Local Government
Town councilman wanting ‘Donald J. Trump’ street renaming scrutinized for ‘88’ lapel pin
In late January we received an email from a reader noting that in a published photo of new Front Royal Town Councilman Scott Lloyd, he was wearing a lapel pin with the number “88” on it. – “Perhaps it means something else to him, but it doesn’t send a very good message as it is commonly known as a white nationalist symbol,” Julie Chickery wrote, adding, “I just found it odd that a town council member would wear it. Although he may have a harmless explanation, I feel as though government officials should be aware of the message they are sending, even if unintentional.”
It takes a good eye to spot it, but it’s there on Scott Lloyd’s left lapel last October – the number 88, which he later explained was his father’s NYC Police Department 88th Precinct lapel pin he wore during the Chamber of Commerce Candidates Forum. Royal Examiner Photos by Roger Bianchini
A quick search online of “88 as a hate symbol” confirmed our reader’s observation, as the first post from the ADL website “Hate Symbols Database” stated: “88 is a white supremacist numerical code for ‘Heil Hitler.’ H is the eighth letter of the alphabet, so 88 = HH = Heil Hitler. One of the most common white supremacist symbols, 88 is used throughout the entire white supremacist movement, not just neo-Nazis (Bold in context).”
However, another search of “meanings of the number 88” in addition to the above hate symbol reference, revealed other cultural meanings. Those included: “good luck” in Chinese culture; spiritual enlightenment and intelligence; “love and kisses” as a sign off in amateur radio and radiotelegraphy; and the nickname of a standard piano due to its number of keys; among others.
But having been worn by a newly elected municipal official who had made local and regional news with the suggestion the rural northwestern Virginia town he now represents should rename a street for his former boss, 45th U.S. President Donald J. Trump, drew our reader’s attention to that white supremacist meaning.
After all, since President Trump’s public comments on the Charlottesville confrontation between anti-Semitic neo-Nazis and white supremacists and counter-demonstrators, one of whom, Heather Heyer, was killed – most notably “There are good people on both sides” – the former president has been widely perceived as courting right-wing extremist support as president. And now private citizen Trump is facing a second impeachment trial in the U.S. Senate for instigating sedition against legal democratic rule due to his January 6 remarks perceived as pivotal in sending an at least partially violent, self-identifying anti-Semitic mob toward and into the U.S. Capitol building that day as Congress was poised to debate and certify the Electoral College result naming Joe Biden the 46th President of the United States.
Above and below, Nazi holocaust referencing T-shirts worn by demonstrators who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6. ‘Camp Auschwitz’ refers to one of the concentration camps at which Jews were imprisoned and murdered during Nazi rule in Germany. ‘6MWE’ is reported to be neo-Nazi code for “Six Million Weren’t Enough” – six million being the approximate number of European Jews killed in the 1930’s and ‘40’s by the Nazis. – TV photos by news affiliates as identified in photos
A visit to his public Facebook page (@LloydforFroRo·Politician) revealed Lloyd’s “harmless explanation” and an active citizen discussion of that explanation. The explanation: “I have received a few inquiries regarding a pin that I wear occasionally with the number 88, and, incredibly, whether it has some Nazi significance (it’s really disheartening that we are going here, friends). The story: My father was a police officer in the 88th Precinct in New York City. One day a few years ago he gave me the pin that he wore on his uniform.”
The post continued with some family and personal details, including: “While he wore that pin, Dad was in several life-threatening situations, including having a brick thrown through his cruiser window during the riots that followed the assassination of Reverend Martin Luther King, one of my heroes” and “I do not pay any attention to what 88 might mean to anyone who has hate in his heart; I really don’t care what they think. They can’t monopolize it’s significance to me. Why would I let something like that prevent me from honoring my Dad?”
Two officers at their NYC 88th Precinct Station, neither of whom is his dad, Councilman Lloyd informed us of photo downloaded from Precinct’s Facebook page. – Photo Scott Lloyd’s Facebook page
Well, several posting comments in response to his explanation addressed that issue with the former Trump Administration Director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) during implementation of the migrant children separation from parents/guardians policy at our southern border:
“Time and place? To soon? Poor judgement? I’m sure you’re well acquainted with these terms. How can you be surprised given your request to name a street after DJT?” first commenter Joelyn Cada asked.
“I love this. You are a strong, faithful man. God bless you for honoring your dad. I’m sure he’s very proud of you. I had several family members on the NYPD. Not an easy way to make a living, but they loved our country,” Anne Henderson retorted.
“I appreciate that you have shared your story, Mr. Lloyd. I think you can agree that in light of the increasing number of events involving hate groups in the past several years that it would be wise to not wear your pin at public events. I agree with others here that your allegiance to Trump, who wears his racism as a badge of honor, may cause many to question your values,” Susan Lewis observed.
Overall as February began it was nearly a dead heat in the social media discussion on Lloyd’s public Facebook page. There were eight positive responses on Lloyd’s right to wear the pin to honor his father whenever and wherever he wanted, in response to the nine suggesting Lloyd discontinue public service wearing of the pin due to perception and the national political climate. And if you don’t count one reply that made a humorous reference to NASCAR’s number 88 driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr., as a “tweener” as I did, then it was a 9-9 dead heat.
