VIDEO OF NEWS STORY ON FRESNO "HATE" RALLY AND PICNIC HERE!!!

I like Autry, I am just reassuring him on his decision:)

101 posted on 09/14/2003 5:05:54 PM PDT by Porterville (I spell stuff wrong sometimes, get over yourself, you're not that great.)

Article to appear in Townhall.com tomorrow;

Fresno’s HRC Under Fire After Labeling Local Free Republic Chapter a “Hate Group”

The Chairwoman of Fresno’s Human Rights Commission came under fire Sunday after issuing an unapproved news release on City letterhead smearing the local Free Republic chapter as a “hate group” and urging city police to expect violence at the groups annual picnic and bar-b-que.

For months the Fresno Free Republic group has been conducting weekly “support out troops” rallies at the corner of Blackstone and Shaw and had come under the scrutiny of local pacifist organizations. Several militant anti-war websites, including indymedia.com, called on readers to harass, intimidate and possibly injure picnic attendees by throwing “stale bagels” and “rotten eggs” at them from roving “affinity groups”. One member wrote “They should have thought about this type of response before they organized all the counter-protests to the anti-war protests. They deserve anything that comes their way.”

After the “FReepers”, as they’re commonly know around the country, discussed the situation and possible defensive measures, HR Commission member and leader of the local “Peace Fresno” organization Nicholas DeGraff, told Commission members at last Thursday’s meeting that Free Republic members were armed and "extremely violent." HR Commissioner Cary Catalano says the issue was discussed but it was decided the commission would take no action. Later, HRC Chairwoman Debbie Reyes, presumably in concert with DeGraff, put out a news release on City stationary calling the Free Republic Chapter and website a “hate group” who planned a “hate rally” and violence against “minorities’ disrupting their picnic.

In a Sunday Fresno Bee article, Mayor Alan Autry is quoted as stating “…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." Mayor Autry accused the Commission of being "politically intoxicated" and described its news release as "inflammatory, reckless, irresponsible and dangerous." According to the Bee, 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.”

This incident is the latest flap in a ongoing struggle between the Mayor and members of the Fresno City Council with the city’s Human Relations Commission, who have been accused of going far beyond their mandate and using the City group to attack critics and silence opponents.

Over the last several years, dozens of Free Republic Chapters have held hundreds of rallies around the country without a single arrest or incident with police. Meanwhile, the Fresno FReepers held their usual weekly vigil Friday and annual picnic on Saturday as they listened to country music, waved American flags and held signs asking drivers to honk in support of U.S. soldiers in Iraq.

102 posted on 09/14/2003 5:06:31 PM PDT by Bob J

There is an email link from the City of Fresno website.

103 posted on 09/14/2003 5:07:14 PM PDT by notpoliticallycorewrecked

"First off, the term 'hate group' has specific legal connotations, and if a government entity makes an accusation that FreeRepublic is a hate group, then without specific proof, it should be actionable."

Exactly. It doesn't matter whether they're apponted or elected, this city government-appointed group lumped FR in with the Nazis and the KKK. They should immediately produce clear, unequivocal proof to "make the case" for their "hate group" claim, make a complete retraction and apology or face litigation

104 posted on 09/14/2003 5:07:44 PM PDT by cake_crumb (UN Resolutions = Very Expensive, Very SCRATCHY Toilet Paper)

WOW, excellent and BUMP!!

105 posted on 09/14/2003 5:09:54 PM PDT by cake_crumb (UN Resolutions = Very Expensive, Very SCRATCHY Toilet Paper)

To quote my old man, put the screws to 'em.

106 posted on 09/14/2003 5:10:51 PM PDT by Windcatcher

The HRC voted that the picnis might pose a danger to public health? How's that? People might eat too many cookies?

107 posted on 09/14/2003 5:11:58 PM PDT by cake_crumb (UN Resolutions = Very Expensive, Very SCRATCHY Toilet Paper)

To: jkphoto; diotima; Bob J; cake_crumb; Humidston; All

For any who missed it, here is the link to today's Fresno Bee Article!

