FreeRepublic labeled a hate group by Fresno CA Human Relations Commission

[pruner]

Hate-free zone

Things are combative in Fresno, Calif., this week after the city's Human Relations Commission issued a press release describing "the Free Republic" as a "hate group" and warning of plans for a "Free Republic Hate Rally Picnic."

The Free Republic is a news Web site operated by Jim Robinson of Fresno, described as "an online gathering place for independent, grass-roots conservatism on the Web."

Mayor Alan Autry seemed to agree with the more moderate description. According to yesterday's Fresno Bee, he plans to suspend commission Chairwoman Debbie Reyes and accuses her of being "politically intoxicated."

Mr. Autry called the commission's news release "inflammatory, reckless, irresponsible and dangerous," adding that "these comments are not a reflection of the city of Fresno."

<snip>

http://washingtontimes.com/national/20030916-125736-9441r.htm

[Hawkeye-X]

1. Finally, Freepers can join the ranks of Neo-Nazi's, KKK, and skinheads

as well as a bunch of milita nuts into this rare category. Freepers must be shitting themselves with excitement and guarding their Porta-Potties.

Shall we dig out a favorite?



and....




and the all-time classic...




Hawkeye-X

Oh and Mayor Autry, a well-known Repuke...

FUCK YOU!

[hooligan]

14. Oh my god

Those pics are too damn funny.

[LoZoccolo]

15. THE MUMMY is a member of Free Republic!

In the picture of the "Rally in Support of War With Iraq", look at the second person from the right!

[pa28]

17. Ha

"Excuse me. Is this where they're filming 'The Day the Earth Stood Still II'?"

[sasquatch]

2. Cool

Maybe there is some hope for the world after all.

[alexwcovington]

3. gaaah!! The Times! Purge my cache!!!

Don't EVER link me to that slimy crud of a newspaper!!!!

[bobthedrummer]

4. Then we at DU must be a love group

eom

[sasquatch]

5. Give me some liberal/progressive love everybody

:grouphug:

[Hawkeye-X]

6. Amen to that.

Now I wonder if the Freepers are going to *TRY* to petition that DU is also a hate group?

:grouphug:

Hawkeye-X

[sasquatch]

10. Probably in Cincinnati

Because we have a right wing demon in Mike Allen for a prosecuter. This SOB thinks the constitotion is nothing but, ancient toilet paper.

[Skittles]

7. I dunno; this sort of stuff will backfire

and give publicity to the freak republic. I'm not denying there's a lot of hate over there but, well, I dunno.

[prolesunited]

8. This article really trivializes the whole situation

  Mrs. Reyes said she had has seen evidence that the Free Republic was "antigay and anti-immigration."
    "When intolerance comes to the table, we need to answer that call," she said.
    And the big "hate rally" itself?
    According to the Bee: "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."

There was much more to it than. You can watch the whole situation unfold on this thread at IndyMedia:
http://sf.indymedia.org/news/2003/09/1639517_comment.php#1639563

Basically a group called Freepwatch wanted to protest the Freepers picnic, an action most of the organized groups voted down. However, we've seen how Freepers react when cornered. From the link:

There has been discussion in the Fresno media about whether Debbie Reyes did the right thing in her attempt to alert the community to the potential for violence at the Free Republic demonstration. Here are some of the messages we saw in the days leading up to the event. You can decide for yourself whether there was reason for concern about the public’s safety:
"Let's be there in numbers." More teeth to knock out.Assholes.

************************************************

Many freepers are armed. I wouldn't do this.

********************************************

Sounds like fun!!! Whuppin' some anarchist ass and showing support for America...

*********************************************

Maybe they'll "protest" much along the same lines as their slovenly (and little-missed) heroine du jour, the late Rachel "Speed Bump" Corrie.

Hey... I'm beginning to see a potential upside to this whole "protest" deal, after all... :)

(Note from Mike Rhodes: Rachel Corrie was murdered at a protest in Israel when she was run over by a bulldozer)

******************************************

You forgot pro-gun. FR members are PRO-GUN. You guys need to remember that; it's very important. They are PRO-GUN! Some of them consider gun-laws to be unconstitutional. Disrupt at your own risk.

******************************************

And their knees make easy targets.........

***************************

Stuff for picnic by this will be fun Thursday September 11, 2003 at 01:50 PM
Lets see... I got the sodas, the watermelon, fresh batteries for the stun guns, softball bats, pepper spray, my steel toed boots, arm bars, knee bars, chokes, neck cranks, wrist locks, shoulder locks...this should be a fun picnic...I almost hope that these uninvited guests show up.

