"King of the Ocean"
April 12, 2006 10:24 AM Subscribe
Moonie Sushi? The Chicago Tribune reports on the Unification Church's control of True World Foods, a distributor that supplies the majority of sushi restaurants in the U.S. Also on their project list: The Washington Times, UPI, George W. Bush.
I hear they are trying to corner the tin foil market, but they've got competition from the Scientologists.
posted by Pollomacho at 10:37 AM on April 12, 2006
posted by Pollomacho at 10:37 AM on April 12, 2006
If you run a newspaper that is taken seriously by other national press outlets, you really aren't that tinfoil any longer.
And the only thing that allows me to stomach TV interviews with Tony Blankley is just imagining him depositing a paycheck underwritten by a friggin cult.
But growing up and living in DC, you realize that the Moonies are not nearly as batshitinsane as they used to be. I mean, what happened to the rallies and the mass weddings and extorting Korean immigrants for half of their wages? Cults going mainstream is no fun.
posted by bardic at 10:43 AM on April 12, 2006
And the only thing that allows me to stomach TV interviews with Tony Blankley is just imagining him depositing a paycheck underwritten by a friggin cult.
But growing up and living in DC, you realize that the Moonies are not nearly as batshitinsane as they used to be. I mean, what happened to the rallies and the mass weddings and extorting Korean immigrants for half of their wages? Cults going mainstream is no fun.
posted by bardic at 10:43 AM on April 12, 2006
Moonies are Wal-Mart level Thetans.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 10:43 AM on April 12, 2006
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 10:43 AM on April 12, 2006
Has it really been 26 years since they tried to take over Gloucester, Mass.? Hmmm, they don't work all that fast, but at least they work at it.
This message brought to you by Twizzlers, the Moonie Licorice.
I am the King of Licorice!!! Obey me!!!
posted by jsavimbi at 10:51 AM on April 12, 2006
This message brought to you by Twizzlers, the Moonie Licorice.
I am the King of Licorice!!! Obey me!!!
posted by jsavimbi at 10:51 AM on April 12, 2006
No reg. req'd version of the Trib article available here
posted by Jos Bleau at 11:01 AM on April 12, 2006
posted by Jos Bleau at 11:01 AM on April 12, 2006
Incidentally(?), "King of the Ocean" is one (rough, conjectural) translation for "Genghis Khan."
posted by grobstein at 11:26 AM on April 12, 2006
posted by grobstein at 11:26 AM on April 12, 2006
Obligatory response to Genghis Khan reference.
posted by mullingitover at 11:31 AM on April 12, 2006 [1 favorite]
posted by mullingitover at 11:31 AM on April 12, 2006 [1 favorite]
[What happened to the] rallies and the mass weddings and extorting Korean immigrants for half of their wages?
The insanity has largely been moved offshore for P.R. reasons. They still hold massive rallies in various countries and Moon raves about taking over the world. But they realized it was hard on their image to recruit members in the same country where they're purchasing members of Congress.
posted by johngoren at 12:12 PM on April 12, 2006
The insanity has largely been moved offshore for P.R. reasons. They still hold massive rallies in various countries and Moon raves about taking over the world. But they realized it was hard on their image to recruit members in the same country where they're purchasing members of Congress.
posted by johngoren at 12:12 PM on April 12, 2006
you realize that the Moonies are not nearly as batshitinsane as they used to be
I would submit that they are every bit as batshit insane as they used to be, they've just realized that the public displays weren't achieving anything, whereas giving money to politicians is very effective.
I hear Tony Blankley every week on "Left Right & Center" (KCRW). He's very much a typical Republican party whore, who'll defend his party regardless of their actions. That he's being run by a moonie front isn't really surprising in someone so completely amoral. Money's money, it doesn't matter where it comes from.
posted by doctor_negative at 12:15 PM on April 12, 2006
I would submit that they are every bit as batshit insane as they used to be, they've just realized that the public displays weren't achieving anything, whereas giving money to politicians is very effective.
I hear Tony Blankley every week on "Left Right & Center" (KCRW). He's very much a typical Republican party whore, who'll defend his party regardless of their actions. That he's being run by a moonie front isn't really surprising in someone so completely amoral. Money's money, it doesn't matter where it comes from.
posted by doctor_negative at 12:15 PM on April 12, 2006
For the record, most of the sushi joints in my area are owned by Koreans, even though they employ Japanese. The Koreans also own a number of Chinese restaurants.
