ATWATER -- Several activist groups calling for the resignation of repentant Atwater City Councilman Gary Frago -- who sent racist e-mails to city and county officials -- plan to picket Monday's City Council meeting in condemnation of his actions.
Change Merced is organizing a protest at the meeting along with the Merced County chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, both of which have called for Frago to step down.
Because of the expected crowds, the city has called for a special meeting in Atwater's community center on Monday.
Despite calls for his resignation and the impending protest, Frago, who apologized for the e-mails, has said he will not resign.
"I will read my apology and I will respectfully listen to what the people have to say," said Frago.
Frago's apology did not change the mind of the NAACP. The group officially condemned his actions and called for his resignation in a statement Thursday. The NAACP's statement said Frago's actions were "hurtful, harmful and racist." The statement continued: "We find it appalling that Councilman Frago was so unapologetic and blind to the hurt that such e-mails foster. We also find it appalling that the other individuals that had the opportunity to condemn such behavior chose to lose their memory or to simply say 'I deleted them.' "
Change Merced, a local activist group formed during President Barack Obama's run for office, has strongly condemned Frago as well. The group plans to hold a rally outside of Atwater's City Hall on Monday at 5:30 p.m., calling for his resignation.
Erma Smith, 55, a member of the group as well as an executive board member of Merced County's NAACP, said this kind of behavior cannot go unpunished. "I didn't think I would hear anything like this in 2009, especially in a state like California that is so multicultural," said the Mississippi native.
Smith said her group is asking for Frago to step down and for those who received his e-mails to condemn his actions. In particular, Change Merced has focused on Supervisor Mike Nelson's failure to condemn Frago. "You can see which politicians are silent and which ones speak out about this kind of prejudice. It draws lines unfortunately," said Jeff Freitas, 25, a Change Merced member.
Nelson did not return Sun-Star calls on the matter.
Change Merced plans to canvas Atwater residents over the weekend. They will pass out fliers and tell people of Monday's protest, said Freitas.
While many locals are appalled at Frago's actions, some still stand by him, claiming that the situation has been blown out of proportion.
Tracy Silveira, of Merced, was one of several locals who defended Frago in an e-mail to the Sun-Star. "Who doesn't repeat or forward jokes that they hear or receive in their e-mail? And what president or other public official, black, yellow, brown, red, magenta or white, hasn't been poked fun at?" wrote Silveira.
The City Council will open their meeting at 6 p.m. at City Hall, adjourn soon after for a special meeting on the e-mails at the community center, and then finish the meeting at City Hall, said City Clerk Jeanna Del Real.
City Manager Greg Wellman said that they scheduled the special meeting "to ensure that those individuals wishing to speak are given an adequate opportunity to be heard."
A Sun-Star special report on July 17 revealed that Frago sent at least seven racist e-mails to city and county officials from October 2008 to February 2009. The e-mails denigrated black people in general and in particular President Obama and the first lady.
While Frago has apologized, at first he said he did not regret sending the e-mails. "I don't see where there's a story, I'm not the only one that does it," he said. "I didn't originate them, they came to me and I just passed them on."
Reporter Jonah Owen Lamb can be reached at (209) 385-2484 or jlamb@mercedsun-star.com.
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