Phone Line Carries Hate Message on Riots

Complaints are mounting about a Glendale telephone number with a recorded message that rages about tax money going to “mud scum” in riot-racked areas and urges callers to “mobilize” for a “whiter and brighter” future.

In the past two days, the National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People has received several dozen complaints about the recorded message at a number being circulated by word of mouth, according to Claytee White, executive assistant of the group. She said the NAACP is asking government agencies whether anything can be done about the telephone line.

Pacific Bell spokeswoman Kate Flynn said that although “these types of hate lines pop up on occasion,” the company cannot take any action because it is a private line that is out of Pacific Bell’s realm of authority.

“We abhor it and we wish it weren’t attached to Pacific Bell, but there is nothing we can do about such content except to work as we can with law enforcement agencies” to determine whether there is any violation of law, Flynn said.

In the brief message, in a woman’s voice, derogatory comments are made about government officials, the media and black people.

Then the voice urges callers to send $3 to a Fullerton post office box to buy one of two books, “War” and “Racial Loyalties.”

One of those who complained to the NAACP was Calvin Steele, an MCI associate service representative who heard of the number in his Culver City office from a co-worker, who got it from a friend in the San Fernando Valley.

“I was just outraged about what I heard,” Steele said. “People should know that some people are trying to take advantage of a situation. Things are already pretty bad, and this makes it worse.”

Steele said he complained to the state Public Utilities Commission and was told that it could not intervene in messages on a private phone number.