Local Black Candidate Says Someone Using 'Black Lives Matter' Movement To Win
PITTSBURGH (KDKA)- The "Black Lives Matter" movement, for some, is a positive force to combat racism.
Others find their language inflammatory and tactics extreme.
Regardless of people's opinion, Janice Gladden says the "Black Lives Matter" movement has nothing to do with her campaign for school board despite the claims of an anonymous mailing in West Mifflin.
"They say the Pittsburgh branch [of Black Lives Matter] has endorsed me, and that's not the case," Gladden told KDKA Political Editor Jon Delano on Monday.
Gladden, a Democrat, is one of six candidates running for five positions on the West Mifflin School Board, and she believes that she has been targeted by someone trying to stir up racial divisions in this community.
The one-page flyer purports to be aimed at African-American voters and falsely claims Gladden will "lead the change against white privilege" and redistribute tax dollars from whites to blacks.
But, so far, only white voters are getting the flyer.
"They've pulled out all the stops. And every dog whistle they could blow, they've combined them into that letter," she says.
Gladden says it's a racist effort to inflame white voters against her.
"I consider it a hate crime. I consider that it came out of hate and that they are trying to inflame hatred in this community, and I take that seriously."
She doesn't know who wrote this except the letters are postmarked from Michigan. She's turning it over to local police and the Human Relations Commission.
Gladden, who grew up in West Mifflin, along with her children and grandchildren, says, "We do not need racial hatred being fanned in this community because it creates such a horrible climate and horrible environment for our kids."
"Our kids like it here, so we're not trying to bring in trouble."
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