The Observation Deck

There’s a discussion on the (real and original) Lakewood Facebook group about RTA shelters along Clifton Blvd bring defaced with posters for “Identity Europa,” a neo-Nazi white supremacist group. About 5 shelters were plastered and there are pictures.

I hope the city removes these ASAP.

Bridget Conant wrote:There’s a discussion on the (real and original) Lakewood Facebook group about RTA shelters along Clifton Blvd bring defaced with posters for “Identity Europa,” a neo-Nazi white supremacist group. About 5 shelters were plastered and there are pictures. I hope the city removes these ASAP.

How dare these White Supremacists share such overt racism here in our beloved Lakewood!
They should know that our city leadership prefers the soft, dog-whistle brand of racism.

While I find any sort of political philosophy that prescribes more power invested in the state- such as found in fascism or socialism- as dangerous to our inherent freedoms, I also value my freedom of expression. To call for someone's rights to be abrogated because I find them offensive is to pay lip service to this valued ideal and disrespects those who paid with their lives to defend them.

Fox8 is on the way to Lakewood to report on this.

In the middle of that long discussion, John Palmer made an excellent point.

"The best way to discredit a bad idea is to allow it to reach the "public square". Then we have the opportunity to challenge it, reject it, and overcome it."

Ditto-- Show yourselves--- come to a City Council meeting and make a public comment.

This entire discussion blows my mind.

1) There is no such thing as FREE SPEECH in graffiti or postings in RTA Bus Shelters.

2) If the graffiti is in or on an RTA Bus Shelter they should have the same 48 hours to remove it as the rest of the city. Though it would appear some people are imunned to enforcement. The City should not waste time and money removing it, start fining RTA like they would any business or homeowner.

3) FREE SPEECH is sacred but to speak up to defend it when it comes from hate groups seems a tad ridiculous. Would it not be better to just stay silent, and let the fools underline themselves as fools and haters? Or better still fight free speech with free speech against them.

4) To post it or discuss it plays into their hands keeping their and this hideous message alive.

If it was in an RTA Bus Shelter in Lakewood maybe 13 people saw it, maybe 5 read it. Now it is on one of the 30 Lakewood "Community*" discussion boards, TV, and who knows where else.

* Hyperbole, last count there were only 11 community boards and another 60 groups broadcasting their own messages bringing the community together one board at a time.

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