Chain
10-26-2004, 03:46 PM
http://www.theolympian.com/home/news/20041026/topstories/20990.shtml
http://www.theolympian.com/home/news/20041026/topstories/20988.shtml
Trial spurs barrage of separatist fliers
JENNIFER LATSON THE OLYMPIAN
Fliers from a national white separatist group were tossed onto more than 100 front lawns around Thurston County on Sunday night, urging white women to stay away from black men.
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The effort alarmed many residents, who reported the pamphlets to the Thurston County sheriff's office and Lacey and Tumwater police, but were told simply to throw away the disturbing literature. The fliers were wrapped in sand-filled plastic bags and apparently thrown from a car during the night.
"Although it's troubling to some people, we're not pursuing it as a crime," said Lacey Police Lt. Phil Comstock. "The prosecutor has looked into it and said it's a free-speech issue."
Similar fliers were distributed in April by the same organization, the West Virginia-based National Alliance, which promotes racial separatism.
The recent wave of pamphlets preceded the opening day of the trial for Anthony E. Whitfield,
http://www.theolympian.com/home/news/20041026/topstories/20988.shtml
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who is accused of knowingly spreading the HIV virus to unsuspecting women. Whitfield is black.
The fliers feature a photo of Whitfield and a list of three other men from around the world the group accuses of being "black sexual predators" who "lied about being HIV positive and had sex with dozens of white women."
Residents disturbed
Debra Williams said she was disturbed to find a pamphlet on her lawn at 6 a.m. Monday. She lives in the Bridlewood development near the Olympia airport, near where Whitfield used to live, she said.
She spotted the bags in front of most of the 70 or so other homes in the development.
A resident of a 100-house development across the street from nearby Trail's End said she found a pamphlet near her car when she went to work Monday morning.
"I think it's a little creepy," said Melody Miller.
Four or five residents along Bates Street on Tumwater Hill had fliers in their yards, as did a number of residents on Ruddell Road in Lacey. Olympia police didn't get any calls, according to Cmdr. Tor Bjornstad.
Police didn't keep an exact count of the number of pamphlets because they weren't responding to the reports as crimes.
There's not much law enforcement officials could do, said Sheriff's Capt. Dan Kimball. Police don't consider it a hate crime because it wasn't aimed specifically at black people.
"As much as they're distasteful and clearly racist, it doesn't in itself constitute a crime," Kimball said.
Williams was disappointed there was no way to prosecute the flier distribution.
"We do have some black people in the neighborhood and some children of mixed race. It's not fair," she said. "It should be possible to tell them it's unwanted, don't do this again. A majority of us don't feel this way, and you're impinging on our rights to be happy."
A sheriff's detective did pass the information along to the FBI, said Kimball, because the federal agency keeps track of such organizations.
"We share information because at different times they've been known to be involved in illegal activities, not that this is one of them," Kimball said. "We like to know when they're in our back yard."
Organized group
The number of organized white separatists in the Olympia area may be growing: the National Alliance has a "proto-unit" here, according to Shaun Walker, the organization's chief operating officer.
"We have members there, and we're trying to start a chapter," said Walker, who lives in West Virginia.
Walker said he hadn't been in touch with the organization's Olympia members about the first day of Whitfield's trial or about the fliers, but knew the members would be keeping up with the case.
"The outcome we're all very interested in," he said.
Membership is growing -- "2004 has been our best growth ever in Washington state" -- and Olympia is one of the core growth areas, he said.
A number of people joined after the April pamphlets were distributed, Walker said, but he would not release membership statistics.
He considers the pamphlets a public service for white people.
"We want to educate the public," Walker said. "We think there's a great deal of information they aren't receiving from the mainstream media. Until we can buy a TV station, this is the way we'll get our message out."
Walker agrees with police that distributing his message isn't a hate crime.
"This isn't hatred; it's public information," he said.
The group is by no means trying to target black people, he said.
