Union pulls black college support after Koch gift

[alp227]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON (AP) —A powerful government workers' union will end its support for the United Negro College Fund after the group accepted $25 million from the conservative powerhouse Koch brothers and the college fund's president appeared at a Koch event.

In a letter made public Thursday, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees said it will no longer partner with or raise funds for the fund, known for its iconic motto, "A mind is a terrible thing to waste."

AFSCME President Lee Saunders said the actions of the college fund's president "are not only deeply hostile to the rights and dignity of public employees, but also a profound betrayal of the ideals of the civil rights movement."

The fund supports historically black colleges and universities and provides scholarships. It accepted a $25 million grant last month from Koch Industries Inc. and the Charles Koch Foundation.

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/union-pulls-black-college-support-after-koch-gift

[Baitball Blogger]

1. Very troubling, indeed.

[randys1]

2. I know how to resolve this, seize the entire KOCH existence and fund all colleges across the nation

[DeSwiss]

21. +1000

[IronGate]

25. On what grounds and under what law would you do this? nt.

[tomm2thumbs]

3. cash the check and then tell everyone what asses the Koch's are... that'd be win/win for me

and then use the money in the best ways possible to shift the playing field of these overrich f*cks

[EC]

26. Usually when the Koch's give money to universities

they ask for say over the teachers/professors in the economics departments. I'd guess they also ask for say in science depts. too. So with this I'd guess that they are asking for a say in who gets help from the fund and when a college is being discussed for scholarship then the Koch's will request a say so at that college before the college fund will give them money.

Koch's do nothing out of the kindness of their hearts...there's always a "request".

[Voice for Peace]

4. The Koches do NOT give money away for free.

They get their oily fingers in everything they can.
Dues will have to be paid.

[greiner3]

14. Dues will have to be paid.

Sounds like the opening scenes in Godfather where Marlon Brando grants wishes, but with the understanding of a future 'payback'.

[tblue37]

16. The devil will have his due. nt

[ErikJ]

15. If they can get a few more Thomas Sowell's or Herman Cains out of their investment

it will be worth much more than $25 million.

[Android3.14]

5. The fund needs to realize how costly this is

No donations from this end.
Besides, they make so much money from the basketball franchise.

[KamaAina]

6. Basketball franchise?

[alp227]

7. A charity game.

http://give.uncf.org/site/Calendar?view=Detail&id=102281

[Android3.14]

12. Donald Sterling donated to the college fund as well

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2615056/Allegedly-racist-NBA-owner-donated-heavily-Museum-Tolerance-United-Negro-College-Fund-Black-Business-Association.html

http://sandiego.gotnewswire.com/news/la-naacp-head-resigns-over-move-to-honor-sterling

[aggiesal]

8. Koch-heads are trying to ...

control the message through every avenue.

And with there money, they're able to.

They've donated money to universities with the condition they hire conservative professors,
now they've co-opted the UNCF. What other organization have they corrupted that we don't know about?

www.movetoamend.org

[Voice for Peace]

18. ++ what you said nt

[Voice for Peace]

19. NPR and PBS nt

[underthematrix]

9. As an AA, I totally support the union.

The KKKock brothers are paying people to express extreme views about the President, some of them extremely violent and inappropriate, which places the President at EXTREME RISK of harm. Everyone needs to stop supporting the United Negro College Fund until they return the $25 million to the KKKoch segregationists

[WatermelonRat]

10. I remember a few years back when Glenn Beck was hyping Soros as a boogeyman...

I said that if I were Soros, I would make a few token donations to Republican causes and sit back to watch while the Teapartiers tore into their own. I wonder if that might have been the plan here...

[YarnAddict]

11. Bad decision, IMO

You know who is hurt by this?? The students who could use the scholarship $$$. Why make it political? Money is moey.

[Voice for Peace]

20. It would seem that way; that's the Koch Approach, appear harmless and generous,

and once the corporation or club or college is dependent on their
money to survive, they start making demands -- who the college
can hire, and what can be taught, for example. I'm sorry I
don't have links on hand but it's well documented.

[Jake Stern]

24. Meh, what's a few shekels from the Devil? It's fer the kids ya know!

It will stop being political when the Koch Bros stop trying to buy everyone. Yes it's hard to pass up $$$$$ but the stink on that money should be reason enough to reject it.

[YarnAddict]

27. I wonder if the young people

who would benefit from the funding would agree with you.

I'm not saying the Kochs are good people, by any means. But they do some good things with their money. A quick google search gave me this link:

http://www.kochfamilyfoundations.org/FoundationsDHK.asp

Hospitals, cancer research, museums, universities . . .

Whether you like their politics or not, thousands of people have likely benefited in some way, and I don't see why deserving students shouldn't, as well.

[father founding]

29. Dirty Money

Should the UNCF take money from the KKK also ? Also the Koikes are trying to buy respectability.

[YarnAddict]

28. Just as an example:

The Devos family here in Michigan (founders of Amway) are big Repubs. The son lost the governor's race big time a few years ago. And I think any pyramid sales scheme is a top level scam.

BUT, if you have a child who needs specialized medical care in western Michigan, should you refuse treatment at the Devos Children's Hospital??

I think not.

If we are going to check the provenance of every library, hospital, university building, scholarship, etc, and only patronize those whose donors' politics we agree with, we will be in a world of hurt.

[underthematrix]

30. Actually money is not JUST money

The KKKoch bros spend twice as much trying to take away your right to vote, women's right to choose, gay folks right to love and eventually our right to live.

[Stellar]

13. AFSCME sold us out in the State of Illinois

one time too many. The union has very little power left there.

[ReRe]

17. I betcha...

... the UNCF lives to regret this. You couldn't find two individuals more racist than the Koch Bros.

[the_sly_pig]

22. Lottery winnings are often greater than $25 mil...

Just sayin. The pendulum will swing back and then the support of public employees will not be there. Lousy move in my opinion.

[progressoid]

23. Kock is trying to untarnish it's reputation.

Saw one of their ads on TV last night saying how great their companies are and what wonderful things they do for the world.

[KinMd]

31. What about this....

http://www.politico.com/story/2014/06/lawrence-odonnell-koch-brothers-thanks-msnbc-108223.html

[elleng]

32. Accepting the gift is ok with me,

that's how they survive, but appearing at one of koch's events is a step too far, imo.