Keep Mike Eller off City Council…. tell your friends!

Yesterday, shortly after I announced that I’d be hosting a fundraiser for FLY Children’s Art Center at Woodruff’s on September 8, someone left a comment on the site, alerting me to the fact that the Katie Whitehouse, the director of FLY, had a Mike Eller sign in her front yard. “I can’t believe the head of this organization endorses Eller,” said the commenter. “It makes me sick.” Thankfully, others in the audience weren’t so quick to condemn Katie. Someone pointed out that the sign could have been put there by a landlord, and another reader suggested that she might not be aware of Eller’s history as the head of the far right wing John Birch Society front group, the America First Party of Michigan. The comment I liked best, though, said that it shouldn’t matter who she supports. I’m paraphrasing, but the person said something like, “How would we like it, if people singled us out for condemnation based upon which candidates that we supported?” When I returned from work, and read through the thread, I sent Katie the following note.

Katie, it’s completely unrelated (to the event on September 8), but I wanted to let you know that your name came up on my site today in reference to Mike Eller’s campaign for City Council. (Someone pointed out that you had one of his signs in your yard.) I just wanted to let you know that your politics don’t matter to me, regardless of who you support. I support FLY, and, from everything that I’ve seen, you’re doing great work for the organization. And I’m happy to host this fundraiser and contribute toward the cause, whatever the outcome of this exchange. If you are a supporter of Eller’s, though, and want to talk about some of his beliefs, as he’s stated them over the years, I’d be happy to chat with you. I find his views on homosexuality, AIDS, social security, the civil rights movement, and any number of other things, extremely concerning, and, if you aren’t aware of them, I can send you details… Regardless, though, I’m happy to see you at the fundraiser on the 8th.

As it turns out, Katie wasn’t aware of Eller’s history, or the fact that he hasn’t recanted the statements that he’s made in the past concerning homosexuals, among others. For those of you unfamiliar with Eller’s politics, here are a few highlights, taken from the 2008 America First Party of Michigan platform, which he authored.

• Affirmative Action is… enforced discrimination against white males.

• “WOMEN’S LIB” – Probably the most destructive “movement” in the history of the country. Having its roots in classical Communism (“The women’s liberation movement is a central part of the American socialist revolution in the making” – Leon Trotsky, 1917), it has destroyed the American family, marriage, created the pro – “choice” (read: abortion) movement, blurred the distinction between the sexes, destroyed sexual identity, legitimitized sodomy, all under the usual phony mantra of “equality”. Jesus picked 12 male apostles, not 6 males and 6 females.

• The two chief methods of abolishing property rights in this country today are: “environmentalism”, and “anti–discrimination” laws. Both are smokescreens for the abolition of private property and the rights that go with it. If individual Americans want to control their own property, which they have worked for and earned, they should repeal any legislation which infringes upon that right. Anything less takes power over private property from the individual, whose property it is, and gives it to the State. As a consequence of this proposed policy, all zoning “laws”, as well as state and federal laws, which violate private property rights, should be abolished.

• (T)he entire “environmental” Agenda, since Day 1 (April 22, 1970 – “Earth Day” – also Vladimir Lenin’s Birthday), is, and has been driven by, one over-riding motive: the destruction of Capitalism.

• AIDS: The first Politically – Protected disease. The Cure: Not one Dime (from Government). That would cure it in a hurry.

• We call for an end to all unconstitutional Governmental regulatory agencies, such as the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency); OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)…

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The document in question ends with a rambling stream of consciousness rant against everything from “political correctness” to “car pooling,” which he identifies as evidence of an “apocalyptic vortex of Domestic Communism.” Also on this list are: handicap bathrooms, affirmative action, feminism, “Civil Rights,” sustainability, humanism, multiculturalism, secularism, regional government, national health care, the prescription drug benefit for seniors, mass transit, gun control laws, the abolition of capital punishment, the Clean Water Act, efforts to curb global warming, warning labels on cigarettes and other items, the emasculation of the American male, men wearing necklaces, men wearing earrings, mandatory recycling, Mr. Rogers, PBS, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, easy divorce, unwed couples living together, solar power, jogging, the Paul Robeson “Black Heritage” postage stamp, sexual harassment laws, and calling secretaries “administrative professionals.” (I’m not making any of this up, by the way. Each of those items was cut and pasted directly from Eller’s 2008 platform statement.)

At any rate, Katie, when she learned all of this, recoiled in horror and embarrassment, as most people would. She then promptly removed the sign from her yard, and took to Facebook, letting others know that she’d been “duped.” Here, with her permission, is one of her posts, which beings with a reference to a comment left on this site by one of her neighbors. (He’d said that he’d tried to tell her about Eller previously, but that she hadn’t listened.)

“I did try and talk to her, but she said Eller was a nice man, blah, blah, blah. I couldn’t get through to her. I was hoping someone closer to her could talk some sense into her.”

Umm, this NEVER happened. I have never had a conversation with ANYONE until today about my support of this candidate, who I only just met a week or two (ago) when he came to my door. When I met Eller and heard his platform it sounded reasonable. I had NO IDEA that he was formerly affiliated with AFP, and would NEVER knowingly endorse anyone with racist or anti-gay views. I really would have appreciated if this neighbor actually HAD approached me, rather than have an extensive conversation about me in a blog behind my back. In light of my informative conversation with Mark Maynard, I will NOT be supporting Eller for City Council. Not only am I disappointed in myself for having accepted his platform at face value without researching his past more carefully, in Eller himself for being so manipulative, but now I am also disappointed to find out that the friendly neighborhood that I thought I lived in really isn’t. Thanks, Mark, for giving me the benefit of the doubt, and taking the time to make sure I had all of the facts rather than passing judgement so quickly and so publicly.

