Racist fliers appear in Durango driveways

The Durando Harald ^ | 10-28-03 | Shane Benjamin

[Technoman]

Several racists fliers were distributed late Saturday night or early Sunday morning in Durango-area neighborhoods with the National Alliance's name and logo and anti-immigrant messages printed on them.

"Immigration? or Invasion," proclaims one flier. "If current trends continue, whites will be a minority in this country within the next 50 years. Non-Whites are turning America into a Third World slum. They come for welfare or to take our jobs."

Durango resident Sean Schmida discovered a flier in his yard about 3:30 p.m. Monday.

"I was appalled," Schmida said. "After I read it, I couldn't believe I found it in my neighborhood. I would have never expected to find anything like that."

Durango police Capt. Dale Smith said the fliers were put in clear plastic bags with white rocks and distributed in the northern part of the city between the 2900 and 3200 blocks on West Second Avenue and East Second Avenue.

If the person or people responsible for distributing the fliers is caught, they could be charged with littering or inciting a negative public reaction, Smith said. "Our concern is that it's being disruptive to the community," he said. "It is offensive to some, so that is illegal."

Police believe whoever distributed the fliers was on foot because of their strategic placement. One man reported finding the flier Sunday morning between his two morning papers, The Durango Herald and The Denver Post.

Anyone who saw suspicious activity late Saturday night or Sunday morning in the areas where the fliers were distributed are asked to call investigators at 385-2930 or Crimestoppers at 247-1112.

The National Alliance, the West Virginia organization named on the fliers, claims to be "an organization of whites who aren't afraid to speak up for our race." Printed on the fliers is an address for the Alliance office in Denver, a Denver-area phone number and Web sites for the Alliance. A phone message left at the Denver office by the Herald seeking information about the organization and the fliers was not returned Monday.

An answering machine has a recording by someone claiming to be Dr. William L. Pierce, the leader of the National Alliance. According to the group's Web site, Pierce died in July 2002 after a brief battle with cancer. The voice on the answering machine expresses concern about the "out of control immigration situation ... changing the racial complexion of our population."

According to The New York Times, the National Alliance is one of the fastest-growing and most dangerous racist organizations in the country. The Denver Post reported in October 2002 that the state chapter has fewer than two dozen members.

The fliers also appeared in Clifton, a town near Grand Junction.

More than 100 fliers promoting "white civilization" were distributed in the town this weekend, and the Mesa County Sheriff's Department is investigating.

At least two kinds of fliers were distributed in Clifton, a town of about 17,000 just east of Grand Junction.

Mesa County sheriff's Sgt. John Cooper said investigators didn't know who left the Clifton fliers. He said whoever distributed them probably cannot be prosecuted, but he said he planned to check with the FBI to see if the fliers fall under ethnic-intimidation laws.

Reached by The Associated Press, a National Alliance official would not say who distributed the fliers. But the official, Shaun Walker, told The Associated Press on Monday that a Clifton resident expressed interest in the alliance after it distributed materials in Eagle.

He wouldn't identify the resident.

"We just had some alliance members and supporters that wanted to do some fliering' in that area," he said.

Reach Staff Writer Shane Benjamin at shane@durangoherald.com . The Associated Press contributed to this report.

[Technoman]

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

Why is it so hard these days for police agencies get this? Not hard in a culture that assumes that the constitution only applies to state militia or state and local law enforcement, or if it offends somebody, it is illegal. They've used the first point for years regarding the Second Amendment, but it looks like Durango police Capt. Dale Smith feels it applies to the First. Even though the source of the flier distribution originated from a "white supremacist" group, how far will this Orwellian zealot go to suppress other opinions that are disruptive to the community. And who determines that they're disruptive... Capt. Smith?

It's too bad that when the law suites come down -- and they will -- the local tax payers will pay out the nose while Capt. Smith and his fraternity will keep their jobs! Or maybe the good captain must be educated on the First Amendment. Since he is a public servant, I'm sure he would like to hear from Freepers -- pro and against!

Durango Police Department
Attention: Captain Dale Smith
(and/or Attention: Chief of Police Al Bell)
990 E 2nd Ave
Durango, Colorado 81301
(970) 385-2910


City of Durango
949 East Second Avenue
Durango, CO 81301-5109
970.385.2800 - Phone
970.247.4859 - Fax
info@ci.durango.co.us

The Durango Herald
1275 Main Ave.
Durango, Colorado 81301

Letter to the Editor: letters@durangoherald.com

[Catspaw]

Just curious: do you know anything about the National Alliance?

[Tijeras_Slim]

Crafty immigrants. I can't afford to live in a third-world slum like Durango.

[Puppage]

"It is offensive to some, so that is illegal."

You have the right to pursue happiness.....you do NOT have the right NOT to be offended.

And, how do we morally ejudicate what's offensive, and what's not?

What's deemed offensive to some, is not offensive to others, no?

[Catspaw]

Crafty immigrants. I can't afford to live in a third-world slum like Durango.

But yet the neo-Nazi National Alliance were able to find them.

Heck, the neo-Nazis were able to find a few blocks in a suburb of Green Bay to spew their trash a few weeks back. Those little goosesteppers from the National Alliance do this all over the country, even if--like the neighborhood in the burb of Green Bay they slimed--there weren't any immigrants.

[MineralMan]

"If the person or people responsible for distributing the fliers is caught, they could be charged with littering "

I have no problem with this charge at all. I routinely call outfits that drop paper junk on my driveway and make them come back and pick it up. That includes free newspapers, advertising flyers, etc. If they throw it on my property, they're littering.

They all come and pick up the offending stuff. Why? Because they know that they could be charged with littering if I pressed the case.

