Racist Fliers Hit Salem, Jewish Teacher’s Home

Neighbors are rallying behind a Jewish teacher whose yard was plastered with racist fliers.

The fliers were circulated in public areas around Salem on Friday, including the perimeter of Sprague High School, but the teacher’s home was the only residence targeted.

“It just got my blood boiling,” said the South Salem High School teacher, who asked not to be identified because he is concerned about his family’s safety.

“There are few things that get me to react, and that’s one of them,” he said. “It’s a slap in the face of what you try to accomplish each day.”

The fliers encourage those interested in the “advancement and survival of the white race in North America” to join Volksfront, described on the sheet as “the premier European-American organization in North America.”

Salem police Cpl. Jack Janssen said there’s little authorities can do because the fliers are protected as free speech by the First Amendment.

But neighbors planned to hold a rally to discourage white supremacists from trying to gain a foothold in south Salem.

Malvina Holloway, a black teacher at South Salem High who also lives near Sprague, said the handbills crossed the line between simple recruitment and threatening behavior because they seemed to single out one person.

Griff Holland, an Oregon State Police expert on skinheads, said Volksfront members have been active in Salem in the past.

“They do everything possible to avoid breaking the law,” he said. “They’ve gotten smart over the years. They’ve figured out how far they can go.”