The Secret Meeting And The Death Of Liberty

My day began Saturday morning with a phone call from James Edwards giving me the secret location of the EURO Conference meeting in Memphis. James swore me to secrecy as to the location because of the threats against the organizer, Dr. David Duke and the previous facilities contracted to host the event. I found the whole thing quite surreal, and as I was driving to the Conference at around 3:30, it swept across me that in the Home of the Free, sweet Land of Liberty, I was on my way to meet with people who were having to meet in secret in order to exercise their rights of political expression. Why was I feeling like I was in the old Soviet Union, not America?

As I arrived at the hotel, I knew that the secret location was no longer secret as I parked next to the WMC-TV 5 van.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC-TV) – Dozens of people gathered for former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke’s EURO Conference at a Memphis hotel Saturday.

The conference is booked through Sunday at the Memphis Plaza Hotel on Shelby Oaks Drive near Bartlett.

I spoke with the cameraman for just a few moments and told him who I was, but all he really commented on was how many good-looking women were there [at the Conference] and how that surprised him. I think the first thing that strikes me about their reporting was that they said there were “dozens of people” at the event. Clearly this is deceptive, since although I could not give an exact accounting, the large meeting room I later entered was filled beyond capacity with standing-room only. I actually had to sit on the floor in the center aisle myself. Looking at the pictures I took, there looks like a dozen seats per row, and there were at least ten rows. So I would have to estimate between 120-150 people (seated) were attending the event, not “dozens”, and most likely more because there were “dozens of people” standing outside the room talking as I left. This leads me to believe other reports that the local media has been very biased in their reporting on the Conference.

I met a young lady as I was on my way in who was selling “White Pride” souvenirs for the all girl band that was providing the entertainment inside the meeting room.

I actually bought the picture that she is holding up for post-event interviews later on. It turned out to be a very useful tool in soliciting the opinions of blacks in my neighborhood done on my way home.

The meeting I attended briefly was a “closed door” event and I had a little trouble with the guy controlling the door because I did not have an event ID. It was not until James Edwards came over and cleared me that I was granted access. It happened that I arrived at a time when Duke was busy with his motel on the phone. It seems that he was being informed that he was once again getting kicked out of his hotel room. As soon as he got off the phone it was time for him to start the meeting and I unfortunately did not stay long enough to do a private interview for BCR, but I will try to do a telephone interview with him after this mess is over with.

I debated about how to cover Duke’s remarks without injecting my own commentary. I was allowed access  not normally open to the media and I certainly do not wish to abuse the access, but I feel the best way to report this is just to allow BCR readers to hear it for themselves. I told James that I was recording the event and it was he who sent me down front so that I could get the audio, so hopefully I am not violating some kind of confidence in making it public. But after all of the media distortion, I feel it is important that BCR readers hear what was said in “secret” so that the white sheets and hoods are lifted for all to see. I personally hear no hate here, just genuine concern that the rights of the White race are being eroded and marginalized. With the reception the group has received here in Memphis, I would have to agree with that concern.

duke.mp3

After Duke made his remarks, I slipped out and went to gather some reaction from blacks in my own neighborhood. I went into the Walgreen’s store at Rhodes and Getwell which was rather full with a wide variety of my Black neighbors. Here I am, the only White boy in the store showing the picture below to a number of people to get their reaction to it and the EURO Conference.

Here is the audio from a couple of those individuals:

picture1.mp3

This gentleman was older and said that when he was younger, the picture might have offended him, but now that he was more mature, it did not bother him at all.

picture2.mp3

This woman (who was there with her teenage daughter) simply expressed that she was as “God made her” and that was her opinion on the matter. I agree with her and feel that each of us should simply thank God for who and what we are, and not marginalize how He has made others.

Amazingly, I found not one person who was offended by the photo or who suggested that the EURO group should not take pride in who they are. One young man working behind the counter spent most of the time just admiring the girls in the photograph without comment, but when pressed for his reaction he said, “…we all have to be proud of who we are!”

I have my own opinions on the race issue, but I don’t expect others to conform to the way I see things, and that is my problem with this whole affair. I have witnessed the attempt to silence political speech through intimidation and terror tactics and it angers me. I have seen first hand the local media distorting the truth and manipulating public opinion. Would President Obama’s pastor, Jeremiah Wright have the same reception? What has become of the Country that I love so dearly? The First Amendment was deemed necessary to protect unpopular speech, because popular speech required no protections. Have we so soon forgotten the sacrifice that came before us, that we now deny the rights we cherish for ourselves to those we disagree with?

A sad day to be a Memphian. By the way, compare what Duke says to this. Now who is the hate group?

