|
|
|
 |
FreeRepublic , LLC PO BOX 9771 FRESNO, CA 93794
|
|
It is in the breaking news sidebar! |
|
Posted on 07/12/2003 7:22:23 PM PDT by BenLurkin
LITTLEROCK - A white Littlerock family is fearing for its safety after racially hateful fliers with their home address on them were found circulating in Palmdale, Lancaster and Littlerock.
Sheriff's investigators say the family has nothing to do with producing or distributing the fliers, which target blacks, Jews, and Mexicans.
"It appears that they are in fact the victims of a cruel joke or hoax," Sgt. Jerry Bluff said.
The fliers, signed, "The KKK Club," invited anyone who wanted a fight to go to a Littlerock address, which turned out to be the home of 80-year-old Lionel Moss Sr. and his 17-year-old daughter, Jennifer. Moss said he was shocked when sheriff's deputies came to his home after one of the fliers surfaced about five weeks ago.
"I thought, 'Are you kidding?' " the elder Moss said after being shown the flier by deputies. "I love all people. I've stayed with God my whole life. We didn't do this. It hurts my feelings ... These are my brothers and sisters."
More fliers began to show up on the streets and it didn't take long for the Moss family to receive clandestine visitors. Somebody threw a bag of feces and rotten meat into the Moss yard. Someone else threw large concrete chunks into the yard.
Another night, Moss' adult son, Lionel Jr., found a folded-up flier left on the doorstep. The family reported the acts to sheriff's deputies, who made a report on the incidents and advised the family to be extra cautious.
Moss, Sr. sent his daughter Jennifer to stay elsewhere and told his adult daughter Penny, who sometimes stays at the home, to also stay away. Lionel Jr. came to stay with his father at the home.
"As men, we can't run. We have to stay and protect our property," the younger man said. "We're basically in fear for our life. This is a possibility. All it takes is the wrong person to get a hold of this flier, and they'll be here."
The neighborhood in which the Moss family has lived for the past three years is a collection of black, white and Hispanic families. Tylon Player, who lives next door to Moss, said she couldn't imagine the family being connected to the hateful fliers.
"They are the sweetest people in the world," said Player, who is black. "They started talking about leaving and selling the house and I said, 'Don't you dare!' "
Player and the Moss family believe the fliers could be retaliation for a squabble that occurred outside of the Moss home about six weeks ago involving Player's son, a group of area teens and Jennifer Moss' boyfriend.
Bluff said sheriff's officials have no suspects at this time, and Lionel Jr. said the family has no proof about who is behind the fliers.
The fliers gained media attention after a black Lancaster woman whose child found one of the fliers on Avenue K reported the matter to the Sheriff's Department as a hate crime. The message on the fliers alarmed some people within the black community.
Lancaster Vice Mayor Henry Hearns said the fliers saddened him. He added that he didn't believe it was typical behavior for the Antelope Valley.
The fliers were passed on to the Antelope Valley Human Relations Task Force as well as the National Conference for Community and Justice, a nonprofit organization that has done hate crime work in the area.
They find who did this, I hope they can be made to pay, big time.
|
|
|
|
|
FreeRepublic , LLC PO BOX 9771 FRESNO, CA 93794
|
|
It is in the breaking news sidebar! |
|
And it still works.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.