Harold "Hal" Turner is a shortwave radio talk show host from North Bergen, New Jersey, USA known for pro-white opinion and anti-Semitism. His program, The Hal Turner Show, was carried on WBCQ from Monticello, Maine.
"Hal from North Bergen"
Turner is an independent media renegade and occasional candidate in various state elections. He describes himself as being a Roman Catholic. Before launching his own talk show, Turner was a regular caller (known simply as "Hal Sharpton from North Bergen") to Sean Hannity's and Bob Grant's talk shows on WABC radio in New York City. Though his comments on those men's shows were highly provocative and calculated in their offensiveness, they were rarely outright racist.
In 2000, Turner sought the local Republican nomination for election in his local congressional district but lost to Democrat Robert Menendez and six other candidates (including another Republican, Theresa de Leon). (Election results) Afterward, Turner had a reported "epiphany," deciding the political system was rigged against white men (de Leon is Hispanic) and abandoning all ties to the mainstream.
That same year, he started "The Hal Turner Show" by renting time on WBCQ and the "Turner Radio Network" to distribute programming by other white nationalists via satellite.
The Hal Turner Show
His radio show originated from a studio in his home. Widely criticized for his racist views, he was also criticized by some factions among the extreme left wing including some left wing skinheads for openly advocating violence and lawlessness - though Turner himself was never alleged to have taken part in violent acts.
Turner's show and website both shut down temporarily in 2004 due to financial problems he suffered. His website returned on-line in November, 2004, and he re-started his radio show in June 2005. His site received more than 2.8 million visits in its first year back on the web.
The Lefkow murders
Turner was interviewed by a number of news outlets in 2005 after it was revealed the FBI interviewed him following the murders of the mother and husband of federal district judge Joan Lefkow. Two years earlier, on his worldwide shortwave show, Turner opined that a decision made by Lefkow, which included an order to a church to burn its Bibles, made her "worthy of being killed." After the judge's family was slaughtered, Turner posted a photo of Judge Lefkow with the Headline "GOTCHA!" over the photo on his website.
Turner routinely goes after federal, state and even local officials by exposing their home addresses and even publishing leaflets that citizens can print locally, to show their unhappiness with judges whose decisions they disagree with.
His efforts have caused federal judges to move to new towns over criticism heaped upon them over court decisions. Turner notes "The criticism works. After they been 'Turner'd' they change their behavior on the bench and obey the Constitution!"
Rally Against Violence
On November 12, 2005 Turner received a permit from the city of Kingston, New York granting him permission to stage a "Rally Against Violence." The rally, schduled to be conducted the following Saturday, was organized in response to an assault of a 14-year-old white student who was severely injured by a black student at Kingston High School.
According to Turner's website, halturnershow.com, the purpose of the rally is "to protest 'black crime' in Kingston."
The Kingston School District and the mayor urged local citizens to stay home and avoid the rally. Leonard Walker, a black alderman serving the Kingston community, was more supportive. "If you had two blacks being attacked by two whites," he said, "you would have Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and (Louis) Farrakhan calling this community racist community. It's a two-way street." Walker stopped short of endorsing the rally. His remarks were published in The Kingston Times.
Other rallies were planned to counter Turner's event. An after-school rally, organized by a 15-year-old Kingston High School student, was planned to occur the Friday before the Rally Against Violence. The county legislature unanimously passed a resolution, "urging Participation in Tolerance Day" at its Nov. 10 session.
Turner used his Web site to publish instructions for prospective attendees including guidlelines that urged participants to avoid acts of violence and to not bring firearms.
Ultimately, about 50 supporters attended the rally. Others, including the mother of the victim whose injuries prompted the rally, complained they were not allowed access the protest area. Instead, they were directed to an area designated for counter-demonstrators. News media accounts suggested about 100 counter-demonstrators were in attendance.
External links
- Orcinus blog entry on Turner, comapring him to Ward Churchill
- Article at MSNBC detailing Turner's stormy relationship with other White nationalistss in the wake of the Lefkow killings