And that’s why, as the Democratic primary is just a week away, I’ve decided to say something. I know that we’ve obliquely discussed Eller’s beliefs in the past, but, given that we don’t have a local paper to speak of, and that some folks still apparently don’t know his history, I feel obligated to speak up.

I should mention that I understand why, on the face of it, some people support Eller. I get that people are angry that sitting Ward 3 Councilman Pete Murdock lobbied on behalf of a city income tax at a time when many of us are hurting financially, and appreciate the work Eller did alongside Steve Pierce to stop it from happening. And, I understand why Eller, who presents himself as a successful businessman with a vision for our perpetually-stalled Water Street development project, might come across as an attractive alternative to the incumbent. What I don’t understand, however, is how some people who are aware of his history somehow seem willing to excuse it.

More than one person has told he something along the lines of, “Well, I wouldn’t vote for him to go to Congress, but this is only City Council, and we just need someone to balance the books and cut spending.” I’d argue, however, that his non-fiscal opinions do matter, very much. How can someone who doesn’t believe in zoning laws, for instance, be expected to make good decisions concerning Water Street? I know it’s an extreme scenario, but do we really want a hog rendering facility downtown, pumping toxins into our river? (Eller, as you’ll recall, also believes that we should destroy the Environmental Protection Agency, and roll back clean air and water legislation.) Or, how about his views on gay men, or, for that matter, women who wear pants? What can we expect from him when the time comes to hire new City employees? Will he give gay candidates, women, non-whites a fair shot, or will he only consider straight, white males for our available positions, in an attempt to end the “enforced discrimination against white males” that he sees all around us? I think that’s a legitimate question. (Not only would such behavior be morally reprehensible, in my opinion, but it would put our City at risk for numerous lawsuits.) And I think there are several other scenarios where his personal positions on such topics would negatively impact the City.

And, let’s say you’re OK with all of that. Let’s say that you share his belief that MLK and FDR are “traitors” to our country, that there should be no separation between church and state, and that we, as a country, should stop funding public education with our tax dollars… What do you make of his running in the Democratic primary? How do you reconcile his claim to be a man of integrity, when he’s running on the same ticket alongside folks he clearly detests, like Barack Obama and Elizabeth Warren? Or doesn’t honesty really matter to you? (Personally, I have no problem with him running, but I think that he should tell the truth, and not try to present himself as something that he isn’t, just to get elected. I can deal with people who have crazy beliefs, as evidenced by my friends. I cannot, however, tolerate liars and people who seek to manipulate those around them for personal advantage.)

The good news is, in spite of the Eller signs that are sprouting up around town, the word is getting out. I just received another email from Katie, letting me know that she was going to talk with a woman down the street from her, who has an Eller sign in front of her house. As she has a gay family member, Katie thinks it unlikely that she’d support a man who says that we should “cure” AIDS by cutting off research funding, and allowing everyone with the disease to die.

And I guess that’s my message tonight. Instead of leaving anonymous comments online about neighbors who have Eller signs in front of their houses, go over and talk with them. Engage them in conversation. And don’t just assume that they know what the man is about. Like Katie, they may well have been “duped.”

Oh, and to those of you who wrote in and said that you’d no longer support FLY, when you thought that Katie was an Eller supporter, how about doing the right thing and making a donation now that you know how she really feels? (They just needs $165 to make their current fundraising goal, and you could really help.)

Also, it’s probably worth reiterating that, regardless of how I feel about Eller, I don’t like the idea of blacklisting people. I don’t think that we, as a community, should single out Eller supporters for our condemnation, stop patronizing their businesses, etc. While I have a great many problems with his politics, and feel as though he should have run a more honest campaign, I don’t believe we should seek to bully or shame anyone into changing their opinions. I do think, however, that we owe it to our neighbors to meet them half way, acknowledge that they may have valid reasons for supporting Eller, and then explain why, in our eyes, he’s not someone we’d like to see representing our beloved, diverse and resilient Ypsilanti.

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85 Comments

  1. josh
    Posted July 31, 2012 at 11:15 pm | Permalink

    “I don’t believe we should seek to bully or shame anyone into changing their opinions”

    Oh FFS. If a bigot can bully or shame me for who I am, I can and will try to bully or shame them for their disgusting opinions. You going to start shopping at Urban Outfitters so you don’t hurt the bigoted CEO’s feelings? That sentiment is just soft-headed liberalism. Be nice to everyone including the people trying put a jackboot on your throat.

    If there is a lesson to learn here it’s that we should be careful about picking our targets. And maybe we should talk to our neighbors more often.

  2. karen
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 12:13 am | Permalink

    want to grab lunch some time at chik-fil-a?

  3. Brad
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 2:11 am | Permalink

    They were creeping around Ypsi today. I was honestly hoping they would stop by so I could say, “Yeah, I know you, you belong to that radical group and you have a bumper sticker that says ‘green is the new red’ (comparing the green/environmental movement to McCarthy-style accusations of Communism) and you’re misrepresenting yourself to voters. Oh, and your politics aren’t welcome around here”. Unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to talk with them (…them being Mike Eller and some sidekick he had with him, Laurel and Hardy style).

  4. Thom Elliott
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 5:52 am | Permalink

    “Jesus picked 12 male apostles, not 6 male and 6 female”. Whoa! It is amazing to me how people who are consumed with hate, who would step on a gay person’s face if he was in the way, would dare to open their filthy mouths to say anything about Jesus Christ, the Lord of Love and the Prince of Peace, to justify their rank hatred. Do you think Jesus, who came to redeem sinners, would shower scorn upon people with AIDS? Jesus preached amongst lepers, theives, and prostitutes. Those views are so palpably unchristian, so drained of the milk of human kindness, I would personally love to have or see a religious debate with him. Mike Eller! Jesus has never known you, turn to Christ today and repent!

