Today's Daily Schadenfreude: Michael "Savage" Weiner, Fred Phelps, and Don Black

Sure, it's controversial, and while it's legal under a 2005 law, it almost certainly would face a court challenge in the U.S. "It" is the action taken yesterday by British Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, who "named and shamed" 16 people worldwide whom she has preemptively barred from entering the United Kingdom. Three of the five Americans on the list are some of Blast Off!'s favorites: hate-radio host Michael "Savage" Weiner, notorious homophobe Fred Phelps, and Florida's own ironically-named white supremacist leader Don Black, and the schadenfreude is oh so sweet for all of them.

The list of the 16 "least wanted" includes radio talk show host Michael Savage, real name Michael Weiner.

"This is someone who has fallen into the category of fomenting hatred, of such extreme views and expressing them in such a way that it is actually likely to cause inter-community tension or even violence if that person were allowed into the country," Ms Smith told BBC Breakfast.

Also named are American Baptist pastor Fred Waldron Phelps Snr and his daughter Shirley Phelps-Roper, who have picketed the funerals of Aids victims and claimed the deaths of US soldiers are a punishment for US tolerance of homosexuality.

"If people have so clearly overstepped the mark in terms of the way not just that they are talking but the sort of attitudes that they are expressing to the extent that we think that this is likely to cause or have the potential to cause violence or inter-community tension in this country, then actually I think the right thing is not to let them into the country in the first place. Not to open the stable door then try to close it later," Ms Smith said.

"It's a privilege to come to this country. There are certain behaviours that mean you forfeit that privilege."

Okay, so maybe none of them had any plans for a summer trip, say, to London or Edinburgh, but it's the notoriety that each of them so richly deserves that is the cause of the laughing and pointing. The three are included with militant Muslim extremists, neo-Nazis, and murderers ... precisely the sort with which they ought to be counted.

The four-year-old British law in question understandably has raised eyebrows in Great Britain and around the world:

Under a new law introduced in 2005, Britain is able to pre-emptively ban anyone who promotes hatred, terrorism or serious criminal activity. Since the measure was introduced, 101 people have been refused entry. In the five months to March, 22 were excluded; the Home Office refused to name six of the people, citing national security reasons. Critics argue that the orders are a form of pre-emptive policing that stifles free speech and, in the age of the internet, have little effect on halting hateful remarks.

Whether or not the law itself is constitutional under British law (if in fact the concepts of "constitutionality" and "free speech" as we understand them in the U.S. even apply), there can be little dispute that Savage Weiner, Phelps, and Black have "promote[d] hatred" and therefore the law ought to be enforced against them posthaste.

Savage Weiner has vowed to sue, apparently not to get into the UK but rather for defamation, which is funny because it assumes he actually has a reputation to protect. Predictably, though, the haters and cretins who listen to Weiner's special brand of aural slime are leaving their misspelled, grammatically derelict droppings in the article's comments (one of which is reproduced here verbatim):

Listening to Michael eveyday you understand how passionate he is about America and how honest he is with what he is seeing happening now. He educates and articulates as none other about how this country is being manipulated into something other than what our forefathers had envisioned. He is honest with his feelings and has no patients for ignorance. Dr. Savage, is a fighter and I think he thinks we are too far gone now in what America should be for the people. He knows what he believes in and can see how we have been manipulated into a Maxist way of life. It did not happen overnight. Fortunately people are waking up and their is a grassroots movement to try and live according to our foundation handed down to us. America is upside down and Savage articulates this. He is appalled at the people that are surrounding Obama. More people should be like him and love America like Savage. Look at how he has helped so many familes when alens killed police officers and others. His believes in borders, culture and language. I believe in this also. He is not harmful he is enlightening if you listen to what he is saying. Donna

There are more such comments if you really want to see them ... but no matter what, the world is laughing at these three stooges today. Don't worry, though, Mike, Freddie, and Don -- even if you can't go to Merrie Olde England, you can celebrate right here at home, because today's Blast Off! Daily Schadenfreude is for you!

Florida: where hate is great

According to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), Florida ranks third, behind only the more populous California and Texas, among all states in the number of hate groups based here. More significant, though, is the increase in hate groups since 2000 -- 56 such organizations now call Florida home (as of 2008), compared with 39 eight years earlier. That's a rise of more than 43%.

The tanking economy, heated immigration debate and the election of the country's first black president likely pushed up the number of groups, the [SPLC] report said.

[...]

"We are in a worrying situation right now," said Mark Potok, director of the Intelligence Project of the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Groups have succeeded in recruiting new members who feel threatened by a black president and the rising tide of immigration, Potok said.

"All of these things together are clearly making a significant number of white people … feel that somehow their country is being stolen from them," Potok said. A "cultural conflict" in Florida has spawned the large number of hate groups, Potok said. Extremists in Central and North Florida look with horror at the number of Jews and Latinos in South Florida.

