City investigating racist posters

Race-baiting posters plastered around Northeast Philadelphia are being investigated by the city Human Relations Commission.

The posters feature a photo of police Sgt. Stephen Liczbinski, along with three other white Philadelphia police officers killed in the line of duty and three black men charged in their deaths. It reads "Guns don't kill people. Dangerous minorities do. How much longer can you ignore this?"

Apparently the Keystone State Skinheads, which claimed responsibility for the posters on its Web site, didn't get that the joke was on it.

The line about "dangerous minorities" comes from a parody of the National Rifle Association on the adult cartoon series

Family Guy

. In the episode, Dad wants to be more of a man's man and looks at joining the fictional National Gun Association. The NGA recruiting video encourages parents to get their kids to cuddle up to guns (Petey the Pistol) as early as possible, reminds people that "Jesus and Moses used guns to conquer the Romans," and ends with the same "dangerous minorities" line.

Mayor Nutter said he referred the matter to the Human Relations Commission, "who will monitor, investigate, and prosecute, if warranted." Nutter said through a spokesman that he didn't want to provide "a sensational opportunity" for the group responsible. Keystone State Skinheads did not return an e-mail message.

"We will do anything we can to get to the bottom of this," Nutter said. "The neighbors are upset, the larger community is upset, and no one is comfortable with it or thinks that it is acceptable."

- Jeff Shields

Sure, Mayor Nutter at times maintains what seems to be an insane schedule. (Consider: Excluding private meetings, his public calendar Thursday listed 10 events, from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., with three overlapping in time.)

But, hey, this is one public official who appears to be truly enjoying his job.

During a Kimmel Center luncheon honoring public relations queen Nina Zucker last week, Nutter didn't just deliver remarks from behind the lectern.

He got out in front of it, and danced with Zucker as nearly 100 people sat at their tables, and as Elton John's "Philadelphia Freedom" played. It didn't matter that he was already 30 minutes behind in his schedule.

"How I will explain this will be a challenge when I get to my next location," he joked.

That next location was The Inquirer, where he was meeting with the editorial board.

Along the way, while stopped at a traffic light at Broad and Vine Streets, Nutter rolled down the passenger window (he has a driver) and yelled to two security guards at a store, "Hey guys, how's it going?"

"Love your car," one shouted back. It's a 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe hybrid.

Just another day.

- Marcia Gelbart

Mayor Nutter's staff is growing not in size, but in responsibility.

Deputy Chief of Staff Tricia Enright has received the additional title of communications director, and policy director Wendell Pritchett will also become a deputy chief of staff.

Got it?

The changes are among several the administration has made as it settles into its fifth month.

In Enright's case, the new job will also mean a new office; she moves around the corner from her second-floor spot to join Nutter's communications staff in the office across the hall from the mayor's. Beginning sometime next week, she will share office space with press secretary Doug Oliver.

Oliver said he would remain focused on day-to-day events and media coverage, while Enright would concentrate on "longer-term strategic goals."

Neither change involves a salary increase.

- Marcia Gelbart