Reaction
Kellar's words echoed far beyond their intended audience at the impassioned Valencia rally organized by local Minutemen and conservative "tea party" groups.

Some found Kellar's statements at the rally disturbing, regardless of what he meant.

"I was shocked. I couldn't believe it," said Bruce McFarland, a local Democratic activist, who added Kellar's latest YouTube appearance has been a hot topic in e-mail discussions.

"Here's a guy who is supposed to be representing the city of Santa Clarita, and does represent the city of Santa Clarita - whether or not he says he's expressing our opinion," McFarland said.

"He doesn't represent us well talking that way, and I don't think he should continue to hold office. He's an embarassment to the city."

Roger Gitlin, leader of the Santa Clarita Valley Minutemen and rally organizer, said he was proud of Kellar for stepping up and speaking.

"Bob Kellar is not a racist," he said. "Bob Kellar is an American who abides by the rule of law and asks our government to do the same."

However, Gitlin said it seemed Kellar might have been "over-rhetorical."

"I think Bob probably got a little ahead of himself with his words," he said. "He is not a racist. He judges people by their deeds, not by the color of their skin or by their ethnicity."

Others who disagreed with Kellar acknowledged the councilman's opinion about illegal immigration alone doesn't make him racist.

A spokesman for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, which helped suspects arrested during a local immigration raid last year, said Kellar's views, however, may be outdated.

"I don't believe that establishing ‘one flag, one language' is necessarily racist," said coalition spokesman Jorge Mario Cabrera. "I do believe that it doesn't correspond with the reality of the America we live in now."

Jorge Garcia, a Chicano studies professor at California State University, Northridge, said most immigrants, regardless of where they come from or what language they speak, try to learn English.

He scoffed at Kellar's attempt to portray his own views as radical.

"He's not a radical - he's a reactionary," Garcia said. "A reactionary wants to go back to some mythical time where everybody speaks English. It's never been that way."

City officials react
City Councilwoman Laurie Ender said she does not share Kellar's opinions.

"I thought what he said was shocking and I hope he is able to clarify his comments," she said.

Councilman Frank Ferry, a former U.S. history teacher, said during times of economic turmoil people often attack poor and disenfranchised groups.

"In my eyes, Bob Kellar and others at the rally are attacking the undocumented worker," Ferry said. "(Kellar's) rhetoric is very loud and strong, and it will definitely offend a group of people. ... But Bob doesn't care. He's not going to change his position."

Councilwoman Marsha McLean said illegal immigration is a polarizing issue that elicits strong rhetoric from both sides.

"I believe that each of us individually are responsible for the way we conduct ourselves in office," McLean said.

"The public will ultimately decide if our actions or words are appropriate or not."

Mayor Laurene Weste declined to comment.

Ethics
The city's code of ethics states, in regard to advocacy, that "when presenting their individual opinions and positions, (City Council members and other city officials) shall explicitly state they do not represent their body or the city of Santa Clarita, nor will they allow the inference that they do."

Kellar, who was mayor when the City Council approved and enacted the code in May 2008, was introduced at the rally as a city councilman and referenced what he had said about one flag, one language at a City Council meeting. On the YouTube video, he did not explicitly say he was not representing the city.

City Attorney Carl Newton, who would investigate any breach of the city's code of ethics, said Thursday he thought it was clear Kellar was giving his own passionate opinion and did not violate the code, citing the First Amendment.

"He did not say he was speaking on behalf of the council or speaking in an official capacity, so I don't think he has violated any policy," Newton said.

Ferry agreed, and other council members declined to comment about the matter.

"We have five different opinions," Ferry said. "He didn't do anything on behalf of the council."

Newton said his office has never been called to investigate an alleged breach of the code, and the consequences of a violation are unclear.

Kellar's views
Kellar said he supports immigrants who are learning English, but he is disturbed by immigrants who do not choose to learn English and assimilate.

"At the Rose Parade a few years back, I saw more Mexican flags being waved around the crowd than American flags," Kellar said. "What is that? That is disturbing to me. This is America; this is not Mexico."

"If they want to be a proud American, they should learn the English language like our forefathers did."

"I care about America," Kellar said. "I recognize we are a melting pot. We all are, including me. But we are now Americans.

"We have one flag; we have one language. That is a piece of the big puzzle that makes this nation great."

Kellar said it is the responsibility of every elected official to speak out about the issue of illegal immigration.

"Shame on elected representatives who don't have the intestinal fortitude to address the issue," Kellar said.

"I will not deviate that illegal immigration is wrong."

He added: "If there are people out there who differ with me, then so be it, because we are Americans."

Signal staff writer Tammy Marashlian contributed to this report.