Freedom of speech does not apply on my private property, anymore than it does here on Free Republic. Messages that break FR's rules are summarily removed. So are junk papers and flyers from my yard.

[Catspaw]

These neo-Nazis from the National Alliance dumped their trash on a neighborhood near me. It's a recruiting trip for them. They pick the National Alliance posters to fit their target.

[Technoman]

From what I've heard, they are an anti-Semitic, White Supremacist group from West
Virginia. But that is a non-issue so long as they're literature is not threatening
anyone. There are a lot of offensive groups, but if we let this Smith character
have his way with them, who will he come after next?

[Catspaw]

In some neighborhoods, the National Alliance dumps anti-immigrant posters. In others, they'll dump their anti-Jew posters. It really depends on finding those very *special* few that agree with them.

[theFIRMbss]

>The National Alliance, the West Virginia organization named on the fliers, claims to be "an organization of whites who aren't afraid to speak up for our race."
>>do you know anything about the National Alliance?

It's a little odd
the reporter was so coy.
This group is famous.

Their former leader
wrote "The Turner Diaries,"
and has appeared on

"Sixty Minutes." Their
"symbol" gets flashed by skinheads
all around the world.

[Catspaw]

From what I've heard, they are an anti-Semitic, White Supremacist group from West Virginia.

Google them. If you like them, join up.

I don't want their trash in my yard.

[Puppage]

dumped their trash on a neighborhood near me.

Seems likely they'd be cited for littering, if anything. They can't be arrested because people don't like the "message" written therein. If that were true then I could have Domino's arrested because I hate their pizza & dislike there flyers in my mailbox even more.

[Catspaw]

I know who they are. And I purposely didn't put a link to their website in my posts because, like the flyers they distributed, for the National Alliance, it's all about recruiting new members.

[Mad Dawgg]

From DEEP Inside The Binary Bunker

Bill of No Rights

---

We, the sensible of the United States, in an attempt to help everyone get along, restore some semblance of justice, avoid any more riots, keep our nation safe, promote positive behavior and secure the blessings of debt-free liberty to ourselves and our great-great-great grandchildren, hereby try one more time to ordain and establish some common sense guidelines for the terminally whiny, guilt-ridden delusional, and other liberal, commie, pinko bedwetters.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that a whole lot of people were confused by the Bill of Rights and are so dim that they require a Bill of No Rights.

ARTICLE I
You do not have the right to a new car, big-screen color TV or any other form of wealth. More power to you if you can legally acquire them, but no one is guaranteeing anything.

ARTICLE II
You do not have the right to never be offended. This country is based on freedom, and that means freedom for everyone -- not just you! You may leave the room, turn the channel, express a different opinion, etc., but the world is full of idiots, and probably always will be.

ARTICLE III
You do not have the right to be free from harm. If you stick a screwdriver in your eye, learn to be more careful, do not expect the tool manufacturer to make you and all of your relatives independently wealthy.

ARTICLE IV
You do not have the right to free food and housing. Americans are the most charitable people to be found, and will gladly help anyone in need, but we are quickly growing weary of subsidizing generation after generation of professional couch potatoes who achieve nothing more than the creation of another generation of professional couch potatoes.

ARTICLE V
You do not have the right to free health care. That would be nice, but from the looks of public housing, we're just not interested in public health care.

ARTICLE VI
You do not have the right to physically harm other people. If you kidnap, rape, intentionally maim or kill someone, don't be surprised if the rest of us get together and kill you.

ARTICLE VII
You do not have the right to the possessions of others. If you rob, cheat, or coerce away the goods or services of other citizens, don't be surprised if the rest of us get together and lock you away in a place where you still won't have the right to a big-screen color TV or a life of leisure.

ARTICLE VIII
You do not have the right to demand that our children risk their lives in foreign wars to soothe your aching conscience. We hate oppressive governments and won't lift a finger to stop you from going to fight if you'd like. However, we do not enjoy parenting the entire world and do not want to spend so much of our time battling each and every little tyrant with a military uniform and a funny hat.

ARTICLE IX
You do not have the right to a job. All of us sure want you to have one, and will gladly help you along in hard times, but we expect you to take advantage of the opportunities in education and vocational training laid before you to make yourself useful.

ARTICLE X
You do not have the right to happiness. Being an American means that you have the right to pursue happiness -- which, by the way, is a lot easier if you are unencumbered by an overabundance of idiotic laws created by those around you who were confused by the Bill of Rights.

---

Copyright © Lewis W. Napper

[Catspaw]

From the story:

they could be charged with littering

But these slimeball neo-Nazis like to crawl out from under their rocks in the middle of the night and scurry away, leaving the folks in the neighborhood to find their spew on their lawns when they get up in the morning.

[DumpsterDiver]

they could be charged with littering or inciting a negative public reaction, Smith said. "Our concern is that it's being disruptive to the community," he said. "It is offensive to some, so that is illegal."

That's creepy to hear. Inciting a negative reaction? Oh, no, the horror of it all.

[MineralMan]

"But these slimeball neo-Nazis like to crawl out from under their rocks in the middle of the night and scurry away, leaving the folks in the neighborhood to find their spew on their lawns when they get up in the morning."

Yup. That is a problem, since there's no known person to be arrested. These folks live under rocks, apparently, and have no known address, I guess. /sarcoff

[Catspaw]

Yup. That is a problem, since there's no known person to be arrested. These folks live under rocks, apparently, and have no known address, I guess. /sarcoff

In the neighborhood near me where they dumped their flyers, the folks there didn't find them until morning. The folks were horrified, appalled, etc.--but the people who were horrified, appalled, etc. aren't the people they're targeting. They're targeting someone who'll call their number or visit their website and pay their dues.

[VU4G10]

Immigration? or Invasion?

Invasion!