The Greensboro City Council voted to once again apologize for the events of Nov. 3, 1979, where five members of the Communist Workers Party were shot and killed by members of the Ku Klux Klan and American Nazi Party.
The vote took place at a special virtual meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020, and was the third City Council meeting of the day.
The resolution apologizing and placing the blame on the Greensboro Police Department for the shooting that happened almost 42 years ago passed by a 7-2 vote with Councilmembers Marikay Abuzuaiter and Nancy Hoffmann voting no.
According to statements by councilmembers, Mayor Nancy Vaughan and Councilmembers Tammi Thurm and Goldie Wells had been working on this resolution since December 2019. In keeping with the secret way this City Council operates, the only public discussion of the resolution was at Tuesday’s meeting.
This is the third official apology or expression of regret passed by Greensboro City Councils over the years, but it is by far the most detailed and the first to place the blame for the shootings on the Greensboro Police Department.
It was that portion of the apology that both Abuzuaiter and Hoffmann said caused them to vote against the resolution. Both Abuzuaiter and Hoffmann had been on the Human Relations Commission in 2009 that studied the incident in detail and proposed the expression of regret that was passed by the City Council on June 16, 2009.
Both went over in some detail why the apology was not an accurate representation of the events of Nov. 3, 1979.
Abuzuaiter said that she read and studied all of the major reports on those events. She said, “I believe the city administration and the Police Department acted the best they could with the information they had.”
Hoffmann said, “I find myself this evening in the difficult and almost impossible position of being in support of a formal resolution of apology, but unable to support this resolution based on its language indicting the Greensboro Police Department and other city personnel for an event that occurred 41 years ago and which really has been exhaustively investigated and vetted.”
Hoffmann said one of the three contemporaneous investigations and reports was from the Citizens Review Committee in 1980. She said, “The Citizens Review Committee report said that nothing in their review of police conduct gave any substance to the charges by the Communist Works Party that suggested police conspiracy in the shooting. They indicated the police responded quickly and professionally and within minutes of violence occurring the police had arrested suspects of the shooting.”
This is the equivalent of apologizing to your grandchildren because your great great grandfather once slapped his wife.
What can possibly be accomplished by this insanity?
Or maybe it’s more like reminding your grandchildren that domestic abuse runs in their family and they should be cautious not to become a violent partner.
We have no issues celebrating our independence, which is just a reminder of something else that happened long before any of us were born. Good point, cancel July 4.
Mw, you don’t sound like an American so STFU! Let’s cancel socialist communism. If you commies want an apology go see the coward that started the whole thing, Nelson Johnson. I won’t call him reverend because he’s a lot of things but a man of the clothe isn’t one of them.
You’re always passing gas on here about research so why don’t you take your own advice. WFMY news 2 11/02/79 jaw jacker Johnson stands on the steps at the Guilford County courthouse flapping his trap like you like to do and he tells the reporter that he has just received his permit for his rally and that “if the Greensboro Police Department show up at our rally I will sue them!” Look it up. No apologies here! Like my father said… “ you’ll have enough problems in life without going looking for them” or here’s one for you commie, “mind your business” it’s money. Figure that one out commie. No apologies.
As for July 4th… happy Independence Day! We real Americans celebrate OUR victory over tyranny! You may be a naturalized citizen but… YOU ARE NOT A REAL AMERICAN! Commie!
Error: ID 10 T
I’m as American as they come. I was simply pointing out that “Keepin’ real” and John Hammer doesn’t like the government acknowledging things that happened a long time ago, but would be pretty damn upset if July 4 was cancelled.
You’re dense. That means stupid.
You seem quite aggressive again. Do you need another lesson in how you talk trash and then wuss out when someone calls you out?
Go ahead, bozo. Fight some “commies”.
I completely agree! I distinctly remember Johnson publicly challenging the Klan to show up to his ‘Death to the Klan’ rally. He’s the one who should be apologizing.
Mw, It seems like you may have done some research like a good subordinate. You can’t dispute the facts about Nelson Johnson. 11/03/79 is a good reminder to be careful what you wish for because you may just get it. Whew! You never start with the head….
Still waiting….
Maybe this dead horse is finally beaten to death!
Another example of the incompetence of our City Council. What a waste!
A dead horse can feed a family.
Rev.Nelson Johnson is the one who should be apologizing for the trouble that escalated that day.
I clearly remember seeing in 1979 on Spring Garden St. one of many posters put up by the demonstrators that said, in big graphics, “Death to the Klan Rally!”
Be prepared, next will come a call for REPARATIONS!
