Racist Anti-Obama Fliers Distributed In New Jersey

TRENTON, N.J. — Some residents of a northwestern New Jersey town received fliers last weekend that criticized the prospect of Democrat Barack Obama becoming the first black president. One national watchdog group said it may be the first distribution of racist fliers during the campaign.

Roxbury Mayor Tim Smith said the fliers were left at about 25 to 50 of the township's 8,000 homes. They show unflattering photos of Obama, including one that makes him look like Osama bin Laden above text that says: "Black Ruled Nations most unstable and violent in the world."

The black-and-white flier cites poverty, HIV and unemployment rates in Haiti and South Africa and says: "The United States of America will be next! Why should we seal our fate by allowing a black ruler to destroy us?"

Smith said he was sickened by what had occurred.

"It's not at all representative of our community," he said "This is a place where people take care of each other and nobody cares where you're from or what you look like."

Police Chief Mark Noll said the fliers were left in plastic bags, weighted with rocks, on lawns, driveways and in mailboxes. They are signed by the League of American Patriots, a white supremacist group with an address in Butler, N.J., about 45 minutes from Roxbury.

Telephone and e-mail messages left Tuesday for the League of American Patriots were not returned.

News of the fliers was first reported Monday by The Star-Ledger of Newark.

Noll said the incident was being investigated as a possible littering violation and not a hate crime because the group did not target certain homes.

Heidi Beirich, a director of the Intelligence Project of the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks white supremacist movements nationwide, said the organization has seen Internet, e-mailed threats and negative talk about Obama in the white supremacist world. The Roxbury incident was thought to be the first distribution of racist fliers during the campaign.

Obama's New Jersey campaign office also did not return a telephone call for comment Tuesday.

Comments

[tartuna]

While there is much racism in north NJ and NY area, people will probably vote for Obama over McCain this time around. The flyers wont make the difference. The sheeple mentality is not as bad as in the south (where you have much better race relations and real integration) and most people don't consider him to be black. He is mixed race in most people's eyes. Or better yet, the "white man's" black man. You can be quite racist and he would still be acceptable.
The conservative sheeples don't believe in the Dem platform and believe that Obama is an elite. Most of them are too PC to admit that race is playing any part. North NJ is not conservative by any means. The northwest corner does tend to vote Republican though. Because McCain chose Palin, he will lose some of those voters this time. You can be conservative in NJ and not be a social conservative. Many people will be turned off by his choice. A fringe group like the one responsible for this will have no impact.

[optech007]

I grew up in north NJ and there is not a doubt in my mind that it is the most racist state in the country. After moving I lived in several different parts of the country, including the deep south, and never experienced the level of racism that exists in NJ.

[GrainOSand]

To the Huffington Post:

You people should really be ashamed of yourselves. What kind of organization are you running? Why are you people disseminating these lies about our great and innocent America? We know there is no racism here. We know that we respect and love one another. We know that if people are not voting for Barack Obama that it is because John McCain is so much better. You Democrats really need to stop with this victimization, identity-based, excuse-making approach to politics. America is the greatest country on earth and John McCain is our white knight in shining armor riding in from the jungles of Vietnam to serve us all, because he puts country first. Please stop trying to stir up racial tensions in America by reporting these false stories. Now excuse me but I have to go say the Pledge of Allegiance and sing the Star Spangled Banner because I am upset right now because of this blatant smear on my beautiful, fair, and just country.

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/latestheadlines/story/568478.html

[AddictedToHope]

Uber-Trol/

[GrainOSand]

The problem with the hula-hoop was it was a fad that some should have never tried, because when they did they looked ridiculous. I do not mind being called a name but let it be a name that is reflective not one of reaction without understanding. Click on the link and maybe the lightbulb will come on.

[dare2tryobama]

I hope saying the pledge helped you a little bit today. Keep on helping us see just how AMERICA really is, makes people want to just come running here to be a part of it all. Who wouldn't want to come to a country where the white horseman runs with corruption and sex, drugs and alchohol. Who wouldn't want to live in a country where the GOP can do whatever they want and not have to carry the blame or answer to anyone for it?

[CaliBoy145]

They cant stop Obama he has Secret Service protection

[toochie]

Tell that to JFK.

[Thomei]

I hope in my lifetime I can read the Declaration of Independence and honestly say, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal". We are not "red" states or "blue" states, as Barack so often tells us, we're the United States of America.

[Ged2012]

There are so many racist trolls out there. Don't worry, they'd cease to exist in several decades. Just pray that God would be merciful enough to accept them into Heaven.

[RatgurlSD]

If THEY go to Heaven, I'm sorry, but I think I'll hang out in Helll!

[BosieO]

I don't care if Obama is black, pink, red or green....I JUST WANT A PRESIDENT TO LIFT OUR NATION AND HELP US WITH OUR ECONOMY,CIVIL RIGHTS AND GOVERMENT.­..AND PROTECT WOMEN'S RIGHTS....­.I'M 30yo...so I never seen anythig like this...and I'm scared for my friends, and for the rest of te country...­if one of us fails...th­en the rest follow regardless of political views or race....we must unity and help elect Obama/Bide­n...they are the best to do the cleaning in washington

[PT6]

We must have increased security around Obama!

[OnePartyEqualsTyranny]

Now tell me within these 25-50 households’ where is the Pentecostal church?

[Lexica]

Having lived all but the last two of my fifty-eight years in New Jersey, I can attest to the fact that there are some very vocal racists littering the landscape there. I find it sad that people would expend so much energy in hate-filled pursuits. They don't even realize that they are the perpetrators - and the victims - of willful ignorance.

[Petey131]

As a Latrino with bi-racial relatives in my family (Latino-Bl­ack/Latino­-White/Lat­ino-Samoan­) I am deeply offended by this type of bigotry. America is better than this and as TRUE AMERICANS we need to speak out against racism and bigotry. This begins at home!

[MsBrina]

I agree, Petey.

[oandjoe08]

...but he's still going to be president!

[yankeefan771]

I live in North Western New Jersey and I will admit there area a lot of republicans and decent amount of racists. Sadly to say I am ashamed of some of the people that live in the towns around me.

[Bluejay00234]

Whoa.

[lejman]

free speech is a wonderful thing...li­ke we didn't know that racist skinheads live in the us of a.