Alright – so, Minnesota Reformer has been targeting the Somali community and writing stories that are racially profiling as well as islamophobia. As anyone knows, unless it is about autism, I usually have no idea or even care. Lately, this online news outlet has for some reason decided to talk about Somali autism related issues.
Who the heck is Minnesota Reformer – as I have never heard of them until they wrote about Somali autism few months ago. They are under a non-profit news organization that claims to write about policy and politics. The Reformer was founded by a previous Mpls Tribune reporter Mr. Coolican. From what I understand he is as liberal as Walz. In other words, preach sugar but practice salt. They go after BIPOC communities particularly the Somali community in Minnesota. Why, you ask. Your guess is as good as mine. Maybe to get a bigger audience, they have to write “shocking”. stories that are based on demeaning our community and plant fear in other communities. They claim to be non-partisan and fair. If that is not the biggest oxymoron, then I do not know what is.
Their to go line is Somalis are bad, Somalis are bad, Somalis are bad – well you get the idea.
I and other Somali autism parents have tried to reach out to them to understand why all the hate towards our community. Why divide and use members of our community against each-other, they have refused as it is typical for liberal racists dismissed our olive branch.
What is interesting is they also write about how the GOP politicians are sooooo bad towards Muslims and minorities that they are completely oblivious to their own attitude towards our community.
They manage to always target our community and somehow connect it to bad bad and worse.
First of all, to their article that stated, “they call themselves autism moms”. We ARE Somali Autism Moms and effective current/retired advocates who have advocated for autism therapy for low-income autism families in Minnesota and nationwide.
Second, they cite Dr. Larsson (the crook of all crooks) who stole millions of Medicaid funds as though he is holy. Talk about racism and narcissism.
Third, even though they have or could get data that states the non-minority thieves who have stolen millions from Minnesota Medicaid, they pretend to look at that with a deaf ear and a blind eye. How typical liberal and lovely of them.
Fourth. It is not a crime to drive long to get medical care. Patients do it all the time. I drive my son for 1 and 1/2 hours to a speech therapy clinic that is for only 1/2 hour. I do this because my son gets wonderful therapy, and I would drive to Timbuktu and to the moon on needles on fire to get him therapy and intervention. Oh, and by the way, soooo many non-minority autism families also do this. Of course, when they do it, it is because they care about their children. When we do it, it must be wrong.
Fifth, when you report an xyz person who did xzy wrong and they are not Somali, you only report their name. In other words, you do not write John McCarthy stole millions of Medicaid and all his customers and employees were Irish. Or Mr. Feinstein stole millions in Medicaid and all his customers and employees were teenagers and Jewish. When it is Somali, you are soooo quick to state their ethnicity. Mr. Ali stole millions of Medicaid and all his customers and employees were Somali. There is a name for that, oh yeah, islamophobia and racial profiling. An old tactic that whites used/use to discriminate against BIPOC communities. How original.
Malcolm X is quoted to have said “the media’s the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that’s power. Because they control the minds of the masses.” Creating a world that is safe, just, and equitable for all requires us to interrogate every system and structure that exists, including our mass media. There is a bias in what gets reported and how the coverage is being reported. Words are powerful and the messages we consume from the media are often overlooked. We must be vigilant about calling out these inequities because of the direct impact that the media has in shaping our perceptions. The Reformer’s bias reporting has hurtful and heartbreaking consequences for our community. Sadly, how blacks and other communities of color are reported in the media is nothing new.
Again, I ask what is your beef with the Somali community? Why all this much hate? Why the double standard?
The above words do not reflect any candidate, agency, or committee and are solely my opinions.
Idil – Somali Autism Mom & Retired Advocate