Disconcerting news - arson against conservative political offices in Minnesota - litigation by one of them - a really stupid idea (Met Council) --- all news days apart.
Arson is a stealth crime and always a sign of social immaturity. Conservative outlets are exercising speech, and if dissatisfied with or wanting to contest it, do so but don't burn down the opposition. That step is the paradigm of an unregulated free market, as is shooting somebody in office or running - or in business competing with you. In the instance of arson, the criminal law regulates against the cowardly practice, while police or other agencies investigate and enforce the rules.
Don't compete, eliminate is somehow, quintessentially un-American.
As un-American as conspiring to undermine the result of a lawful election. You lose, you accept, unless you somehow feel special. Equally un-American is stealing secret government documents which are the government's and not yours. But I digress.
The arson event, three offices in the same Golden Valley, MN, building reached national MSM attention as well as being locally covered.
The fire happened early Sunday [Jan. 28] in
the Minneapolis suburb of Golden Valley at the offices of the Center of
the American Experiment, the Upper Midwest Law Center and TakeCharge.
Authorities haven't announced any arrests or a potential motive. All
three offices share the same building with several other businesses.
“The
fires obviously were set by someone,” John Hinderaker, president of
Center of the American Experiment, a conservative think tank, said in a
statement. “They targeted conservative organizations, they didn’t
firebomb the chiropractors or psychologists or the Manufacturers
Alliance. We are cooperating with the FBI to try to identify the
perpetrators.”
Ashlee
Sherrill, a spokesperson for the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms and Explosives in St. Paul, which is leading the investigation,
told The Associated Press that the case was still under investigation
as of Friday and that authorities were able to release only limited
details.
“ATF’s certified
fire investigator responded and is working closely with local and state
and federal partners,” Sherill said. “We are moving forward with this
investigation as an arson investigation, but that's pretty much the
limit of the details I can provide right now.”
Sample local coverage, more detailed, Pioneer Press:
Authorities
are investigating a Jan. 28, 2024 fire in Golden Valley, which included
the office of the Center of the American Experiment, as arson.
(Courtesy of the Center of the American Experiment)
Fires at the Golden Valley offices of several conservative organizations are being investigated as arson, according to the ATF.
“The fires obviously were set by someone,” said John Hinderaker,
president of Center of the American Experiment, in a Friday statement.
“They targeted conservative organizations, they didn’t firebomb the
chiropractors or psychologists or the Manufacturers Alliance. We are
cooperating with the FBI to try to identify the perpetrators.”
Gov. Tim Walz wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday: “Political
violence and intimidation have no place in Minnesota. I’m confident that
local, state, and federal law enforcement will get to the bottom of
this unacceptable act.”
Authorities
are investigating a Jan. 28, 2024 fire in Golden Valley, which included
the office of the Center of the American Experiment, as arson.
(Courtesy of the Center of the American Experiment)
The fires happened about 2 a.m. Sunday outside the first floor
offices of American Experiment and TakeCharge, and in the third-floor
offices of the Upper Midwest Law Center, according to an American
Experiment press release.
There was no visible fire damage to the second floor of the three-story building, which houses a variety of small businesses.
In a statement, Minnesota Republican Party Chairman David Hann condemned the suspected arson.
“The apparent targeting of these conservative organizations marks a
chilling moment for free speech and civil discourse in our state,” Hann
said.
Hann also took aim at a DFL state representative who posted on X a
meme from the “Office” television sitcom of character Dwight Schrute
with the words, “Ryan started the fire!,” referring to another “Office”
character.
Hann said the lawmaker mocked the “seriousness and trauma” of the fire.
Rep. Andy Smith, DFL-Rochester, deleted his X account after facing
criticism for the post from others online. A spokesman said Friday he
was not available for an interview.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is
investigating with the FBI, Minnesota State Fire Marshal, Golden Valley
fire, Hennepin County fire investigative team and Hennepin County
sheriff, a local ATF spokesperson said Friday. Because it’s an ongoing
investigation, she said they are limited in providing details.
American Experiment staff is working remotely while arrangements are made for alternate office space.
“Judging by the damage from the fire, it will take months to repair
the building once the arson investigation is complete,” the media
statement said.
The organizations affected by last weekend’s fire play a prominent
role in Minnesota’s conservative politics. The Center of the American
Experiment refers to itself as “Minnesota’s Think Tank” and regularly
publishes analysis of Minnesota public affairs from a conservative
perspective.
The Upper Midwest Law Center is involved in many legal cases
advancing conservative priorities. One of the more significant cases
it’s involved with currently is a push to overturn a DFL-backed law that
restored voting rights to felons on probation last year.
Take Charge is headed by former Republican gubernatorial and
congressional candidate Kendall Qualls and his wife Sheila. Its aim is
“to inspire and educate black and other minority communities of their
full rights and privileges as Americans granted to them by the
Constitution,” according to the group’s website.
