The Bard -Observer
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THE BARD OBSERVER DT&W."I November 15, 2005 2005 Election Results Republicans Retain Red Hook; Democrats COURTESY OF THE D UTCHESS C OUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS Make Inroads in the Hudson Valley COUNTY LEGISLATI\ 'E 020 RACES Gannan received 1,491 and fellow Democratic Candidate for ~ of!i ( 100% > m:ichinrs rcpo rt i11g t R total dist nets I BY MICHAEL BENHABIB Town Council Harry Colgan got 1,494. James Ross and Sue Crane, their opponents, were reelected with 1,681 and 1,626 DC Legislator Dist 20 Republicans swept the board in Red Hook last Tuesday, fend votes respectively. Laurie Nash lost by 433 votes in her bid for Marc us J Molinaro ing off democratic challengers in the local election. Every sin the position ofTown Clerk. gle incumbent was reelected: Sue Crane and James Ross to the The Red Hook Democratic Party had high hopes for Town Council, Richard Grif£ths as Town Justice, and Marc their candidates in a town that has historically been a Molinaro as District 20's County Legislator. Republican Republican stronghold. No doubt hoping that high student REP I .97Q Deputy Town Clerk Sue McCan was also elected to the posi turnout might swing the election they, aided by the Bard CON litO tion of Town Clerk. In the country race for Comptroller, Democrats, put an unprecedented amount of time and energy 2. 159 however, Democrat Diane Jablonski beat Republican Deputy into galvanizing Bard students. Out of approximately 500 Comptroller Frederick Pizzuto by over one thousand votes. Bard students registered to vote as on-campus residents, Vicky K Perry Despite their dashed nopes in Red Hook, the approximately 170, or 34%, showed up to vote at St John's DEM 1.075 Democratic Party made significant inroads in the Hudson Episcopal Church in . Barrytown. The numbers have 'disap \VOR R9 pointed many Bard students who were hoping for a higher Valley, especially in dependably Republican Dutchess County. 1.1 64 Democrats won all vacancies in the adjacent towns of Milan turnout, but Professor Jonathan Becker, faculty advisor to the and Rhinebeck though Republicans dominated in Bard Democrats, is not pessimistic. RED HOOK RACES "I believe more students could have voted, but I am Germantown. Democrats also encroached on the Republican 8 ofR {I OO'Yi1 } machines rcpo1ting !R total districts) majority in the Dutchess County Legislature, gaining· at least happy that two- to thJ:ee-times the number of students voted three seats, and won a majority in Ulster County's legislative this time than in the last compar~ble election," said Becker. Red Hook Town Clerk body. Democratic mayors were also elected in the importar:lt "My only hope is that in the future we. can get a poling place Sue McCaim cities of Albany and Hudson. at Bard to make it easier for students to Pa.!ticipate and also REP J.668 Here in Red Hook it was Jonah Triebwasser, the that the republicans at the polls take the position that we CON 16.1 Democratic candidate for Town Justice, who lost by the small should all encourage widescale participation of young people est margin of just 71 V?tes. Bard's Dean of Students Erin . in the election process." IJBO La.uric G Nash in the first place, after a black young man assailed a white DEM J,JQ7 White Supremacist schoolmate, leaving the latter with severe facial injuries that required surgical treatment. Contrary to Turner and other U97 likeminded individuals' stance, investigators have ruled out the Red Hookiown Justice Groups to March. in assault as racially motivated. Nonetheless, Turner continues to assert that the problem lies with black people themselves, Richard Griffiths whom he refers to as (among other epithets) "niggers," "sav REP 1,505 Kingston, NY ages," and "apes" on his website. CON 144 The Kingston community itself has received con 1,649 flicting messages from law enforcement and legislators on BY NOAH WESTON how to resp.end to the impending rally. Ulster County legisla Jonah T!Wbw-.wer tor, Frank Dart (D-Kingston) pushed through a resolution DEM 1571 On Saturday, November 19, radio show host Hal Turner will - declaring November 19 "Tolerance Day," and advised 1,571 hold a rally in Kingston, New York to protest an alleged epi •1 • ~ _, Kingston residents to at bia-_..'u. eadi .. .... i... ~· ... ....._ demic of "racial violence" perpetrated by black students against oppose,..... ment does not resonate with the Mayor's office, school offi Rrd H21kI!!!:1 Co18'ilm•!! white students in Kingston High School. For now, the size of cials, or the police. As the Daily Freeman reported Sunday, t\'le demonstration remains uncertain, but given the large Sue TCrane amount of online publicity, it could reach considerable pro- . REP 