After Patreon banned me without explanation, I set up a GoFundMe account, with the same goal in view of constructing a studio for Jihad Watch videos, and quickly raised over $3,000. Yesterday I withdraw it, and got a notice from GoFundMe:
Hi Robert,
We are sending $3,299.42 to your bank account. Deposits take 2 – 5 business days to appear in your bank account. If your deposit doesn’t arrive after 5 business days, contact us.
But today, I got this:
Hi Robert,
We’re sorry, but we have canceled your 08/21 withdrawal of $3,299.42 from WePay Payments.
The funds from this withdrawal have been added back to your balance.
Thank you for your understanding and we apologize for the trouble this may have caused.
If you have any questions or require additional assistance please let us know by responding directly to this email.
Thank you,
WePay Team
I also got multiple notices from GoFundMe; each informed me that a particular donation to me from a particular person had been refunded.
When I asked for a reason why they had canceled my withdrawal and were refunding all the donations to me, they did not, of course, answer.
In reading histories of the Third Reich I was always struck by how quickly — in just a matter of months — Germany went from being a free, democratic state to an authoritarian dictatorship, right under everyone’s noses in 1933. I always marveled at how fast and easy it was to destroy freedom. I don’t marvel any more. It is happening to us right now, and most people neither notice nor care. The authoritarian Left is stamping out all dissenting voices. It will soon be even worse: people who don’t hold the accepted opinions will not be able to hold jobs, have bank accounts, buy from various outlets, etc. Think this is hysterical and will never happen here? Watch.
What amazes me further is that so many people are crowing about this, tweeting happily at me that I’m getting what I deserve for not believing Islam is a religion of peace, and all that. They don’t seem to realize that a pattern has now been set in motion that could turn on them just as easily as it has turned on me.
These times call for courage, and yet this is an age of universal cowardice. It is unlikely to end well.
Andy says
Mr. Spencer you are hitting a “nerve” with these globalists.
Robert Spencer (along with some other voices) is the Churchill of our times, Mr. Spencer has been a voice in a wilderness, warning the world of the coming storm.
Andy says
Keep up the good work sir!
We will conquer this evil of our times!
Cheers!
Andy says
I for one, along with many, many others are with you!
Renate says
You are so right!
We have to resist these forces in whatever way we can and fight for what is right.
Andy says
Why Patreon banned Jihad Watch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7FjKt0OrQs
Andy says
Sharia Law BANNING is happening all over now!
Andy says
Mr. Spencer on info wars with Alex Jones, open and go to bottom of the page for interview.
https://www.infowars.com/50000-muslims-flood-football-stadium-to-celebrate-festival-of-sacrifice/
StellaSaidSo says
You are right, Andy: Robert has really upset the globalists this time. If you’re taking flak, you know you’re over the target. The Spencer truth bombs are having an impact.
shea holliman says
Robert, Pinterest, Linkdin, got your site blocked from sharing too man, your like Alex Jones but you never said ever anything untrue or outrageous, the Jihadi’s are out to get you brother, I already bought and got your new book tho I haven’t read it yet, I’m glad I got it before it backordered
Jerry Jones says
Is this legal?
can Robert Spencer successgully sue gofundme for this money?
gravenimage says
Unfortunately, I doubt it, since they are a private company. I sure some of the lawyers who post here would have more information.
Richard says
This is just unbelievable! Robert Spencer is only the beginning, like a test. If they get away with it (and I assume it is legal), it will spread over the whole country and anyone who dissents from whatever party lines there are will be destroyed economically, like in the old U.S.S.R. If they can have control of donations, they can easily move on to harm major corporations, easily finding on the internet anyone who sends emails that offend the Master Race and then find out where they work and see to it that they are fired. They are picking the perfect time: right before the elections.
Jerry Jones says
It’s not the private-versus public angle I’m thinking of. It’s property rights and contract. I would have thought that Robert had property rights to that money, and GoFundMe a contractual duty of care towards them.
Maybe their agreement protects them fully….
Jerry Jones says
What about Robert Spencer’s property rights? That money was his, and GoFundMe had a duty to keep it for him.
Like a bank account, right?
gravenimage says
You could be right.
Berengaria says
Mr. Spencer, the sign,of the Rule of the LEFT Mob, appears everywhere.
We now have the Mob Leaders, the Tech Titans, deciding WHO has Free Speech Rights & WHO must be punished, for daring to use their Free Speech Rights.
The Purge of All Conservative Voices will either be Silenced, or we Americans will have to fight for the Right to Speak Freely.
May God Help Us!
