John Day locals protest Aryan Nations site
JOHN DAY, Ore. – Paul R. Mullet wore a military-style uniform shirt with a swastika patch on it when he came to the quiet central Oregon town of John Day recently, making no attempt to obscure what he stood for and what he was planning.
Now, residents of the normally tranquil town that bills itself as the gateway to one of Oregon’s most popular outdoor recreation areas has found itself in the spotlight after Mullet announced he was looking for a new home for the headquarters of the Aryan Nations, one of the most vehement white power organizations in the United States.
The local paper is now busy tracking the movements of Mullet, who claims he is the national director of the group, which has been based in Idaho.
Aryan Nations members believe the white race is superior to all others and oppose race mixing, deny the Holocaust ever happened, distribute anti-Semitic and racist literature and advocate nuking Israel, according to their Web site. 
Nazi leader Adolf Hitler is referred to as an “Aryan prophet” on the site. The group has repeatedly claimed they want to establish a “white only” enclave in the United States.
Mullet reportedly wants to hold a national convention in or near the city next year and indicated he is interested in an unused junior high school and a vacant church as a possible new national headquarters for the group.
Earlier this week, dozens of local residents rallied in opposition of Mullet’s plan. However, during his visit, Mullet was accompanied by a Grant County resident and the leader of the Washington chapter of the group.
John Day’s mayor and police chief claim residents are united in their opposition to the group coming to town and residents said they fear any association with the group will drive away tourism, a major economic engine for the city and sparsely populated region that has been hard by the recession.
Unemployment in the area is far above state averages, which is already above 10 percent.
John Day sits on the border of the Great Basin region, one of the most sparsely populated - and environmentally hostile - areas of the United States. The area covers parts of Oregon, California, Idaho, Nevada and Colorado. However, the region is also well known for it's stark high-desert and mountainous beauty, great fishing and lake-based recreation areas.
Meetings are being set up by concerned citizens in John Day and surrounding communities such as Canyon City to look into resisting Mullet’s intentions and any legal recourse they may have – if any - to block the groups’ activities.