[Clintons Are White Trash]

Mayor Alan Autry will try to suspend the city's Human Relations Commission after its chairwoman issued a news release labeling a local conservative organization a "hate group."
Autry vowed Saturday to take action against the commission in the latest clash between the group and more conservative members of the Fresno city government.

He was reacting to a news release Chairwoman Debbie Reyes sent Friday that warned, "a rally is being organized by a hate group called 'The Free Republic.' "

The statement was stamped with the city of Fresno's seal.

The Free Republic is a Web site operated by Jim Robinson of Fresno.

On the site, Free Republic is introduced as "an online gathering place for independent, grass-roots conservatism on the web."

According to the commission's news release, "The information on this group's website clearly indicates threats of violence toward any minority groups that interfere with their rally or picnic."

Reyes said she wrote the news release, with help from another commissioner, because, "there's a link on the website that refers to this group as anti-gay and anti-immigration. When intolerance comes to the table, we need to answer that call."

Autry said there is no evidence that Free Republic is a hate group, adding that the commission is "using the city of Fresno as a tool to attack people without cause. This is just something that has to stop."

Autry plans to meet with Fresno's city manager and city attorney to discuss suspending the commission "until we find out how this happened, who was involved with the press release and the reason behind it."

Human Relations Commissioner Cary Catalano said it was decided last week that the commission would not issue a news release about Free Republic.

"Due to the nature of this event I will personally be asking Chairwoman Debbie Reyes for her resignation," Catalano said Saturday. "It's just important that the community knows that this is not a reflection of individual members."

In response, Reyes conceded other commissioners should have been told of the release.

"He's right on that," Reyes said. "It happened at the last minute of the midnight hour."

The news release was sent with a city of Fresno cover sheet and stated Free Republic was planning a rally Friday.

About a dozen people met at Shaw and Blackstone avenues Friday. They listened to country music, waved American flags and held signs asking drivers to honk their horns if they support U.S. soldiers.

Those who gathered at the busy intersection said the commission's accusation was ridiculous.

According to the commission's release, "This group has also planned a 'Free Republic Hate Rally Picnic' " Saturday at Woodward Park. However, those who planned to attend said the picnic was a chance for dozens to eat barbecued tri-tip, talk and play.

Autry called the Human Relations Commission "politically intoxicated" and described its news release as "inflammatory, reckless, irresponsible and dangerous."

"These comments are not a reflection of the city of Fresno," he said. "It's one thing to say someone's a jerk or to say someone is off base, but the worst thing you can say is that they're a hate group."

Last month, Autry clashed with Reyes when the commission member accused city officials of making racist remarks. This followed the release of an e-mail message in which City Council Member Jerry Duncan said he wished he had a "dirty bomb" to kill every liberal in Fresno.

Autry also was upset that the commission used city staffers to send the release.

At their meeting Thursday, Nicholas DeGraff warned commissioners that the Free Republic was planning events "that had the potential for violence."

DeGraff, a member of Peace Fresno, said he read messages on the Web site that stated Free Republic members were armed and "extremely violent."

"We wanted the police to be notified that there was a potential conflict," DeGraff said Saturday. "It was my goal to avert any potential violence. That being my goal, it was accomplished."

After listening to DeGraff, the HRC decided to write a letter to police, Catalano said. And Reyes later decided to send the news release, warning of the "hate group."

"We didn't want people getting hurt. Period. That was it," Reyes said. "If the city didn't get any kind of alert we could have been held responsible."

The reporter can be reached at mleedy@fresnobee.com or 441-6208.

[Dallas59]

I'm not violent, just heavily opinionated.

[and the horse you rode in on]

Body of Article

Mayor Alan Autry will try to suspend the city's Human Relations Commission after its chairwoman issued a news release labeling a local conservative organization a "hate group."

Autry vowed Saturday to take action against the commission in the latest clash between the group and more conservative members of the Fresno city government.

He was reacting to a news release Chairwoman Debbie Reyes sent Friday that warned, "a rally is being organized by a hate group called 'The Free Republic.' "

The statement was stamped with the city of Fresno's seal.

The Free Republic is a Web site operated by Jim Robinson of Fresno.

On the site, Free Republic is introduced as "an online gathering place for independent, grass-roots conservatism on the web."

According to the commission's news release, "The information on this group's website clearly indicates threats of violence toward any minority groups that interfere with their rally or picnic."

Reyes said she wrote the news release, with help from another commissioner, because, "there's a link on the website that refers to this group as anti-gay and anti-immigration. When intolerance comes to the table, we need to answer that call."

Autry said there is no evidence that Free Republic is a hate group, adding that the commission is "using the city of Fresno as a tool to attack people without cause. This is just something that has to stop."

Autry plans to meet with Fresno's city manager and city attorney to discuss suspending the commission "until we find out how this happened, who was involved with the press release and the reason behind it."

Human Relations Commissioner Cary Catalano said it was decided last week that the commission would not issue a news release about Free Republic.

"Due to the nature of this event I will personally be asking Chairwoman Debbie Reyes for her resignation," Catalano said Saturday. "It's just important that the community knows that this is not a reflection of individual members."

In response, Reyes conceded other commissioners should have been told of the release.

"He's right on that," Reyes said. "It happened at the last minute of the midnight hour."

The news release was sent with a city of Fresno cover sheet and stated Free Republic was planning a rally Friday.

About a dozen people met at Shaw and Blackstone avenues Friday. They listened to country music, waved American flags and held signs asking drivers to honk their horns if they support U.S. soldiers.