Jean Terry says
I guess the brilliant children are running the world. All these tech companies and people are living in ivory towers and have no understanding of how the world works. Are there no conservative or realistic people running companies that we can use for browsing and posting items on the net? I don’t understand it I guess. It makes me not want to give to anything to do with Go Fund Me, especially after I saw that the Justice Department attorney who was fired (name escapes me at moment) has an account and is raising lots of money.
Elisha says
“I guess the brilliant children are running the world.”
Please consider:
And I will make mere lads their princes,
And capricious children will rule over them,
And the people will be oppressed,
Each one by another, and each one by his neighbor;
The youth will storm against the elder
And the inferior against the honorable. – Isaiah 3:4-5
https://biblehub.com/nasb/isaiah/3.htm
God bless.
fredoniahead says
Just now, a few minutes ago, I made a donation through GoFund Me to Robert Spencer.
It went through. HIs page is still there.
I have not received any refund notice yet. We’ll wait and see.
CogitoErgoSum says
If that is the way the people want to be at GoFundMe I urge everyone not to use that platform to raise money OR to make donations to anyone else using that platform to raise money. That will mean less money for the owners of GoFundMe because they take a cut of funds processed by them and, in the end, it will make it more difficult for their business to be profitable.
Renate says
Can JihadWatch have its own bank account and everyone just make deposits to that account? Can people send cheques by snail mail?
gravenimage says
Unfortunately with snail mail you would have to worry about bombs and other attacks.
Richard says
What is to keep these different groups like SPLC to say you are a despicable racist whom no company should touch … unless you show proof of your good intentions by donating an equal amount to SPLC or some other “approved” group. What these people are dong is not Nazi, although some of These groups are Anti-Semitic. It is Stalinist where they try to know everything about everybody … and through their internet carriers they can quite easily do this: simply set their computers to track certain keywords. Big Brother is Watching You! I would never have believed this could happen in America.
Dr. Wayne Smith says
When I see and hear of many things such as this, I’m made to wonder – is such a person totally ignorant, or a totally unmitigated, unabashed, outright liar – or a combination thereof! The outlook for our nation is not good as things now proceed.
Linda M Clark says
Dearest Hero, Mr. Spencer, you’re just going to have to get a bank account dedicated to donations, and give us the account number. Seems you could arrange with a bank where ONLY you by in PERSON can make withdrawals. There has GOT to be a way! And open a Post Office box where we can send CHECKS to you. People who do their banking with a debit card CAN get paper checks upon request from their bank. I do it all the time and they are free!
We CAN’T LET THE ENEMY WIN.
CogitoErgoSum says
Yes, why couldn’t a bank account be set up under whatever name Robert wants and then people could make out their checks payable to that name? Wouldn’t that work? It would also cut out having to pay any fees to some credit card company or a middle man processor who takes a cut from the donations.
Linda M Clark says
Exactly! And if other people do this, like Dr. Jay Smith etc, Patreon and GoFundMe will lose prophets. That’s the best way to punish them for their Fascism! Right now, the Internet has us by the cohones, but we just need to be imaginative OR go back to the old ways.
Theo says
Indeed, they will lose both profits and prophets.
Westman says
The new book on the history of Jihad must be making some real headway that can’t be stopped with evidence – because it’s quite accurate . The only option then is to try to close off its distribution and author.
The Left claims freedom for all until they find opposition to their ideas. Then they break the law to damage campuses and businesses as if there were no rights guaranteed by our Constitution to anyone but themselves.
When business becomes so fearful that it does the bidding of the far left then we are approaching an anarchy for which the left is unprepared. It is the “deplorables” who keep America’s enemies from their door and do the jobs that the left believes are beneath the status of their revolving-door echo-chamber education.
The last time the left’s aggression was expanding on universities it stopped at Kent State when the limits were found. I would not wish for a repeat with the “deplorables” armed and the left, who do nothing to serve their country, believing they can be physical without consequences.
The only way out of civil unrest is to follow the Constitution with freedom of expression for everyone. Isn’t it strange that The New York Times and WaPo printed the Unabomber Manifesto and now in complete hypocrisy they and the Left want to close down rational voices that support different views, even if buttressed with evidence, because the Left lost control of government in the last election?
What they are attempting is nothing less than a Coup D’état though they can’t admit to themselves that they have gone that far into Communism or are behaving like rebels in a Bannana Republic. Let’s hope some sanity prevails before there is another Kent State, or worse, a direct civil conflict.
Clive Maclennan says
It is worrying to see what they are doing to yourself and others who are standing up and speaking out but I also keep asking and I believe I have asked on here or possibly sent you a message about what happens when they who seem to deem it fit pull the plug on the likes of your good self and others on social networks, how do things then get to be shown to the likes of me and the public.
