Aryan tabloid irks Spotsylvania residents.

Date published: 12/15/2005

By KEITH EPPS

A tabloid paper left outside their homes this week has some Spotsylvania County residents disturbed and offended.

The 16-page paper, The Aryan Alternative, is loaded with venom against blacks, Jews, Mexicans and others.

Blacks, for example, are referred to as subhumans, savages and other even less-flattering terms. The paper purports to be issue No. 3 and has a mailing address in Missouri.

But other than getting upset, there is almost nothing residents or police can do about it. The distribution of racist literature, police said, does not in itself constitute a crime.

"You can't arrest people being stupid and disgusting," sheriff's Deputy Robin Kocher said. "Even they have freedom of speech."

Kocher said the Sheriff's Office received more than 30 calls this week from residents who found the publications in their driveways or lawns. Some expressed a desire to see someone arrested.

The papers apparently were distributed late Monday or early Tuesday. Among the subdivisions receiving the papers were Lees Hill, Meadowbrooke and Calvary Ridge, all in the same general area of the county.

Laurie Murphy, a resident of Meadowbrooke, said she was "kind of shocked" to find such material on her property.

"If that's the way some people feel, well, that's their business. But don't put it in my yard," she said.

Murphy said she initially thought her family was targeted because they are black. She said she was somewhat relieved to learn everyone on her street got the same tabloid.

Stafford County Sheriff Charles Jett said similar white supremacist literature pops up in Stafford periodically.

Jett said persons don't have the right to trespass or litter, but his office has never had anyone report actually seeing whoever delivered the papers.

"It always seems to be one of those fringe elements trying to recruit others to their cause, whatever it may be," Jett said.

Kocher said the literature is "racist for sure," but probably doesn't qualify as a hate crime because no specific threats are made against anyone.

To reach KEITH EPPS:540/374-5404
Email: kepps@freelancestar.com

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Date published: 12/15/2005