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Showing posts with label covid 19. Show all posts
Showing posts with label covid 19. Show all posts

14 March 2021

Local neo-Nazis radicalize anti Covid-19 movement, interact with county commissioner


Above is Keith "Biome" Michael Erickson, one of Southern Oregon's most notorious white nationalists and Holocaust deniers. 2020 was a busy year for him, as he and fellow neo-Nazi Gregg Marchese took part in anti lockdown rallies and harassed Black Lives Matter demonstrators throughout the Rogue Valley. Below is a screen capture of Erickson allegedly at the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill attack.
 

Below are pictures of neo-Nazi and Covid-19 denier Gregg Marchese taken at an event in Medford prior to the pandemic lockdown.






Above, Erickson was active in a number of counter protests as BLM protests took place in Ashland, Medford and elsewhere in Southern Oregon. During one such rally, Erickson allegedly attacked a young man. According to some witnesses, Marchese was "aggressive and verbally abusive" as well.








By Brad Smith


JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. -- It's been an odd, disturbing transformation as over the years Keith "Biome Michael" Erickson went from goofy, hippy Ashland mayoral candidate to being one of Southern Oregon's infamous neo-Nazis.

In October 2012, Erickson gained some national attention when Comedy Central selected him to be featured as a One of a Kind Candidate for its Indecision Forever website. Local media outlets snapped up the story, Erickson shared a few quips about it and he would eventually -- not surprisingly -- lose the election.

It was good for a few laughs.

Flash forward to December 2018, as Erickson and fellow neo-Nazi Gregg Marchese were barred from entering Havurah Shir Hadash, an Ashland synagogue, where a packed audience turned out to hear a presentation about anti-Semitism in the U.S. and around the world. According to local media reports, Marchese recently posted on Facebook that the KKK was created to protect Southerners from "powerful Jews who had Lincoln killed (and) roaming gangs of recently freed slaves inflicting murder, rape and vandalism on whites."

In January 2019, Erickson and Marchese appeared at a Medford anti-hate crime event featuring Oregon's Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum. Jackson County District Attorney Beth Heckert and Central Point Police Dept. Chief Kris Allison were also present. It should be noted that none of the county commissioners were present.

However, the two neo-Nazis would eventually get the attention of Commissioner Colleen Roberts.

"I don't feel safe myself," Erickson told the visibly upset audience that night. "And, I'm confused why Jewish people don’t like me. I have nothing against them. I just follow the truth and know the real history of the Holocaust. I want to be safe," he said. "If I want to say that white pride is good, I should feel safe doing that."

Marchese spoke as well and echoed Erickson's sentiments -- however he asked not to be identified in the media.

By 2019, Erickson had already caused a stir on social media with his posts. On both his Facebook and Twitter accounts, he describes himself as "White (Aryan) Male American National Socialist / Historical Revisionist." Aside from being a vehement Holocaust denier and 9/11 conspiracy theorist -- the Israelis, the Freemasons and so many more -- "Biome Michael" is also a staunch anti-GMO activist, hates 5G technology, worries about chemtrails and, not surprisingly over the last year, has jumped on the Covid-19 "Plandemic" bandwagon.

Erickson reportedly shutdown his Facebook after numerous activity suspensions. His Twitter is still visible but he hasn't posted anything publicly in a long while.

Marchese still has his page open for the public. On July 25, 2020, he posted this:

BEHIND THE MASK: THE REAL AGENDA
Face masks have absolutely nothing to do with public safety.
They are being imposed as a form of slave training and prison indoctrination. Compliance with foolishness imposes shame and despair.
Masks are also phase one of the initiation ritual into the 'new normal' totalitarian rule world. First isolate and separate and break down identity, then indoctrinate with the new program into the brain void created by the isolation, then re-introduce the initiate into the transformed social and physical world.
Face masks drive people apart, cutting off an essential aspect of human communion, observation of emotional and personal expression and recognition of familiar faces and prevention of familiarization of new faces. Ever notice how babies stare for a prolonged time at new people who enter their view? They are imprinting familiarity. Put a mask on someone, they can't do it. We can't really know what someone is feeling, thinking, intending, expressing. Anxiety results.
Alienation, separation, isolation and despair result. This is the goal, this is one of the main functions of the mass mask wearing mania. Another of course is to impair the health and clarity and energy of the entire population. Another is to drive a further divide through the People, another bilateral polarization. Still another may be to identify those who are the resistors, the rebels, the counter-revolutionaries, and separate them out and neutralize them.

