove divisive ads
This sign-on letter is explicitly for clergy or faith leaders in Minnesota
Minnesotans are Greater than Fear.
The ad features race baiting tropes historically used and intended to scare voters, not just from opponents, but each other. This is a dangerous and immoral tactic. Minnesotans across race, gender, age and partisanship are greater than fear and deserve better. We need leadership in the Attorney General’s office that brings unity, not division.
Minnesotan’s Aren’t for Sale
All Minnesotans across race, gender and neighborhood want the freedom to have their rights, their finances, their ability to care for self and others, as well as their safety, protected. This recent ad for Jim Schultz was paid for by big corporations like ExxonMobile and Koch Industries through the Republican Association of Attorneys General (RAGA). These are the very same corporations that are being sued by the state for corrupt and dishonest business practices that hurt Minnesotan families, our household finances and our state’s future. This isn’t a coincidence.
The Letter: Clergy Call On Jim Schultz To Rebuke & Demand Racist, Fear Based Ads Be Taken Down
Open Letter to the Jim Schultz Campaign
We are clergy and faith leaders from many religions, including Christian, Muslim and Jewish traditions. We come from all four corners of the state. We recognize that we are all created beings, called by our Creator to care for and love one another in both word and deed. We care for our communities and we love and care for the people of the state of Minnesota. Because of that love and care, we demand that the GOP Attorney General candidate Jim Schultz, rebuke and demand recent ads steeped in race- and fear-based dog whistles be taken down. These have been long time tactics of harm and division in a state that is in desperate need of unifying leadership and trust.
All Minnesotans across race, gender and neighborhood want the freedom to have their rights, their finances, their ability to care for self and others, as well as their safety, protected. These recent ads for Jim Schultz were paid for by big corporations like ExxonMobile and Koch Industries through the Republican Association of Attorneys General (RAGA). These are the very same corporations that are being sued by the state for corrupt and dishonest business practices that hurt Minnesotan families, our household finances and our state's future. This isn't a coincidence.
The ads feature race baiting tropes historically used and intended to scare voters, not just from opponents, but each other. This is a dangerous and immoral tactic that has long standing implications that will impact our state well after the election ends. Minnesotans across race, gender, age and partisanship experienced four years of Trump-like, fear-based tactics of scapegoating communities of color and poverty to win political points. We know these use these tactics to keep us divided and distracted from the corporate greed that the Attorney General's office is in charge of taking on.
Minnesotans, whether in North Mankato or North Minneapolis, from Red Wing to Redwood Falls, rural, suburban or Cities, Minnesotans are greater than the fear and division that's being pushed and we'll reject these underhanded ploys. Anyone wanting leadership in the state, should reject it as well.
Please do Minnesotans the great justice of calling for the ads to be removed, Mr. Schulz.
Signed,
Rev. David Landt, Minnetonka
Rev. Miriam Samuelson-Roberts, Minneapolis
Rev. Emily Goldthwaite, Saint Paul
Rev. Lauren Davis, Northfield
Imam Asad Zaman, Saint Paul
Rev. Chris McArdle, Anoka
Rev. Eliot Howard, Edina
Rev. Oby Ballinger, Edina
Pastor James Erlandson, Maplewood
Reverend Joann Conroy, Saint Paul
Rev James Alberts II, Waite Park
Rev. Justin Lind-Ayres, St Louis Park
Rev John Schwehn, Minneapolis
Rev Karsten Nelson, Mahtomedi
Rev. Laurie Eaton, Plymouth
Rev. Jane McBride, Minneapolis
Evangelist Larry McPherson, Shoreview
Rev. Ralph Baumgartner, Minneapolis
Rev. Jonathan Davis, Northfield
Rev. Grant Stevensen, Saint Paul
Minister JaNaé Bates, Saint Paul
Rev. Babette Chatman, Minneapolis
Rev. Karen Stevensen, Saint Paul
Rev. Javen Swanson, Saint Paul
Imam Mohammed Dukuly, Brooklyn Park
Rev. Matthias Peterson-Brandt, Saint Paul
Rev. Anna Helgen, Minneapolis
Rev. Dr. Sandra Johnson, Minneapolis
Rev. T Michael Rock, Minneapolis
Rev. Rick King, Saint Paul
Rev. Andrea Roske-Metcalfe, Minneapolis
Rev Justin Grimm, Saint Paul
Rev. CJ Valenti, Minneapolis
Rev Liesl Spitz, Saint Paul
Rev. Corinne Freedman Ellis, Saint Paul
Rev. Patrick Shebeck, Saint Paul
Rev Meta Carlson, Minneapolis
Rev. Jennifer Rome, Saint Paul
Rev. Brad Froslee, Roseville
Rev. Ingrid Rasmussen, Minneapolis
Imam Hassan Mohamed, Rosemount
Rev. Todd Lippert, Northfield
Mr. Nabi Naser, Columbia Heights
Rev Vanessa Bradby, Minneapolis
Rev. Jen Nagel, Minneapolis
Mr. Afzal Syed Mohamed, Blaine
Reverend Ashley Osborn, Minneapolis
Rev. Dr. Joy McDonald Coltvet, Roseville
Rev. Dr. Chris Bellefeuille, Bayport
Rev. Robert Griggs, St. Louis Park
Rev. Tim Maybee, Saint Paul
Rev Martha Bardwell, Minneapolis
Rev Maria Anderson-Lippert, Bloomington
Rev. Korla Masters, Minneapolis
Rev. Ali Ferin, White Bear Lake
The Rev. Katherine Lewis, Minneapolis
Rev. Peter Carlson Schattauer, Minneapolis
Rev. Zoe Kuester, Minneapolis
Rabbi David Locketz, Minnetonka
Rabbi Jill Avrin, Hopkins
Rev. Richard Flynn, Plymouth
Rev. Rhonda Hlavinka, Minneapolis
Mr. Scott Jakel, Saint Paul
Pastor Ole Olson, Buffalo
Rev. Dana Neuhauser, Minneapolis
Pastor LuAnn Suilmann, Elk River
Pastor Ebenezer Endiryas, Woodbury
Rev. Karen Larson, Minneapolis
Rev. Ruth Mackenzie, Saint Paul
Chaplain Irene Weaver, Woodbury
Rev. Christian Briones, Minneapolis
Ret. Pastor Jackie Falk, Duluth
Rev. Kathy Hartley, Spicer
Rev. Dr. Leon Rodrigues, Saint Paul
Exec. Dir. Lena Gardner, Saint Paul
Rev. Bonnie Wilcox, Columbia Heights
Rev. Laurie Bushbaum, Minneapolis
Rev. Dr. Anna Madsen, Two Harbors
The Rev. Michael Mandsager, Northfield
Rev. Andrew Davis, Saint Peter
Rev. Jerry McAfee, Minneapolis
Rev. Brian Herron, Minneapolis
Imam Hassan Jama , Lakeville
Pastor DeWayne Hill, Minneapolis
Rev. Alfred Babington-Johnson, Minneapolis
Rev. Dr. B. Charvez Russell, Brooklyn Center
Bishop Richard Howell Jr., Minneapolis
Nearly 90 and Counting!
This sign-on letter is explicitly for clergy or faith leaders in Minnesota