Having moved recently (if temporarily, perhaps) from south to north Florida, I've seen such differences firsthand. Few here look askance at displaying the Confederate flag, and the racial and ethnic divide seems to me to be far more pronounced in the Panhandle than in south Florida.

Nevertheless, as I've noted here before, perhaps the leading white supremacist website, Stormfront, is based down south, in Palm Beach County. And its operator, Don Black, makes no apologies for his racist views:

Don Black, founder of the white separatist group Stormfront in West Palm Beach, said he's tired of seeing his group labeled as a hate group. He advocates for non-violent separation of races within the United States, he said.

"We are proud of our own heritage and culture just like every other race has the right to be," said Black, who claims more than 100,000 members worldwide. "Do you want America to become like Mexico or Haiti?"

No, not all hate groups are white supremacist organizations. But the fact that Stormfront is headquartered in Florida, and the fact that it continually tries to justify its racist stance with a thoroughly disingenuous "white heritage" argument, ought to embarrass every Floridian -- at least those of us with a conscience.

White supremacist still battling for his seat on Palm Beach County Republican Executive Committee

Actually, newly-elected Palm Beach County Republican Executive Committeeman Derek Black would prefer not to be called a "white supremacist." Then again, what would you call someone whose father, a former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard, runs what purportedly was the first hate website on the Internet, Stormfront.org; who created a children's page on that site when he was 12 and who still contributes regularly to the site; and who has the support of another notorious former KKK grand wizard, David Duke?

I first told you about Derek Black in August, when county Republicans elected him to office at the tender age of 19. Back then, county GOP chair Sid Dinerstein said that if Black (how's that for an ironic name?) truly was eligible, he would be seated on the REC per his election. Now, however, Dinerstein is trying to keep Black from office on the grounds that he didn't sign a required oath.

"We're going to fight," [David] Duke said. "I know Derek Black is going to fight for his constitutional liberties. That's why I'm here, because I want to assist Derek."

Sorry, says county GOP Chairman Sid Dinerstein. In the qualifying period in June, Black didn't sign a loyalty oath pledging he would not do anything injurious to the party. And that's not the only problem.

"He participates in white supremacist activities," Dinerstein said. "We're the party of Lincoln. We're the party that says we don't judge anybody by the color of their skin."

Derek Black's response: "I've told (Dinerstein) I'm not a white supremacist; that's an insult. I would describe myself as a white person who is concerned about discrimination against white people."

A community college student who was home-schooled in West Palm Beach, Black once contributed a kids page to his father's Stormfront Internet forum around the time he was 12. The page included puzzles, games, animated Confederate flags and white-pride songs. He has since helped with his father's Internet audio broadcasts.

As if Republicans overall weren't already about as dysfunctional as a group can be, here in Palm Beach County, it's comedy gold. The PBC GOP is between a rock and a neo-Nazi hard place, and I don't see this ending without fireworks (hopefully not firearms, though). They're going to rely on Derek Black's failure to sign a loyalty oath to keep him out of office?

Figures. Those Republicans are nothing if not consistent. Stay tuned ...

Republicans and racism: together forever and never to part

Don't worry, this isn't a Rickroll ... think of it more as a "Ratroll." I need to take you away from Denver just for a moment to share with you more Racist Fun With Republicans back home in America's Glans™.

Our old West Palm Beach friend Don Black of Stormfront.org is in the news again ... but this time it's via the reflected glory of his son Derek's election as a Republican committeeman in Palm Beach County:

Derek Black couldn't be reached Wednesday. But he's also known in this country's white supremacist crowd.

In 2001, Derek was just 12 when USA Today highlighted his work at creating a children's page on stormfront.org. That page included white supremacist songs, bulletin boards and anti-Martin Luther King bedtime stories. Don Black, the story pointed out, keeps a photo of his son in a Confederate uniform on his desk. The teenage boy, who sports flaming red hair, is currently listed as a radio commentator on his dad's site.
Derek Black quietly campaigned, visiting many of the district's historic homes. Residents on his block include a single lesbian on one side, and a gay couple on the other. One of the two men is black.

"His mom (Chloe) took him around, introducing him to everyone," said one resident who asked that her name not be used. Chloe Black, by the way, is none other than the former wife of [David] Duke, maybe the best known white supremacist of the past 30 years. He ran for several public offices in Louisiana, at times coming close to getting elected. He ran both as a Republican and a Democrat.

Naturally the Republicans would love this kid. He's evidently picked up all the old habits of his dad -- you know, racism, neo-Nazism, douchebaggery -- no doubt tempered by an ignorance that only youth can provide.

The local Republican Party leaders, while publicly expressing caution over young Derek's victory, nevertheless are taking great strides not to distance themselves from his family's demonstrated racist viewpoints:

"I assume he qualified to run for the seat and he was elected," said local GOP boss Sid Dinerstein. "Anybody in this country can join a party and run for a position on that party. He is entitled to be seated if he acts according to our constitution."