I mean no disrespect by asking you this mister Spencer it is of a genuine concern and no one has yet explained what would happen and where would we go from there so to speak.
I wish you every success and dearly hope that this doesn’t keep happening to you and others but I am not holding my breath, thank you for opening my eyes to what has been going on for too long,
Kindest regards and respect to you for doing what you have so far, Clive Maclennan.
Imboonga says
Wow. This shit is really getting out of hand!
Lydia Church says
Their agendas will continue unhindered… as we see time and again…. regardless of what Trump says.
It is the beginning of the end.
I have researched this too and agree 100% with his statement:
“In reading histories of the Third Reich I was always struck by how quickly — in just a matter of months — Germany went from being a free, democratic state to an authoritarian dictatorship, right under everyone’s noses in 1933. I always marveled at how fast and easy it was to destroy freedom. I don’t marvel any more. It is happening to us right now, and most people neither notice nor care. The authoritarian Left is stamping out all dissenting voices. It will soon be even worse: people who don’t hold the accepted opinions will not be able to hold jobs, have bank accounts, buy from various outlets, etc. Think this is hysterical and will never happen here? Watch.
What amazes me further is that so many people are crowing about this, tweeting happily at me that I’m getting what I deserve for not believing Islam is a religion of peace, and all that. They don’t seem to realize that a pattern has now been set in motion that could turn on them just as easily as it has turned on me.
These times call for courage, and yet this is an age of universal cowardice. It is unlikely to end well.”
Now is the time to prepare for this. I see signs of this coming all the time in many ways.
But my voice, for one, will never be silenced while I am still alive!
I would rather die with dignity, then live in cowardly shame.
ISLAM IS AN EVIL, VIOLENT RELIGION OF BLOODSHED!
And, I will say it again and again and again!
The Bible is truth. Truth is eternal.
The end is right around the corner.
All that will matter in the end is the condition of our souls.
Jesus is the answer.
No Muzzies Here says
As another poster points out, the recent book on the history of Jihad, which I own, is really effective. The left, and their Jihadi allies, are doing all they can to silence Spencer’s voice.
If you haven’t read Spencer’s book on Freedom of Speech, which I own, get it now, while you still can. We have lost a huge portion of our ability to speak the truth, and the rate of loss has accelerated. This is only going in one direction, and it’s not good.
ItsReallyQuiteClear says
Is GoFundMe taking their regular cut from the donations that they’re denying to Mr. Spencer, and which they’re then “refunding” to the donors?
https://www.azcentral.com/story/money/business/consumers/2017/11/14/gofundme-how-it-works-makes-money-pays-you-prevents-fraud/859211001/
Ted says
I just checked 5:05 EST 8/21 and Roberts funding page is still up but it shows 2 donations made today and all the other donations listed are from 4 days ago. The donation I made yesterday is being refunded to me according to an email I received from them today. It’s a strange situation why the funding page is still up given what they are doing.
R Cole says
They are just doing this social score in China. It’s the new gulag. And the new disappeared is cyber.
But funny how systems of extreme control are inherently unstable. And the end up destroying or harming the thing they claim to wish to protect. And after all the devastation – under communist rule 100-150 million wiped out – we always have to rebuild. It never lasts.
The mistake today is to think this is going to stop with Robert Spencer. The credit card companies are going to tell you where you can spend your money using their card.
Like Jesus said, give unto Mastercard what is Mastercard’s!
But ultimately it’s a learning exercise because without the law, such as with China’s social score system which has state backing, Master Card or Patreon/GoFundMe’s decision to ban users on political grounds, creates new opportunities and new ways to conduct business in the free world.
::
Communist China will use a ‘social credit score’ to rank its citizens and give those with the most favoured behaviour perks
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-6083289/Communist-social-credit-score-launches-China-citizens-rated-BEHAVIOUR.html
Older Canadian says
Thanks for the link. Technology is now the tool to enforce communism. Much cleaner and easier than firing squads. I am sure many leaders around the world are watching this and wringing their hands with glee.
Stop Kafirophobia says
This is nothing short of horrifying. I can only hope that enough people will make enough noise about this kind of tyranny before it’s too late. I can’t believe how bold these fascists are and how rapidly these things are happening in our so-called free countries. Sickening.
Norger says
This is disgraceful. If Spencer is truly a bigot, then surely the SPLC or one of its minions ought to be able to engage with him and prove him as such. The reality is that the SPLC, the Stanford U social justice warriors etc. all know they would be embarrassed badly if they were to actually engage with Spencer, so instead they do everything in their power to silence him. It is conduct befitting of a fascist, totalitarian state.
