We would urge Doug Taylor and his Jesus Party followers to reconsider their decision to personally confront the white supremacists who plan to visit Lewiston on Jan. 11.

However, we know he will not.

We would ask Taylor and his followers to join the thousands of other community people who plan to stage a demonstration of affirmation and acceptance at a separate location.

However, again, we know Taylor will not.

The reason is simple: Taylor is addicted to seeing his holier-than-thou image on television newscasts and in newspaper photographs.

In an eerie way, Taylor uses the media in the same cynical manner as the National Alliance people who will arrive here in January to condemn the arrival of black people to Lewiston.

Both Taylor and National Alliance leader William Hale are savvy media manipulators. They know that if you do something or say something outrageous, the TV cameras will start whirring and the newspaper reporters will begin scribbling.

And they are right. Today, the sad truth of the matter is that anyone who says or does something foolish, funny or outrageous can draw a few TV cameras.

Maine Gov. Angus King tells the story of speaking to a group of reporters and camera people from atop a tall parking garage in Portland. Soon, he noticed the camera crews hurriedly packing up and leaving.

Then someone pointed to some smoke in the distance. There was a fire in a garbage pit and the TV crews thought that would make better pictures for that night’s newscast.

As far as we can tell, the National Alliance has a handful of pasty-faced converts in Maine.

On Jan. 11, they will bring their message of racial purity, intolerance, Jew-hating and other garbage to Maine.

They will whoop, holler, salute their Fuehrer and unload their smoky, inane garbage. They know the cameras will be rolling, they will receive national TV exposure, and they will feel as if they have accomplished something.

Doug Taylor will stage his show for the TV cameras by praying and lifting his Bible into the air. He will pray and ask the Lord to forgive the heathens, and then he will rush home to watch himself on the 6 p.m. news.

Taylor doesn’t want to be lost in the community gathering that will be conducted several miles away. By joining with others, he knows he would not attract the cameras and news crews.

For our part, the Sun Journal will have staffers at the National Alliance/Doug Taylor location, and at the peace demonstration across town. Our pledge is to present the day’s news without sensationalism or hyperbole.

Our hope and conviction is that area residents will resist the urge to be part of either Taylor or the National Alliance staged shows. Instead, we hope the message Lewiston sends to the world that day is one of love, hope, peace and acceptance.

We condemn the National Alliance for choosing to stage their show of hate in our community. We condemn Taylor for his determination to be part of their garbage-pit fire.


rrhoades@sunjournal.com

Copy the Story Link