Added Dinerstein, who's Jewish: "Hopefully, he left that past behind. He shouldn't forget that this party was formed by abolitionists."

Allen West, a black Republican running for Congress in the south part of the county, says he'll "have a talk" with Black at the first meeting of the local GOP in September.

"If he won't judge me for my character instead of my race, I'll ask to please not support me in any way," West said.

In the meantime, though, Sid and Allen are perfectly okay with hitching their wagon to a racist fucktard. Nice going, Republicans. At least you're consistent.

Scumbag racists in south Florida support ... Obama?

Yep, it's true ... but not for the reasons most people like Obama.

The hate website Stormfront (as before, I'm not sick enough to provide a link -- you want it, go look for it yourself) is based right here in Palm Beach County, and like many other white supremacist organizations, they've seen an increase in interest thanks to Obama's run for the White House.

Tom Prater, Florida spokesman for the white power group Euro and a member of the National Association for the Advancement of White People, says the Illinois senator's success is a boon for his cause.

"I've gotten more calls in the last two months about interest in our organizations than I got in all the years in the past," said Prater, who lives in Jacksonville.

August Kreis, national director of Aryan Nations, another white supremacist and anti-Semitic organization, agrees.

"Obama's done my group a lot of good," said Kreis, who lives in South Carolina and says he keeps a Nazi flag over his mantel. "He's polarizing Americans, black and white.

"Especially in Florida, affiliates have increased recently," Kreis said, although he did not produce membership figures.

As for [Stormfront founder and proprietor Don] Black, he did not respond to repeated phone calls, e-mails and a note left at his [West Palm Beach] home.

A neighbor said Black suffered a stroke early this month and was incapacitated. St. Mary's Medical Center confirmed that he had been a patient there recently and had been released.

Black was quoted in The Washington Post last month as being optimistic about the opportunities offered by Obama's candidacy.

"I get nonstop e-mails and private messages from new people who are mad as hell about the possibility of Obama being elected," Black said. "White people, for a long time, have thought of our government as being for us, and Obama is the best possible evidence that we've lost that. This is scaring a lot of people who maybe never considered themselves racists, and it's bringing them over to our side."

He claimed he is getting 40,000 hits per day on his Web site, an increase from previous years.

There's a lot of reason to be optimistic about Barack Obama being the next president of the United States. But let's not forget the potential impact of racism ... let alone one wild-eyed fanatical racist with a gun.

The deranged whackos certainly are out there:

Some white power leaders say that even before the rise of Obama, they were drawing more interest from certain white members of the public, given the country's immigration crisis.

As for Obama, there is a difference of opinion as to what he means for white supremacists.

"I think if he gets in there, he'll give the Congressional Black Caucus everything it wants, and it marks doom for white people in this country," said Prater of Euro. "I believe Obama's allegiance is to Africa, not to the U.S."

On the other hand, Kreis of Aryan Nations is considering voting for Obama.

"Obama could polarize the nation even more and drive a lot of people our way," he said. "But I'm waiting to see who he chooses as a vice president. If he chooses a Jew, I couldn't back him at all. That would be too much for me."

Yeah, I guess they have a First Amendment right to spew their hatred. I just hope they remain as marginalized as they increasingly have been.

Ron Paul takes donation from south Florida white supremacist

I keep saying Ron Paul is batshit crazy, and I keep hearing that no, he's not, you just don't understand his positions, he just wants freedom, yadda yadda fuckin' yadda.

Now hear this: Ron Paul is batshit crazy.

Republican presidential hopeful Ron Paul has received a $500 campaign donation from a white supremacist, and the Texas congressman doesn't plan to return it, an aide said Wednesday.

Don Black, of West Palm Beach, recently made the donation, according to campaign filings. He runs a Web site called Stormfront with the motto, "White Pride World Wide." The site welcomes postings to the "Stormfront White Nationalist Community."

[...]

Black said he supports Paul's stance on ending the war in Iraq, securing America's borders and his opposition to amnesty for illegal immigrants.

"We know that he's not a white nationalist. He says he isn't and we believe him, but on the issues, there's only one choice," Black said Wednesday.

On his Web site, Black says he has been involved in "the White patriot movement for 30 years."

Paul's spokesman says the candidate will keep the money "and try to spread the message of freedom." Good luck with that. How much freedom will $500 buy these days, anyway?

Now, the obvious question: can you imagine if a Democratic candidate had taken such a contribution and vowed to keep it?

Actually, you don't have to imagine it. Remember Norman Hsu? Hillary Clinton gave her Hsu contributions to charity, under relentless pressure from the MWM ("mainstream wingnut media") and others in the brain-free community. Can we expect the same relentless pressure to force Ron Paul similarly to divest himself of racist money?

No, I didn't think so. After all, like Drunky McStagger and his haves and have-mores, Stormfront and that deplorable ilk are Paul's loyal base.