Posted by [EMAIL PROTECTED] : ish, the following article was retrieved from: http://www.illinimedia.com/di/dec_99/dec10/news/news01.html the observer's editor, monica khetarpal, can be emailed at: [EMAIL PROTECTED] bill winneshiek Police investigate racist propaganda Fliers marked with logo of Orange and Blue Observer spread around campus by Amanda Criner Senior writer Fliers depicting racist images with the Orange and Blue Observer's logo littered the Quad and University buildings and were inserted into issues of The Daily Illini Thursday. One of the fliers was a picture of Benjamin Smith proclaiming him a "University Martyr." Another flier depicted a man with a gun pointed at a Native American and the words "Manifest Destiny: Go! Fight! Win!" Observer staff said they had nothing to do with the fliers. "The Observer has never done anything like this," said managing editor Monica Khetarpal. "This is what starts hate. It asks people to hate conservatives and to hate the Observer." The fliers were posted in Lincoln Hall, the English Building, on trees and in other campus locations. The Daily Illini and the Observer filed reports with University police for theft of services. University offices and employees also complained about the fliers. Khetarpal and Observer financial director Justin Weltscheff discussed why someone might try to disguise racist fliers as the cover of the Observer. "I take that personally, if people are trying to equate Ben Smith with the Observer," Weltscheff said. Smith, who left the University before going on a hate-motivated shooting spree throughout the Midwest, spread hate literature on the University campus and at Indiana University. He was a former member of the World Church of the Creator, a white supremacist group based in Peoria. "I'm happy to hear people are remembering Ben Smith," said Matt Hale, the church's leader. "I don't know anything about it. We have some people there who did know Ben Smith. I tend to think it is not a member of the church but a sympathizer." The fliers probably will not be considered hate literature, but were posted against University rules, police said. Khetarpal said she suspects a University student posted the fliers, possibly someone who dislikes the Observer and its conservative beliefs. University Police Capt. Kris Fitzpatrick said police are investigating the incident, but identifying the individual responsible will be difficult. The Observer staff said it will contact its lawyer to address issues of libel and copyright. "This kind of stuff doesn't shock me," Khetarpal said. "I've been called a Nazi, and I've gotten threatening e-mail. As much as I've tried to make this a respectable debate, there are still people who are ignorant." Bill's Beach Volleyball Bed & Breakfast Web Site: http://www.csulb.edu/~wwinnesh Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Bill Winneshiek <<<<=-=-= =-=-=>>>> "We simply chose an Indian as the emblem. We could have just as easily chosen any uncivilized animal." Eighth Grade student writing about his school's mascot, 1997 <<<<=-= http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/racial/ =-=>>>> <<<<=-=-=FREE LEONARD PELTIER!!!=-=-=>>>>
