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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Huckleberries Online

AM Hucks: Readerboard Message Provokes Reaction

Original thread with 120 comments here

My readers at Huckleberries Online weren't pleased with Dixie Services owner Jim Valentine – you know, the Post Falls guy who posted this message on his readerboard: "Peds queers fags your (sic) in Idaho now …" When colleague Taryn Brodwater broke the story Friday, I asked HBOers for their comments. And I quote:

Jane Q. Citizen: "The unfortunate thing is that this will make the national news and once again ignorance will be the defining face for our entire state. I find people like Mr. Valentine to be nearly as frightening as the likes of Joseph Duncan."

Moscow Minidoka: "He's certainly entitled to be an idiot bigot, and I thank him for advertising his views so I can avoid his business. If he doesn't want to sound like a redneck mouth-breather, though, he might consider using the correct form of 'you're.' "

JeanC: "Hmm, maybe someone in the area can do a 'Lemonade-from-Lemons' type campaign. For every day he keeps that sign up, people can donate money to groups that oppose such bigotry. Have some good come out of the further besmirching of Idaho."

MommyJD: "One could feel sad and angry at Mr. Valentine for his views. OR one could be grateful that Mr. Valentine has saved us time and energy by adequately conveying who he is as a businessman. At least I didn't have to drive there, park, haul two toddlers out of their car seats, walk in, see the racist signs, get disgusted, walk out, pack two toddlers back into the car and drive home."



Huckleberries Online

D.F. Oliveria started Huckleberries Online on Feb. 16, 2004. Oliveria's Sunday print Huckleberries is a past winner of the national Herb Caen Memorial Column contest.