{{Short description|Non-profit organisation in the USA}} {{Use American English|date=March 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2016}} {{Infobox organization | name = David Horowitz Freedom Center | image = DH-FreedomCenter logo.jpg | image_size = 200px | type = Conservative think-tank | founded = 1988 | tax_id = 95-4194642 | registration_id = | founder = David Horowitz<br>Peter Collier | location = Sherman Oaks, California 91499<ref name="char">{{cite web|url=http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm/bay/search.summary/orgid/8750.htm |title=Charity Navigator Rating – The David Horowitz Freedom Center |publisher=Charitynavigator.org |access-date=February 11, 2013}}</ref> | coordinates = | origins = | key_people = David Horowitz, Founder & CEO<br>Peter Collier, Vice President of Publications<br>Michael Finch, President | region_served = United States | product = ''FrontPage Magazine'' | focus = Media | method = | revenue = $5.4 million | revenue_year = 2015 | endowment = | num_volunteers = | num_employees = | num_members = | subsid = | owner = | former_name = Center for the Study of Popular Culture | website = [http://www.horowitzfreedomcenter.org horowitzfreedomcenter.org] | footnotes = }} {{Conservatism US|think tanks}} The '''David Horowitz Freedom Center''', formerly the '''Center for the Study of Popular Culture''' ('''CSPC'''), is a conservative<ref>{{cite book | title=The Other Side of Grief: The Home Front and the Aftermath in American Narratives of the Vietnam (Culture, Politics, and the Cold War Culture, Politics, and the conservative David Horowitz Freedom Center) | publisher=Univ. of Massachusetts Press | author=Maureen Ryan | page=213}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=20071020&id=_2lWAAAAIBAJ&pg=3260,7355318 |title=Horowitz campus effort targets Islamic 'fanatics' |work=The Spokesman-Review |author=Asma Khalid |date=October 20, 2007 |access-date=February 11, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://digitaljournal.com/article/301717 |author=Michael Krebs |title=Controversy in Seattle over anti-Israel outdoor advertisements |work=DigitalJournal.com |date=December 23, 2010 |access-date=February 11, 2013}}</ref> anti-Islam<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|last1=O'Harrow|first1=Robert Jr.|last2=Boburg|first2=Shawn|date=2017-06-03|title=How a 'shadow' universe of charities joined with political warriors to fuel Trump's rise|language=en-US|newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/how-a-shadow-universe-of-charities-joined-with-political-warriors-to-fuel-trumps-rise/2017/06/03/ff5626ac-3a77-11e7-a058-ddbb23c75d82_story.html|access-date=2021-11-07|issn=0190-8286}}</ref> foundation founded in 1988 by political activist David Horowitz and his long-time collaborator Peter Collier. It was established with funding from groups including the John M. Olin Foundation, the Bradley Foundation and the Scaife Foundation.
It runs several websites and blogs, including the anti-Islam website ''FrontPage Magazine'' and the anti-Muslim blog Jihad Watch.<ref name="Kazen">{{cite news|last1=Kazem|first1=Halima|title=Funding Islamophobia: $206m went to promoting 'hatred' of American Muslims|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jun/20/islamophobia-funding-cair-berkeley-report|access-date=26 February 2018|work=The Guardian|date=20 June 2016}}</ref><ref name="Yang">{{cite news |last1=Yang|first1=Jennifer|date=21 December 2017|title=Board member of anti-racism agency fired amid accusations of Islamophobic commentary|work=Toronto Star|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2017/12/21/board-member-of-anti-racism-agency-fired-amid-accusations-of-islamophobic-commentary.html|access-date=26 February 2018}}</ref><ref name="Esposito">{{cite web|author=John L. Esposito|title=Islamophobia and the Challenges of Pluralism in the 21st Century - Introduction |url=http://www12.georgetown.edu/sfs/docs/ACMCU_Islamophobia_txt_99.pdf|year=2011|publisher=Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, Georgetown University|access-date=2012-08-27|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324053440/http://www12.georgetown.edu/sfs/docs/ACMCU_Islamophobia_txt_99.pdf|archive-date=2012-03-24}}</ref> It has been described as a part of the counter-jihad movement.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Donald Trump, the anti-Muslim far right and the new conservative revolution|first=Ed|last=Perwee|year=2020|journal=Ethnic and Racial Studies|volume=43|issue=16 |pages=211–230|doi=10.1080/01419870.2020.1749688|s2cid=218843237 |doi-access=free}}</ref> It is designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.<ref>{{Cite news| last = Shah| first = Areeba| title = The "dark money ATM of the right" is funneling money to hate groups while hiding donor identities| work = Salon| access-date = 2024-03-04| date = 2023-12-10| url = https://www.salon.com/2023/12/10/the-dark-money-atm-of-the-right-is-funneling-money-to-hate-groups-while-hiding-donor-identities/}}</ref>
