Poll: 26% who responded would try pro-white political party

Of readers who responded online, 400 said they would not join ranks of Golden State Party; 157 said they favored party's views.

GARDEN GROVE– While most online readers said a pro-white political party would be too extreme for their taste, about 26 percent of readers who participated in a Register poll said they'd likely join the group.

A story on the Golden State Party, a self-proclaimed pro-white group pushing for political representation in California, pulled about 285 comments and nearly 600 participants the online poll.

More than 400 readers said they would not join ranks with the GSP, while 157 readers said they favored their political views. Thirty-three readers said they weren't sure about the new group.

The GSP is a Garden Grove-based group trying to gain status as a registered political party. But experts said its links to white supremacist groups and its leader's felony record would make it difficult for them to qualify.

Tyler Cole, 26, of Mission Viejo, listed as the chairman of the Golden State Party in a letter to the Secretary of State, offered himself for an interview for this story using the pseudonym "Eugene Cameron." He has used other pseudonyms in other interviews and video clips posted on the Internet.

Cole was convicted of assault with a deadly weapon in 2001 in Arizona and sentenced to a year in prison, court records show. He was convicted in 2008 in Orange County of possession of an illegal machete, possession of marijuana and resisting arrest. He served two months in Orange County Jail and is currently on probation, court records show.

Readers on the comment boards were split on the issue – some applauded the GSP's harsh stance on illegal immigration while others said they believe the group is hiding behind legitimate political controversies.

221614 wrote: "I just went to Golden State Party website.....I have to say I agree with everything on their site, immigration turning our state into a third world country, losing our liberty one link out of the chain at a time etc."

Ocsleeper wrote: "Man you guys act like these groups are only forming because of illegal immigration. These racist are just using the issue of illegal immigration as an excuse. Illegal immigration or not, these groups will always be around spewing their ignorance."

More than a dozen readers said they believed the GSP is victim to a race-based double standard and they should be allowed to show their pride for their heritage without being labeled white supremacists.

Sh8871 wrote: "In some ways, I agree with some of their views. It seems if you say you are proud to be a white European people are quick to call you a racist. But if you are black or Hispanic and say you are proud of your race it is okay."

Others said any form of heritage-based groups should cease to exist.

Rick4us wrote: "My fear is that the open racism in support of people of their own race will continue to escalate to a point where many will want to join their own racial support groups. I think it would be much better to eliminate all racist groups and focus on improving America for Americans."

The story was posted to various Web sites, including White Reference and Stormfront.org, which both called the article a hit piece. White Reference said it was "designed to drive people away from these worthy organizations".

White Reference is a Web site "for the dissemination of news of interest to the White Nationalist community". Stormfront.org, an Internet site founded by a former Ku Klux Klan leader, describes itself as a "discussion board for pro-White activists and anyone else interested in White survival". The motto posted on the top of the site: "White pride, worldwide".

However, one poster on White Reference wrote the GSP gives the white nationalist movement an undeserved black eye.

Lars wrote: "The media didn't do them in, they did it to themselves. White people we need real leaders! We need men and women of moral character and fiber to stand up for our rights and heritage."

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/white-readers-groups-2555760-wrote-political

Here's the original story about the Golden State Party: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/white-state-party-2551405-golden-cole