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Hal Turner

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Harold "Hal" Turner (born March 15) is an American, self-described white nationalist Internet radio talk show host from North Bergen, New Jersey. His program, The Hal Turner Show, is webcast from his home. Turner also operates a website called halturnershow.com, which features his views on racial and political issues.

Identifying himself as "Hal from North Bergen", he achieved notoriety in local conservative circles as a frequent caller to the WABC-AM radio talk show hosted by Bob Grant.[1] Turner parlayed this fame into a role as the northern New Jersey coordinator for Patrick J. Buchanan's 1992 presidential campaign. He went on to serve as campaign manager for Libertarian Murray Sabrin in a number of campaigns in New Jersey in the 1990s, including a 1997 gubernatorial campaign.[2][3]

After Bob Grant's program was taken off the air for racist content, Turner established a friendship with his replacement, Sean Hannity, on whose program he was a frequent presence. Turner then became a talk radio host himself, joining fellow regular callers Frank from Queens and John from Staten Island to form "The Right Perspective;" Turner left the program in 2002 citing "artistic differences." In 2002, Turner became a solo host, purchasing a time slot on a shortwave radio station called WBCQ, over which he broadcast for approximately four years. He gave up this show, he has said, after seeing Mel Gibson's film Passion of the Christ, stating that the station was owned by a Jew and he "would no longer do business with Jews".

In 2000, Turner sought, and failed to receive, the Republican Party nomination for election to the United States Congress from New Jersey's 13th congressional district, losing to Theresa de Leon.[4] [5] Turner has identified himself as the "Chairman of the Republican Party of Hudson County, NJ Corp," a group which has no connection to the official Hudson County Republican Party recognized by the state and national GOP. According to news reports, Hudson County Republican officials have stated that Turner's party is a "paper corporation with little or no membership".[6]

Viewpoints

Turner's website and radio program is largely devoted to a digest of news concerning crimes committed by minorities, which Turner describes using racist epithets. He supports strict limits on immigration; advocates the hunting and killing of illegal immigrants [7]; promotes anti-Semitism including rounding up and killing Jews; and opposes the existence of the State of Israel. [8] He also authors and promotes Holocaust denial material.[9] Turner advocates political assassination and overthrowing the government, because, he says, the current United States government is corrupt beyond repair. However, he has also endorsed Ron Paul for president in 2008.[10] His website serves as a virtual meeting place for fellow white supremacists, via its comment pages.

"Rally against violence"

In response to an October 7, 2005 assault against a white student by a black student at Kingston, NY High School, Turner, working with a neo-Nazi group called the National Vanguard[11], organized a rally which he called a "rally against violence". On his webcast, Turner detailed at length the serious injuries suffered by the victim, and interviewed the victim's mother in strongly emotional terms, stating that the perpetrator "did not face any sanction". In fact, the case was still under investigation, and resulted in the perpetrator being indicted as an adult with two felony counts: assault and attempted assault.[12][13] Turner stated that black students were terrorizing white students throughout the high school, that he had received many anonymous emails from "students in that high school that tell me these things are so terrible that they are afraid to go to (school)". He characterized the rally both as "pro-white" and "against violence".[14][15] While the victim's mother at first said that she might attend the event, she decided not to do so when she learned of its racist nature, stating that she was "not a racist".[14] The National Vanguard promoted the rally in the Kingston area by distributing a swastika-festooned laminated card bearing the words: "Got Jews? Got problems!"[16]

In response, local residents, including political and religious leaders, organized against "racist" activity in Kingston, holding a number of "Unity Rallies" with a tolerance theme. [17] Ultimately, when the rally occurred on November 19, 2005, Turner and the National Vanguard attracted approximately 50 pro-white demonstrators, and a counter demonstration attracted about 100 people. [18]

Fight with deputy mayor of Jersey City

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 (at the time Vazquez was Jersey City Commissioner of Veterans' Affairs). Vazquez, a disabled, Purple Heart-awarded Vietnam War veteran, was protesting 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. The North Bergen Reporter quoted Turner as saying "(t)he illegal immigrants are breaking the law, and people like me should break the law as well by shooting them down."[19] In response, Vazquez picketed with a sign reading: "Hal Turner -- shoot me! Racists and bigots like you are cowards." Turner confronted Vazquez and a fight ensued, in the course of which Vazquez suffered a back injury and a fractured wrist.[20]

Turner and Vazquez filed criminal charges against each other. On July 16, 2006 North Bergen Municipal Court Judge Joseph "Jay" Romano found neither man criminally liable. Judge Romano's decision stated:

"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."

— Municipal Court Judge Joseph "Jay" Romano[21]

Threats against judges and political figures

On January 3, 2005, Turner's website showed a map of the route of the presidential inaugural parade with text reading: "it seems to me there can be no protection against a "Turner Diaries" type of mortar attack or a Hezbollah-type rocket attack launched from outside the security zone. Rest assured, if the fed’s [sic] get wiped out, I’ll be cheering the TV set!"[22]