The photo shows a substantial looking building, three floors tall, which likely has security cameras and intrusion alarms, with no reporting mentioning whether an alarm was triggered or not. At 2 am, one expects a locked front door and an alarm set. The perps appear to have moved between floors, hitting two ground floor offices and one top floor.
Crabgrass has posted in the past about the Center for the American Experiment, which has/had Kathern Kersten as an honored fellow, enough said.
Crabgrass also has posted about the conservative law people's challenge to the recently passed felon voting law.
Today, the Upper Midwest Law Center (UMLC) and the Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF) filed the lawsuit Lance Nistler v. Tim Walz, et al.,
a groundbreaking case challenging race and sex-based discrimination in
Minnesota’s farming grant program. Lance Nistler, a Northern Minnesota
farmer, filed the lawsuit, asserting unequal treatment based on race and
sex in a program designed to assist aspiring farmers in acquiring
farmland.
Despite meeting all eligibility
requirements and being selected ninth in the grant lottery out of 176
applicants, Lance Nistler discovered that he was placed at the back of
the list due to the program’s prioritization of so-called “emerging
farmers,” including racial minorities, women, and individuals from
young, urban, and LGBTQIA+ communities. The state’s allocation process
favors these groups, distributing any remaining funds to
non-emerging-farmer applicants pushed to the back of the line with
disfavored lottery placement.
“Minnesota believes Lance Nistler is
less deserving of a farm because he has the wrong skin color and sex. It
is unfair for the government to advantage or disadvantage anyone for
benefits based on immutable characteristics like race and sex. Lance
Nistler seeks to be treated equally with any other prospective farmer,”
said Pacific Legal Foundation Attorney, Andrew Quinio.
“We stand with the Pacific Legal
Foundation and Lance Nistler against race and sex discrimination in
Minnesota’s farming grants. No one should face obstacles in realizing
their dreams based on their race or sex,” said James Dickey, Senior Counsel at UMLC. “We
believe in a real ‘One Minnesota’ where opportunities are equal for all
and not based on race and sex discrimination. This case is about
upholding the principles of fairness and equal treatment under the law.”
While Crabgrass believes the firm should lose its challenge on felon voting, (a technicality of wording being at issue while Crabgrass believes even incarcerated felons should be able to vote, which clearly is not the case under Minnesota's Constitution). The firm's challenge concerns wording in Minnesota's Constitution where they could prevail.
The newest lawsuit, which they link to, is one where the Crabgrass opinion is that they should prevail. It is a Section 1983 federal civil rights lawsuit, where the statute is patently worded as discriminatory against straight white men. Read the complaint. It is clear and short. It is as if the Democrat controlled legislature had a brain fart to discriminate in order to change the demographics of rural Minnesota. Or given the low funding level, to pass something that token-discriminates for unknown reasons but to make a point, because they had the votes and pinned it to another bill, Walz signed.
BOTTOM LINE: When arson is resorted to the act itself, in the middle of the night, is cowardly as well as wrong and anti-social. Everyone should hope the perps are apprehended and severely punished, with this crime looking to be a hate crime as an extenuating factor. Political disagreement should stop at discourse and peaceful resolution. What happened is a poke in the eye of "Minnesota Nice" as well as a property crime - hate crime. Punishment is due.
REALLY STUPID IDEA -
Wholly separate from the arson, which was an evil idea and an evil event, something really stupid is being contemplated. Strib (unfortunately behind a paywall which Glen Taylor as a public service should eliminate) reports:
A 700-mph tunnel between Twin Cities and Rochester? Group wants $2M from Met Council for 'hyperloop' study.
The proposal to study the technology has buy-in from some metro leaders, though others say it's unproven.
Not only unproven, but dumb as a brick because of a clearly foreseeable lack of ridership, a ridership level insufficient to justify even a two million study, with Met Council having proven (via Northstar) an insatiable hunger to lose money on insufficiently used stuff.
Two million dollars - real money - to study what? A maglev pressurized train in a vacuum tunnel, where the only other bad idea to add as to safety considerations would be having Boeing install the doors.
And yet Strib reports some politicians think it is a good idea. It has never been done, but still, a good idea? Get real.
___________UPDATE_________
AlphaNews, with its known perspective, reports of the arson attack without bitterness.
This is not treating others, treating anyone, in an acceptable, civilized way. It is troubling because it likely was done by someone having beliefs close to mine. But to express oneself this way is shameful and a failure of decency.
Federal and local agencies are
investigating a fire that broke out early Sunday morning in an office
building in Golden Valley that houses three of the state's most
prominent conservative organizations. (Photos provides to Alpha News)
____________FURTHER UPDATE___________
After a bit of mind search, what this arson most resembles, from that side of politics against US, are the abortion clinic bombers and arsonists. Done by either side against the other it is reprehensible and without any sane place in civil society.