"We are trying to target white people," said Walker. "Black people aren't allowed to join our organization. We only have so much resources. If black people or Hispanics come across our (literature), it's only by accident."
http://www.theolympian.com/home/news/20041026/topstories/20988.shtml
Trial spurs barrage of separatist fliers
JENNIFER LATSON THE OLYMPIAN
Fliers from a national white separatist group were tossed onto more than 100 front lawns around Thurston County on Sunday night, urging white women to stay away from black men.
ADVERTISEMENT
The effort alarmed many residents, who reported the pamphlets to the Thurston County sheriff's office and Lacey and Tumwater police, but were told simply to throw away the disturbing literature. The fliers were wrapped in sand-filled plastic bags and apparently thrown from a car during the night.
"Although it's troubling to some people, we're not pursuing it as a crime," said Lacey Police Lt. Phil Comstock. "The prosecutor has looked into it and said it's a free-speech issue."
Similar fliers were distributed in April by the same organization, the West Virginia-based National Alliance, which promotes racial separatism.
The recent wave of pamphlets preceded the opening day of the trial for Anthony E. Whitfield,
http://www.theolympian.com/home/news/20041026/topstories/20988.shtml
http://www.theolympian.com/home/news/20041026/topstories/20988-9772.jpg
who is accused of knowingly spreading the HIV virus to unsuspecting women. Whitfield is black.
The fliers feature a photo of Whitfield and a list of three other men from around the world the group accuses of being "black sexual predators" who "lied about being HIV positive and had sex with dozens of white women."
Residents disturbed
Debra Williams said she was disturbed to find a pamphlet on her lawn at 6 a.m. Monday. She lives in the Bridlewood development near the Olympia airport, near where Whitfield used to live, she said.
She spotted the bags in front of most of the 70 or so other homes in the development.
A resident of a 100-house development across the street from nearby Trail's End said she found a pamphlet near her car when she went to work Monday morning.
"I think it's a little creepy," said Melody Miller.
Four or five residents along Bates Street on Tumwater Hill had fliers in their yards, as did a number of residents on Ruddell Road in Lacey. Olympia police didn't get any calls, according to Cmdr. Tor Bjornstad.
Police didn't keep an exact count of the number of pamphlets because they weren't responding to the reports as crimes.
There's not much law enforcement officials could do, said Sheriff's Capt. Dan Kimball. Police don't consider it a hate crime because it wasn't aimed specifically at black people.
"As much as they're distasteful and clearly racist, it doesn't in itself constitute a crime," Kimball said.
Williams was disappointed there was no way to prosecute the flier distribution.
"We do have some black people in the neighborhood and some children of mixed race. It's not fair," she said. "It should be possible to tell them it's unwanted, don't do this again. A majority of us don't feel this way, and you're impinging on our rights to be happy."
A sheriff's detective did pass the information along to the FBI, said Kimball, because the federal agency keeps track of such organizations.
"We share information because at different times they've been known to be involved in illegal activities, not that this is one of them," Kimball said. "We like to know when they're in our back yard."
Organized group
The number of organized white separatists in the Olympia area may be growing: the National Alliance has a "proto-unit" here, according to Shaun Walker, the organization's chief operating officer.
"We have members there, and we're trying to start a chapter," said Walker, who lives in West Virginia.
Walker said he hadn't been in touch with the organization's Olympia members about the first day of Whitfield's trial or about the fliers, but knew the members would be keeping up with the case.
"The outcome we're all very interested in," he said.
Membership is growing -- "2004 has been our best growth ever in Washington state" -- and Olympia is one of the core growth areas, he said.
A number of people joined after the April pamphlets were distributed, Walker said, but he would not release membership statistics.
He considers the pamphlets a public service for white people.
"We want to educate the public," Walker said. "We think there's a great deal of information they aren't receiving from the mainstream media. Until we can buy a TV station, this is the way we'll get our message out."
Walker agrees with police that distributing his message isn't a hate crime.
"This isn't hatred; it's public information," he said.
The group is by no means trying to target black people, he said.
"We are trying to target white people," said Walker. "Black people aren't allowed to join our organization. We only have so much resources. If black people or Hispanics come across our (literature), it's only by accident."