  5. Edward
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 6:02 am | Permalink

    Josh,

    While I can see how it might feel good to lash out and attack people who have Eller signs, calling them racists and homophobes, I don’t see as how it would help keep Eller out of office. If our true objective is to get people to stop supporting him, I don’t think that’s accomplished through bullying. I think, instead, we need to give people an out. I think we need to say to them, as Mark did with Katie, “I know why you think he’s a good candidate, but I think you may have made your decision without knowing all of the facts about him.” That approach gives people a way out. It gives them an opportunity to say, “You’re right, that man believes in things that I find reprehensible.”

  6. Watching Laughing.
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 7:31 am | Permalink

    Last time Mike Eller ran, he had a ton of signs around, mostly where he lived.
    In the end, Mike Eller got his ass handed to him pretty good on election day.
    Hoping for the same and worse this time.

    wl.

  7. tyler w
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 7:42 am | Permalink

    I was at the candidate forum last Thursday and felt like eller really shined. I left thinking hey this eller guy seems like he has his head on straight and even friended him on facebook. I like katie was convinced that this was a good dude to move our city forward. I re ally want to thank you mark for your courage in posting this and your courage to rea ch out to katie.

  8. anonymous
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 8:09 am | Permalink

    Eller ran as an independent last time, not as a Democrat. He ran on what he believed, and he got killed. This time he’s running as a “no new taxes” Democrat, against Pete, who, as we all know, came out in favor of the local income tax. While I’d like to think that Eller will lose, I’m not so sure. I wish that the local press would have the balls to say what was said in this post. It seems, however, that no one wants to hold him accountable for his views.

  9. Erika
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 8:19 am | Permalink

    http://ellerfacts.wordpress.com/

  10. Mr. X
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 8:21 am | Permalink

    We should designate a local collection spot where people can deposit their “Vote Eller” signs once they become aware of his politics.

  11. Populist Caucus
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 8:25 am | Permalink

    Mike is no longer affiliated with the America First Party. He is affiliation is now with the Democratic Populist Caucus. Note the emphasis on DEMOCRAT!

    You can find more about this group at their website:
    http://www.democraticpopulistcaucus.org/

    If you compare these views with the old views HERE, you’ll see the platform is very different. The Democratic Populist Caucus still hates FDR and MLK, but what true democrat doesn’t?

    Please forward this to all of your friends.

  12. anonymous
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 8:25 am | Permalink

    The site that Erika linked to has the America First Party of Michigan platform that Mark quoted from above. If anyone is interested, it can be found here-

    http://ellerfacts.wordpress.com/2012/05/01/read-the-america-first-party-of-michigan-platform/

    Thank you, Erika.

  13. Posted August 1, 2012 at 8:34 am | Permalink

    This race, sadly, is a close one. It’s very important that those of us who actually understand what Eller is all about make sure our neighbors do too. His politics are not the politics that Ypsilanti embraces. In order to even get his foot in the door he has to completely and thoroughly lie about what he stands for. We cannot let this go.

  14. Eel
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 8:34 am | Permalink

    Can someone explain to me why Fink, Pierce and Eller signs are always together?

  15. Fierce Stink
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 8:37 am | Permalink

    you guys are all being so hard on eller.

    just because he hates gays doesnt mean he cant be a good bureaucrat.

    plus, who cares that he used to be a republican? lots of people find god right before they croak.

  16. John Galt
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 8:44 am | Permalink

    You’re not understanding that everything he says is with love. When he says that the civil rights movement was bad for blacks, he’s saying it because he genuinely believes they were better off when they didn’t have to worry about voting, or going to school. And when he says he wants the gays to die, he’s just saying that because he loves them so much that he wants them to spend eternity with Jesus. There is nothing but love and compassion in his heart. And who among us can really disagree that car pooling is a communist plot?

  17. karen
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 9:03 am | Permalink

    When I google “Mike Eller City Council”, this is the first link that comes up.

    Mark, thank you for endorsing Mike Eller. Your support will go a long way to helping Ypsilanti patriots take back our government.

    I hope Mike does a flier that reads:
    Mark Maynard says, “Mike Eller for City Council…tell your friends.”

  18. Star Child
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 9:07 am | Permalink

    My primary concern about Eller is the validity of his birth certificate and if he is truly an American citizen or not?

  19. karma flintstock
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 9:11 am | Permalink

    he waz born in ypsitucky, so he must be half christian, half woodchuck

  20. koosh
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 9:25 am | Permalink

    Pierce wants to the free the white slaves of Ypsilanti.

    Eller wants to undo the Civil Rights movement.

    How are these guys with such opposite views working together?

  21. Paul
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 9:34 am | Permalink

    I appreciate the sentiment, Mark. I sometimes worry that people will think less of me because of my support for our current President. While I don’t personally support the indefinite suspension of Habeas Corpus or unmanned drone assassinations of U.S. Citizens, I think there are some people in town who’ll assume I do based on my decision to vote for Obama again. And I hesitate to put any of his signs in my yard because I’ll never hear the end of it from my friends who do volunteer work for the ACLU.

    Also, people are more than the sum of the political signs in their yards. If I met someone who honestly decided not to give someone else the time of day because of a political sign in their yard, and that person was over the age of 13, I’d get pretty sad. You’re not doing a community any favors by more firmly entrenching an us vs. them mentality. And while I see more of this behavior on the right, traditionally, I’m seeing more and more of it on the left recently, as well.

  22. Reid Paskiewicz
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 10:05 am | Permalink

    I’m just glad there is a political party that has the guts to take a stand against seat belts, or as I like to call them “Stalin Straps”.

