Posted on 04/28/2005 9:02:01 PM PDT by Former Military Chick
BETHLEHEM -- A city resident has apologized for calling Puerto Rican drug families "the scum of the earth" in a flier he distributed last week to residents in the Marvine-Pembroke housing development.
John Demeter, who's lived near the development on Lebanon Street for 32 years, placed the fliers on several residents' car windshields. In them, he threatens to "take away 23 years" from the Puerto Rican families after claiming they helped get his son addicted to heroin. The flier scared one resident enough that she called police and filed a complaint.
The Northampton County Advisory Council to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission met on Wednesday night and discussed the fliers.
The resident who made the complaint, Margarita Benitez, and Demeter both attended. They sat across from one another at a small round table in the all-purpose room of the Council of Spanish Speaking Organizations of the Lehigh Valley's East Fourth Street office.
Demeter's apology didn't come immediately after he was given the floor to speak. He read a prepared statement reiterating some of the same claims he made against Puerto Ricans in the flier.
"The saddest thing of all is driving through the Village at night and seeing young Puerto Rican children standing on their porch selling drugs to anyone passing by while good Puerto Ricans stand by allowing this to go on," Demeter said.
Demeter, who sometimes raised his voice and flailed his arms while reading, also claimed that serious crimes were committed against him by Puerto Ricans. He blamed the problems on drugs.
When he finished reading the statement, the members of the advisory council, which advocates equal rights, sat silent for a moment before delving into questions.
(Excerpt) Read more at nj.com ...
ping
"Housing development"?
Is that code word for "SUBSIDIZED housing development"?
My guess is yes.
If I'm correct--I know what this guy is going through. Ah, the joys of living next to massive quantities of people who exist off of the public teat.
He's almost made out to be the criminal element in the neighbornood per the rest of the article. amazing.
Yep, put the blame squarely where it belongs - somewhere else.
My God... This man actually raised his voice and flailed his arms. He is a ticking timebomb just waiting to go off. Racists like this guy shouldn't have the right to verbally assault innocent citizens. Lock him up! /(extreme sarcasm)
Drug families are the scum of the earth.
I actually got your sarcasm. Thanks for adding your ocmment to the thread.
My thoughts exactly
What is it the New Jersey Bethleham Soveit now? Print up political fliers and have to go talk to the block captain and the The Peoples Committee on Right Thought? I guess he wanted the dialog, but it sure sounds like a weird place there. If I put a bunch of fliers on cars I don't expect to be hauled in front of a mock tribunal for it!
If someone feels a specific threat has been made I guess that would be actionable by the police. So what's "the committee" all about?
What type of complaint can be filed over the flier?
I think any drug family is the "scum of the earth". If one's family is dealing drugs or supporting family members who do,one should not be so sensitive about be caught out.
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