FrankRep
09-21-2010, 09:09 PM
Poker Face (http://www.pokerface.com/) - I Wanna Know
YouTube - PokerFace I Just Wanna Know ~ LIVE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGaVH6EFwsc)
http://blogs.mcall.com/.a/6a00d8341c4fe353ef0133eccaedaf970b-320wi
Poker Face, with Paul Topete at right
“We then try to explain that Paul has Mexican roots and his father went through the legal immigration process to become a U.S. citizen. He fully supports anyone from Mexico coming to enjoy the prosperity of the American dream, so long as they take the time to do what his father did.”
Anti-Defamation League: Valley band whose song was used in militia video is anti-Semitic (http://blogs.mcall.com/lehighvalleymusic/2010/04/antidefamation-league-valley-band-whose-song-was-used-in-militia-video-is-antisemitic-.html)
The Express-Times
April 19, 2010
The Anti-Defamation League on its national website criticizes an Allentown rock group.
The group is Poker Face (http://www.pokerface.com/), whose music was used in a video by the Michigan-based militia group whose members were charged this month with planning to attack law enforcement officers.
The league, which fights anti-Semitism and describes itself as “the nation's premier civil rights/human relations agency," on April 9 posted a 12-paragraph item saying Poker face lead singer Paul Topete is an anti-Semite who “maintains affiliations with anti-Semites, Holocaust deniers, militia figures and conspiracy theorists.”
Poker Face’s song “I Wanna Know” was on a video of paramilitary activity by Hutaree, a group authorities describe as a Christian militia. Nine alleged members of Hutaree planned to overthrow the government, starting by killing a police officer, then attacking members of the officer's funeral procession, officials said.
The home page of Hutaree's Web site also had a link to Poker Face’s website, calling the band "Patriot Rock." Poker Face, a group that has been active on the Lehigh Valley music scene for two decades, often weds hard rock with anti-government lyrics.
Poker Face members have said many individuals and groups request use of its music for movies, videos and other presentations, and that it always requires credit through a link to the band’s website. “Any interaction with Hutaree was limited to this request,” Toptete said.
But the Anti-Defamation League’s item says that in “June 2003, Poker Face members, including Topete, attended and sang at a conference sponsored by American Free Press, an anti-Semitic conspiracy-oriented newspaper and The Barnes Review, a Holocaust denial publication.”
It also says Topete “has appeared at anti-immigrant events, where he shared the stage with xenophobic leaders who demonize undocumented immigrants, particularly from Mexico. At one rally in June 2007, area white supremacists were in attendance. To promote an anti-immigrant event in Pennsylvania in 2007, two Poker Face members called in to the Hal Turner Show, a white supremacist radio program.”
And it attributes to Topete anti-Semitic postings – including ones calling the Holocaust a hoax -- on the message board of Poker Face’s Web site.
Barry Morrison, regional president of the Anti-Defamation League, said the group "actively monitors groups and organizations and individuals that are engaged in extremist activity and that express hateful views," was aware of Poker Face since 1995. Morrison said people in the Allentown area familiar with the group had alerted the league.
"We kept an eye on it since then," Morrison said. "The group has the right to do what it wants to do and they have the right to express themselves." But he says his organization equally has an obligation to make people aware "of their ties or relationships" to extremist and that it's an anti-government and led by an anti-Semitic leader."
Topete, in response to an e-mail seeking a response to the league’s item, referred to Poker Face’s website, on which the band posted “a response to ADL’s defamation.”
It says “what the ADL is doing, not just to Poker Face, but, to many others as well, is a clear case of slander and libel.”
“Through their efforts, they influence others to take part in what they claim to rail against, defamation,” the response says. “They do have every right to talk about us. But they do not have the right to make false accusations or interfere with our livelihood by preventing us from performing.”
Poker Face’s statement says that “if visitors to our forum are offended by the articles, they must remember that we did not author them.” Rather, the band says, it believes in the free exchange of ideas, regardless of how it feels about them.
Topete has said Poker face does not deny the authenticity of the Holocaust, but the website does not repudiate or criticize those who do.
“We are not anti-Semitic, but, we will shine the spotlight on those of Jewish faith who use their heritage to escape criticism, especially when it comes to crimes against this country, but also against their own people,” the Poker Face statement says.
The statement says “this topic is never discussed in our songs. It is not displayed in our artwork. It amounts to roughly 3% of the content on our forum board.”
The statement likewise does not repudiate statements saying Israel was involved in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center, Pentagon and central Pennsylvania.
“Was Israel involved? It's not beyond the scope of reasonable doubt,” the statement says.
The statement also says the band’s critics love “to call us racist because we support legal immigration and have performed at events supporting the Minutemen and Voice of the People.”
“We then try to explain that Paul has Mexican roots and his father went through the legal immigration process to become a U.S. citizen. He fully supports anyone from Mexico coming to enjoy the prosperity of the American dream, so long as they take the time to do what his father did.”