  23. KKT
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 10:19 am | Permalink

    This post now has 75 likes on Facebook. That’s a start. We need to do more, though. We need to talk with people in our neighborhoods who have Eller signs. Perhaps we should coordinate. How about setting aside some time on Saturday to have a “Share Mike Eller’s History” outing?

  24. Posted August 1, 2012 at 10:35 am | Permalink

    Erika, thanks for that link! I am having a great time reading the list of things that they apparently hate. It looks like a bunch of people sent in their individual rants and they just posted them in a list.
    I do agree with them on one thing though…those mf’ing bottles of aspirin with the child proof tops drive me crazy! (and get off my lawn!) :)

  25. Brainless
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 10:37 am | Permalink

    OK guys, time to fess up: What the fuck happened to the Democratic party that this guy gets to run under their banner? If he’s so back, kick him the fuck out of your club.

  26. Posted August 1, 2012 at 10:38 am | Permalink

    Oops, I agree with them on something else:
    In the National Hockey League: 1 point for an Overtime Loss (United States & Canada)

    That is bullshit.

  27. Brainless
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 10:40 am | Permalink

    Oh, and if it helps the cause, Eller blew me in a rest stop bathroom exclaiming, “That there’s a FREEDOM swallow. Try to get THAT from the gub’ment!”

    God, I love being a privileged white male (who needed to pee – I SWEAR).

  28. Meg
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 11:16 am | Permalink

    Holy cow! Thank you for posting this Mark. I did some research on Eller and his views sounded sane. I was actually leaning towards voting for him. Yikes.

  29. Dan
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 11:44 am | Permalink

    Holy Cow. Its like Ron Paul running as a democrat. Wth?

  30. Lee
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 12:07 pm | Permalink

    Regarding the ‘nonpartisan’ judicial race, here is a piece on James Fink’s Republican background:

    http://www.annarbor.com/news/22nd-circuit-court-judge-race-washtenaw-county/

  31. Anonymous Mike
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 12:36 pm | Permalink

    Seeing the Fink and Pierce signs alongside the Eller signs all around town tells me all I need to know about Fink and Pierce.

  32. Arturo
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 12:56 pm | Permalink

    If Eller had been smart he wouldn’t have put all of that crazy shit on the internet. Instead, like Steve Pierce, he’d just have a site that said “Call Me”.

    http://markmaynard.com/2012/07/ypsilanti-city-council-candidates-to-address-voters-tomorrow-night-in-the-kresge-building/

  33. Elf
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 2:30 pm | Permalink

    The Fly campaign is now at $3,010. It apparently pays to publicly renounce homophobes and racists. Hurray.

  34. Dennis
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 2:31 pm | Permalink

    These kind of people put crazy shit on the internet because they are proud of that crazy shit.

    Mike Eller wants you to know that ponytails on men leads to communism as much as Steve Pierce wants you to know about the white, young women of Kentucky who were kidnapped and forced into the sex trade in Ypsilanti back the 1940s.

    If these two are elected, Ypsilanti will be the biggest joke in Michigan.

  35. RustbeltRevival
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 3:26 pm | Permalink

    & make sure to check out his sweet “Green is the New Red” bumper sticker sometime.

  36. Lynne
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 3:40 pm | Permalink

    I am not especially offended that he is running as a Democrat although I do kind of wonder about the rules of such things. Does the party get to have a say in who runs or is that just what the primary is about? I don’t know but I do know that our community is chock full of Democrats to the point where there is little use in trying to run as a Republican. I also think that joining a political party in such a situation with the intention of moving the party either to the right or the left in whatever small way is perfectly valid. If I were interested in running for office, I would probably join the Democrats even though my own views line up much more with the Green Party. I don’t feel that would be dishonest. So I don’t hold it against Eller that he is a conservative running as a Democrat.

    But with that said, I do find the views Eller has expressed in the past to be distasteful and I will not be voting for him because of those views. He does seem like a perfectly nice guy though so I can see why people like him and also why they might have no idea that he has expressed those views in the past. I agree that we should not condemn our neighbors for their lawn signs and also agree that using lawn signs as a starting point for a discussion is a good idea.

  37. Brainless
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 3:48 pm | Permalink

    Back to my point before: I’m sorry, but I just wanna hurl about this whole “Democrat/Republican” thing. If it wasn’t painfully clear to all of you before, it should be crystal clear now that these parties don’t matter any more. Anybody can say anything and even good people and neighbors will just support whomever without a critical eye to anything. Anybody can say “I’m a [insert party here]” and you’re in.

    I know you’re all just trying to be nice to Katie because she’s a good person, but come on. Who puts a sign in their yard publicly declaring their love for someone they know nothing about? The average American voter apparently, that’s who. You don’t get off the hook here entirely. Oh sure, you “would NEVER knowingly endorse anyone with racist or anti-gay views”, but you most certainly would endorse someone utterly uncritically. Tsk-tsk. Finger wag.

    Watching puking.

  38. The Ziggurat
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 4:03 pm | Permalink

    I’ve just done my best to ignore the fact that this lunatic is the landlord of Beezys.

  39. dirtgrain
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 4:27 pm | Permalink

    “Who puts a sign in their yard publicly declaring their love for someone they know nothing about?”

    She was somewhat informed–but unfortunately misinformed. It happens to the best of us.

  40. Posted August 1, 2012 at 8:25 pm | Permalink

    In defense of Katie, none of Eller’s current materials hint at his true beliefs. He did well in the Jaycees event, and I’m sure he does well when he steps up on people’s doorsteps. It’s easy to criticize Katie, and say that she should have done a more exhaustive search, but I suspect that most of us, at best, do a few Google searches, and base our opinion, for the most part, on our personal interaction with the candidate. So, I don’t fault her for not digging deeper. I just want to be sure that we get to all of the other people out there, like Katie, who were duped. The good news is, I heard from five people today who stopped supporting Eller as a result of this post. That, I think, it incredibly encouraging.