But if there are too many of them, too well organized, too determined, it will not work and the maskless face of freedom will shine openly.  

As with Erickson, Marchese embraces most of the same conspiracy theories and fringe beliefs -- and as with his July 25, 2020 social media rant, he views the Covid-19 pandemic as some sort of Machiavellian scheme for global domination. 

Erickson started appearing at the Williams Grange Pancake Breakfasts, where he took time to voice his numerous views -- much to the chagrin of some. The Grange reportedly postponed the breakfasts until the situation was resolved.

Last summer, he took part in a so-called "Liberty Rally" on July 17, held in Sweet Home. 
Erickson told The New Era reporters -- Sweet Home's newspaper -- that he had learned of the rally via Telegram, a social media app that right wing extremists frequently use. He reached out to the event organizer, Jimy White. White and Erickson posed for a picture of them hold a Black Lives Matter banner. 

White posted the picture on his Twitter account.


According to The New Era article, Erickson said "'white America was better' and talked about wanting white people to only associate with other white people. While giving a speech on a bullhorn, Erickson said 'racism is anything the left doesn't agree with.'"  He then reportedly shadowed a local journalist during the rally -- he allegedly asked about their ethnic heritage and if they were an FBI agent. During the rally, Erickson said those who wore masks were "subhuman."

Aside from some drug arrests in Tennessee and some driving violations -- plus a failure to appear charge on a trespassing arrest -- Erickson hasn't had any major charges filed against him. Yet.

However, some feel that Erickson was present in Washington, DC, during the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill attack carried out by alt-right domestic terrorists. In the following video that appeared weeks ago on C-SPAN, a number of people claim that Erickson can be seen -- at timestamp 1:56 -- as terrorists accost a Capitol police officer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivVOPWrFfW4&t=123s

Some feel that it's possible Erickson was a part of the Capitol Hill terrorist attack since he's been seen taking part in a number of alt-right protests throughout Oregon, especially Salem and Portland.

Between the anti mask/lockdown protests and the BLM rallies, both Erickson and Marchese were busy. During a rally at Medford, Erickson attacked a protester and they talked about the incident in a Facebook video:

Last August, the local journalist group Sailor Boy Media interviewed someone who had a disturbing encounter with Erickson, Marchese and some Covid-19 mask/lockdown opponents. The individual quickly scrubbed their online presence and, according to some sources, moved away for fear of their lives. The video can be watched here and the actual encounter starts at the 24:53 timestamp:

Portland's Rose City Antifa, a group some believe to be the oldest known active antifa group in the country, have devoted a considerable of time and resources in tracking and outing neo-Nazis and other right wing extremists. It was inevitable that Erickson and Marchese ended up on their radar. On March 10, the group posted on their website a lengthy, well-documented article on Erickson and Marchese's activities.

Rose City Antifa viewed and screenshotted several Telegram channel posts made by both Erickson and Marchese, along with others, focusing on Covid-19 conspiracy theories and rants about masks and lockdowns. From the article: At the end of 2020, Rose City Antifa researchers came across a known Ashland-area neo-Nazi, Keith Michael “Biome” Erickson, posting in a Telegram channel titled “Make America Fascist Again.” In that channel, Biome and a local compatriot with the username “RogueOp NS” bragged to other fascists about their successful infiltration of Southern Oregon COVID-denial circles, and discussed their efforts to further radicalize people they encountered there.

