"Chris, get away from that burning cross with those S'mores."
Posted on 09/15/2003 10:24:26 AM PDT by Bob J
"Fresno’s Human Relations Commission Under Fire After Labeling Local Free Republic Chapter a “Hate Group” "
by Bob Johnson
The Chairwoman of Fresno’s Human Relations 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 group's annual picnic and bar-b-que.
For months the Fresno Free Republic group has been conducting weekly “support our 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 known 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 an 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.
This is clear grounds for a lawsuit against the City of Fresno, and certainly against the director of the HRC.
"Chris, get away from that burning cross with those S'mores."
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."
Don't FReep the Mayor for crying out loud. He wants to suspend this bunch of leftist trash because of their actions.
Something the Liberals can't say .. they live to cause trouble
Good.
But let him feel the heat until they're outa there for good!
Good piece, Bob!I find it even more ironic that FR is being painted as a "hate group." I'm sure if you pointed them in my direction, they'd come up with something suitably nasty to say about me and my views, probably starting with the "cookie" word and heading downhill from there.
Heck! I got better treatment from the "human rights" commission in South Park!
While I agree with you in priciple, I don't even want to think about these twits without pants. Yuck!
Ah, good point. (Talk about your gouging out your mind's eye with a rusty file to retain your sanity ...)
VIDEO OF NEWS STORY ON FRESNO "HATE" RALLY AND PICNIC HERE!!!
I'm trying to figure out what I'm supposed to hate. Let's see... I hate Hitler. I hate Stalin. I hate Saddam Hussein and Kim Jong Il. I hate communism. I hate Bill Clinton's rape of Juanita Broaddrick and his sale of pardons in return for presidential library contributions.
But for the record, I don't hate gays or immigrants or anyone else that Debbie Reyes claims. Her claims are false and offensive and show her reckless disregard for the truth. She is a sleazy, obnoxious liar who should be sued for slander and libel, and removed from her position on the Fresno HRC.
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