  41. Kerri
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 8:27 pm | Permalink

    Mark, I really want to thank you for posting this. I know that you usually try to keep things even-handed, so it really takes a lot for you to publicly choose a side like this. I hope people recognize the importance of this exception.

  42. Posted August 1, 2012 at 8:33 pm | Permalink

    Karen, I wasn’t sure how to read your earlier comments, until I received the following, just a few minutes ago. I’m surprised to hear that you’re an Eller supporter. I knew, of course, that you were against the income tax, but I wasn’t aware that you supported Mike, and shared his beliefs. I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I was disappointed.

    SCIT Tailgate and Reunion

    We won in May, now it is time to win again in August

    Fellow SCIT supporters,

    When we launched the SCIT campaign round 2 in February 2012 we set our sites on two goals:

    #1 Defeat the City Income Tax and Water Street Millage
    #2 Help support City Council candidates to insure these tax increases never comes back

    I am proud to say the we have accomplished goal #1 item by defeating the taxes by a large margin.

    Now is the time to tell those supporters of higher income taxes, goodbye

    On August 7th there are two candidates that are running against powerful and long-serving incumbent City Council members. These incumbents were supporters and leaders in the YES campaign to increase Ypsilanti taxes by over 30%.

    The challengers are:

    Steve Pierce, Democrat for City Council Ward 1
    Mike Eller, Democrat for City Council Ward 3

    Both Mike and Steve worked tirelessly to defeat the City Income Tax and Water Street millage and they are worthy of your support in their elections on August 7th.

    Here is how you can help. Since this election is a mere 9 days away we need all hands on deck. We will be holding a Pre-Election SCIT Tailgate and Reunion on:

    Thursday, August 2nd at 7pm
    Tower Inn
    701 West Cross Street
    Ypsilanti, MI 48197

    The purpose of this party is to celebrate our success in May and plan for our success in August. You can help by volunteering to help Steve and Mike win their respective elections.

    Next weekend we will be calling supporters, organizing lit drops and working both Wards on election day to make sure we Get Out The Vote. If you have any questions, please contact me at 734 260-5968. I hope to see you Thursday at the Tower Inn and at the polls on Election Day, Tuesday, August 7.

    Karen Maurer
    Stop CIty Income Tax PAC

  43. Watching laughing
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 9:36 pm | Permalink

    I usually have to keep myself from throwing up everytime, I unfortunatly see

    Karen Mauer around. YUCK.

    WL.

  44. Dennis
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 9:57 pm | Permalink

    Wants to have dinner at the Tower Inn tomorrow around 6:30?

    I’d like to see first hand which of my neighbors support a bigot.

  45. kjc
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 10:20 pm | Permalink

    Wow. That’s sad about Karen Maurer. But it motivates me to tell more people.

  46. kjc
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 10:24 pm | Permalink

    I hope I don’t have to rent from the Maurers just to prove I’m fair to people who discriminate.

  47. josh
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 10:28 pm | Permalink

    “disappointed”

    The failure of the bourgeois left is the complete ignorance of the struggles waged around them by the less fortunate. Bigotry and economic exploitation are abstract concerns, addressed by a night tsk-tsking at the latest indie documentary and pulling the right lever in November. If a friendship, a well groomed friendly disposition, or a comfy bar stool are more important than our principles then perhaps we should not claim those principles as our own. People with far less privilege have sacrificed far more in defense of those principles.

    I am very happy Mark talked to Katie and it turned out she was just ignorant of Eller’s past. People make mistakes and we should give them the benefit of the doubt. People also change, and when they do it’s time for forgiveness. However, we should not pretend that vile people who are trying to hurt us deserve our respect, kindness or business. Being nice will not make them stop.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5WaNyguecg

  48. Thom Elliott
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 10:43 pm | Permalink

    But Mark, electing a bigoted and deranged conspiracy theorist from the lun Mauatic fringe to a small town city council is the only way for ‘patriots’ to ‘take back’ their government. Which means the government belongs to those xenophobic ‘patriots’ who hate people with AIDS, and those ‘patriots’ (because people who are patriots need to constantly refer to themselves as such) need to ‘take’ their government back from people who by inference are unpatriotic. Right? If the lunatic fringe of godless hate mongers are the true patriots of America Karen Mauer, then I despise this country, and hope to hasten its impending destruction.

  49. Good Neighbor
    Posted August 2, 2012 at 12:14 am | Permalink

    You know folks … I have deep moral Christian compulsion towards being a good neighbor and open dialogue, but this is just going far too far.

    Politics makes strange bedfellows, to be sure, but some step way across the line from the strange to the inexplicably sick.

    I’m sure there are many of our neighbors who have been duped. I, for now, doubt that the likes of Pierce and Mauer were among that group. If they didn’t know Eller advocated letting tens of thousands of people die to “cure” aids, they can clear the air here. I know they’re reading.

    My point is this. As caring and neighborly as we might be inclined to be, there has to be a line. It has been far well crossed. If some people can’t get that there are some things bigger than local taxes, we need to aggressively help them get it.

    And while I appreciate Paul’s comment, if someone sticks a “hang all gays” sign in their frontyard, I think we all need to see it as us vs. them.

    Mike Eller is a blatant liar. He is not Ypsilanti. If anything good comes from this election, it’s that it exposes his ilk. By their yardsigns and campaign contributions.

    If Fink, Pierce, Mauer or French (Aubree’s) were duped into sponsoring this homophobe, here’s the time to let us know.

  50. Edward
    Posted August 2, 2012 at 5:59 am | Permalink

    From Eller’s former materials:

    “Our cause will be victorious. It is a matter of time. But we must continue to fight. We must run for political office, and while doing so, we must use the opportunity to educate the woefully ignorant electorate as to why our country is in decline. It is not by mistake. America is being swallowed piecemeal by the apocalyptic vortex of Domestic Communism.”