SOURCE:
http://blogs.mcall.com/lehighvalleymusic/2010/04/antidefamation-league-valley-band-whose-song-was-used-in-militia-video-is-antisemitic-.html
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/news/index.ssf?/base/news-1/12716501269760.xml&coll=3
http://www.dailypaul.com/node/140775
YouTube - PokerFace I Just Wanna Know ~ LIVE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGaVH6EFwsc)
http://blogs.mcall.com/.a/6a00d8341c4fe353ef0133eccaedaf970b-320wi
Poker Face, with Paul Topete at right
“We then try to explain that Paul has Mexican roots and his father went through the legal immigration process to become a U.S. citizen. He fully supports anyone from Mexico coming to enjoy the prosperity of the American dream, so long as they take the time to do what his father did.”
Anti-Defamation League: Valley band whose song was used in militia video is anti-Semitic (http://blogs.mcall.com/lehighvalleymusic/2010/04/antidefamation-league-valley-band-whose-song-was-used-in-militia-video-is-antisemitic-.html)
The Express-Times
April 19, 2010
The Anti-Defamation League on its national website criticizes an Allentown rock group.
The group is Poker Face (http://www.pokerface.com/), whose music was used in a video by the Michigan-based militia group whose members were charged this month with planning to attack law enforcement officers.
The league, which fights anti-Semitism and describes itself as “the nation's premier civil rights/human relations agency," on April 9 posted a 12-paragraph item saying Poker face lead singer Paul Topete is an anti-Semite who “maintains affiliations with anti-Semites, Holocaust deniers, militia figures and conspiracy theorists.”
Poker Face’s song “I Wanna Know” was on a video of paramilitary activity by Hutaree, a group authorities describe as a Christian militia. Nine alleged members of Hutaree planned to overthrow the government, starting by killing a police officer, then attacking members of the officer's funeral procession, officials said.
The home page of Hutaree's Web site also had a link to Poker Face’s website, calling the band "Patriot Rock." Poker Face, a group that has been active on the Lehigh Valley music scene for two decades, often weds hard rock with anti-government lyrics.
Poker Face members have said many individuals and groups request use of its music for movies, videos and other presentations, and that it always requires credit through a link to the band’s website. “Any interaction with Hutaree was limited to this request,” Toptete said.
But the Anti-Defamation League’s item says that in “June 2003, Poker Face members, including Topete, attended and sang at a conference sponsored by American Free Press, an anti-Semitic conspiracy-oriented newspaper and The Barnes Review, a Holocaust denial publication.”
It also says Topete “has appeared at anti-immigrant events, where he shared the stage with xenophobic leaders who demonize undocumented immigrants, particularly from Mexico. At one rally in June 2007, area white supremacists were in attendance. To promote an anti-immigrant event in Pennsylvania in 2007, two Poker Face members called in to the Hal Turner Show, a white supremacist radio program.”
And it attributes to Topete anti-Semitic postings – including ones calling the Holocaust a hoax -- on the message board of Poker Face’s Web site.
Barry Morrison, regional president of the Anti-Defamation League, said the group "actively monitors groups and organizations and individuals that are engaged in extremist activity and that express hateful views," was aware of Poker Face since 1995. Morrison said people in the Allentown area familiar with the group had alerted the league.
"We kept an eye on it since then," Morrison said. "The group has the right to do what it wants to do and they have the right to express themselves." But he says his organization equally has an obligation to make people aware "of their ties or relationships" to extremist and that it's an anti-government and led by an anti-Semitic leader."
Topete, in response to an e-mail seeking a response to the league’s item, referred to Poker Face’s website, on which the band posted “a response to ADL’s defamation.”
It says “what the ADL is doing, not just to Poker Face, but, to many others as well, is a clear case of slander and libel.”
“Through their efforts, they influence others to take part in what they claim to rail against, defamation,” the response says. “They do have every right to talk about us. But they do not have the right to make false accusations or interfere with our livelihood by preventing us from performing.”
Poker Face’s statement says that “if visitors to our forum are offended by the articles, they must remember that we did not author them.” Rather, the band says, it believes in the free exchange of ideas, regardless of how it feels about them.
Topete has said Poker face does not deny the authenticity of the Holocaust, but the website does not repudiate or criticize those who do.
“We are not anti-Semitic, but, we will shine the spotlight on those of Jewish faith who use their heritage to escape criticism, especially when it comes to crimes against this country, but also against their own people,” the Poker Face statement says.
The statement says “this topic is never discussed in our songs. It is not displayed in our artwork. It amounts to roughly 3% of the content on our forum board.”
The statement likewise does not repudiate statements saying Israel was involved in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center, Pentagon and central Pennsylvania.
“Was Israel involved? It's not beyond the scope of reasonable doubt,” the statement says.
The statement also says the band’s critics love “to call us racist because we support legal immigration and have performed at events supporting the Minutemen and Voice of the People.”
“We then try to explain that Paul has Mexican roots and his father went through the legal immigration process to become a U.S. citizen. He fully supports anyone from Mexico coming to enjoy the prosperity of the American dream, so long as they take the time to do what his father did.”
SOURCE:
http://blogs.mcall.com/lehighvalleymusic/2010/04/antidefamation-league-valley-band-whose-song-was-used-in-militia-video-is-antisemitic-.html
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/news/index.ssf?/base/news-1/12716501269760.xml&coll=3
http://www.dailypaul.com/node/140775