Whitefish Community Rallies To Support Inclusive Community – After Media Spotlight On ‘Alt-Right’s’ Richard Spencer

After national media attention on part-time Whitefish resident and  'Alt-Right' spokesman Richard Spencer, the entire community met on Monday night to voice their support for non-discrimination.

Whitefish Mayor John Muhlfeld said he made an official proclamation to take a stand against the views expressed by Spencer and his organization.

"We're taking a stand for our community values that we all recognize here in Whitefish, and that's for recognition of the dignity of all persons, welcoming diversity into our community, for universal inclusion for all inhabitants in the city of Whitefish," Muhlfeld said.

Muhlfeld said the recent publicity that swirled around Richard Spencer, spokesman for The National Policy Institute, whose website declares 'is an independent organization dedicated to the heritage, identity, and future of  people of European descent in the United States, and around the world.'

"There has been some recent news media that has portrayed Whitefish as the home of an Alt-Right' leader," Muhlfeld said. "We felt that it was important for our community to set an example and indicate that universally that we do not endorse the views of this individual and we felt it was our responsibility to reaffirm our own non-discrimination ordinance, our resolution that we adopted in 2014 in support of our community values."

Muhlfeld said the meeting on Monday night was a powerful display of community support.

"It was a very uplifting and humbling atmosphere," he said. "I can't recall a meeting where we had so many supporting citizens in our city council chambers and I estimate there were over a hundred citizens who came out to support the city council."

The packed chamber was dotted with "Love Lives Here" signs, a local non-profit organization committed to creating caring, open, and welcoming communities throughout the Flathead Valley.