And:

Investigation into messages from Biome and RogueOp NS—who was identified as Erickson’s partner-in-fascism Gregg Marchese—alerted us to a Telegram channel titled “FreeJaCo.” “FreeJaCo” (short for “Free Jackson County”) was created by Erickson and Marchese and to share anti-mask action plans, COVID-denial conspiracy theories, and antisemitic, homophobic, and racist content with a larger group of like-minded Ashland and Medford-area residents. Marchese and Erickson spent much of 2020 orienting a group of COVID-hoax believers towards anti-COVID-restriction organizing and radicalizing them through repeated exposure to fascist propaganda.

Later in the article, the Rose City Antifa researchers revealed a worrisome series of interactions between Jackson County Commissioner Colleen Roberts and the two neo-Nazis. Both men had been present at an Aug. 5 meeting and spoke of their "concerns" about the pandemic lockdowns. Evidently, they established some sort of connection with Roberts, according to the researchers:

The next day, after Biome, Marchese, and a collection of their fellow “FreeJaCo” channel members gave testimony in front of the Jackson County Commissioners, Commissioner Colleen Roberts approached them in what Biome described as a “more informal non-session setting out from the auditorium” and told them about what she believed were inconsistencies in COVID-related “Executive Orders” from the Governor that might make those orders vulnerable to legal action from right-wing advocacy groups. Commissioner Roberts, who was first elected at the end of 2014, was a featured speakers at a May 16th rally in Medford against coronavirus restrictions, where she at one point addressed the crowd by asking “Why couldn’t you have an elective surgery, but I understand an abortion can be done, which is elective?!…It comes down to this: Are we a free state, or are we a police state?”

The Rogue Free Press was there for the May 16 rally. Prior to making the aforementioned remarks, Roberts urged everyone present -- including unmasked children -- to move closer to the stage and "crowd up together."

It's bothersome to some that Roberts opted to interact with two known neo-Nazis: Both men, especially Erickson, were the focus of articles featured in local papers, including The Mail Tribune, The Daily Tidings and Rogue River Press. And, judging from her non appearance at the January 2019 anti-hate event featuring the state's Attorney General, some would say she's not concerned about the issue.


The Rogue Free Press has attempted to contact Roberts and ask her why she interacted with two known neo-Nazis.

She has not responded.

Concerned county residents can reach her at:
Phone: 541-774-6117
FAX: 541-774-6705


31 January 2021

Medford bar proud of its racist sign UPDATED: Trophy Club issues 'non-apology,' plays victim card


This is the picture Ken Narasaki took as he drove by Medford's Trophy Club Bar & Grill. When he attempted to contact the owner, Narasaki was greeted with offensive remarks.

By Brad Smith

MEDFORD, Ore. -- On Monday, the Trophy Club took down its racist message and issued what some considered to be a "non-apology apology."

Then, the bar owners claimed they were victims of alleged death threats.

And, as of late Tuesday morning, the Trophy Club's Facebook page was taken down.

A few days ago, as he drove by the Trophy Club Bar & Grill, Ken Narasaki said he was "angered and shocked" by what he saw: The electronic sign proclaimed China Virus Hrs.

"It was very upsetting," he said. "Ever since the pandemic, Asian-Americans have been the brunt of racist attacks. It's ugly and wrong. What the hell is wrong with people?"

Narasaki said he nearly went inside the Trophy Club to speak with the owner.

"Then, I realized it could spiral out of control and there would be problems," he said. "So, I went home and figured a phone call would be best."

It wasn't.

When Narasaki called the Medford bar, located at 812 S. Central Ave., a female employee answered the phone. According to him, as he explained the situation and how "China Virus" was a racist slur, the employee hung up.

He called the bar again and, this time, a man answered.

"The guy used a terrible Asian accent and said, 'Hong Kong Chopstick Factory. Why don't you suck my fat white rod?'" Narasaki claimed. "It was very offensive but this guy thought he was funny."

The Rogue Free Press called the Trophy Club and after speaking with some female employees, spoke with a Brett Howard, after being initially blocked by an answering service. Howard said the sign wasn't racist and then launched into a series of personal attacks -- female employees could be heard giggling as he did so.

