Compassion Party's Alan Gordon Makes Waves At NK High: TMZ

NORTH KINGSTOWN, RI—The Compassion Party's Alan Gordon is running for state attorney general against Democrat Peter Neronha. The candidates appeared at a forum Tuesday before the students at North Kingstown High. But things got heated, and a video clip ended up on TMZ. According to the TMZ story, Gordon spelled out a racial slur after Neronha provoked him by twice using the word 'marijuana,' which Gordon considers racist.

In the video, it appeared Gordon was led off the stage.

Patch asked both for comment. Neronha's spokesperson Blake Collins said in an e-mail, "We respectfully decline to comment." But Gordon said he wants an apology from the school principal and from Neronha, who agreed prior to the forum to say "cannabis," Gordon maintains.

"The word 'mari-uana' is so racist in its origin, the state of HI" (Hawaii) "has already banned its officials from using it in State documents," Gordon wrote in an e-mail. "It is particularly offensive to those of our Church, and we politely explained to Mr. Neronha numerous times before the recorded outburst, which shows overwhelming student support. What it doesn't show is the polite requests previously, nor his obstinance in the matter, nor the non-white students gasping in shock at his choice to use a word that is hurtful, when alternatives had been suggested. Ironically, Neronha's own former employees at the RI US Attorney's office gave up the racist word when he was let go by President Trump. The students that were there overwhelmingly supported me. If a Latino student said "hispanic" hurt them, and asked for the term "Latino" to be used, would you use the other one over and over? Why? I demand he apologize, and the principal as well, for failing to enforce school policy about racist language. That word, as I told the kids, is a curse to our religion, an ancient backwards pronunciation of one of our blessings from the Temple of Solomon, right out of the Bible."

Gordon is an organizer of The Healing Group, a church that uses cannabis for sacramental purposes. State police charged him earlier this month with manufacture and possession, but he has pleaded innocent.

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