U.S. Army Retired says
And the you have groups like ANTIFA calling conservatives NAZI’s, you can’t fix stupid!
Keep on moving forward Robert, sensible people see what is happening!
gravenimage says
GoFundMe cancels Robert Spencer’s withdrawal of funds, refunds donations, without explanation
…………………
This is *deeply* disturbing–especially when considered alongside the banning from Patreon.
From the story:
“In reading histories of the Third Reich I was always struck by how quickly — in just a matter of months — Germany went from being a free, democratic state to an authoritarian dictatorship, right under everyone’s noses in 1933. I always marveled at how fast and easy it was to destroy freedom. I don’t marvel any more. It is happening to us right now, and most people neither notice nor care.”
It was just the same with many in Germany at that time. Many did not notice the changes, and many who did were completely unaware of what they actually meant, and what worse things they were apt to lead to.
jappy says
Maybe you should reference Wiemar instead of the reaction
How about Lenin’s purges, not the reaction
gravenimage says
It seems that the appropriately named “jappy” is another apologist for the horrors of Fascism. *Ugh*.
Sovereign Man says
My initial donation through GoFundMe for $50 with a MasterCard was reversed. I have put in another donation for $100 with my VISA. If that one sticks, I will call MasterCard not get off the phone until I get answers. If they are enforcing Sharia law, they will be facing a lawsuit for religious discrimination against non-Muslims.
Arthur says
This has me really really scared!
Think about it: your credit card agency finds out you are “republican” or “jihadwatch subscriber” or visit the “wrong” websites or Amazon reports that you “buy the wrong books” and suddenly your finances are completely cut off, your bank closes your account, and the village inspector decides to show up and harass you–suggesting “you don’t belong here.” What they are doing to Robert Spencer they will do to YOU next!
You take a trip to the grocery store and your credit card doesn’t work, your debit card doesn’t work, and you have to leave half of your groceries there because you don’t have enough cash. You have to call the credit card company to find out your finances have been frozen by a government action, but you are not allowed to see or know the warrant or court that is making the ruling.
You can’t buy gas -> you can’t get to work -> you get fired -> you have no income -> your property is forfeit (mortgage or taxes). How long does it take? 1-2 months?
This is a very very bad turn for the worse! And you didn’t think it was necessary to stash cash and food!
LytchZam says
Dear Robert Spencer,
Just tell me where to mail a check. I’m sorry I waited so long. When PayPal gave you cr_p I wrote to them and said that while it’s difficult to operate on ebay without it, I would reduce and restrict my use as much as possible. I’m sure others did the same and so PayPal backed off. But then, out of principle, you decided not to use it even though they relented.
I wasn’t alive during WWII, or I probably would have bought war bonds. I will donate to you in the same spirit. Thanks for all you do and for the information and enlightenment you’ve brought.
Columba says
Isn’t this some sort of violation of interstate commerce laws? Or truth in advertising laws?
Rogerdoge says
It is for situations like this that Bitcoin was invented. It cannot be interfered with by private companies or government. I strongly suggest you start accepting Bitcoin donations, its really easy.
ConnectingDots says
Robert, we can still write checks to support Jihad Watch.
1. To whom should a check be written?
2. Is this the correct postal address for checks? David Horowitz Freedom Center, P.O. Box 55089, Sherman Oaks, CA 91499-1964
TWG says
The speed at which this is progressing (the banishment of Conservative and/or anti-jihad advocacy on the inet and within financial services sector) is quite alarming.
So many people unable to sort through and identify the glaring truth in what Mr. Spencer is communicating. And so many others who are WILLINGLY ignorant. They don’t know the issue at hand, and they don’t care that they don’t know the issue at hand. They are simply doing what their handlers have taught them to do. Thanks, “educators”. You’ve done a real bang-up job on society.
Older Canadian says
I have been thinking of buying, via cash from my pocket, a prepaid credit card to use to make donations without a trail to me by the card company. It appears from above I should do it.
Similar idea for mail in donations. Not a cheque but a money order you can buy at a bank paid by cash you take out of your pocket. No trail who you are.
Over the top, perhaps not.
freedom push says
Every way of giving funds and content should be tried and exhausted before giving up. Record some tracks and put them on bandcamp and people can buy them. Of course, since these are music, you would have a band name. They can be bought in multiples of $50. They only flag the account if a purchase exceeds $50. So if you put up 10 tracks, each person could buy one for themselves and one for a friend of each track. That is $1,000 in total of course, which should satisfy most purchasers. This is just one suggestion whihc works without any question. I looked at the website and read articles in detail for the first time after I read about the banns. I am sure I am not the only one.