Southfield City Council sounds off on racist political flyer

SOUTHFIELD - Southfield residents are outraged after a racist flyer was circulated over the weekend.

The flyer reads "Let's get the blacks out of Southfield" and includes pictures of white city officials on it.

The flyers were brought to FOX 2's attention by a woman who was raised in Southfield, disturbed and disgusted by what she saw. On Monday night she wanted to hear her elected officials to react to the flyer.

"It's like psychological vandalism," said Councilman Myron Fraser. "We wouldn't tolerate anyone spray painting things on the side our buildings, that's not Southfield."

"We just have to accept that there are extremists everywhere in the world," said Councilwoman Joan Seymour.

Southfield councilmembers set the agenda aside to attacking whoever is responsible for circulating racially divisive flyers in Southfield neighborhoods.

"We as a community are appalled that this type of reprehensible material has been distributed," said Council President Sylvia Jordan. "We stand unified against racism of any kind."

One such person speaking out was Mayor Donald Fracassi whose face was included on the flyer.

Members of the community say this flyer may be doing the exact opposite of its intention - and uniting them.

"There is a bit of a dark cloud in terms of campaigning here in Southfield," said Rep. Jeremy Moss (D-Southfield). "But there has been a bit of a silver lining in that we have community members from the ground up saying we don't tolerate this in Southfield."

And some even question the true motives behind its message.

"It may be that this was a dirty trick to try to incite people of color to go to the election in November and vote black," said Patricia Haynie, president of the Southfield Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Task Force.

FOX 2 spoke with the chief of police who said the flyer hasn't risen to the level of a hate crime at this point but it does violate some lower civil infractions like littering, and unlawful distribution.

If anyone has information about who might have distributed the flyer. call Southfield police at (248) 796-5500.