Posted on 09/06/2007 10:34:53 PM PDT by peggybac
The woman in the middle of a Kansas City political storm isn’t quitting.
Frances Semler said Thursday she was feeling pressured because the city could lose two national conventions unless she resigned from the park board. And she was shaken by a local group that showed up at her doorstep Wednesday.
But, she said, “I don’t intend to resign.”
Mayor Mark Funkhouser said Thursday that he understood if Semler wanted to resign after the National Council of La Raza and the NAACP said they were reconsidering holding their conventions in Kansas City because of her membership in the Minutemen Civil Defense Corps.
That group has taken a strong stance on immigration issues and has conducted patrols of U.S. borders.
In June, Funkhouser turned down Semler’s offer to resign after the initial controversy over her appointment. But Thursday, he said he would not require her to stay on the park board, because of recent events.
“If she feels like it’s more than she wants to deal with, I’m not going to force her to do it,” Funkhouser said.
Semler said the mayor need not worry.
“I appreciate his support,” she said. “We have a good group (on the park board) and I enjoy being part of the group. And I feel we can accomplish a lot.”
As far as her appointment drawing attention from national civil rights groups, Semler said, “It is absolutely the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.” She said her views on immigration should not affect her service on the board.
Semler said she had not spoken to Funkhouser this week but did talk Wednesday with his wife, Gloria Squitiro, who was supportive.
Funkhouser reiterated that he continued to support Semler, even if it meant losing the two conventions and any other events.
Also Thursday, members of a group apologized for upsetting Semler by going to her door Wednesday and leaving a letter calling for her to resign.
Semler said the incident left her shaken and prompted her to call police, who have stepped up patrols of the neighborhood.
In a news conference, members of the Interfaith Worker Justice of Greater Kansas City offered their explanation.
“We don’t regret delivering her the letter,” said the Rev. Spencer Barrett of the Bethel AME Church. “We do apologize to her. Our only regret would be that she was frightened in any way, shape or form.”
Longtime labor organizer Chere Chaney said she was one of six people who visited Semler’s home. She said there was no intent to intimidate Semler.
“We went to the door. … rang the doorbell; she didn’t answer,” Chaney said. “Knocked on the door; she didn’t answer. … we were at the door less than a minute, and we left.”
Several of those at the West Side news conference repeated their criticism of the Semler appointment.
“The country is looking at our city and seeing what we stand for,” said Rita Valenciano of the Coalition of Hispanic Organizations. “Do we stand for a community that’s diverse, inclusive and welcoming? Or do we stand for bigotry and hatred against a targeted group because of their looks and appearance and language?”
Semler questioned whether the group truly regretted its action because members said they would do nothing differently.
“That’s not an apology really,” she said.
Semler said she questioned the group’s explanation because she believed they called ahead to find out whether she was at home and hung up when she identified herself.
Two of Semler’s neighbors told police they saw eight or nine individuals at the door and the group parked two cars away from Semler’s home and then walked to the door.
She said the group pounded on her door multiple times before leaving.
“I think they wanted a confrontation because they made sure I was at home,” she said.
Semler said that she remained mystified over how the controversy surrounding her has mushroomed, but that the threat of Kansas City losing conventions would not cause her to step aside.
“It doesn’t seem like this is going away,” she said. “We are at a standoff.”
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Inside Mike Hendricks applauds the mayor’s stance. | B1
Tourism officials worry about the effects of a boycott. | C1
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@ Go to KansasCity. com for video from a news conference by opponents of Frances Semler.
To reach DeAnn Smith, call 816-234-4412 or send e-mail to dsmith@kcstar.com.
Just think how much KC will save on police expenses.
Ain't that the truth.
Thanks very much for posting. Thanks very much for the ping.
Another anti-truth, anti-freedom, anti-life POS collective attacking an individual American.
Hooray Frances Semler!
Stand firm, Ms. Semler! La Raza - the PLO of the Western Hemisphere.
I think an analogy with the NAZIs is more appropriate.
NAA(L)CP convention is set for KC in 2010
La Raza is set for 2009
I suspect there is plenty of time to replace them for convention space...
They should be forced to hold their conventions in sanctuary cities..
They never supported AMERICAN rights. The ACLU is set up from the get-go to chip away at AMERICAN rights and Christianity.
Are there patriots in KC helping defend this patriotic woman?
Thanks for posting these important contacts. They need our support for standing firm against the heinous La Raza.
Mayor Funkhouser
City Hall, 29th floor
414 E. 12th St.
Kansas City, MO 64106
Phone: (816) 513-3500
Fax: (816) 513-3518
mayor@kcmo.org
Director of Parks & Recreation
Mark L. McHenry
4600 E. 63rd St.
Kansas City, MO 64130
(816) 513-7500
Parks@kcmo.org
Please freep this poll:
http://forums.kansascity.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=kr-kansascity&msg=8810.1&ctx=1
“Arm thy self neighbor -— one day you’ll need the hardware.”
and stock the ammo
Looks like Savage was right again.
BUMP
Refresh my memory, what was at the start of this controversy? I read about this about a week or so ago but I’ve forgotten.
Refresh my memory, what was at the start of this controversy? I read about this about a week or so ago but I’ve forgotten.
Low volume ping list
FReepmail me to be on, or off, this list.
I have been following this on the news in KC.
This lady is on the Parks board, LaRaza and Aztlan operatives have accused her of being a racist because she supports, and is a part of, the Minuteman Civil Defense Corp.
LaRaza supposedly has a convention in KC sometime in the future and is thinking of moving it to some other city because this lady is on the Parks board.
I say let them move it. I'm not sure having a LaRaza convention in my city is such a good thing.
Some La Raza racists tried to intimidate a gal into stepping down from her position in Kansas City.
Note that the NAACP is joining with La Raza in demanding that the pro-border enforcement lady be removed from her post. Even though blacks are being displaced all over the country by illegals, and even after the brutal murder of promising young black students by an illegal alien in Newark, the NAACP still sides with La Raza. Why? Because Julian Bond’s hatred of whitey overrides his concern for his own people. As long as whites are being displaced, robbed, and killed by illegals, he’s willing to sacrifice some blacks for the “cause”.
NAACP - defender of Vick and dogfighting.
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