Those who gathered at the busy intersection said the commission's accusation was ridiculous.

According to the commission's release, "This group has also planned a 'Free Republic Hate Rally Picnic' " Saturday at Woodward Park. However, those who planned to attend said the picnic was a chance for dozens to eat barbecued tri-tip, talk and play.

Autry called the Human Relations Commission "politically intoxicated" and described its news release as "inflammatory, reckless, irresponsible and dangerous."

"These comments are not a reflection of the city of Fresno," he said. "It's one thing to say someone's a jerk or to say someone is off base, but the worst thing you can say is that they're a hate group."

Last month, Autry clashed with Reyes when the commission member accused city officials of making racist remarks. This followed the release of an e-mail message in which City Council Member Jerry Duncan said he wished he had a "dirty bomb" to kill every liberal in Fresno.

Autry also was upset that the commission used city staffers to send the release.

At their meeting Thursday, Nicholas DeGraff warned commissioners that the Free Republic was planning events "that had the potential for violence."

DeGraff, a member of Peace Fresno, said he read messages on the Web site that stated Free Republic members were armed and "extremely violent."

"We wanted the police to be notified that there was a potential conflict," DeGraff said Saturday. "It was my goal to avert any potential violence. That being my goal, it was accomplished."

After listening to DeGraff, the HRC decided to write a letter to police, Catalano said. And Reyes later decided to send the news release, warning of the "hate group."

"We didn't want people getting hurt. Period. That was it," Reyes said. "If the city didn't get any kind of alert we could have been held responsible."

[G.Mason]

"DeGraff, a member of Peace Fresno, said he read messages on the Web site that stated Free Republic members were armed and "extremely violent."

Who would've thunk?

I'm the proud member of a "Milita".

My pop gun is cleaned, primed and ready.

[UncleDick]

Thank God Fresno has a mayor like Alan Autry who's willing to stand up to these clowns.

[DumpsterDiver]

I think that this woman as her "hate" goups all mixed up.

Go see the thread started by Pikamax titled Uninvited guests might show up at the freerepublic rally at http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/974104/posts

Pikamax was quoting information he found posted by the "freepwatch network" at http://www.infoshop.org/inews/stories.php?story=03/08/31/5856677

[AppyPappy]

Natural born killaz

[MindBender26]

This might be VERY valuable to JR and FR.

Libel, slander, unproveable accusations, etc., are all MUCH worse from a legal standpoint when they are done by a government agency and/or under color of governmental authority, as this was.

I passed the CA bar years ago, but am not licensed as lawyer there (or anywhere.)

JR should have a little fireside chat with a lawyer right now. Seriously, a call to the ACLU might be in order. (I know, gag, gag, gag.) But I do know cases where they have taken on liberals in such an outrageous case as this.

As we often said in young reporters; If you report something that you can't prove in court, you may be summoned to do just that!!!

[MindBender26]

Can't you see the closing argument:

Yes, it's true. FR is a hate group.

We hate that some religious zealots murder Americans because the work in the World Trade Center. We hate that people in the mass media report stories they know are not true, just so they can support their far-left wing political agenda.

We hate theivery. We hate rape. We hate it that a person in whom we entrusted our most powerful office, our leadership, our national honor, we hate it that he turned the White House, our White House, into a taxpayer supported brothel.

We hate it when criminals rape, steal and kill but lawyers get them off on a technicality, so they can rape, steal and kill again.

We hate it when we see American jobs exported overseas. We hate it when we see the American flag burned and trampled. We hate it when we see American soldiers and sailors called baby killers. We hate it when supporters of a certain political candidate spit on police officers and boy scouts carrying the American flag.

We hate it when we are considered a "hate group," because we hate what we do.

But we don't hate, we just weep a little when we see what this country has become, what she once was, and what she could have become if some more people had hated the horrible things do.

Yes, we are a "hate group." Thank God we are.

[AnnaZ]

UnFReepin'believable. She must be one of those "indymedia" loons.

[John123]

Can Jim Robinson sue Chairwoman Debbie Reyes and the city staffers that sent the irresponsible press release for defamation? The threat of a lawsuit should compel her to apologize...

[Amerigomag]

You owe me a soda. I told you that the HRC was at the bottom of it.

On the flip side we probably benefited from KMJ's agenda, which we just happened to neatly fit into. They are not our champions, but in this case they needed us.

At this point in time we are also in the innocent, defenseless victim class because by the grace of God, KMJ edited out your litigation threat.

[lowbridge]

bump

[Rebelbase]

Can anyone verify if this is the freaked out human rights commision member, ms. Reyes?

[doug from upland]

I must have missed the memo while I was on Maui. Are we now supposed to attack minorities at FReeps? What are the guidelines?

[yonif]

this panel is a hate group

[goldstategop]

Free Republic gets free publicity from the local Fruits N Nuts in Fresno. Film at 11.

[WayneM]

Found this picture of Debbie Reyes using Google.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=www.galaxycompetition.com/results/Cal2000/debbie_reyes_sw0.JPG&imgrefurl=http://www.galaxycompetition.com/fronts/caresults00.htm&h=332&w=180&prev=/images%3Fq%3DDebbie%2BReyes%2B%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26oe%3DUTF-8%26sa%3DG Fifty bucks says this is a different Debbie Reyes.

[Drango]

With thanks to Rush Limbaugh...

A liberal's definition of hate speech = anything they disagree with.

[wardaddy]

Ironically...this was posted on Liberty Post first and even the anti-FReeper brigade over there were quite upset.