  51. Watching Laughing.
    Posted August 2, 2012 at 6:59 am | Permalink

    I hope people understand how sociopaths get into office to push thier real adjenda for thier future.

    It’s insanity how many people still vote for these liars,

    even after their real plans are exposed.

    Just tells you the kind of people we are really living with.

    Gross, Disgusting and just plain wrong.

    WL.

  52. Bob Krzewinski
    Posted August 2, 2012 at 7:44 am | Permalink

    As I recall, the Mauer’s were also against the last (2010) Ypsilanti District Library funding ballot issue.

  53. Dennis
    Posted August 2, 2012 at 8:01 am | Permalink

    The Maurer’s are against everything unless they get something out of it.

  54. RDP2
    Posted August 2, 2012 at 9:00 am | Permalink

    scumbag eller

    http://imgur.com/OQdQi

  55. Knox
    Posted August 2, 2012 at 9:19 am | Permalink

    I’m willing to give Katie a pass for not digging deeper, but I’m not willing to give AnnArbor.com a pass for their coverage. They should know better. Here’s their “reporting” on Eller yesterday.

    Mike Eller, 45, a lifelong Ypsilanti resident, is the owner of local business Populist Cleaning Company. Eller has never held public office but said his business background might give him an edge.

    mikeeller.jpg

    Mike Eller

    Courtesy photo
    “We need to make Ypsilanti as business-friendly as possible,” Eller said. “I’m invested in the community and I’ve got some skin in the game. Ypsilanti makes it difficult to do business here. We have to find more ways to create revenue.”

    Eller said the city needs more money coming in but increasing taxes is not the way. Eller also served as a volunteer for the Stop City Income Tax group. Keeping taxes as low as possible makes the community more attractive for homeowners, he said.

    “It’s a proven fact that people who are considering where they’re going to live that the two things they look at is whether or not it’s a safe area and can they afford to live there. If they cant afford to live here or do business, we lose those opportunities.”

    Eller said the current council is “out of touch” with the sentiments of residents.

    “Clearly council and the residents aren’t seeing eye to eye on certain financial issues,” Eller said referencing to the city income tax and Water Street millage. Maintaining the core services should be first and everything (else) second.”

    http://www.annarbor.com/news/ypsilanti-city-council-candidates-sound-off-on-issues/#.UBqMY3BkC9c

  56. Thom Elliott
    Posted August 2, 2012 at 10:17 am | Permalink

    I watched that guy (Mike Eller) at the Pentecostal School of Music Jesus Christ “public concert” grab the top of his 2 or 3 yr old son’s head and brutally twist it forward to watch the blandly amaturish preformance of the other Eller children (who were the only “students” of this “music” “school” which is really a fringe right wing store front church, which are not legal in Ypsilanti). The little boy started to cry from the incomprehensable act of violence toward him, then Eller picked him up like a sack and brought him to the back of the room to scold him furiously and near silently for minutes. It was one of the most disturbing examples of “parenting” I had ever seen, if that’s how he acts towards his precious babies, how will he act in a place of actual (marginal) power?

  57. mark k
    Posted August 2, 2012 at 10:56 am | Permalink

    Thom thats a nice peice of creative writing. I’d have to say it’s not very believable tho. First of all I can’t ever see you at a Pentecostal School of Music Jesus Christ “public concert”. Second, Eller’s most likely was “silently” telling his kid if he doesn’t pay attention he’ll end up like the guy over there (You), and thats what made the kid cry.

  58. Dan
    Posted August 2, 2012 at 11:19 am | Permalink

    Thom must have had another day dream fantasy about thrill killing and torture.

    Doesn’t look like any of the Eller children are 2 or 3 years old.

    http://www.mikeellerforypsi.com/brief-bio

  59. Thom Elliott
    Posted August 2, 2012 at 12:35 pm | Permalink

    Jeah, I made that up. Idiot manchildren, I was there, the Pentecostal School of Music Jesus Christ is next door to the Dreamland Theater, which I used to be more involved in. We were there after a puppet show once, which was in the afternoon, and I couldn’t help checking it out. This was maybe 3 or 4 years ago, after the Eller boys played haltingly, the grandfather came out and played some blistering renditions of some Beethoven, which were amazing. After the concert there were to be refeshments in the “Truth Room”, which is a windowless inner sanctum filled with banners proclaiming thee rightness of lunatic nihilist Joe McCarthy, and a huge sign with a pink swastica with the caption “the gay agenda”

  60. Thom Elliott
    Posted August 2, 2012 at 12:37 pm | Permalink

    Mark k, you attend the illegal store front church the Pentecostal School of Music Jesus Christ? So you know all about the Truth Room then, right?

  61. Thom Elliott
    Posted August 2, 2012 at 12:43 pm | Permalink

    Mark K, were you the militant guy wearing the green tee-shirt tucked into your black pants with the german writing and two crossed assult rifles on it?

  62. mark k
    Posted August 2, 2012 at 1:45 pm | Permalink

    No Thom I don’t attend that church, and no I don’t own anything with german writing on it, kind of sad since my family’s from Germany, but they left way before your hero got into power. Your story was good, just not believable coming from you, funny you were able to watch both shows at the same time, got a little ADD going on? Maybe from all the drugs you consumed, must have done some damage. Thom have a blessed day!

  63. Thom Elliott
    Posted August 2, 2012 at 1:57 pm | Permalink

    Both shows? What? The concert was after the puppet show, there was a hand written erase board advertising the free concert, and so I went. Everything I said is true, from Eller’s brutal manhandleing of his little boy, to the grandfather’s amazing Beethoven renditions on the piano, to the terrifying “truth room” for cake and unbelievably awkward conversation, to the amaturish playing of the other Ellar boys, to the strange man wearing the green tee-shirt with german writing on it with two crossed assault rifles. He is involved in some dark, far right wing activities, for which Populist cleaners is simply a front organization.