"Are you a moron," he said at one point. "Are you from around here? Are you even fucking married?"

Across social media, mainly Facebook and Yelp, the Trophy Club was slammed with complaints and negative reviews. Yelp finally locked down the bar's page until it could assess all of the negative postings.

Ambar Rodriguez, a reporter from CBS affiliate KTVL Channel 10, spoke with the other owner, Lori Fudge Howard, who issued this following statement:

"We are not and never have been racist, nor have our employees. The sign was not intended to be racist. It was to make light out of the situation we all have been going through for the past year. We apologize to whoever we offended. That was not our intention."

Narasaki called it a "non-apology."

"It's not an apology, I feel," he said. "I said that in my interview with the TV station. It's a 'non-apology apology.' No remorse, no honesty. None."

Rodriguez then reported the Howards took down the racist message due to alleged "death threats" they had received. Rodriguez said Lori Howard claimed that the bar had received telephonic threats. It's still uncertain if the Howards filed a report with the Medford Police Dept.

"So, they didn't take down the message because it was the right thing to do," one person opined on Facebook. "They took it down because of supposed death threats. They played the victim card."

This isn't the first case of anti Asian sentiment during the pandemic here in the Rogue Valley. Joe McPherson, who operates the Double R Pub in Rogue River, has made social media posts about "the Kung Flu" a number of times. Then again, given Rogue River's history of racism, no locals took issue with it. Recently, Grant Pass' Gold Miner Restaurant has advertised "China Virus" lunch specials for some time.

According to a September 2020 report issued by the Stop AAPI Hate Youth Campaign, a high school internship program at Stop AAPI Hate, a national center that collects reports of coronavirus discrimination against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, nearly 8 of 10 respondents expressed anger over the epidemic of hate against Asians as the pandemic went on. The data came from nearly 1,000 interviews of Asian American young adults conducted by a team of 87 Asian American high school students last summer.

According to NBC News, such cases were:
  • A 14-year-old student in Dallas was followed home by a group of high school boys who pretended to cough on him and shouted, "Ching chong! You have Chinese virus!"
  • A 17-year-old was told over social media that their "insides are full of 'fucking bats" and that they should kill themselves because they are a "dirty fucking dog eater."
  • An 18-year-old who was grocery shopping was called "chink" and told to go back where they came from.
It didn't help that Donald Trump kept using the term "China Virus" and emboldened his racist follows to do the same. According to Associated Press, there was a surge of racist social media memes that portrayed the Chinese as "bat eaters" responsible for spreading the virus and revived century-old tropes about Asian food being unclean and unhealthy.

Stop AAPI Hate reported last August that it had received more than 2,500 reports of hate and discrimination across the country since the group was founded in March, around the time the outbreak began to seriously worsen in the U.S. The group said it received data from 47 states, with 46 percent of the incidents taking place in California, followed by 14 percent in New York, AP also reported.

"I grew up in Washington state," Narasaki said. "I've dealt with racism before -- so, this isn't new to me. Being an actor in Seattle during the '70s and '80s, hell there was a lot of racism within the theater community. Now, there's this."

Narasaki has lived in Los Angeles the last several years but his girlfriend resides in the area. Since the pandemic, he's been spending a lot of time in southern Oregon.

"I love it here, I really do," he said. "And, I've met a many great, friendly and kind people. The scenery is something I've fallen in love with and I do feel at home here.

"But, the other day, I was reminded that there's still some ugliness in the world."

Narasaki shared his experience on social media and already the Trophy Club has been hit with negative comments on Yelp. Plus, there are early comments talking about previous examples of racism at the bar. The business' Facebook page has garnered negative reviews too.

In typical fashion, Trophy Club defenders have said there's no racism involved and everything has been blown out of proportion. Of course, many who are defending Howard and the Trophy Club are -- not surprisingly -- white. People have been quick to point out about the Spanish Flu pandemic, which broke out over a century ago. However, the "Spanish Flu" was a H1N1 virus that had genes of avian origin -- and it was first reported at an army base in Kansas. Fort Riley, to be exact, and it happened on March 11, 1918. It never originated in Spain.

