Hal Turner
Harold "Hubert" Turner is an Internet radio talk show host from North Bergen, New Jersey, USA sometimes labeled a white supremacist [1] and supporter of violence against minorities and government officials.[2] His program, The Hal Turner Show, is broadcast from his home in North Bergen, New Jersey via the Internet on Wednesday evenings. He is also the owner and operator of the Turner Radio Network. He was alleged to have sought advice for controlling his homosexual desires according to his postings on an AOL discussion forum[3].
In 2000, Turner sought the local Republican Party nomination for election in his local congressional district but lost to Democrat Bob Menendez and six other candidates (including another Republican, Theresa de Leon). [4]
Turner was also the campaign manager for Murray Sabrin, who is Jewish, in a number of campaigns in New Jersey in the 1990s according to various sources including Sabrin's website. Turner has made monetary contributions to the Sabrin campaign as recently as 2000, according to the Federal Election Commission. [5]
The Hal Turner Show
Turner has been criticized by the Southern Poverty Law Center for saying, "I am a racist gay asshole."[6]
"Rally against violence"
On November 19, 2005, a rally was organized in response to the assault of a 14-year old white student, seriously injured by an older black student at Kingston High School. The white student's injuries required several reconstructive surgeries, and Turner made much of the suffering of the child on his radio show, often even engaging the child's mother on the air, to discuss her sadness and outrage; while Turner occasionally implied that the black boy "did not face any sanction" on his radio show, the 16-year old was in actuality charged as an adult with two felony counts, assault and attempted assault.[7]
According to the mother of the victim, the assailant referred to the victim as a "white nigger" prior to the assault.[8] A grand jury investigated the incident, and found that race was not a factor in the assault.[7] Nonetheless, Turner aggressively pursued his "Rally Against Violence" by appealing to "pro-whites" with unsubstantiated allegations of black students terrorizing white students throughout the high school in the town; Turner claimed to have received a barrage of emails from "students in that high school that tell me these things are so terrible that they are afraid to go to (school)", marketing the appeal of the rally jointly not only to white supremacists, but also to anyone who misperceived the rally as indeed a rally "against violence."[8] [9] While the victim's mother at first suggested that she would attend the event, she ultimately declined, indicating that she is "not a racist".[8]
Fight with Former Jersey City Deputy Mayor Jaime Vazquez
On April 12, 2006, Turner had a physical altercation with Jaime Vazquez, a former Jersey City Deputy Mayor and member of the Jersey City Council, and current Jersey City Commissioner of Veterans' Affairs. Commissioner Vazquez, a disabled, Purple Heart-awarded Vietnam veteran, was conducting a protest in front of Turner's house in response to Turner's hiring an airplane to carry a banner with an anti-Mexican slur over a political rally at Jersey City's Liberty State Park. Turner had alleged to have said at the rally; "The illegal immigrants are breaking the law, and people like me should break the law as well by shooting them down." Vazquez was wearing a sign that stated: "Hal Turner -- shoot me! Racists and bigots like you are cowards." Turner confronted Vazquez and a fight ensued, in which Vazquez hurt his back and fractured his wrist.[10]
Turner and Vazquez filed criminal charges against each other, but a Municipal Court Judge of the North Bergen Municipal Court subsequently found neither man criminally liable on July 16, 2006. Per Judge Joseph "Jay" Romano ruling:
"Frankly, I find both witnesses to be credible. I find both witnesses to be vehement in espousing their views and because their views diverge, there has to be some tension. Who pushed who is something this court cannot determine beyond a reasonable doubt." [11]
Website controversies
On December 31, 2006 a message was posted on his blog stating that he is "as of now, DEFEATED", due to alleged ongoing attacks versus his web site by a group of people on the internet, who he claims to originate from several websites, namely 4chan and ebaumsworld.com. He has filed claims against these individuals, the details of which are available on PACER[12]. However, he soon edited the blog post to state that his show will continue to be aired on the radio even if presently unavailable on the Internet, and his intention to rebuild his Internet presence with better hosting services.[13] His site has undergone numerous periods of downtime, as of February 1, 2007, it has been removed from its original data center, and was briefly rehosted until members of the One People's Project sent the host a notice that Hal's site was in violation of the AUP. The site is currently not hosted.
"Assassination schedule"
On December 6, 2006, Turner announced on his website[14],
We may have to ASSASSINATE some of the people you elect on Nov. 7! This could be your LAST ELECTION CHANCE, to save this Republic... Sorry to have to be so blunt, but the country is in mortal danger from our present government and our liberty is already near dead because of this government. If you are too stupid to turn things around with your vote, there are people out here like me who are willing to turn things around with guns, force and violence. We hope our method does not become necessary.
According to news reports, the Secret Service would not comment and the FBI had no statement about ongoing investigations of Hal Turner.[14]
References
- ^ "White Supremacist Radio Host Urges Bombings, Assassinations". Anti-Defamation League. 2005-03-22. Retrieved 2007-01-01.
- ^ "Hal Turner in His Own Words". Anti-Defamation League. 2006-04-06. Retrieved 2007-01-01.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help) - ^ Max Blumenthal (2005-06-03). "Hannity's Soul-Mate of Hate". The Nation.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Congressional Races". Center for Responsive Politics. Retrieved 2007-01-01.
- ^ "F.E.C. IMAGE 20020212929 (Page 13 of 25)". Retrieved 2007-01-01.
- ^ Buchanan, Susy and Holthouse, David (2006-03-30). "Extremists advocate murder of immigrants, politicians". Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved 2007-01-01.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b Fairchild, Mary (2005-12-14). "KHS teen indicted for assault, not hate crime". DailyFreeman.com. Retrieved 2007-01-01. Cite error: The named reference "DailyFreeman-assault" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ a b c Paul Kirby (2005-11-08). "Supremacist vows KHS rally". DailyFreeman.com. Retrieved 2007-01-01. Cite error: The named reference "DailyFreeman-rally" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ "Media do not agree about Hal Turner's Kingston Rally". national-socialism.us. 2005-11-20. Retrieved 2007-01-01. (Warning: Neo-Nazi site, might be illegal to view in Germany and other countries)
- ^ UPI Wire Hate Talker's Assault Trial Delayed The Post Chronicle May 19, 2006
- ^ Jim Hague No charges in case of ex-councilman v. white supremacist Hudson Reporter/NorthBergenReporter.com July 16, 2006
- ^ The US PACER Site
- ^ Official show blog
- ^ a b 'Assassination' schedule announced for Congress: Radio-show host says leaders won't be allowed to 'betray' nation World News Daily, December 6, 2006
External links
- The Hal Turner Show (Verizon and AT&T customers are blocked as of January 04, 2007)
- The Hal Turner Show on Blogspot
- Turner Radio Network (Verizon and AT&T customers are blocked as of January 04, 2007)
- Anti-Defamation League article "Hal Turner in His Own Words"
- Anti-Defamation League report on Turner urging bombs and assassinations
- Anti-Defamation League report on Turner and his supporters issuing threats
- Southern Poverty Law Center report on Turner as host of hate
- Southern Poverty Law Center report on Turner calling for violence
- The Nation magazine article about Turner's alliance with Sean Hannity and his self-proclaimed recovery from homosexuality
- Article at MSNBC detailing Turner's stormy relationship with other white supremacists in the wake of the Lefkow killings
- One People's Project, Organized opposition to Hal Turner.
- Jersey Journal article about Vazquez & Turner
- Hudson County Hate Monger Hal Turner Faces Purple Heart Veteran Jaime Vazquez in Court
- MP3 file of newest show acknowledging prank phone calls and financial ruin Mirror