Online retail giant Amazon.com has dropped a pro-Israel Evangelical group from a charity program, after the Southern Poverty Law Center denounced the organization as a “hate group”.
Proclaiming Justice to The Nations (PJTN) announced Wednesday that it has been removed from the Amazon Smile program, which enables Amazon customers to donate a percentage of their purchase to their favorite charity.
PJTN was dropped over their recent listing as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Supporters of the Evangelical Christian organization, which lists among its goals the combating of anti-Semitism and support of Israel, were shocked when Amazon informed them that they would no longer be able to donate towards PJTN using the platform.
An e-mail from Amazon to PJTN confirmed that the SPLC listing was behind the action, which comes as thousands of supporters prepare for their Christmas and Chanukah shopping and is predicted to cost the organization thousands in lost donations.
“I initially thought it comical that Proclaiming Justice to The Nations had been placed on the Southern Poverty Law Center’s list of hate groups alongside the KKK. However, I have now learned that this political witch hunt against those that don’t share SPLC’s extremist liberal views has been adopted as a religious doctrine by Amazon. This could dramatically affect our ability to raise funds and function as a non-profit organization,” said Laurie Cardoza-Moore, president of Proclaiming Justice to The Nations.
Cardoza-Moore added: “It would appear that PJTN has become a canary in the coal mine to warn what happens when big tech is allowed to create discriminatory policies based on the nefarious listings of political organizations with an axe to grind. If speaking out against the antisemitism of Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib has put me on the SPLC list, so be it. However, in a free country that cherishes freedom of expression, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; technology companies like Amazon should not be allowed to blacklist charities in this way. We call on our supporters to increase their support during this difficult time and call on our elected officials to ensure that our voice is not silenced by the alliance of far-left groups and their enablers in Silicon Valley.”