“Thank you for your response to my questions. My, and others, concern stemmed from worries regarding the increase in anti-Semitism in our country and hoped that those representing us do not hold those violent, oppressive, and harmful opinions. I am sure you understand our concern. Again, thank you for your clarification,” Bailey Chapman wrote in reply to Lloyd’s explanation of his father’s career at NYPD’s 88th Precinct.
“Sadly, we live in a time of increased white nationalism and hate. We have to be vigilant. When I was serving my 20 years in the US Air Force, we were always reminded that perception is very important and can cause as much harm as actions,” Chickery, who brought this matter to our attention, said in response to Chapman’s comment on the context of a national rise in hate crimes and the “88-HH” symbolism of “Heil Hitler” shared among white supremacist and fascist groups.
However, Laura Jean Diekmann took offense at the notion Lloyd should be asked to alter his behavior based on issues peripheral to his explained personal life. “If any of you got out from behind your computer and scheduled a coffee with this honorable man, you would know what a wonderful person of integrity he is. You all are the ones who continue to work for division. Do the work and stop the attacks. God Bless you all!,” Diekmann offered with a perhaps Divinely inspired exclamation point.
“If something has been coopted by white supremacists, it’s time to stop wearing it publicly. Keep it at your desk,” Jeanne Lowiec Theis suggested in a summation of the opinion that due to the widespread neo-fascist coding use, Lloyd should leave his “88” lapel pin off during tele-broadcast Front Royal Town Council meetings.
However, Karen Roy Patton countered that individual behavior should not be dictated by outside factors regardless of public position or perceptions. “So because some hateful people use a number the rest of us should hide things that are sentimental or important or found on any sports jersey? No! I had to Google “88”, I had no idea. Take away 88 off of everything and problems don’t go away. People should start treating each other better that might be a better start.”
As for treating others better, Kristin Iden remarked on Lloyd’s reference to Martin Luther King Jr. as a hero and others’ points made on the role of “perceptions” in public life. “Martin Luther King Jr is honestly one of your heroes? If that is truly the case, you would work to support the people of color, the undervalued, those separated from their families, the sick, those considered ‘least of these’ by the town and not waste your time on the nonsense of naming a street after a man who wouldn’t denounce white nationalism,” Iden pointed out of Lloyd’s continued allegiance to the man whose administration he served in during the above-referenced migrant child-parent separation policy targeting a partially black, though largely brown-skinned Central American Hispanic population at our southern border.
As to Lloyd’s stint as director of the Trump Administration’s Office of Refugee Resettlement during the migrant children separation policy, it was a policy Lloyd did not create. It was, however, a highly controversial policy with known psychologically damaging impacts on children, especially younger ones, of which the department he was tasked to direct was given a significant amount of oversight of.
“I appreciate you sharing the story about your father. It’s touching,” Iden continued, adding, “It is also your responsibility as a leader to be thoughtful of your actions and their meaning. It is tone deaf and irresponsible to wear an 88 lapel in 2021 Virginia, post insurrection. Our country has a serious problem with hate groups,” Iden observed referencing the January 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol and previous anti-Semitic, ethnic and racial incidents in recent years.
Royal Examiner contacted Lloyd about the impact of this social media discussion about the “88” lapel pin in light of the concern expressed that even with its personal meaning to him, it could be interpreted as a “wink-wink” sign of support by right-wing extremists.
“It is hard for me to believe that we are having this conversation at all, although there’s a silver-lining I guess in that I get the opportunity to talk about my dad, whom I love and respect,” Lloyd began in an emailed response. “I never cared what hate groups had to say. I plan to leave it that way, and am not comfortable worrying about any hate group’s mindset in any way, even at the urging of well-intentioned commenters on Facebook. To do so would take the hate groups out of the darkest corners of the Internet and give them a relevance that they do not merit.
“That said, I never planned on making a habit of wearing the pin and only wore it on a whim during the Chamber of Commerce event. It’s not made for use with my type of suit, so to wear it is to risk losing it. I think my Front Royal pin is more appropriate for Council engagements,” he concluded.
Lloyd at recent town council meeting sans any lapel pin. The tiny pin doesn’t attach well to his jackets, so he is not likely to wear it at public meetings as he did at the Chamber Candidates Forum last October, he says.
And so it appears, will another burgeoning Town of Front Royal political controversy bite the dust, if not for the reason some would have liked Lloyd to acknowledge surrounding elected public official responsibility regarding “perceptions” in an increasingly explosive political environment, at least for a sensible family-based reason that he does not want to lose a gift from his father that he can barely attach to his suit jacket lapels.
And so it goes as municipal business in the Town of Front Royal and Warren County proceeds into the second month of 2021.
Now maybe we can talk about allowing the EDA sale of the Afton Inn for the common good of redevelopment of the high-profile derelict site to proceed within its most recent approaching contract deadline, or about correcting the Happy Creek riparian buffer bank fiasco at the other end of East Main Street in Front Royal’s Historic Downtown Business District. – Or is that too much to ask as a nation, and small-town America, debate a political flirtation with right-wing authoritarianism versus left-wing “nanny state-ism”?
Above, Jan. 6 mob attack on the U.S. Capitol and Legislative Branch of government led to a strong militarized preparation and presence for the Jan. 20 inauguration of Joe Biden as 46th President of the United States. What does that have to do with local politics? Well, it’s a long story titled “A Street by Any Other Name” running about 70 west of miles D.C.
