Posted on 10/29/2003 4:45:33 PM PST by chance33_98
Racist fliers likely protected as free speech, FBI reports
By MIKE WIGGINS The Daily Sentinel
The distribution of racist fliers over the weekend to homes in Grand Junction and Clifton was prompted by a Clifton man who expressed interest in the National Alliance, the white supremacy group that put together the fliers, a group official said Monday.
Shaun Walker, chief executive officer of the National Alliance, would not identify the man or say who delivered the fliers but said the man contacted the group last week.
"We have some members and supporters that just wanted to get some information out about us," Walker said.
The Mesa County Sheriff's Department contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigation on Monday about the fliers to see whether anyone can be prosecuted under ethnic intimidation laws, but an agent with the FBI in Denver said that is unlikely.
"My understanding is that they contained no threats or other illegal materials that would warrant a prosecution if we were able to arrest the persons who were distributing them," said FBI spokeswoman Ann Atanasio. "We are aware of them, but at this point it is constitutionally protected free speech, as reprehensible as anyone may find it."
Mesa County sheriff's officials said Sunday that more than 100 fliers were distributed to Clifton homes on Lombardy Lane and in the area bounded by Front Street, F Road, Second Street and Fifth Street.
Grand Junction police spokeswoman Amy Lusby said police had not received any reports about fliers being delivered in the city, though a woman who lives on the corner of 19th Street and Elm Avenue said Monday that her husband found fliers in their yard and a neighbor's yard Saturday morning.
"It just blew me away because we'd never gotten anything like that before," said the woman, who asked not to be identified.
Authorities said the fliers, which bore the name of the National Alliance, contained anti-immigration messages and promoted "white civilization."
The fliers were placed in plastic bags weighed down with{M6 some rocks.
Mesa County sheriff's Sgt. John Cooper said at least two versions of the fliers were delivered.
One referred to immigrants as "parasites" and "invaders" and claimed "American Civilization is WHITE Civilization!"
The Web site for the West Virginia-based National Alliance posts several fliers and encourages supporters to download and distribute them to people who would be receptive to the message.
The alliance distributed fliers in Eagle encouraging whites not to have sex with blacks after NBA superstar Kobe Bryant was charged with sexually assaulting a hotel concierge near Vail.
There were reports that fliers were also sent out recently in Aspen and Glenwood Springs.
Article I, Section 8,
"That no law shall be passed impairing the freedom of speech, no matter by what means communicated: that every person shall be free to say, write or publish, or otherwise communicate whatever he will on any subject,.."
Case closed.
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