This is a thinly veiled attempt at setting a precedent for Greensboro and its citizens to once again bow at the hand of a few Representatives that consider making future citizens apologize for past events, and to make matters worse we only now discover these Representatives have been planning this action, in private, for 10 months.
RIDICULOUS
So…we’re all good now? Okay, let’s move on.
I think it is high time we had a new city council !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I lived through this event and don’t think these council people know a thing about it. The GPD’s hands were tied but they still did what they could. What in the name of all that is holy are these people apologizing for: a bunch of communists, Nazis, and KKK guys had a shoot-out? So what? So in 42 years the council will be apologizing to my grandchildren for GPD not responding to the BLM (burning, looting, murdering) on Elm Street this year? Oh, puh-lease.
Love me some Truth and Reconciliation Commission !
With all the issues facing the council This is what they’re focusing on?? It’s enough to make your ears bleed.
This is exactly what the voters of this once prosperous town deserve.
Hundreds of city hours/taxpayer-paid staff, and countless secret meetings to issue a resolution to apologize for something you and 99.9999% of the current residents had absolutely NOTHING to do with and were not involved with in any way.
Bravo Greensboro City Council! You’re a shining beacon of leadership in these desperate times! Condemn and crucify those evil racist white people of yesteryear who brutally ‘murdered’ those ‘unarmed’ peace-loving, hand-holding protesters. Condemn all those past transgressions, whether real or perceived, by placing the blame solely on the shoulders of all of us who know nothing of the events and were not responsible in any way,shape or form. Bravo!
This would not have happened if the Rev. Nelson Johnson had kept his mouth shut and not invited the KKK to the meeting. Another contributing factor is that Mayor Melvin told the Police to be on the far side of town. Anyway, when the KKK showed, Johnson climbed under a car and hid like the coward he is. He has made a lot of hay over the years as a result of this.
enough already!!! can you please quit apologizing for something that happened in 1979. And stop blaming the police for everything !!!! please !!!! make the insanity stop!!
So the mayor and the City council believe that the Greensboro Police Department is responsible when a group of activist idiots held a rally that they called “Death to the Klan Rally” and then violence erupts? They just get dumber everyday. The level of ignorance in this group is breathtaking.
Hopefully when we finally vote in a real City Council, they can pass a resolution apologizing for the wasted time and unacceptable actions that this group of idiots have completed during their term in office. Can we get any more ridiculous?
They failed to tell everyone that the Commies were the ones that started everything
Wow. Just wow. Are you ashamed yet, Greensboro?
There’s a lot of available housing outside of GSO…..just sayin’
Decoded: There’s a lot of housing available in communities nearby that are completely okay with white supremacy.
I agree with Gil P lets vote in a new group of city council ,this group is just terrible on everything.This activity is just typical of the Democratic Party , lets find something that happened in 1950 and call in some preacher to agree that it was terrific and news worthy.Then we need to spend months on it to then say we need to apologize for a certain group of people. OK folks it’s time to put this trash behind us and start talking about a tax cut for the Greensboro people that paid theses taxes in the beginning.Go Forest,Robinson,and Trump.
It has been said that we should never attribute to vice and corruption that which can be explained by sheer stupidity and incompetence. I have for many years been of the opinion that there isn’t enough stupidity and incompetence in the whole city to account for what our city council does. After this latest fiasco, I may have to rethink that.
Maybe Cory Council would like to apologize for all of the racist promotion and hiring procedures within the city of Greensboro. Look closely at who gets promoted in the police department. If there are 3 big promotions you can guarantee it will be broken down by race and gender-one female, one “minority”, and maybe if he’s an ass kisser a white male.
And it’s great that since December our mayor has had nothing better to do. Must be nice. How about thinking about the Greensboro economy. I’m with the commenter above-once a few more life changes occur I’m out of Greensboro and Guilford county.
Hi, Mary. It is illegal to hire based on race or gender. If what you are saying is true, why aren’t all the overlooked supreme white men doing something about it?
The overlooked white men don’t have taxpayer funds to pursue a lawsuit. The city does. That it’s illegal to discriminate based on color doesn’t stop the city from doing it. At least one person on our city council is a broken record complaining that we don’t discriminate enough. We have a department in the city whose sole purpose is to discriminate based on color, ethnicity and gender. So don’t pretend you are surprised that someone complains about it.
