Countering a Zionist Campaign To Shut
Down Institute’s Credit Card Processing
Zionist Pressure Forces Three-Month Shutdown
MasterCard Supports New York Politician’s Campaign
By Mark Weber
Director, Institute for Historical Review
December 20, 2013
We’ve successfully fought back a malicious campaign by an “Israel first” politician that for nearly three months shut down the Institute’s ability to handle credit card orders and donations.
It’s taken time and effort, but on Dec. 11 we restored our credit card processing.
Behind the shutdown is Dov Hikind, a member of the New York state legislature who has a well-documented record of support for bigotry and Zionist terrorism. Earlier this year he launched a campaign to shut down credit card processing by the IHR and several other organizations he calls “hate groups.” MasterCard, a global credit card company, joined the politician’s public initiative. (A news release on this campaign issued by Hikind’s office includes a photo of the politician with two MasterCard corporate representatives.)
Because the Institute was put on a blacklist of “terminated” or “high risk” clients, merchant service providers would not do business with the IHR, which for a time shut down processing by all credit card processing firms.
Hikind is well known as a fervent Zionist. For years he was an activist of the Jewish Defense League, an outfit that the FBI describes as a terrorist group. He is also a vehement, decades- long supporter of Israel’s policies of oppression and discrimination.
An article in The Nation weekly profiles Dov Hikind as “a man who has been suspected by the FBI of involvement in several terrorist bombings and who was a top cadre in an organization currently identified by the FBI as a ‘violent extremist Jewish organization’.” And “despite his links to acts of terrorism and violence against racial minorities,” the influential magazine goes on, Hikind “has emerged as a political kingmaker in New York State politics.”
Two MasterCard Worldwide officials meet with New York politician Dov Hikind in his office on August 27, 2013, to show support for his campaign to shut down credit card processing by the Institute for Historical Review and several other so-called “hate groups.” With Hikind is (left) Noah Hanft, a MasterCard company lawyer, and (right) Richard Santoro, a MasterCard lobbyist.
Dov Hikind in “blackface” at a Jewish holiday party, Feb. 24, 2013. As The New York Times reported, many people were offended by the politician’s antics.
Far from being a “hate group,” as Hikind claims, the Institute steadfastly opposes bigotry of all kinds. We are proud of the support we have earned from people of the most diverse political views, and racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds. The IHR is an independent educational research and publishing center that works to promote peace, understanding and justice through greater public awareness of the past. Based in southern California, the Institute is recognized by the federal IRS agency as a 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt, public interest educational enterprise.
Hikind’s assault against the IHR is not unique. Over the years the Institute has repeatedly been a victim of partisan smears and extremist violence. In 1984, for example, Jewish Defense League activists carried out a criminal arson attack against the Institute’s offices.
In letters to Master Card company officials, I pointed out false and malicious claims made by Hikind about the IHR, and I reviewed the politician’s record of bigotry and support for violence. I also called on the company to end its collaboration with Hikind.
I’ve been touched and encouraged by the many messages of solidarity and support we’ve received in the wake of the Hikind/ MasterCard campaign. Some men and women have passed on to me copies of letters and messages they sent to MasterCard officials protesting the company’s support for Hikind’s campaign.
Text of a letter by Weber to the MasterCard company President and CEO:
October 8, 2013
Ajay Banga
President and Chief Executive Officer
MasterCard Worldwide
2000 Purchase Street
Purchase, NY 10577
MasterCard’s Support For Hikind’s Campaign Against the Institute for Historical Review
Dear Mr. Banga,
New York politician Dov Hikind recently announced that the MasterCard company is cooperating with him in a campaign against our organization, the Institute for Historical Review (IHR). In an August 27 news release issued by his office, which includes a photo of him with two MasterCard corporate officials, Hikind reports on this campaign, and your company’s support of it.
Hikind says that he wants MasterCard Worldwide and other credit card companies, as well as merchant banks and service providers, to end business relations with the IHR, which he calls a “hate group.”
I am writing to inform you of false claims made by Hikind about the IHR, and to urge you to terminate your corporation’s collaboration with him.
The IHR is an independent educational research and publishing center that works to promote peace, understanding and justice through greater public awareness of the past, and especially socially-politically relevant aspects of twentieth-century history. For 18 years, the IHR has been recognized by the IRS as a 501 (c)(3) public interest educational enterprise.
Far from being a “hate group,” as Hikind claims, the IHR steadfastly opposes bigotry of all kinds. We are proud of the support we have earned from people of the most diverse political views, and racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds.
The IHR has itself been a victim of bigoted violence. Some years ago, Zionist fanatics even carried out a criminal arson attack against our offices.
Hikind’s claim that the IHR is a “Holocaust denial” organization is untrue. The IHR does not “deny” the Holocaust. The IHR as such has no “position” on any specific event or chapter of history, except to promote greater awareness and understanding, and to encourage more objective investigation. Items published or distributed by the IHR, as well as articles and reviews posted on our website, represent a wide range of views. The IHR does not necessarily agree with the content or outlook of published, posted or distributed items.
MasterCard company’s cooperation with Hikind is all the more regrettable in light of this politician’s well-documented record of support for bigotry and violence. Hikind is unapologetic about his role as an activist for the Jewish Defense League, which the FBI described as a “violent extremist Jewish organization” and a “right-wing terrorist group.” Moreover, Hikind has for years been a staunch supporter of and apologist for Israel’s policies of oppression and discrimination based on ancestry.
For millions of people around the world, including many MasterCard users, it is Dov Hikind – and not the IHR – who deserves to be scorned and shunned.
I urge you to take measures to end MasterCard’s collaboration with Hikind, and to terminate your company’s support for his campaign against the IHR.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Mark Weber
Director,
INSTITUTE FOR HISTORICAL REVIEW
P. O. Box 2739
Newport Beach, CA 92659
USA
Tel. 714 – 593 9725
E-mail: weber@ihr.org