1.5:!.9 Turner continues to assert that the problem J portions come Saturday. Kingston might fmd itself playing CON 152 lies with black people themselves, whom he host to members of the National Socialist Movement, the Ku 1,681 Klux Klan, the National Alliance, and other white supremacist refers to as (among other eplthets) "niggers/' organizations whom Turner has expressly invited to take part James Rosi "savages, " an d"apes " on h'1s web s1te.. REP I ,488 in the rally. CON 13 8 Turner has called for a peaceful, unarmed demon Mayor James Sottile, Superintendent Gerard Gretzinger, and - 1,626 stration, a departure from his prior call for a more sensation Board of Education President Daniel Gartenstein, called for al, militant protest, with attendees coming heavily armed and students and non-students alike to stay home and disregard Erin Cllnna.n protected by snipers. He has since taken a more neutral tone, Turner's demonstration. DEM J.4tl 1 reaching out to city officials, both to ensure the security of his Whether or not Kingst~n's own make a large show rally, as well as to argue that Kingston High School suffers ing against Turner, efforts have gained momentum in sur from problems ofinterradal violence. Turner could not obtain rounding areas, including Bard, to show opposition to the ide a permit for a stationary rally, so he and other protesters will ology of groups that will be present. As these efforts take 1.491 march under theii'Constitutionally protected right to assem shape, setting the stage for a potentially volatile meeting, ble, provided .it does not infringe on others' exercise of their Ha.rry Colgan authorities prepare for the worst possibilities, as they feel they DEM 1.494 own rights. must, Keller insisted. Given the destructive events in Toledo, l.494 ''I have from the beginning been asking peo Ohio last month, where another march against "black crime" gave way to a riot, Keller's fears do not seem entirely unwar Linda J Kc.-: lmg ple to stay away from the rally, to not count ranted. SOT &1 As much of this transpires in the halls of government er-demonstrate," Keller said. "And although !Q I can understand the desire and sympathize and on the streets of Kingston, even more develops on Turner's main vehicle for his message, the Internet. On mes with the desire to counter-demonstrate, it sage boards, blogs, and "pro-white" news sites, information on STATE \HOE RACF.S makes it di!E.cult to channel all these people the Kingston assault and upcoming rally has circulated and 250 of250 (100%i machine$ r~ poniug (253 total diitricu) served to galvanize white supremacist activists all over the and protect their safrty." Prnpo5al I - State Budgrt rrocedures Amendment country. By the looks ofTurner's web forum, supporters from YES (State Prop I ) ' as far as Florida and Chicago seem intent on participating in Despite softening his approach, Turner still seems Saturday's rally. At the crux of it all, Turner's site operates as a 10.781 bound to draw a large, hostile response. "Anti-racist" groups main hub, flashing orange bulletins about every news item he 10,781 such as the One People's Project and Anti-Racist Action have finds pertinent to his cause. NO (State Prop I ) declared their intent to mobilize members for a counter Accordingly, opposition groups have also used the 2~J99 demonstration against Turner. Neither contingent has Internet to better organize against Turner, but in doing so, obtained a permit, Kingston Police Chief Gerald Keller told some involved have found themselves as new targets. A pil 21,399 the Observer. Whether or not Turner or his opponents march fered email list from Anti-Racist Action appeared on Tiirner's Proposal 2 - State 1085 Trans Bond Proposition with more extensive authorization, Keller remains apprehen website, along with some brief personal information (some sive about the event. right, some entirely incorrect) of many on the list, including YES (State Prop 2) "I have from the beginning been asking people to Bard students whose anonymity we will respect. Even in cases 14.82(, stay away from the rally, to not counter-demonstrate," Keller where this information could provide no means of directly 14.826 said. "And although I can understand the desire and sympa locating a person, Turner seems bent on making his opposi thize with the desire to counter-demonstrate, it makes it dif NO (Stat11 Prop 21 tion feel vulnerable, as well as identifying them as on the 17,466 ficult to channel all these people and protect their safety." extreme political left, and thus no more relatable for main Safety concerns ostensibly prompted Turner to rally stream Americans than his own group. 17.466 2 •The Bard Observer• 2 l'"ITll\~"11 THE BARD OBSERVER November 15, 2005 always have," she says.