Southside Together Organizing for Power (STOP)
STOP has received five grants from the Catholic Campaign for Human Development since 2018, totaling $175,000.
The Lepanto Institute previously profiled STOP in 2020 for its anti-police, pro-looting messages during the summer of BLM riots. In a now-deleted facebook post, STOP posted and endorsed a video of a Black Lives Matter protest that included highly inflammatory rhetoric, including the declaration that “capital and property right now are collateral in the larger political struggle…we should not be feeling in any way that property destruction is a violence.” In other words, this CCHD-funded organization took no issue with the vandalism, destruction, and looting that was taking place in the name of BLM riots. Lepanto saved the video, and it is available here:
In another now-deleted facebook post, STOP held a “graduation” march of youth who protested the presence of police officers in schools. At 53 minutes into the full video, the youth are led in chanting “F**k Twelve,” which is a slur aimed at the police. We saved that video clip also, and it can be seen here:
On 23 June, 2020, STOP wrote this now-deleted Facebook post calling for the removal of police from schools:
On 16 June 2023, STOP called for an outright defunding of the police altogether.
Through our current investigation, we have found that STOP – as an organization – promoted LGBT ideologies and abortion. Furthermore, at least two members of its leadership openly promote ideologies directly contrary to Catholic moral and theological teaching.
On 31 July 2024, STOP posted an article from the Chicago Sun Times telegraphing how Illinois abortion providers will be taking in clients from out of state since Iowa had banned abortion after the sixth week.
On 1 June 2023, STOP issued a statement regarding Pride Month, saying, “We’re proud that our official values include “space safe from isms like transphobia… homophobia, misogyny, racism.”
On 9 November 2019, STOP identified itself as being composed by a diverse group of people, including “a group of fierce young queer black women.”
On 30 March 2023, STOP played host to the Communist organization from Brazil known as Movimento Dos Trabalhadores Rurias Sem Terra (MST). We profiled MST in 2021, specifically for its active promotion of the Communist Manifesto and Karl Marx.
The “Health Justice” organizer for STOP is Cheryl Miller.
As the “Health Justice organizer,” whose charge it is to promote “our universal right to health care,” Miller’s moral outlook regarding so-called “healthcare matters” is important. As it stands, Miller is openly pro-abortion.
On 30 August 2019, Miller posted a pro-abortion message declaring that as long as a woman has a heartbeat, no one can tell her what she can do with her body.
On 2 February 2017, Miller thanked “Time Out” for coordinating local rallies, including a “a Reproductive Rights rally.”
According to Southside Together’s most recent tax form 990, its fundraiser is Dominic Surya.
As with Cheryl Miller, Surya is also openly pro-abortion. On 26 June 2022 – just two days after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade – Surya took to social media to rail against far-left LGBT advocate James Martin. He did this, not because Martin was far to the Left on sexual morality, but because he wasn’t Left enough! Surya reported a commentary Fr. Martin published on facebook offering his thoughts on the Dobbs decision, wherein he complained about receiving death threats from Leftists who opposed his support for the overturning of Roe. Surya, in his commentary on what Martin wrote, denounced the priest for complaining about “death threats to himself, but is silent on the scores of imminent deaths resulting from maternal mortality due to abortion laws.” After further pointing out that James Martin is among the “very few moderate or liberal” priests on facebook, he concludes, “if James Martin is the best we’ve got, then this dialogue is not working. We need to find or make other church spaces. And we need to find our hope in someone besides James Martin.”
In addition to this, Surya is also openly in favor of women’s ordination to the priesthood. On 29 August 2018, Surya posted a birthday fundraiser for the Women’s Ordination Conference.
Conclusion
STOP’s own activities show that it is pro-abortion and pro-LGBT. It’s past actions show that the ideological disposition of the organization is toward violence, revolution, and destruction or theft of property based upon the philosophy that the ends justify the means. Furthermore, it’s own team leaders have shown themselves to be of the same mindset. As such, STOP is unworthy of Catholic funds.
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