In 2005, Turner publicized the names of three federal court judges who handled lawsuits involving Matt Hale. Hale, the leader of a white supremacist group formerly known as the World Church of the Creator, is currently serving a 40-year sentence for soliciting an undercover FBI informant to kill federal judge Joan Lefkow. Turner posted the judges' names and addresses on his Web site, stating that they "need to be reined in". According to the New York Times, Turner stated on his radio show that "Judge Lefkow was 'worthy of being killed,' adding that 'it wouldn't be legal, but in my opinion it wouldn't be wrong.'" [23]On February 28, 2005, Judge Lefkow's husband and mother were found murdered. On March 5, 2005, Turner posted on his website a photograph of Judge Lefkow under the word "GOTCHA!"[24] That same day, Turner read the three judges names during an appearance on the Fox News television program "Geraldo". [25]

On his Oct. 25, 2006 webcast, Turner told his audience: "I fully expect now that I gave out the home addresses and phone numbers of the New Jersey Supreme Court that I will have the New Jersey State Police here tomorrow again. Well, I'm not going to shut up. I am not going to stop putting these ideas in people's heads because violence solves everything. And if some very angry people were to go down to some of those judges' houses and tune them up, oh sure, they might get thrown in jail, but that would send a shockwave to the rest of those (expletive) in black robes that they can be gotten to." After adding that it would take some time for police to respond to a 911 call, he stated, "How many times you think you can bash someone in the head with a sledgehammer in two or three minutes?"

Turner went on to say that his listeners should phone, write and visit the homes of four of the justices, including the then-chief justice, to show that "they can be gotten to." Turner then announced the addresses of John E. Wallace, Jr., the lone African-American on the justice court, Barry Albin, a justice who co-authored the state's Gay Unions decision, then-Chief Justice Deborah Poritz who wrote a more liberal dissent favoring the right of gays to marry, and that of Justice Roberto Rivera-Soto.

After this, the justices of the New Jersey Supreme Court received heightened police protection, which continues to this day. According to the Newark Star-Ledger, after Turner's threat, police searched the area around the Haddonfield, New Jersey home of Justice Roberto Rivera-Soto for intruders 200 times as of March, 2007.[26]

On December 6, 2006, Turner announced on his website:

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.[27]

According to news reports, the Secret Service and FBI have refused to comment about ongoing investigations of Hal Turner.[27]

Since his threats were made public, Turner has had difficulties finding a host for his website. He has alleged that his website has been the target of denial of service attacks, and has filed a pro se lawsuit concerning this issue. [28] [29] [30] As of July 25, 2007, his website was back online.

References

  1. ^ http://www.thenation.com/doc/20050620/blumenthal
  2. ^ murraysabrin.com
  3. ^ "F.E.C. IMAGE 20020212929 (Page 13 of 25)". Retrieved 2007-01-01.
  4. ^ "Congressional Races". Center for Responsive Politics. Retrieved 2007-01-01.
  5. ^ http://www.state.nj.us/lps/elections/elec2000/results/2000g_c_candidate_tally.html
  6. ^ http://www.getnj.com/onlygameintown/turnervazquez.shtml
  7. ^ http://www.comitenorte.org.mx/simposio/ponencias/jorgeb.pdf
  8. ^ http://www.adl.org/main_Extremism/turner_own_words.htm
  9. ^ "OFFICIAL RECORDS FROM INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS PROVE "HOLOCAUST" WAS A FRAUD!"
  10. ^ Hal Turner Show: Ron Paul Excluded
  11. ^ [http://www.ulsterpublishing.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=article&articleID=356782 |Woodstock Times: "Turning our backs in unity Kingston falls into line behind mayor's call to SPURN white supremacist rally"]
  12. ^ Fairchild, Mary (2005-12-14). "KHS teen indicted for assault, not hate crime". DailyFreeman.com. Retrieved 2007-01-01.
  13. ^ Paul Kirby (2005-11-08). "Supremacist vows KHS rally". DailyFreeman.com. Retrieved 2007-01-01.
  14. ^ a b [1]
  15. ^ "Media do not agree about Hal Turner's Kingston Rally". national-socialism.us. 2005-11-20. Retrieved 2007-01-01. (Warning: this site might be illegal to view in Germany and other countries)
  16. ^ http://www.ulsterpublishing.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=article&articleID=355807 |Woodstock Times "Outside agitation White supremacists using KHS incidents as springboard to notoriety"
  17. ^ http://www.ulsterpublishing.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=article&articleID=356782 |Woodstock Times: "Turning our backs in unity Kingston falls into line behind mayor's call to SPURN white supremacist rally"
  18. ^ http://www.adl.org/main_Extremism/turner_051117.htm
  19. ^ [2]
  20. ^ UPI Wire Hate Talker's Assault Trial Delayed The Post Chronicle May 19, 2006
  21. ^ Jim Hague No charges in case of ex-councilman v. white supremacist Hudson Reporter/NorthBergenReporter.com July 16, 2006
  22. ^ http://www.adl.org/learn/news/Suprem_Urge_Bomb.asp
  23. ^ http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/02/national/02chicago.html?pagewanted=2&%2338;ei=5088&%2338;en=56f931385cef66a2&ex=1267592400
  24. ^ http://web.archive.org/web/20050306050752/http://www.halturnershow.com/
  25. ^ http://www.adl.org/learn/news/Suprem_Urge_Bomb.asp
  26. ^ http://www.newhouse.com/n.j.-supreme-court-justices-under-guard-after-threat-3.html N.J. Supreme Court Justices Under Guard After Threat
  27. ^ 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
  28. ^ Official show blog
  29. ^ Dallas Morning News. Hate-talk radio host down in mouth. February 6, 2007
  30. ^ Hal Turner's blog
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