  64. anonymous
    Posted August 2, 2012 at 2:46 pm | Permalink

    He’s got a “truth room”? This is getting better and better? Does anyone have a photo of the McCarthy poster or the banner with the pink swastica?

    Karen, can you take a photo the next time that you’re in there?

  65. mark k
    Posted August 2, 2012 at 4:11 pm | Permalink

    Thom the 2 shows I was talking about were the brutal assault on the child, and the puppet show. 2 questions tho, why did you not do anything to stop the brutal assault on the child, at the very least you should have called the police, if what you say is true. And why does the “truth room” terrify you so much?

  66. Thom Elliott
    Posted August 2, 2012 at 4:24 pm | Permalink

    Do you call the police everytime you see terrible parenting? He didn’t molest the boy, but it was far harsher then was nessicary, and showed me a brutal man, at the time I didn’t know from Adam, but stuck with me as a frightening moment, years later. The “Truth Room” was a frightening windowless room with evidence of the most horrifying beliefs, filled with strange people, some looking like they were at least armed. I have no reason to lie, it was like walking into the secret headquarters of a terrorist organization.

  67. ypsi-republican
    Posted August 2, 2012 at 4:24 pm | Permalink

    It seems pretty obvious. He can’t handle the truth.

    But I have a feeling the citizens of Ypsilanti can. Eller may be a bigot, but his heart is in the right place.

  68. kjc
    Posted August 2, 2012 at 4:52 pm | Permalink

    “Eller may be a bigot, but his heart is in the right place.”

    probably only makes sense to other bigots.

  69. ypsi-republican
    Posted August 2, 2012 at 4:59 pm | Permalink

    While you people are whining on the internet, we are going to have more than 40 people knocking on doors for Mike this weekend.

    Call us whatever names you can think of. We are going to kick your buts.

  70. Watching Laughing.
    Posted August 2, 2012 at 5:13 pm | Permalink

    Good Neighbor,

    your post is right on the point.

    WL.

  71. Watching Laughing.
    Posted August 2, 2012 at 5:14 pm | Permalink

    you too, kjc.

    WL.

  72. Thom Elliott
    Posted August 2, 2012 at 5:20 pm | Permalink

    Knock all you want, there’s no way the people of Ypsilanti are as stupid as you think.

  73. Watching laughing
    Posted August 2, 2012 at 6:18 pm | Permalink

    Wait, Ypsi- Republican you’re knocking on doors for a Democrat?

    To bad Mike Eller doesn’t live a few blocks east and could try to go against the

    heavily entrenched well oiled, well organized, Stumbo, Roe etc Democrat Ypsi

    Township Machine. That would be entertaining.

    WL.

  74. Posted August 2, 2012 at 8:12 pm | Permalink

    Yeah, the fact that Republicans are knocking on doors for Eller kind of tells you everything you need to know, doesn’t it?

  75. Good Neighbor
    Posted August 2, 2012 at 11:19 pm | Permalink

    No Mark, it doesn’t. I’m fine with Republicans knocking on doors. I’m fine with debate with my Republican friends.

    I love my Republican friends enough not to equate this insanity with being Republican. This isn’t Republican vs. Democrat. This is ape shit warlord greed.

    This is Mauer. This is Pierce, Aubrees and Fink. This is people advocating death for bucks. This is seed.

    The fact is Mauer, Pierce, and friends are funding Eller. Early. Hooray for Wireless Ypsi. They are reading. They are too cowardly to comment. (Where is Brian Robb? Is he still on council? Brian, really? Are you really going to play the part of the shrunken shell in this movie? )

    Hello! Mike Eller! Hello … Stephen Pierce? Karen Mauer??? Cowards. Liars. Greedy fakes? Heeeeeellll…..

    Hello! They’re all cool with Eller’s sociopathic remedies.

    Gays die. Aids cured.

    Welcome to Ypsilanti.

    FOR RENT.

    Brian Robb. There’s a violent bigot edging towards council. What and where are you?

  76. dirtgrain
    Posted August 3, 2012 at 6:10 am | Permalink

    Good Neighbor, what is the connection between Eller and French?

  77. Eric
    Posted August 3, 2012 at 6:27 am | Permalink

    Bill French gave $100 in goods donated or loaned in the form of a pizza party after an Eller lit drop. It’s in the campaign contributions link in an earlier comment.

  78. Darin
    Posted August 3, 2012 at 4:04 pm | Permalink

    Mark, thanks for highlighting this issue. Mike Eller dropped by my house, out trolling for votes, and he really hid his true colors. I wasn’t going to vote for him in any case, but he came across as quite reasonable. Looking at his 2008 campaign stuff online…. Wow, this guy is out there…. And no one that extreme just changes their views. I am blown away that he has the gall to portray himself as a Dem. Thanks for getting the word out!

  79. Watching laughing
    Posted August 3, 2012 at 7:10 pm | Permalink

    Correct and none of the Mike Eller supporters, Karen Mauer, Sandy French, Steve Pierce etc have come out against his far extreme platform and bigotry.
    We’ve yet to here if they agree with him on his views?

    We are ALL waiting.

    WL.

  80. Watching laughing
    Posted August 3, 2012 at 7:11 pm | Permalink

    We’ve yet to here from Mike Eller himself on his far right extreme views and bigotry.

    We’re ALL waiting.

    WL.

  81. Watching Ypsi.
    Posted August 3, 2012 at 8:10 pm | Permalink

    I can no longer use Watching Laughing, as laughing is impossible .
    We are under seige in Ypsilanti and I’m now

    Watching Ypsi.