But, let's be blunt: Given Brett Howard's interactions with the public and press about this, it's clear that he's fine with promoting a racist slur and sees no wrong with it. The reality is that Donald Trump didn't turn a large number of our follow Americans into rabid, hatemongering bullies and white nationalists.

He didn't.

Trump enabled them, emboldened them. For years, they lurked in the shadows and were afraid to announce and embrace their views. As president, Trump gave them the okay to be bigots and intolerant towards others.

What's happening now is going to be with the American people for a long time. No, it's not right. However, people can still take a stand against it.

Narasaki said he's received support from many after his initial post and many have said they will call the Trophy Club and complain.

"I hope people will take notice and take action," he said. "This isn't right. We're Americans and we should be better than this. You don't treat people like this. That's not who we are."

Here is Narasaki's post on Yelp:

Yelp took down my review of Trophy Club and their racist marquee because "it was not clear" that it was my "firsthand experience". Who the hell do you think took the photo of their marquee? And when a business writes a racist statement on their marquee, I think it's "firsthand experience" when you see it, which is sort of the point of a marquee.

Yelp also took down about a half-dozen other reviews complaining about that sign. Why? Yelp, are you in favor of protecting public racist sentiments?

I'm going to repost this because my experience does qualify as "first-hand experience":

I drove by this marquee on January 27, 2021, that crows "China Virus Hours".

A sign that proves that racism is alive and sick in Medford, Oregon.

This is not just "hurt feelings". I know from my own personal experience and from the experience of many of my Asian American friends, not to mention countless news articles, that Trump's (and others') use of the racist term "China Virus" led directly to hatred, open hostility, and violence against Asians and Asian Americans (racists never know the difference). People have been beaten, have had acid thrown in their faces, and have been spit on by people like this bar owner/manager.

Unless you're a white supremacist or think that maybe white supremacists might have a point, I suggest you not go here. Better yet, call (541) 772-4131 and tell them what you think of their sign.

Medfordians, do you want people to think that this is okay here?

ps: A quick check of their other Yelp reviews will show that this racist sign is no accident.

PPS: I called and tried to explain why "China Virus" was a racist term and the woman who answered simply hung up on me. When I called back, a guy answered in a mock Chinese accent: "Hong Kong Chopstick Factory. Why don't you suck my fat white rod?"




22 July 2020

Antilockdown Rally in Medford, County Commish Ignores Covid-19 Threat

Note: This rally happened on 16 May 2020. I covered the event and wrote the article -- however, the publisher cut the it so much that it was nothing but a puff piece. They omitted key elements about Roberts' recklessness, the lawsuit and so on. I told the publisher not to run it.