== Finances == DHFC is a 501(c)(3) charity. In 2005 it had revenues of $4.9 million, expenses of $4.0 million, 8.4% of which was $336,000 compensation for David Horowitz.<ref name="char" /> For 2008 the DHFC reported on IRS Form 990 revenues of $5,466,103 and expenses of $5,994,547 with total compensation to David Horowitz of $480,162 and to vice-president Peter Collier of $228,744.<ref>{{cite web|title=2008 IRS Form 990|website=The Tennessean|url=http://www.tennessean.com/assets/pdf/DN1658821023.PDF}}</ref>{{Update inline|date=November 2020|reason=}} In 2015, Horowitz made $583,000 from the organization – that same year, the organization received $5.4 million in donations.<ref name=":1" />
Between July 2000 and February 2006, the center (under its old name) was the sponsor of 25 trips by United States senators and representatives, all Republicans, to six different events. Total expenditures were about $43,000.<ref>{{Cite web|title=C-SPAN: Campaign Finance Database |url=http://cspan.politicalmoneyline.com/cgi-win/x_PrivateSponsor.exe?DoFn=1987625|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927191456/http://cspan.politicalmoneyline.com/cgi-win/x_PrivateSponsor.exe?DoFn=1987625|archive-date=September 27, 2007|access-date=September 18, 2006}}</ref> In 2014–2015, Horowitz provided $250,000 in funding to the Dutch right-wing nationalist Geert Wilders's Party for Freedom.<ref>{{cite news|last=Ishaan|first=Tharoor|date=March 14, 2017 |title=Analysis - Geert Wilders and the mainstreaming of white nationalism |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/03/14/geert-wilders-and-the-mainstreaming-of-white-nationalism/ |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Geert Wilders's Far-Right Dutch Party Sees Drop in U.S. Money |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/08/world/europe/geert-wilders-netherlands-campaign-donations.html|work=The New York Times |date=March 8, 2017|last1=Hakim|first1=Danny|last2=Schuetze|first2=Christopher F.}}</ref>
== Activities == The center's activities have included: * ''FrontPage'' Magazine – a political website edited by Horowitz that has been described by scholars and writers as right-wing,<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/godscontinentchr00jenk|url-access=registration|title=God's Continent: Christianity, Islam, and Europe's Religious Crisis|last=Jenkins|first=Philip|date=2007|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=9780199886128|language=en|pages=[https://archive.org/details/godscontinentchr00jenk/page/n29 14], 182|quote=ultra-conservative [p. 14] ... right-wing [p. 182]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|author=Lisa Wangsness |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/12/05/interfaith-marriage-our-times-muslim-and-jewish-groups-form-coalition-fight-bigotry/CNWEiTfqg3erGIHC5XKhvJ/story.html |title=An interfaith marriage of our times: Muslim and Jewish groups form coalition to fight bigotry |work=The Boston Globe|date=December 5, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.palgrave.com/gp/book/9783319711102 |title=Islam, Securitization, and US Foreign Policy|author=Erdoan A. Shipoli |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |year=2018 |page=247 |language=en}}</ref> far-right,<ref>{{Cite web|author=David Kenner|url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2013/09/10/how-assad-wooed-the-american-right-and-won-the-syria-propaganda-war/ |title=How Assad Wooed the American Right, and Won the Syria Propaganda War |website=Foreign Policy |date=September 10, 2013}}</ref> and anti-Islam.