Prominent Trump supporter with controversial tattoos defended
Michael Futch (futchm@fayobserver.com) | Fay Observer (http://www.fayobserver.com/) | 18 March 2016
http://www.fayobserver.com/news/local/prominent-trump-supporter-with-controversial-tattoos-defended/article_b46bdb71-8a74-5054-bfaa-51e14c8cc315.html (http://www.fayobserver.com/news/local/prominent-trump-supporter-with-controversial-tattoos-defended/article_b46bdb71-8a74-5054-bfaa-51e14c8cc315.html)
A Fayetteville woman who volunteers at the downtown Trump campaign headquarters is not a white supremacist, her father-in-law says, even though she has what may be white power tattoos.
Pete Tilly is one of two people who head up the Gillespie Street office for the Republican presidential front-runner. Members of his family volunteer at the headquarters, including 33-year-old Grace Tilly, who is married to his son, Farron.
The Tilly family, who have been motivated to work for a political campaign for the first time, were featured as part of a PBS "NewsHour'' report that was televised Tuesday. The story gives their take on why they support Trump.
But the segment has drawn criticism after Grace Tilly was shown making phone calls on behalf of Trump from the campaign office while sporting a pair of prominent tattoos associated with neo-Nazis.
They include a particular version of the Celtic Cross on her hand. The version is also known as Odin's Cross and is used to identify with white power movements, according to published accounts. Her left hand has the number 88, which symbolizes the letter H, the eighth letter of the alphabet. Back to back, the numbers signify "Heil Hitler" - the universal neo-Nazi greeting, accounts say.
The Trump campaign did not respond to emails Thursday seeking comment for this story.
Pete Tilly said he didn't think the show's producers were aware of the tattoos.
Attempts to reach Grace Tilly were unsuccessful. She has said the tattoos are tied to her family's Celtic religious beliefs.
Pete Tilly said he had not asked her about the controversial tattoos.
"I have not known her to be involved in those activities," he said Thursday. "What do we do when we're young? We make mistakes. When we're young, we do things."
In the PBS segment, Grace Tilly says her family has been impacted "in a very big way" by the recession, and at times they are living paycheck to paycheck.
"Maybe if she had the money, she'd cover them up," her father-in-law said. "I do know we go to church together. We have white friends; we have black friends."
The Tilly patriarch said no one in his family, including himself, is a white supremacist.
Tilly, 56, said he's an ordained minister and owner of a marble-granite fabrication business in Parkton. An Army veteran who served from 1983 to 1997, he said he's also the founder and president of the local Sons of Thunder, which he described as a Christian-based biker club.
He also has tattoos. "Mine has nothing to do with white supremacists," he said. "Mine are Biblical."
Farron Tilly, his son, said he was not interested in talking about his wife's tattoos. "I think it's a bunch of mudslinging," he said.
"We have said they have personal meaning to us," he said. "It's personal business."
Farron Tilly's YouTube channel - which shows up when using his username, farron666 (https://www.youtube.com/user/farron666) - includes videos for "Nature's Eternal Religion" under the playlist "WhitePrideIsAllRight."
"Nature's Eternal Religion" was written by the late Ben Klassen, a former Florida legislator who founded the racist, anti-Semitic Church of The Creator. The ideology of that group, now known as the CHURCH OF CREATIVITY, is classified as neo-Nazi by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Farron Tilly declined to comment on what was posted on his YouTube space.
"I'm not going to get involved in this," he said.
But his father said, "He's been getting rid of that stuff. I don't get involved in any of his personal life. I know he was hanging around for a while with people who were into that stuff."
According to a review on Amazon.com, the book "Nature's Eternal Religion" critiques "Christianity, Judaism and Islam alike, discusses race in history and the lessons which have to be taken for the white race to survive. Finally it lays out the basis of the religion of Creativity, which seeks to replace Christianity as the dominant religion of the Western world."
The PBS "NewsHour'' episode on the Tillys - which was filmed two weeks ago in Fayetteville - drew outrage from some viewers, who posted comments on its website, including:
"Why was no mention made of this? Are your reporters really that thick? This story should've had the headline 'Aryan Nation members Support Trump' - how'd you miss this one, PBS?'"
"I agree with you about the tattoos. They should be mentioned and the Tilly's should have been asked about how they feel about people of color and Trump. I wonder if they closed their prayer with 'Thank you White Jesus?'"
"I saw the celtic cross on her hand also; its possible she's not a neo-nazi (?); why do i suspect those who produced this segment were glad to show this family as typical of trump supporters; get ready for more intense smearing of trump, especially if he's nominated."
An editor's note has since been posted on the site that reads: "In this case, a debate about Grace Tilly's tattoos has started online. As you can see in the comments section posted with this story, Ms. Tilly argues that these tattoos are not representative of neo-Nazi positions but are connected to her family's Celtic religious beliefs. That is what she told our producers as well. Others among our online (commentators) vehemently disagree."
Staff writer Michael Futch can be reached at futchm@fayobserver.com or 486-3529.
To Michael Futch,Re: http://www.fayobserver.com/news/local/prominent-trump-supporter-with-controversial-tattoos-defended/article_b46bdb71-8a74-5054-bfaa-51e14c8cc315.html (http://www.fayobserver.com/news/local/prominent-trump-supporter-with-controversial-tattoos-defended/article_b46bdb71-8a74-5054-bfaa-51e14c8cc315.html)
I am Reverend Cambeul of the Church of Creativity, and I ask: Why does a Jew like you spend your time bullying decent White folks screaming "Racist," and "Nazi?" Why don't you go out and do some decent and honest reporting for a change? How many stories do you refuse to comment about or print, simply because the perpetrator is a Nigger and the victim is White?
What's your next story going to be? Are you going to bait the Coon again with an anniversary special on how the Jew/Wetback George Zimmerman is a so-called "White Supremacist?" Do you like seeing White babies shot in the face and White men hit in the head with hammers, or run over with their own truck as happened in the Rodney King LA Riots?
So why do you Jews so love to shit-stir so? It is because you are parasites that live on fear and anarchy, and revel in the loathing that results in the ultimate victimology in the hope of gaining a shekel as you wail your crocodile tears and cover your head in ashes. You make me sick. I hope it is you that is next hit in the head with a hammer or run over by a Nigger driving your own vehicle.
What is Good for the White Race is the Highest Virtue.
Yours Faithfully,
Reverend Cailen Cambeul, P.M.E.
Church Administrator, Creativity Alliance.
Couldn't have said it any better! ;D