Update:

Newscoma has a slightly different take and seems to think that the Duke thing is “muddying the waters“. So I guess if you don’t like the speaker, or the topic, it is okay to threaten peoples lives and deny them service. They have no rights because you disagree with them. The issue is not that they are being targeted for their race, but for their political ideology.

And yes Newscoma, the meeting was being held in “secret” to the best it could be under the circumstances, but the location was leaked to the press by someone. I also get from the tone of her post that it makes a difference if I was at the meeting as a member of the audience or as a member of the media. Quite frankly, I am sick and tired of liberals like Newscoma telling me it is a problem if I was there as a member of the audience. Her attitude and the way it seems to be okay to terrorize those you disagree with has me ready to join up and order my own white sheet and hood. Not because I hate blacks, Jews or even liberals, but because I am not going to let anyone tell me what meeting I can and cannot go to. If you have a problem with their viewpoint, then debate it, don’t attempt to silence it.

And oh yeah, if you really want to post criminal records, give the lead terrorist in all of this a shot. Have you looked at Thaddeus Matthew’s criminal and civil violations rap sheet lately? I also really like the innuendo that I might somehow be a “racist” too. I’m getting so sick of this crap I could puke!

Update 2:

This seems to have become quite a controversial post across the State, so I figure I needed to clarify some points of contention. First, ANYONE can post a comment here at BCR, but they must register. Sorry, but I’ve had too many problems with malicious attacks on the site database through the comments venue and after losing 2500 posts, that is just how it has to be. Second, I believe Mediaverse has done an excellent job of documenting the media bias, so I will defer to that post for further on that aspect of the issue.

I am often convicted of being this-and-that because of my “associations”. I was labeled a “Muslim-lover” because I took the time to visit a local Mosque during Ramadan. I was accused of promoting Islamic propaganda because I dared post the prevailing Muslim view on the Iraq War. I have been called a “nigger-lover” because I take odds with Mike Fleming and others who think the Thaddeus Matthews blog should be brought under government control and strongly support his right to be the village idiot on the radio. And quite often I am labeled a “closet-racist” because I oppose the political correctness double-standard when it comes to racial issues. Did I also mention that I am a proud Son of the South with nothing but love for my Southern Heritage and values, including the Confederate battle flag?

Here is the problem folks. Like it or not, a lot of people are feeling left out of the political process nationally and are getting tired of being marginalized by the media as “hate-mongers” because they do not agree with the mainstream line-of-thought.

The Anti-Defamation League, a group that fights anti-Semitism and racism, released a report this week citing “a surprising and troubling resurgence” of KKK activity by long-standing and new groups. “They use this immigration issue to bring in others who feel like America is under siege,” says Deborah Lauter, the ADL’s national civil rights director. “It’s easy for hate to spread.”

The Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate groups, also has charted an overall increase in KKK activity and says anti-immigrant sentiment is a primary driver, says Mark Potok, director of the center’s tracking operation. The number of KKK groups rose from 110 in 2000 to 179 in 2005 but fell to about 150 last year, Potok says. – WBIR

People like to use “hate” to define these groups, but I understand it as “fear”. This effort to silence them in Memphis only feeds the feeling of exclusion and the “fear”, resulting in feeding the very monster that some seek to destroy. If you push someone into a corner, sooner or later they will fight their way out.

Besides, I don’t qualify as a White Nationalist. President Obama and I have being a mutt in common.

Update 3:

I just watched the Eyewitness News segment on the EURO Conference. I was not aware of it at the time, but it was their cameraman in the photo above who graciously turned on his camera light for me to get my shot (gotta get a flash for my camera). They did a good job with their reporting.

Update 4 (11/11/2008):

Oh my, Thaddeus is really upset now….

Pastor Andre Guy now has a Thaddeus bulls-eye on his back because he dared to stand up for the EURO Conference’s rights. Thaddeus should really not throw out a person’s past so freely. Newscoma and he seem to think that character assassination is a tool that should be used against those whom you disagree with. Perhaps I should start digging up Thad’s colorful past again.

Update 5 (11/11/2008):

Why not? What’s good for the goose is good for the gander…

Details can be found at the Shelby County Court Clerks website. One glance at his criminal record demonstrates that Mr. Matthews is an excellent candidate for the threats of violence in Olive Branch, MS. Those threats crossed the line and a clear violation of the EURO Conference participants Civil Rights. They should also qualify under Federal Hate Crimes legislation. So where is the FBI? I have handed you a suspect on a silver platter, now do your job. Oh, that’s right, these are White Nationalists so they have no Civil Rights to violate.