*****************************
Do I get to test it out!!!!!! by my new S&W 500 Thursday September 11, 2003 at 02:27 PM
(note from Mike Rhodes - this message contained a .jpg image of various caliber ammunition. Let me know if you would like to see the original)

****************************
and this message was sent directly to me:

To: [e-mail]
Subject: We have guns, lots of guns

I wouldn't fool

That's when Reyes stepped in and called them a hate group.


The situation is further aggravated by city leaders partaking in some of this hate speech as well:

The current controversy began when the City Attorney's Office made the e-mails public in response to a request by The Bee. Though Calhoun didn't send controversial e-mails, critics contend, he is culpable because he received Kloose's e-mails and did not discipline her.

In one e-mail, on June 10, Duncan wrote to Kloose: "If I had one dirty bomb ... I could eliminate all the liberals in Fresno at once." The e-mail was written during City Council discussion of the Human Rights Commission's budget for the current fiscal year.

Many HRC supporters are politically liberal and were present in council chambers that day. During the same meeting, Kloose wrote to Calhoun: "If these HRC folks bring down a crowd and get unruly, I'm calling to send over some officers to 'Cap' these guys ;-) "

http://www.fresnobee.com/local/story/7445084p-8362763c.html

[kayell]

20. I believe these qualify as "Terroristic Threats" under California law

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/cacodes/pen/422.html

California Codes
California Penal Code
PENAL CODE SECTION 422


422. Any person who willfully threatens to commit a crime which
will result in death or great bodily injury to another person, with
the specific intent that the statement, made verbally, in writing, or
by means of an electronic communication device, is to be taken as a
threat, even if there is no intent of actually carrying it out,
which, on its face and under the circumstances in which it is made,
is so unequivocal, unconditional, immediate, and specific as to
convey to the person threatened, a gravity of purpose and an
immediate prospect of execution of the threat, and thereby causes
that person reasonably to be in sustained fear for his or her own
safety or for his or her immediate family's safety, shall be punished
by imprisonment in the county jail not to exceed one year, or by
imprisonment in the state prison.

For the purposes of this section, "immediate family" means any
spouse, whether by marriage or not, parent, child, any person related
by consanguinity or affinity within the second degree, or any other
person who regularly resides in the household, or who, within the
prior six months, regularly resided in the household.

"Electronic communication device" includes, but is not limited to,
telephones, cellular telephones, computers, video recorders, fax
machines, or pagers. "Electronic communication" has the same meaning
as the term defined in Subsection 12 of Section 2510 of Title 18 of
the United States Code.

[Bandit]

24. By California law terrorists can only be imprisoned for one year or in

other words is a misdemeaner. If terrorism is only considered a misdemeaner why the Patriot act?

[Dr Fate]

9. the best part...

"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."

[Catch22Dem]

11. You left out the best part

And the big "hate rally" itself?
According to the Bee: "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."


Something tells me a banjo and Ned Beatty were somehow involved.

[specimenfred1984]

12. Look, 12 fat people with mullets!

Ever wonder what a creepy freeper actually looked like? You were right!

[Room101]

13. Finally

I have seen them make fun of people who were killed that they didn’t t agree with. They have made racist and homicidal remarks about liberals. so freepers go Bless yourself:)

[dfong63]

16. this is going too far

i'm not sure what it means for some place to be a "hate-free zone", but it sounds to me like people's free speech rights are being infringed. if we cheer when it happens to them, then we have no right to be outraged when it happens to us. "hate-free zone" sounds dangerously nebulous to me. don't we have a right to hate right-wingnuts?

[bloom]

18. kick

:kick:

[Bandit]

19. "politically intoxicated."

What does that mean? He is going to suspend the chairman Debbie Reyes for stating an opinion. Real American attitude. Don't like what you hear about your hatred then by all means demonstrate it for all to see.

[Le Taz Hot]

21. This person overreacted . . .

as she is wont to do. The HR Commission is a noble organization and traditionally, has acted with dignity. There are a couple of VERY vocal drama queens on the Commission kicking up dust on the stupidest things. This is actually an internal matter and they desperately need to replace said drama queens.

[prolesunited]

22. I'm not out there

so you probably have a better handle on it than I do, but these people were posting pictures of bullets and making threats on the indymedia site and sending threatening e-mails to the other side.

I'm all for free speech and the right to assembly — theirs and ours — but when you start threatening violence and retaliation, you have stepped over the line and have broken the law. At that point, it is the job of government and leaders to step in.

So, I don't get your comments. Threats and intimidation are among the "stupidest things"? Like I said, you must have better context, so what am I missing?

[CRYINGWOLFOWITZ]

23. LOL

well they are