Up North Progressive

When Kris Busk arrived at Charlevoix Democratic Party headquarters on September 21, she found both signs defaced with a Neo-Nazi symbol. Busk called the police to have them investigate, however Chief of Police Gerald Doan “just doesn’t see it,” meaning to him, this isn’t a hate crime, it’s just a random act of vandalism, and that’s how his police department intends to handle the incident. The reason? It’s painted on the sign horizontally, and that makes it not a hate sign.

Apparently Chief Doan doesn’t know his Neo-Nazi symbols very well, because usually the police are trained to recognize various insignia, gang signs and white supremacist symbols when investigating a crime scene or interviewing suspects and witnesses. Specifically, he stated, “If you look a the left-hand side, the line is actually pointed down and then goes up and makes its cross. This thing is the opposite of that.”

The opposite of what? The wolfsangel, as this particular symbol is called, can be displayed horizontally or vertically, and is used both ways by white supremacists.

The vandalism on the sign is the horizontal version. How can Chief Doan not see it? Perhaps he doesn’t want to see it, because then he would have to treat this crime as more than a simple act of vandalism.

The wolfsangel is a very ancient symbol, like many Neo-Nazi symbols. The Vikings used a kind of hook with meat wrapped around it to bait wolves, and the shape of the hook became a symbol for keeping the predators away from farms and villages. In the Medieval era many noblemen used the symbol for heraldry. During World War II Nazi SS panzer divisions used the symbol as part of their uniform insignia. Like every other symbol the Nazis used, it has become a sign for skinheads, Aryan Nations members, the KKK, and other white supremacists.

Since 2009, Republicans boosted their declining numbers with just about any radical fringe group available. Suddenly, something the GOP worked for decades to keep out of their big tent found shelter inside. Today the party deals with the tea party, John Birch Society members, oath keepers, and white supremacists who now all share the tea party corner under the big GOP tent. The GOP regrets this now, as was evidenced last month in Novi during the Michigan Republican Party convention. One actual conversation that took place with a group of convention goers of the tea party stripe and was overheard by other convention goers included the words, “It’s not fair that they can call each other that word but we can’t call them that word.”

But Chief Doan doesn’t see it.

Hate exists everywhere, including Northern Michigan. Charlevoix Democrats will clean their signs of hate symbols and keep doing the good work of electing Democrats to public office. It’s one way to fight the hate permeating society thanks to the 21st century GOP.