To the Editor:

Last week I received Breaking News from Blue Mountain Eagle about Aryan Nation representatives, acompanied by two local residents, looking for a property in John Day. Their plan and hope is to establish National Headquarters, and organize a national convention in our community in the fall of 2011.

According to Wikipedia : “Aryan Nations (AN) is a “White nationalism” organization founded in the 1970s by Richard Girnt Butler as an arm of the “Christian Identity” Church of Jesus Christ-Christian. As of December 2007 there were two main factions that claimed descent from Butler’s group. Aryan Nations has been called a “terrorist threat” by the FBI and the RAND Corporation has called it the “first truly nationwide terrorist network” in the USA.”

Their “selling point” is an economic benefit, as well as a premise of safety for the residents by patrolling our streets.

Both selling points are the most common motivation offered by all political, or otherwise striving for a power groups and individuals. Money and fear are the most effective means of manipulation, and there is no accident that the poor and vulnerable communities as ours, are a primary target.

The question is “Do we want to sell our community’s values of inclusion, friendliness and generally principles of Constitutional values in exchange for a questionable safety and economic growth?”

More personally, I appeal to our religious community to act, and act swiftly. Although the group identifies itself as ‘Christian,’ I question how many Christians in our community would agree with the group’s ideology, and support their values and objectives.

Please join forces and act in defense of our community.

Yolanda Rommel

Canyon City