I would like to respond to Eric Spinner’s criticism of my most recent letter to your publication.
Firstly, it is not merely my personal opinion that ACT for America is bigoted against Muslims. The Southern Poverty Law Center has designated that organization an anti-Muslim hate group.
In SPLC’s own words, ACT for America “pushes wild anti-Muslim conspiracy theories, denigrates American Muslims and deliberately conflates mainstream and radical Islam.”
I firmly stand behind my original claim that Rep. Peter King’s warm relations with ACT for America highlight his bigotry against Muslims.
Secondly, ACT for America’s founder has gone by many names and utilized both the surnames Tudor and Gabriel. Spinner’s attempt to claim that I’m poorly informed because I didn’t refer to her using her latest alias is ridiculous and a deliberate misdirection.
Thirdly, as I mentioned in my original letter (and Spinner conveniently chose to ignore), King’s open hatred of Muslims did not cease a decade ago.
In December of 2016, as Donald Trump was preparing to take office, King met with him in Trump Tower and, according to King’s own remarks to reporters, suggested that he implement a blanket surveillance program similar to the one used by the NYPD to spy on Muslim-owned businesses and Muslim houses of worship.
King claimed the NYPD’s program was “very effective in stopping terrorism and really should be a model for the country.”
Again, King said this in 2016, with the full knowledge that the NYPD’s program was unconstitutional and didn’t generate a single reliable lead.
Finally, your publication should be ashamed to have not only allowed Spinner to direct your readers to the official website of an SPLC-designated hate group, but to also have added a hyperlink in the online edition of his letter to make it as easy as possible for your readers to redirect there and be radicalized.
At this point, I wonder if there is any ethical line your publication wouldn’t cross. Actually, I don’t wonder; I know there is not.
Matthew Zeidman
New Hyde Park
