New Jersey Mayor Steps Down After Racist Threats
Posted by: Cara in Crime, Discrimination, Politics, Race & Ethnicity, Racism, TerrorismThis clip from MSNBC tells us about Charles Tyson, the ex-mayor of South Harrison Township in New Jersey. Tyson was the first ever black mayor of the town — and he recently stepped down due to racist harassment and threats.
My “favorite” part of the video is where white supremacist Bill White’s lawyer claims that White’s communications fall under free speech, and were not in any way threating. That sounds great, until you look at the actual letter that was allegedly sent to Tyson (taken from a white supremacist website where I’m not linking). It’s below the jump, as it could be very upsetting.
Dear Mayor Charles Tyson:
I recently read of the racism you’ve faced in Harrisonville, New Jersey, and I wanted to make something perfectly clear:
a) You are a nigger unworthy to govern over any white man; and,
b) Fuck you. You’ve gotten exactly what you deserve from your constituents.
Unfortunately, the days when white men would simply burn the local newspaper and run nigger officials out with tar and feathers are past. However, your incidents give me hope that perhaps we shall see them again.
Bill White, Commander
American National Socialist Workers PartyPS: We know you live at [ADDRESS REDACTED] [PHONE NUMBER REDACTED]. I just spoke to your wife Carolyn. I hope you got my message.
Yes, clearly, nothing in there is constitutes a threat. After all, White didn’t say that he was going to run Tyson out of town with tar and feathers, right? Just that he wishes he could and hopes someone else does. And I’m sure that informing Tyson that he knew his address wasn’t intended as the oldest threat in the book of “we know where you live,” he only meant “so whenever you want to have me over for coffee, I’m available!”
Clearly, some residents are delusional enough to think so:
Some residents said he was wrong. They said the real problem in the town is political, not racial, and that Campbell was playing the race card to advance an agenda and deflect criticism.
“Everything that’s gone wrong has been racially motivated?” Michelle McCall asked at a Dec. 10 meeting after Campbell said many of the recent controversies have racial overtones.
McCall, the wife of former Mayor Jim McCall, said the accusation was unfounded. “You have a lot of people very upset,” she said.
Oh yeah, we’re “post-racial” alright.
January 31st, 2009 at 6:09 pm - Edit
Race card? I’m not blind to the fact that there are people who will swear on their mother’s grave that racism isn’t a problem (I live in the South, after all), but if you know the mayor has gotten racist threats, and you still deny there is a problem? Delusional isn’t even adequate to describe that kind of willful blindness.
January 31st, 2009 at 6:21 pm - Edit
I have met Bill White on several occasions during his attempts to infiltrate certain organizations in Maryland. The courts of Montgomery County Maryland have records of his violent, illegal conduct and one-time psych eval. I don’t blame this mayor a bit. I have read the records.
January 31st, 2009 at 6:32 pm - Edit
Because a guy who walks around in a t-shirt which reads “My boss is an Austrian painter”, is clearly making a good faith argument about politics and not being a racist ass.
I’m with Jamelle: delusional doesn’t even begin to cover it.
January 31st, 2009 at 7:36 pm - Edit
Oh my god. That’s insane. >< And that letter…ugh, what would be threatening under those definitions? It reminds me of the white supremacist who posted the names, addresses, and phone numbers of the Jena 6 saying something to the effect of “I wish someone would shoot these people”; he got away on free speech because saying “I wish someone would” was apparently not the same as “I am going to”. I call bullshit. PARTICULARLY when there’s personal contact information there.
January 31st, 2009 at 8:08 pm - Edit
Where are the people who voted for Tyson? I certainly hope they’re stepping up in support of their Mayor. And I’m pretty pissed that a man of color would represent this bigot.
And a message for White: Get the fuck out of my state!
January 31st, 2009 at 9:46 pm - Edit
His client can easily put this theory to the test….just write the exact same note to the President or any Congresscritter/Senator and hopefully he and his lawyer can have a nice chat with some friendly Secret Service/FBI agents….
January 31st, 2009 at 9:49 pm - Edit
And a message for White: Get the fuck out of my state!
Well, if he goes to federal prison, that’ll resolve that issue. He’s nasty piece of work.
February 1st, 2009 at 1:04 am - Edit
The PS is what pushes it over the line I think. If he left it out I would say it was free speech. Putting someone’s address and telling them to get the message has no relevance other than as a threat.
February 1st, 2009 at 1:56 am - Edit
The key phrase for this entire clip is this: “he no longer has the ambition for higher office.” That’s how racism and prejudice work. Women are not less able then men and blacks less able than whites. We just have been beaten into submission through fear.
February 1st, 2009 at 7:15 am - Edit
This is the problem I, as a British woman, see in the american First Amendment. Andrea Dworkin really opened my eyes when she said that it’s largely there to protect the racists and the misogynists so they can’t be called out for their hate. Don’t get me wrong, Free Speech is fantastic as a value, but often it feels like it should come with a TM sign, Free Speech(TM), because it’s wheeled out to protect racists like this White all the time.
Poor major. Part of me feels bad he gave in to the threats, but heck, it’s not like they weren’t REAL threats, he really was in danger.