108 posted on 09/14/2003 5:12:07 PM PDT by JustAmy (God Bless our Military, Past and Present. Thank a Veteran for your FReedoms!)

No offense, but there are ample posts (that the mods didn't catch) to allow the Fresno HRC to make it look like FR is a hate site. Comments about homosexuals, arabs and illegal immigration (seen any anti illegal threads lately or that the CA drivers license with the "bandito"?) would do the trick. They're probably going through the archives as we speak.

Remember, if this fight comes to a head, it will be won on sound bites and the fact is, some Forum posts will give Reyes all the ammo she needs. The debate has to be controlled and made an issue about the Fresno chapter (or all FR Chapters and the Network), not the Forum. That is an argument we can win.

109 posted on 09/14/2003 5:17:43 PM PDT by Bob J

There were inopportune comments on the original thread about bringing guns and inferring they be shot.

110 posted on 09/14/2003 5:18:42 PM PDT by Bob J

To: Bob J; diotima; JustAmy; Jim Robinson

Just as a reminder: the "With Love and Appreciation" CD-ROM slideshow has a number of photos with www.freerepublic.com signs. All at peaceful "Support Our Troops" rallies, many of which FRN/FR and Chapters organized as you well know.

Let me know if you need some copies sent, or specific photos with FR on signs. Also, the intro credit says in affiliation with FRN.

111 posted on 09/14/2003 5:24:05 PM PDT by A Navy Vet (government is the problem, not the solution!)

To: notpoliticallycorewrecked

112 posted on 09/14/2003 5:24:52 PM PDT by A Navy Vet (government is the problem, not the solution!)

To: Windcatcher; Bob J

"To quote my old man, put the screws to 'em."

LOL...well, it's a relief the mayor is on FR's side. I hope other news outlets pick up this story. Militant pacifists...describes them pretty well.

113 posted on 09/14/2003 5:26:43 PM PDT by cake_crumb (UN Resolutions = Very Expensive, Very SCRATCHY Toilet Paper)

Well, hopefully this kind of thing is a wakeup call for people that we ARE under scrutiny (and obviously under attack, too)

114 posted on 09/14/2003 5:26:56 PM PDT by Chad Fairbanks ( I honor my personality flaws for without them I would have no personality at all.)

Roger, send one to the Fresno mayor. Try...

http://www.ci.fresno.ca.us/

115 posted on 09/14/2003 5:29:10 PM PDT by Bob J

We've been down this road before. A couple years ago we had Congressman Jim Rogan defending us until someone collected some of the riper comments on the Forum and presented them to him. He immediately backed down and we never heard from him again. Plus, he lost his re-election.

116 posted on 09/14/2003 5:31:23 PM PDT by Bob J

Okay Bab...it's Ro[d]ger...how long have you know me?...;)

117 posted on 09/14/2003 5:32:00 PM PDT by A Navy Vet (government is the problem, not the solution!)

118 posted on 09/14/2003 5:32:34 PM PDT by Bob J

I have already contacted major national talk show hosts and included the information about the CD that you put together for the military.

The fact of the matter is, that this Reyes woman could have called the police and checked if there were "hate" incidents on record for the Fresno chapter WHO HAS BEEN ON THIS STREET CORNER FOR 2 YEARS DOING THIS VERY THING. She did not bother to do this.

There was a specific claim made in the press release that violence against minorities was threatened. THERE WAS NEVER SUCH A CLAIM MADE.

119 posted on 09/14/2003 5:32:55 PM PDT by diotima (So it's sorta social, demented and sad, but social.)

Heheh...I've got two other friends named "Roger" who jump on me when I write "Rodger".

Can't you all get together and decide on one spelling?

120 posted on 09/14/2003 5:33:42 PM PDT by Bob J

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794