I haven't noticed any Moonie connections.
posted by MonkeySaltedNuts at 12:15 PM on April 12, 2006
I haven't noticed any Moonie connections.
posted by MonkeySaltedNuts at 12:15 PM on April 12, 2006
This is an absolutely astounding list of thousands of Moon front companies and organizations.
posted by johngoren at 12:30 PM on April 12, 2006 [1 favorite]
posted by johngoren at 12:30 PM on April 12, 2006 [1 favorite]
Interesting find johngoren - certainly a lot of companies in Uruguay - I wonder why.
posted by adamvasco at 12:57 PM on April 12, 2006
posted by adamvasco at 12:57 PM on April 12, 2006
That list is making my eyes hurt, johngoren. Interesting how they appear to be focusing a lot of recruiting on African Americans lately.
And check out johngoren's awesome Moon website, Where in Washington, D.C. is Sun Myung Moon? Those coronation photos are amazing, and amazingly troubling, given the participants and location.
posted by maryh at 1:49 PM on April 12, 2006
And check out johngoren's awesome Moon website, Where in Washington, D.C. is Sun Myung Moon? Those coronation photos are amazing, and amazingly troubling, given the participants and location.
posted by maryh at 1:49 PM on April 12, 2006
Of course the northwest suburb Bush-endorsing trib doesnt like to rock to boat too much.
Huh? Which burbs are you talking about?
posted by Pollomacho at 2:13 PM on April 12, 2006
Huh? Which burbs are you talking about?
posted by Pollomacho at 2:13 PM on April 12, 2006
Did someone mention shark poaching yet? Not just high-end sushi fish they're catching in those nets.
posted by salvia at 2:17 PM on April 12, 2006
posted by salvia at 2:17 PM on April 12, 2006
For contrast, here's a similar list of Scientology related/run businesses. They're more into health services and management groups.
posted by doctor_negative at 2:20 PM on April 12, 2006 [1 favorite]
posted by doctor_negative at 2:20 PM on April 12, 2006 [1 favorite]
Thanks for the link. Well, what's so amazing about the crowning event was that it managed to distract from Moon's massive funding of Christian Right causes by landing a Democrat dupe in the starring role of something that was put on largely by Republicans.
...the [Unification] church has established a network of affiliated organizations and connections in almost every conservative organization in Washington, including the Heritage Foundation, the largest of the conservative think tanks and an important source of government personnel during the Reagan administration......
The Unification Church's newfound influence has occasioned intense debate among conservatives. One group of worried young conservatives meets regularly in private to compare notes about the problem. But little of the debate has surfaced in public forums. "Most people are afraid to address the issue because they don't want to publicize the extent of the church's involvement," says Amy Moritz of the Conservative National Center for Public Policy Research.
Because almost all conservative organizations in Washington have some ties to the church, conservatives also fear repercussions if they expose the church's role.
-- John Judis, "Rev. Moon's Rising Political Influence," U.S. News & World Report, March 27, 1989
posted by johngoren at 3:08 PM on April 12, 2006 [1 favorite]
...the [Unification] church has established a network of affiliated organizations and connections in almost every conservative organization in Washington, including the Heritage Foundation, the largest of the conservative think tanks and an important source of government personnel during the Reagan administration......
The Unification Church's newfound influence has occasioned intense debate among conservatives. One group of worried young conservatives meets regularly in private to compare notes about the problem. But little of the debate has surfaced in public forums. "Most people are afraid to address the issue because they don't want to publicize the extent of the church's involvement," says Amy Moritz of the Conservative National Center for Public Policy Research.
Because almost all conservative organizations in Washington have some ties to the church, conservatives also fear repercussions if they expose the church's role.
-- John Judis, "Rev. Moon's Rising Political Influence," U.S. News & World Report, March 27, 1989
posted by johngoren at 3:08 PM on April 12, 2006 [1 favorite]
Did anyone notice this? According to johngoren's link, Wacom, manufacturer of computer pen tablets, is indirectly owned by Japanese company "Happy World, Inc.", who have (unspecified) ties to the church...
posted by xil at 4:21 PM on April 12, 2006
posted by xil at 4:21 PM on April 12, 2006
I heard, about a year ago, that Happy World no longer owns Wacom. It was an unsubstantiated blog post, though.
posted by zsazsa at 8:49 PM on April 12, 2006
posted by zsazsa at 8:49 PM on April 12, 2006
"Tax the churches!
Tax the businesses OWNED by the churches!"
posted by darukaru at 1:02 PM on April 13, 2006
Tax the businesses OWNED by the churches!"
posted by darukaru at 1:02 PM on April 13, 2006
Until my dad bought one despite bitching about who owned the company I had no idea they had their hands in so much stuff.
posted by rhythim at 4:06 PM on April 13, 2006
posted by rhythim at 4:06 PM on April 13, 2006
The True Parents love Jerry Falwell.
Nuts from the same tree?
posted by nofundy at 7:35 AM on April 14, 2006
Nuts from the same tree?
posted by nofundy at 7:35 AM on April 14, 2006
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