WHY SET UP A WEBSITE NOW?

I have several reasons for creating the ACC and this website. I have for some time been concerned about certain disturbing long-term trends in this country. It is these trend that I will be writing about on this website. The immediate cause is much more trivial. Actually, for the motivation for getting this site up, I must thank Kyle Murphy of the Anti-Racist Action (Niagara) It was his actions that led me to set up this site.

I had for some time been concerned about the relationship between the ARA and our own COMMUNITY DIALOGUE ON RACISM. The CDR is an advocacy group dedicated to eliminating racism in our society, through education and media presentations. I always thought the key word was "dialogue". The CDR is also government funded, as all their literature clearly states. The Toronto chapter of the ARA, on the other hand is a gang of violent street thugs, ready to physically attack anyone who disagrees with their vision of the world. But don't take my word for it, visit their web site, or read any of their literature.

The CDR actually invited the ARA(Toronto) to speak at a forum the CDR organized in Welland in November of 1995. There I personally witnessed a member of their delegation commit violence against another paticipant. The ARA member physically attacked a person taking pictures. An hour later, an ARA member photographed me leaving the conference. I suppose in the spirit of equality and fairness, I should have punched her in the face. The ARA presentation consisted of a tirade against groups that don't share their view of the world.

During the summer of 1996, I became aware that Susan Howard Azzeh(CDR co-ordinator) was helping the ARA(Niagara). I understand she provided the ARA with some assistance in a benefit concert the ARA(Niagara) held. She also encouraged Kyle Murphy in his fight against racism. The ink on a newspaper story about Murphy going "undercover" to expose allegedly racist records and literature in Niagara Falls was not even dry when a letter from Ms Azzeh appeared in the St Catharines Standard congratulating the brave young anti-racist. The CDR and the ARA(Niagara) even share the same mail service. Trivial I know, but it does show a connection.

I asked Ms Azzeh in the fall of 1996 why she was assisting a terrorist organization in our city. She assured me that the ARA in St Catharines were going to be different, they were going to be non-violent. My reaction was, if thats true, why use the same name? I've seen some of the local literature, the tone is identical to Toronto.

By December of 1996, I was concerned enough to produce a poster questioning the relationship between the CDR and ARA(Niagara). The poster also urged people to contact the CDR and express their concerns.

I proceded to put up the posters around downtown St Catharines. However, as fast as I put them up, someone took them down. I had put some up on the kiosks maintained by the St Catharines Downtown Business Association.These had also been removed. Concerned that I had perhaps violated some guideline, I visited their office. They said they had no guidelines. I showed them my poster and asked if it was a problem. They said it was fine. At that point, one of the staff said someone had been in the day before complaining about that same poster. She said he wore a hat and had patches down the arms of his jacket. I thanked them and left. Anyway, I kept putting the posters up, and they kept coming down.

The next day, I was driving around downtown when I saw a person matching the description I had been given. Taking a chance, I pulled up and asked if he was Kyle Murphy. He Said "Yes", so I said "Here's something for you", and I gave him a copy of my poster. He thanked me and walked away. Ten minutes later, I saw him giving my poster to the mayor and gesturing to a kiosk.

Just to clear up any misconceptions, I was driving around downtown because that was my job, I was driving a taxi.

The next day I see Murphy again and I called out "You keep taking them down, I'll keep putting them up". He handed me An ARA(Niagara) policy statement. Then a middle-aged woman that was with him says "You're in big trouble now, I'm his (Kyle's) mother, and I've got your (taxi-cab) number". Fifteen minutes later, I'm in my bosses office being asked if I've been threatening people. I assured him that all I'd been doing was putting up posters. I also assured him I'd no longer do it out of my cab. My boss then asked if I had taken one of Kyle Murphys posters down. I thought that was very funny because the guy had been taking my posters down for three days, then he whines because someone did the same to him.

So right after that, I went out and bought a computer, and now you're reading this. As you will see from the poster, it's not racist, it merely expresses a legitimate concern. What ever the ARA(Niagara) believe in it's certainly not freedom of speech

Talking to Ms Azzeh in January 1997, she denied any involvment with ARA(Niagara). She said it was because they would not renounce violence. She got angry when I gave her a copy of the poster. She said that she already saw it, and that she could sue me, but it wasn't worth the trouble. Knowing Ms Azzeh, she probably didn't sue me because she didn't have a case.

So once again a great big thank you to Kyle Murphy and the Anti-Racist Action (Niagara) for being the catalyst that led to the creation of this web site.

By the way, Kyle, if you're reading this, Wal-Mart has a line of mens clothing that has a Confederate flag on the label, Maybe they're made by racists, better check it out.

• THE POSTER
• ACC Niagara
• Niagara Freedom Web

http://www.niagara.com/~freedom/accniag/whynow.htm