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Sunday, August 30, 1998
Rally holds anti-hate message
Dozens attend a peaceful protest held in honor of two anti-racist skinheads whose bodies were found in July.
By Glenn Puit
Review-Journal
A rally to honor two slain anti-racist skinheads unfolded without incident in southwest Las Vegas on Saturday afternoon, despite fears of organizers and police that violence could break out at the gathering.
The rally brought together more than 150 people in the grassy fields adjacent to Guinn Junior High School, at Torrey Pines Drive and Flamingo Road, to remember Las Vegans Daniel Shersty and Lin "Spit" Newborn. The anti-racist skinheads' bodies were found in the desert about 150 yards away from each other on July 4 and July 6.
The rally, held in the Spring Valley area because organizers claim there is a large population of racist skinheads and white supremacists in the area, featured a diverse group of political activists who shouted emotional chants labeling skinheads as "boneheads" and called for an end to fascism. For nearly two hours, the group ranted about the destructiveness of racism as well as the need for the pair's killers to be caught.
"I was very angry, very sad, to hear that these two young men had been killed," said Yolanda Alaniz, a member of Radical Women of Los Angeles. "I came here to show my solidarity with everyone here and to show that we are all united against fascism.
"We have to build a public awareness and a mass movement of people, of feminists, of people of color, of lesbians and gays, of straight people, the unions, and tell the Nazis everywhere that they are not welcome," Alaniz said.
Ben Sondker of the organization United Front Against Fascism said he was disappointed to see no city or county leaders on hand to acknowledge the importance of the protesters' message.
"We need to put the leaders of this community on the spot for not being here and leading us, instead of trying to scare us away," Sondker said, referring to the massive police presence surrounding the protesters.
There were, in fact, so many Las Vegas police officers at the rally that at times it seemed there were as many of them as there were protesters. Lt. Rick Alba said the dozens of officers were at the scene not to intimidate those attending the rally, as some protesters had claimed, but instead to ensure their safety.
"We want everyone to be able to express their First Amendment rights," Alba said, noting no injuries or even confrontations were reported.
Shersty, 20, and Newborn, 25, were members of an activist, anti-racist skinhead group known as Unity Skins. Although no arrests have been made in connection with their shooting deaths, those who knew the two said they believe their political beliefs led to the killings.
Carrying signs that read "Nix Nazi Boneheads" and "Whites Against White Privilege," the protesters marched for about two miles, heading west on Flamingo, east back to Torrey Pines, and then onto a series of side streets before returning to the school. The march drew the attention of hundreds of motorists.
But despite the positive message of the protesters, a handful of people in attendance were not so sympathetic to the rally's cause. One man, who would not give his name because he feared he would be targeted by anti-racist skinheads, said he supports separate homelands for blacks and whites.
"All the problems started with the passing of the Civil Rights Act," the 68-year-old said. "All you have to do is look to our prisons. That is an entirely black society and it is out of control. They can't handle the power."
By far, the anti-racists at the rally outnumbered those with opposite political views. One member of the national group Anti-Racist Action, who identified himself only as John and who was a close friend of Shersty and Newborn, said his two late acquaintances would have been proud of how the rally turned out.
"I think we made our mark today and showed this city we will not stand for racism," John said. "It is so sad that it took us two deaths to get to this point, but I'm sure they (Shersty and Newborn) are smiling wherever they are right now."
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