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Ekman|first1=Mattias|title=Online Islamophobia and the politics of fear: manufacturing the green scare|journal=Ethnic and Racial Studies|date=30 March 2015 |volume=38 |issue=11 |pages=1986–2002 |doi=10.1080/01419870.2015.1021264 |s2cid=144218430 |issn=0141-9870}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/muslim-brotherhood-ted-cruz_us_58764d44e4b092a6cae42666|title=Ted Cruz vs. The Muslim Brotherhood Boogeyman|last=Mathias|first=Christopher|date=2017-01-13|work=Huffington Post|access-date=2018-08-20 |language=en-US}}</ref> * Discover the Networks<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/default.asp |title=Discover the Networks |publisher=Discover the Networks |access-date=February 11, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130703104302/http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/default.asp |archive-date=July 3, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> – a database of alleged left-wing agendas, activists and groups. After two years of development, they went online in February 2005, with a staff of two at a cost of about $500,000.<ref>{{cite web |last=Gorenfeld |first=John |url=http://dir.salon.com/story/news/feature/2005/04/12/horowitz_database/index.html |title=Roger Ebert and Mohammed Atta, partners in crime – Salon.com |publisher=Dir.salon.com |date=April 12, 2005 |access-date=February 11, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606185608/http://dir.salon.com/story/news/feature/2005/04/12/horowitz_database/index.html |archive-date=June 6, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> * ''Jihad Watch'' (formerly ''Dhimmi Watch'') – a blog run by blogger Robert Spencer<ref>{{cite web |last1=Beck |first1=Glenn |title=Seeds of Holy War Planted in Europe? Gridlock Coming to Congress? |url=https://transcripts.cnn.com/show/gb/date/2006-10-23/segment/01 |website=transcripts.cnn.com |publisher=CNN |access-date=23 November 2023 |format=interview |date=23 October 2006}}</ref><ref>[http://www.muslimalliancein.com/mai/enews_brief_mar26.htm Invitation to author upsets Muslims], Indianapolis Star, March 18, 2007 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928040356/http://www.muslimalliancein.com/mai/enews_brief_mar26.htm |date=September 28, 2007 }}</ref> which has been described as one of the main homes of the Counter-jihad movement on the internet.<ref name=nytHegghammer>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/31/opinion/sunday/the-rise-of-the-macro-nationalists.html?_r=1|title=The Rise of the Macro-Nationalists|first=Thomas |last=Hegghammer|work=The New York Times|date=24 July 2011|access-date=30 July 2011}}</ref> {{Anchor|Heterodoxy magazine}}<!-- This section is linked from David Horowitz --> *''Heterodoxy'' was a news magazine published in a tabloid format by the center, edited by David Horowitz and Peter Collier. Its focus was exposing the excesses of "political correctness" on college and university campuses across the United States, describing itself as “an irreverent monthly journal combating the folly of political correctness.”<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QFR1AAAAMAAJ|title=The Heterodoxy Handbook: How to Survive the PC Campus |first1=David |last1=Horowitz|first2=Peter|last2=Collier|date=January 1, 1994|publisher=Regnery Pub.|isbn=9780895267313|via=Google Books}}</ref> *Truth Revolt - a political website with the mission of destroying what it referred to as the leftist media "where they stand."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-02-10 |title=Our Mission |website=Truth Revolt |url=http://www.truthrevolt.org/our-mission |access-date=2024-05-01 |archive-date=February 10, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140210021223/http://www.truthrevolt.org/our-mission |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref> The editor-in-chief of the site was Ben Shapiro and the managing editor was Jeremy Boreing. Boreing was fired from the website in 2015, and Shapiro resigned shortly after.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7VAfKFq14I |title=Jeremy Boreing {{!}} The Ben Shapiro Show Sunday Special Ep. 102 |language=en |access-date=2024-05-01 |via=www.youtube.com}}</ref> Mark Tapson took over as editor-in-chief. The site closed in March 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-04-03 |title=Announcement: TruthRevolt Closing Shop {{!}} Truth Revolt |url=https://www.truthrevolt.org/news/announcement-truthrevolt-closing-shop |access-date=2024-05-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403021940/https://www.truthrevolt.org/news/announcement-truthrevolt-closing-shop |archive-date=April 3, 2019 }}</ref>
