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Councilman Charles Barron Hearts Moammer Gadhafi, City Yawns
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Nov 9, 2011
Modified Nov 9, 2011
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By
Christopher Robbins
Published Nov 9, 2011
Modified Nov 9, 2011
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Everyone's favorite Mark Twain-hating city councilman Charles Barron is upset that Libyan despot Moammer Gadhafi was killed at the hands of his own countrymen last month. "One person's horrible person can be another person's hero," he told the Daily News. Barron spoke at a memorial service for Gadhafi last week, presumably attended by representatives from Just for Men Gel and the treasurer of the Condi Rice Fan Club.
Barron, a former Black Panther member who chairs the city's Higher Education Committee, has previously hosted a reception for Zimbabwe's cruel dictator Robert Mugabe and lauds Venezuela's Hugo Chavez. "Like Nelson Mandela and Robert Mugabe, [Gadhafi] is an African freedom fighter," Barron says. "America hates strong African leaders who are not afraid of them."
But what about the Lockerbie bombing, which has been traced to Gadhafi's intelligence agents? And the fact that Gadhafi murdered countless Libyan citizens? "There's no evidence linking him to that. Moammer Gadhafi didn't kill near these killers." While it's a shame that Barron praises Gadhafi, this is his right as a US citizen, and in New York City we tolerate—LOOK! Gremlins 2 is screening at BAM this month!
Tagged
attention-grabbing
Charles Barron
despots
dictators
freedom of speech
gadhafi
libya
Christopher Robbins
Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.
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