MY TURN: Freedom vs. Manipulation
Freedom is constantly under assault in this country, and perhaps throughout the entire world! As we prepared for Independence Day celebrations throughout the nation, in Idaho and even Coeur d'Alene, let's look at our ship and where we are heading. My family has lived in this area since 2000. We attended the Independence Day Parade in Coeur d'Alene on July 4, 2000. What a joyous event. Flags, banners, bands, drums and marching units.
A week later (2000), we observed the First International Arian Nations Parade. Not the local, nor the state, not even the national Arian Nations Parade, but the International Arian Nations Parade on Sherman in Coeur d'Alene! The parade consisted of 18 Arian Nations members, aligned in three squads of six each, and all three squads led by a leader in front of the formation.
This event was attended by over 2,400 people, mostly newsmen from worldwide. The news spread throughout the United States and generally was focused on the spirit of rebellion and bigotry of the Arian Nation focus in Idaho. Yet, we who observed the event were left with the impression of the extremely small numbers of this sect and their unChristian beliefs. My wife and I received phone calls from friends from other states concerned about our safety in our new home of Idaho! To us who lived here, we hardly knew what the uproar was about.
Earlier, in the year 2024, there was a reported incident involving the University of Utah women's NCAA basketball team. The incident occurred around 6 p.m. as the team from the University of Utah and over 150 of their supporters were walking in downtown Coeur d'Alene from The Resort to have dinner near The Coeur d'Alene Resort, where they were berthed.
Someone in this group supposedly heard a passing car yell the "n ... word" at this group! Four and a half hours later, a phone call to Coeur d'Alene Police from a wealthy donor for U of Utah reported the incident to the Coeur d'Alene Police Department. The report mentioned that a red pickup truck with Confederate Flags in the pickup's bed was cruising by this group in downtown Coeur d'Alene and shouted the inflammatory remarks using the "n…word."
The police department could not find validation of this incident for several days. Searching for videos of the area, witnesses, or other evidence, nothing was found for several days. A $10,000 reward was offered by a private citizen to anyone who heard this comment and could identify the source. No one claimed the reward!
Three days later, a video was produced showing a low riding sedan that was heard on a very poor quality recording with a shout that approximated what was supposedly said in the report of the incident. The culprit was a teenager.
However, in downtown Coeur d'Alene, near The Coeur d'Alene Resort at 6 p.m., no one saw this event, nor heard the shouts on that reported date.
In reaction to this incident, The Press, the TV news stations and the public inflamed the incident and made it a mountain, in lieu of the ant hill that it really was. National media inflamed this issue and branded Coeur d'Alene as a racist city.
Utah basketball team and supporters moved from Coeur d'Alene to Spokane for the remainder of the tournament. The media inflamed this issue immediately.
Later, it was learned that the Utah NCAA basketball game had sold less tickets than any other game at the NCAA Women's Regional Tournament. Did this publicity help? Was that the reason for this action? What was the reaction of the community?
Now today, months after the incident, many people in our area are trying to pass all sorts of restrictions (hate laws) and bringing up old (erroneous?) rumors as rationale!
Now back to our great Independence Day Parade in Coeur d'Alene! Apparently, the parade was sponsored by the Coeur d'Alene City Chamber of Commerce. The next day, articles in the Coeur d'Alene Press passed information that "signs, banners, flags and religious symbols were banned from participants in the Fourth of July Parade in Coeur d'Alene." This ruling was then changed again the day prior to the parade, restoring the original policies of the parade.
Finally, the Coeur d'Alene City Council (after the Fourth of July Parade) passed an ordinance that prohibits hate speech in Coeur d'Alene and made it a city ordinance, although there are numerous laws already in effect that prohibit criminalized actions of any type of assault on an individual.
The United States Constitution makes it quite clear that Free Speech is not to be prohibited: Article 1:9 of the U.S. Constitution, and Article 1, Section 9 of the Idaho State Constitution.
Is this just another law intent on inflaming the assault on free speech? Is this what citizens of our area desire to be the moniker of the city of Coeur d'Alene?
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Kenny Moore is a Hayden resident.