== Criticism == The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) has described the Center as a far-right organization<ref name="SPLC">{{cite web |url=http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2009/10/20/dutch-lawmaker-brings-his-anti-muslim-spiel-to-us/|title=Dutch Lawmaker Brings His Anti-Muslim Spiel to U.S.|publisher=Southern Poverty Law Center}}</ref> and anti-Muslim hate group.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/01/us/politics/michael-flynn-financial-disclosure-russia-linked-entities.html|title=Michael Flynn Failed to Disclose Income From Russia-Linked Entities|work=The New York Times|date=April 2017|last1=Rosenberg|first1=Matthew}}</ref> According to Horowitz, the SPLC's designation resulted in the Freedom Center's donation processing being blocked by Visa and Mastercard.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.worldtribune.com/report-visa-mastercard-blocked-donations-to-conservative-think-tank-on-advice-from-splc/|title=Report: Visa, Mastercard blocked donations to conservative think tank on advice from SPLC|date=2018-08-24|work=World Tribune: Window on the Real World|access-date=2018-08-24|language=en}}</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=The current source is insufficiently reliable (WP:NOTRS).|date=May 2022}}
Chip Berlet, writing for the SPLC, accused Horowitz of blaming slavery on "black Africans ... abetted by dark-skinned Arabs" and of "attack[ing] minority 'demands for special treatment' as 'only necessary because some blacks can't seem to locate the ladder of opportunity within reach of others,' rejecting the idea that they could be the victims of lingering racism."<ref>{{cite web|last = Berlet|first = Chip|year = 2003|url = http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?pid=105|title = Into the Mainstream|work = Intelligence Report|publisher = Southern Poverty Law Center|access-date = April 23, 2006|archive-date = May 10, 2006|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060510234336/http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?pid=105|url-status = dead}}</ref>
A 2011 report authored by Wajahat Ali, Eli Clifton, Matthew Duss, Lee Fang, Scott Keyes and Faiz Shakir of the Center for American Progress cited Horowitz as a prominent figure instrumental in propagating Islamophobia and spreading fear about an Islamic takeover of Western society.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/religion/report/2011/08/26/10165/fear-inc/|title=Fear, Inc.: The Roots of the Islamophobia Network in America|last1=Ali|first1=Wajahat|last2=Clifton|first2=Eli|date=26 August 2011|website=Center for American Progress|last3=Duss|first3=Matthew|last4=Fang|first4=Lee|last5=Keyes|first5=Scott|last6=Shakir|first6=Faiz|access-date=28 June 2016}}</ref> Horowitz responded, saying that the Center had "joined the Muslim Brotherhood".<ref>{{cite web|author=George Zornick |url=http://www.thenation.com/blog/163023/fear-inc-americas-islamophobia-network |title=Fear, Inc.: America's Islamophobia Network |work=The Nation |date=August 29, 2011 |access-date=February 11, 2013}}</ref>
In 2012, the Anti-Defamation League wrote that Horowitz sponsors a college campus project that promotes anti-Muslim views and arranges events with anti-Muslim activists.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.adl.org/main_Extremism/pamela-geller-stop-islamization-of-america.htm?Multi_page_sections=sHeading_6|title=Stop Islamization of America (SIOA)|access-date=December 6, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017010310/http://www.adl.org/main_Extremism/pamela-geller-stop-islamization-of-america.htm?Multi_page_sections=sHeading_6|archive-date=October 17, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> The DHFC was also a sponsor of the May 3, 2015, Muhammad Art Exhibit and Cartoon Contest in Garland, Texas,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://forward.com/news/307903/the-tech-mogul-who-funds-pamela-gellers-anti-islam-push/6|title=Meet Robert Shillman, the Tech Mogul Who Funds Pamela Geller's Anti-Islam Push|date=May 9, 2015 }}</ref> where two Muslim terrorist attackers were shot and killed by a school security guard.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2015/05/a-terror-attack-in-texas/392288/|title=A Terror Attack in Texas|last=Chandler|first=Adam|date=4 May 2015|publisher=Atlantic Monthly Group|newspaper=The Atlantic|access-date=28 June 2016}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{Official website|https://www.horowitzfreedomcenter.org/}} * {{ProPublicaNonprofitExplorer|954194642}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:1988 establishments in California Category:Islamophobia in California Category:Charities based in California Category:Conservative organizations in the United States Category:Counter-jihad Category:David Horowitz Category:Organizations established in 1988 Category:Political organizations based in the United States