  82. Pete Murdock
    Posted August 4, 2012 at 8:24 am | Permalink

    There has been a lot of chatter regarding this election – especially the 3rd Ward City Council race – over the past few days. That’s been great, but we need to put that energy into action.

    If you really want to “Keep Mike Eller Off City Council” I could use your help. We have a lot of final weekend tasks to do including, canvassing, leafleting, Get Out The Vote (GOTV) phone calls and of course on Election Day we need folks for our GOTV effort. If you like to help out call me at 485-7799 or email at Murdock.sweeney@comcast.net or contact Brian Robb at 313.805.6316 or brobb@yahoo.com

    This Sunday at 1PM we will be meeting at 504 North River Street for one last big push. We will be doing a simple literature drop and need volunteers to help us get out the message. We are looking for people to give us one or two hours of their time.

    The results of this election are going to have a major impact on Ypsilanti’s future. We’d love for everyone to be a part of that.

    Pete

  83. Posted August 4, 2012 at 8:27 am | Permalink

    Wow. Mind-blowing and scary. What a list of fear-based finger-pointing (the AFS platform). I wish I could not vote for him in Ward 2. I am disgusted with the Maurers. I already disagreed with them about the income tax, but supporting Eller is just WAY over the line.

  84. Posted August 24, 2012 at 9:57 pm | Permalink

    I must have missed it when it first came in, but someone sent me the following in response to this post.

    Just wanted to respond to your latest post about Mike Eller. I am an Ypsilanti resident and I am very concerned about Eller considering the family’s political background.

    When Mike Eller talks about getting back to his democratic roots, I don’t think he is talking about the party of FDR and Clinton. I think he is talking about Southern Democrats.

    Mike Eller’s father is Daniel Eller. According to Political Graveyard.com Daniel Eller ran for local, state, and national office several times as a member of The American Independent Party between 1973 and 1982.

    http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/eliphaz-ellerbee.html

    http://oldnews.aadl.org/node/75367

    http://www.thecrimson.com/article/1976/9/27/the-soap-box-the-ballot-box/

    (This Crimson article mentions Eller and describes him as leaving his position at EMU because the dept. was filled with Marxists. Other party members ramble on about the Zionist conspiracy and the Rockefellers.)

    The American Independent Party, as you probably well know, was the party of George Wallace.

    http://www.aipca.org/history.html

    Wallace was the four time governor of Alabama, and a famous segregationist. He is famous for this quote:

    “In the name of the greatest people that have ever trod this earth, I draw the line in the dust and toss the gauntlet before the feet of tyranny, and I say segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever.”

    As for Mike Eller being a “Democratic” candidate is concerned, I believe he is a member of something called the Democratic Populist Caucus.

    http://www.democraticpopulistcaucus.org/

    One of the slogans of the Democratic Populist Caucus is JESUS ONLY AMERICA FOREVER.

    This group should not be confused with a Congressional Caucus called the Populist Caucus formed in 2009.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Populist_Caucus

    To my knowledge, Democratic Populist Caucus is NOT affiliated with the official Democratic Party headed by Barack Obama, and does not claim so on their website.

    They do, however, claim affiliation with the Freedom First Society. The FFS believes there is a conspiracy afoot to manipulate world events “including the nightly news.”

    http://www.freedomfirstsociety.org/home/

    In a 2009 business profile on MLIVE, Eller claims one of his two favorite books are a collection of writings by Robert Welch, founder of the John Birch society.

    According to the FEC, Mike Eller has given donations to both the Constitution Party and the America First party in the last decade.

    As I am sure you know, Mike Eller is a business partner with John Wagner.

    Wagner and Daniel Eller had a home church called First Pentecostal Church of Jesus Christ. In the late 90’s it merged with the African American congregation of Ypsilanti Community Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ pastored by Charles Close after a fire burned down the building. (This was the old church behind Sidetracks).

    Eller makes sure to tell the reporter that he didn’t merge with a black church because of MLK or civil rights, but because he loves “these people.”

    http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NKQlAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MvUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3465%2C2669820&dq=close+eller+church+merge&hl=en

    I am still looking for information about the congregation. There is a church of the same name pastored by a Rev Michael Robinson but I don’t know if it is the same church or not.

    Will send you more info as I find it.

  85. Monte
    Posted September 19, 2012 at 12:27 am | Permalink

    His talents would be wasted in Ypsilanti city government. We need him in Congress.

7 Trackbacks

  1. […] what’s the connection?By Mark | August 2, 2012In response to yesterday’s post about Mike Eller’s far right wing beliefs, someone raised an interesting question. Why is it, this person asked, that “Mike Eller: […]

  2. […] 2: Mark Maynard of the awesome MarkMaynard.com points out another fake Dem, Mike Eller, a John Bircher running for Ypsilanti City Council. Full […]

  3. […] etc.By Mark | August 4, 2012Over the past two days, since I first shared my thoughts on Mike Eller’s radical, far right beliefs concerning women, gays and civil rights, half a dozen people have written in to thank me, telling me that, because of that post, they are […]

  4. […] they owe it to the community to point out, for instance, that he’s said in the past that we should let our homosexual population die of AIDS, and that the women’s liberation movement …This history, I think, is particularly relevant, as Eller has yet to renounce these statements. […]

  5. […] comments section. As you’ve no doubt noticed, however, I took a turn about a week ago, and actively came out against Mike Eller.I did this not only because I found Eller’s politics to be beyond the pale, but because no […]

  6. […] about Eller’s history as the head of the ultra far right America First Party of Michigan, and his troubling views on everything from gay rights and public transit, to recycling and the role of w…. My faith in my community is strong tonight.Here are the final numbers… Precinct I: Murdock […]

  7. […] […]

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