By Brad Smith

MEDFORD, Ore. -- A few hundred or so protesters descended upon the Jackson County Saturday to decry alleged constitutional rights violations and other so-called inconveniences they’ve supposedly suffered due to the state’s COVID-19 guidelines and restrictions.
The event came one day after Oregon started the first phase of slowly reopening. According to Harvard’s Global Health Institute, Oregon – along with Alaska, Hawaii, Montana, North Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming – was performing the right number of CV-19 tests per day to properly and safely phase social distancing and other measures. Jackson County and over 30 others gradually reopened.
Event organizers said they would proceed with the rally regardless and said they expected over 1,000 participants. However, the numbers fell short of that.
While such an event usually requires a permit, the city of Medford said one wasn’t approved due to Gov. Kate Brown’s shelter in place orders. “In accordance with (Brown’s) statewide directive to cancel all events and gatherings larger than 25 people – in response to COVID-19 – (Medford) is not approving special event permits at this time,” said a press release.
Chief Scott Clauson, Medford Police Dept., issued a statement stating that his agency wouldn’t stop the event because MPD support individuals’ right to exercise constitutional freedoms. Last week, the Jackson Co. Sheriff’s Office stated they would not be enforcing the state’s pandemic guidelines.
Despite both law enforcement agencies urging people to practice social distancing while out in public, event co-organizer Amy Rose said social distancing and other measures would not be enforced.
“We feel people are smart enough to do what’s best for themselves,” she said in media statements.
However, shortly after the 1 p.m. start time, event organizers – with county commissioner Colleen Roberts and state senator Herman Bautschiger (R – Grants Pass) present – urged protesters to move in closer and crowd together. Which they did.
Aside from disregarding social distancing, protesters also ignored mask guidelines. Many parents brought their children along and none wore masks either.
After a large April 24 lockdown protest in Madison, Wis., more than 72 people who attended were infected with CV-19. And, across the country and even the world, other places that have reopened are seeing surges of new cases. Germany’s leaders are looking at closing down after reopening.
Sarah Paisley was upset over the restrictions hitting religious organizations.
“I want to be in my church,” she said. “I don’t like this at all, being told I can’t be in my church and worshiping. This isn’t right.
Paisley acknowledged that the virus was initially a threat but “they” used it to get power over people.
“This is all about power and control,” she said. “It’s government overreach and it’s not right. We’re safe here, we’ve had a few cases and one’s dead. We’ll be fine – just let us open back up.”
Since the gathering restrictions went into effect late March, churches, synagogues, mosques and other places of worship have been adapting to the pandemic response. Gatherings under 25 people have been using social distancing or using social media platforms to have services online.
Ten churches across the state have filed a lawsuit against Gov. Brown earlier this month. The suit alleges that the governor is not acting according to the state constitution. Ray Hacke, a one-time sportswriter, is a staff attorney with the Pacific Justice Institute, is representing the churches. PJI, a Sacramento, Calif.-based organization, has been designated by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a hate group since it has challenged same-sex marriage laws and tried to champion reparative or conversion therapies – which have been debunked by many mental health professionals.
Hacke represented some churches in the Bay Area who opposed a cannabis dispensary. Although city commissioners did eventually side with the churches, an SF Weekly reporter covering the case wrote that Hacke’s courtroom antics rivaled Joe Pesci’s performance in “My Cousin Vinny.”
A local hate group, The RV Saltshakers – known for displaying graphic bloody images and attacking the LGBT community – was also present and did nothing to hide pictures from passing children. A few Confederate battle flags were displayed too – the Confederate government was founded upon slavery and oppression of blacks and upholding white supremacy. The Faith and Freedom event organizers didn’t object to the displays.
A number of participants handed out pamphlets about COVID-19 conspiracy theories:
• Some claimed that 5G technology caused the virus. Others said that Bill Gates and the “Big Pharma” cabal was behind the pandemic. The same pamphlets said contact tracing, a valuable tool in fighting pandemics, was a prelude to martial law and American citizens being herded into death camps.
• Some pamphlets repeated a debunked claim made by the Trump Administration that the Wuhan Institute of Virology received millions of dollars in grants from the previous administration. The money, the claim goes, came via the National Institutes of Health. The money actually went to the US based EcoHealth Alliance and $600,000 went to the Chinese lab. The same pamphlets also repeated claims made in the widely discredited video, Plandemic.
When Roberts spoke, she expressed her concerns about Jackson County’s Christians from attending church – however, she never said anything about the county’s number of Jewish, Muslim, Sikh and other adherents.
According to polling data collected from different sources, Americans who take part in anti-lockdown protests are in the minority. The majority of the country do support lockdowns and are wary of opening too soon. Polls conducted by Fox News Channel and others revealed varying numbers for support, from 56 percent to 81 percent of Americans approve of such guidelines and restrictions.

Hacke's lawsuit failed. A Baker County judge attempted to run with it but the Oregon State Supreme Court shut it down.

As of July, the state is experiencing surges of new Covid-19 cases. Gov. Brown has issued new mandates in an effort to avoid another lockdown.

Many in the Southern Oregon area are refusing to comply.

All in the name of "freedom" . . . .

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