Peter Zieve, the owner and president of a north-end aerospace company, has been linked to an anti-mosque campaign in Mukilteo, after residents reported receiving an anonymous mailer about the plans.
The mailer offered no opinion on the mosque planned by the Islamic Center of Mukilteo, but the email contact information — mukilteostaysafe@gmail.com — first was linked by public documents to Zieve, who has been open with city officials about his opposition to the plans, which were filed in 2013.
Email correspondence linking Zieve to mukilteostaysafe@gmail.com was forwarded to Mukilteo city officials by a resident who is fearful of the Islamic Center’s plans, according to The Herald of Everett. According to the paper, the email correspondence discussed the “danger” of the mosque project and encouraged recipients to contact Mukilteo Mayor Jennifer Gregerson.
Zieve is the president and owner of Electroimpact, which develops machines that builds aerospace parts for Boeing, Airbus, Bombardier and more.
While Zieve declined to talk to The Seattle Times or the Herald about the mosque mailing on Wednesday, he confirmed to the Puget Sound Business Journal on Thursday that he was the mailing’s source.
“Do they know that the couple that did the San Bernardino massacre were almost daily in the mosque in San Bernardino?” Zieve told the business publication.
Zieve also said that the mailing to city residents had nothing against the mosque on it and that he and others are exercising their right to free speech.
One of the organizers of the mosque project, Mohammed Riaz Khan, declined to criticize Zieve, according to the Times, saying organizers’ focus is on building the mosque and not the critics, and he welcomed anyone with questions about the project to ask the organizers.
Mosque organizers have said they expect about 200 to 400 attendees, with weekly service on Friday.
City of Mukilteo officials have told reporters that residents have called the city to report that they found the mailing offensive.
The Herald of Everett: Head of key Boeing supplier linked to anti-mosque mailings
The Seattle Times: Was alert about Mukilteo mosque driven by anti-Muslim bias?
The Puget Sound Business Journal: Boeing supplier exec confirms he sent letter warning Mukilteo residents of mosque construction
Free speech, yes. You are free (from government prohibition) to make any remarks you wish, on any topic you wish, publicly. For most American citizens, the consequence of speech which reads as apparent fear mongering and bigotry will be the opprobrium of your fellow citizens. For a CEO of Electroimpact, it will probably incur the opprobrium of your business partners — not to mention most of your highly educated workforce. Anonymous postcards: really?? That is a FAIL for your community, a FAIL for your business interests, and a FAIL for the larger polity.