It is incredible what a relatively small group of socialist agitators can accomplish if patriotic Americans don’t push back. America’s largest Marxist organization, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is one of several hard left groups cheering about the Portland Trail Blazers decision to end their six-year partnership with Oregon-based Leupold & Stevens, who manufactures equipment used by police and military, including the Israel Defense Forces.
Before the Trail Blazers bowed to Marxist pressure, Leupold & Stevens sponsored a halftime event during all Trail Blazer games called “Hometown Heroes,” According to their (cached) website,
“Hometown Heroes are the men and women of our armed forces, first responders, and other everyday people who put service before self. Honorees receive complimentary game tickets, in-game recognition and gifts from the Trail Blazers and Leupold & Stevens, Inc.”
Photos of some of the Military members honored during these events can be viewed here.
Here is a Facebook Post from the Trail Blazers last year:
The anti-military, anti-Israel Marxists agitated relentlessly until the Trail Blazers dissolved their partnership.
Almost a year after the above Tweet, Trail Blazers President Chris McGowan said:
Leupold is no longer a partner of the organization. I thank them for many years of supporting our organization. They were a great partner when they were a sponsor. But, for various reasons…they’ve decided to go in a different direction, so they’re no longer a partner of our team.”
Portland DSA Co-chair and Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) member Olivia Katbi Smith was quoted as saying:
“We are relieved that the Blazers have done the right thing and finally ended this completely unnecessary partnership with a company that has provided sniper scopes to a brutal occupying force.”
The Canary Mission has a profile on Olivia Katbi Smith, revealing her intense hatred for Israel. One of many examples is a quote posted on Olivia Katbi-Smith’s Facebook dated May 14 2018: “F**k Israel… From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free [PLO slogan calling for the complete destruction of Israel].”
The DSA was one of several organizations pushing the dissolution of the partnership using the hashtag #NoLeupold. Scrolling down the hashtag, it is quickly evident that an anti-Israel sentiment was a main motivator in the effort.
The Portland branch of the DSA tweeted their thanks to “all the people and organizations that helped create the pressure necessary to end this sponsorship” with particular thanks to DSA member Josuee Hernandez.
Using his status as a Marine veteran, Marxist Josuee Hernandez deceptively “applied to be honored” at the Portland Trail Blazer’s halftime event “Hometown Hero” tribute. During the event, he strategically opened his jacket to show a tee-shirt emblazoned with the words “END THIS SPONSORSHIP – #NoLeupold”.
Watch:
In August, RAIR Foundation USA reported on how the Democratic Socialists of America leader Maria Svart addressed a gathering of communist organizations at the European Parliament in April this year. During her panel discussion, Svart bragged about how DSA chapters are involved in “corporate pressure campaigns” in addition to their electoral work. One of the groups successes, she said, was their role in convincing Amazon to stay away from New York.
She said in part:
“Our theory of power is that we need to take state power but also in the course of that we need to build power and other arenas so I always say we have one foot in the electoral political system and then one foot outside the formal political system and that means our chapters do things like run corporate pressure campaigns…
[…]
“When Amazon moved to New York City or decided to move to New York City, our chapter mobilized right off of a successful electoral campaign in fact – they had all of their electoral canvassers shift to canvassing against Amazon…
“And Amazon decided to go – or decided not to come after all because there was so much public pressure…”
Unsurprisingly, the Twitter-Verified anti-Semitic BDS movement was one of the groups pushing for the Trail Blazers to end their partnership.
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I find it increasingly difficult to get excited or upset about anything involving a NBA team. Who really cares anything about them?