Mw, Because all the libtards at city hall and the AFFIRMATIVE ACTION BS. Yeah, that’s a government mandated program that guarantees minority’s with less qualifications the position slot seat opening or since you are a college professor (tenured no less) you can fill in the term of your choice. Sounds a lot like government backed discrimination against hard working whites and Asians! But that’s great for those who want the hand outs. Stop whining and start earning! How about the MW? BE crap? Counters your stupid argument that it is illegal to hire based on race or gender doesn’t it? The whole program is based on hiring based solely on RACE and GENDER DUMBASS Another government discrimination program! Any hard working WHITE business man that bids City of Greensboro work will not be awarded the contract if a MINORITY bid is anywhere in site even if the WHITE contractor is the lowest bid. That is discrimination! In private business it’s called UNFAIR BUSINESS PRACTICES and is punishable by LAW!!! Stop whining and get by on your abilities instead of using your skin color as an excuse!
Sir, your comment is incoherent. I’ll check back in a few days.
You probably shouldn’t include lies in your post either.
MW, it’s most likely your ignorance or lack of ability to comprehend English. Either way you can’t dispute what I said earlier. MWBE is a government program that hires based solely on race and gender. I’ll wait while you provide us common folk an explanation of how that program works and how it not discriminatory. I guess while you’re at it you can explain it to those supreme white men that seem to have their knee on your neck holding you down despite your government funded college education. If there are lies in my comment then provide us with the facts. Also I believe you are being quite presumptuous with how I identify… sir yourself ma’am !!!
First, I apologize for using the pronoun sir. I do try to avoid that but it isn’t as automatic as it should be. Very mature to fire back with your own presumptions – apparently I’m using my skin color (which you don’t know) as some sort of an excuse and I am now definitely a ma’am (which you also don’t know)
You make a great point. There are no facts in your comment, just opinion. So, by definition I suppose there cannot be lies. However, here are some issues I have with your original statement and some other lies you try to sneak by….
Issue#1: “How about the MW? BE crap?” What does that even mean? What is the MW? Is that the me? Should I know what the MW is? what is BE crap? Are you asking me if I want to be feces? Is BE an abbreviation for something, perhaps you aren’t fond of biological evolution or biomedical engineering?
Issue#2: “The whole program is based on hiring based solely on RACE and GENDER DUMBASS” – your use of the word solely here is simply wrong, but might be your opinion also, what is the “whole program” – are you talking about all of affirmative action or just the MWBE program in greensboro? you could make your points more clearly if you wanted to have actual dialog.
Here’s maybe some facts about MWBE that might be helpful….
They: provide minorities and women *equal opportunity to participate* in all aspects of Guilford County’s contracting and purchasing programs; prohibit discrimination against a person or business in pursuit of these opportunities on the basis of race, color, sex, religion or national origin; provide greater information, service, and responsiveness to MWBE’s; increase communication between all Guilford County Departments and MWBE’s.
Their policies are all about providing access and opportunity to the chance to get a bid in and excepted. They do not change who gets bids based on race or gender.
Now for your lies, because your private eye must suck….
Lie #1: tenured college professor? that would be swell.
Lie #2: “those supreme white men that seem to have their knee on your neck holding you down” – no white man is pinning me down by my neck, I’m curious where you got that idea? did I suggest somewhere that I am in distress from our police system. I do appreciate you acknowledging their supremacy.
Lie #3: “your government funded college education” – still finishing off paying those loans back. was this really more to indicate that you aren’t college educated or that you think I received some sort of free money to attend college?
Moreover, YOU are the one the brought MWBE into this conversation. I simply said I can’t understand your jibberish.
I asked a clear question. If these practices are discriminatory based on race, why aren’t the white folks lawyering up? It’s pretty obvious, because they know that they aren’t based on race.
Even if they were – as many black folks understand – it is difficult to prove racism is explicit which is what the court wants/needs.
And, just scroll down a bit. Your allies are calling for an apology to the KKK. Because, you know, white power.
NC is a right to work state. GPD does not rank promotional candidates-they keep huge lists that are depleted of minorities. When they are empty of who they want to promote then have a new promotional processor hold promotions for months. There is really no recourse in our state for promotional opportunities. Maybe John Hammer would like to get the promotions from the last five years and see the breakdowns. Race, sex, time in rank, time in service.
To be fair and transparent, the Greensboro City Council should issue an apology to the KKK who were offended by the “Death to the Klan Rally!”
Nelson Johnson caused all of this, is complicit in those deaths and HE should apologize. But it wont stop here. They’ll be back for more. Vaughan, Kennedy and Thurm are killing Greensboro
Sigh. The people of Greensboro elected these clowns. They are still here, more of’um, too.
A permit was issued, a route was selected, Rev. Johnson choose not to follow the route with police presence thus,” leading his sheep to slaughter”. Rev. Johnson needs to apologize to the families and the city for the deaths he caused. Vaughan, Kennedy, Hightower, Johnson, Wells and Thurm need to stop wasting our city taxes.