Racism in Prescott

[saidsimplesimon]

SIL will deliver 4 completed straight Democratic ballots to the USPS tomorrow.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/the-reason-surging-racism-in-prescott-should-not-surprise-you/ar-BB19WHIJ?ocid=hplocalnews

Arizona Republic
10/12/20

The reason surging racism in Prescott should not surprise you
EJ Montini

President Donald Trump talks endlessly about Antifa and “anarchists” and “mobs.”
What he doesn’t talk about, however, is that his own Department of Homeland Security says that white supremacists – not Antifa or anyone else -- present the gravest terror threat to the United States.
Trump’s not-always-taciit approval of right wing fringe groups has emboldened just about every fringe group espousing racist, anti-Semitic, xenophobic beliefs. The very individuals the FBI worries about are all there. The Proud Boys. Boogaloo Bois. Three Percenters. Oath Keepers.

According to a draft report described by Politico, Homeland Security officials said, “Among DVEs [Domestic Violent Extremists], we judge that white supremacist extremists (WSEs) will remain the most persistent and lethal threat in the Homeland through 2021.”
The groups thrive in places like Prescott because Republican politicians more or less embrace them.
Rep. Paul Gosar, for example, posed for a photo or two with some of the locals espousing some of those beliefs over Fourth of July weekend.
…snip

[captain queeg]

1. Too bad. I remember Prescott being a nice little town years ago

[Bradshaw3]

2. I read the original article and it is disturbing

It is behind a paywall so won't post a link. Basically, an 18-year-old biracial female wanted to support BLM and decided to have a small demonstration downtown at the square, mainly with her friends. Word got out among the RW vermin in Prescott and Prescott Valley though social media and they came crawling out with their tactical gear, AR-15s and bat handles, etc. Proud Boys, Oaf Keepers and other of the local neo-Nazis and trumpistas showed up, expecting or probably hoping for a pitched battle like in Portland. They were quoted and the responses were as stupid, hateful and scary as you might expect.

They headed in droves to the square in trucks waving flags and guns and trying to intimidate the students. Lots of slurs were hurled at the students. Prescott Indivisible, which holds regular protests there while working with local law enforcement, tried to get their supporters there but were outnumbered 3-to-1 and eventually the groups had to leave. The students were obviously shaken by their attempt at expressing their opinion but the folks at Indivisible could have told them what to expect, even though they had every right to express themselves.

I have a friend who grew up there, works downtown and is half-Hispanic, although she doesn't look like it. She described what it was like to lose friends when they found out her racial heritage. I have friends in that town who are good people but I recently moved for several reasons, but one was the atmosphere that is usually underneath the surface - this incident showed it is not that far below. Too bad because it is a beautiful area with good people, but there is an historic racism in that town but the repug officials (including scumbag Gosar) will not ever address.