To the Editor:
If anyone had any doubt that the Republican Party has abandoned democracy for authoritarian MAGA, they have only to look at the debacle in the Republican Congress last week when they voted down a $114 million border security bill negotiated by highly-regarded Senator James Lankford (R-OK). It gave them nearly everything they requested while giving the Democrats little of what they wanted (much to their chagrin). The embrace of parasitic MAGA by the “Grand Old Party” has desiccated an essential partner in our democracy.
In a democratic society, opposing parties negotiate in good faith to arrive at a compromise superior to the status quo. Democrats were not happy that they got few concessions in the immigration negotiations but understood that the present situation required compromise.
However, Republicans rejected the highly restrictive migrant legislation because it doesn’t include every single provision they wanted, and because Trump doesn’t want the Biden Administration to get credit for solving the issue. He has sold MAGA the idea that, in his world, they will never have to compromise. He promises to provide a government where whatever they want will just ! Poof! happen. And they were willing to savage their own esteemed Senator Lankford as a flaccid negotiator.
In short, they have no interest in democracy. Interviews with MAGA have revealed that many want an authoritarian leader who will enforce their beliefs and wishes without the hassle of negotiation and compromise. They excuse Trump’s crudities, abuse of women, support for White Nationalism and violence, interminable lies and love of despots as just “Trump being Trump,” as if he were just a rambunctious, amusing child.
Trump has modeled credibility, truth, and honor as optional. After the immigration proposal was defeated, Congressional Republicans spread layers of misinformation of its contents. Mitch McConnell and Lindsay Graham (for two) whose staffs had worked closely with Senator Lankford on the package, reversed themselves after Trump’s directive and called the proposal “a terrible plan.” Did I mention that courage is also in short supply in the Republican Congress?
The American economy is experiencing one of its greatest growth periods of our lifetimes, and yet many Republicans want to persuade the country that our nation is in ruins and can’t afford foreign obligations. Still, we’re living through one of the most challenging periods of modern times. What is not helpful are legislators who are enthralled with a corrupt narcissist and don’t really want to work together to solve anything.
Kelly Scoles,
Fillmore, Ca.
To the Editor:
The immigration bill you call “… an abomination …” is the Republican bill. They got what they wanted, without any provision for “Dreamers.” They can’t take yes for an answer. They don’t want immigration solved. They admit Trump needs it for a cudgel against Biden. I say they never wanted it solved. They scuttled bi-partisan bills in 2006, 2008, and 2016. They do not want it solved because they want to use it to instill fear in voters—which is more important to them than fentanyl. They don’t want it solved because illegal immigrants are a treasure trove of low wage, easily abused labor—labor that largely benefits Republican donors. Republicans sell fear, not solutions. In case anyone missed their hypocrisy, they moved to impeach the immigration secretary while refusing him the money and authority to do what they say they want him to do, but of course, they don’t really.
Final points. 1/6 was an assault designed to thwart a constitutional process. That’s the difference between a riot and an insurrection. You know that. Just as you know Biden in no way committed treason. You have a sacred trust. You owe it to the founders to honor that trust.
Pat Collins,
Fillmore, Ca.
To the Editor:
I will not attempt to answer your Editorial last week because I’m afraid I left Kings Leonidas of Sparta and Xerxes of Persia in my HS freshman ancient history class.
I take exception, however, to your vile statement that Biden and “his radical liberal cronies are evil people.” You are plainly an acolyte of the late, unlamented Limbaugh who assigned moral standing to political parties to appeal to his needy and resentful audience and thereby collected millions. You can’t just disagree, you excoriate, condemn, and invoke moral judgment on political “unbelievers.” Note: “My beliefs or the highway to hell” is not a principle of a Democratic Republic.
You and other MAGA followers, despite the growing revelations of Trump’s mental, emotional, and legal decay, remain steadfast in support.
Some love Trump for what he represents for possibilities of success, revenge, and retribution. Some, having supported him in the past, are afraid to reject him even after revelations of the dark underbelly of his character because they cannot accept having been wrong. Some reject, as presidentially disqualifying, evidence of Trump’s lack of morality, integrity, his threats of violence against individuals and institutions, and of criminal and civil charges, because they, like Trump, hold that anyone who calls them out or disagrees with them is corrupt, crooked, or on a “political witch hunt.”
Some like you, Martin, are energized when religious beliefs are symbiotically joined with political identity so that political opposition is not just wrong, but “evil.” Intrinsic feelings of racial superiority, misogyny, sexual and gender hostilities, and persecution often accompany this belief. Some Christians view Trump as a prophet or messiah, a “Cheeto Jesus,” and are attracted to political strongmen or religious autocrats who will validate their social, political, and religious beliefs and enforce them onto others as “the norm.”
Some, as we saw on January 6, just want to “watch it burn.”
Consider an incident which occurred after the latest Carroll verdict which granted an additional $83.3M in defamation damages against Trump following a sexual assault. Before Trump left the defense counsel table, he turned to Robbie Kaplan, Carroll’s attorney, and said, “See You Next Tuesday.” She had no idea to what he was referring. Later, her staff explained that his statement is one used by insecure, ill-bred teenaged boys. The phrase is an unprintable misogynistic slur understood by the phonetic sound of the first two words, adding the first initials of the last two words. Last Saturday, Trump asked social media if he still “looked like Elvis.”
Such is the character, mind, and dignity of the “messianic” leader of the Republican Party.
Kelly Scoles,
Fillmore, Ca
To the Editor:
I’m new to Fillmore. I’m impressed you have a local newspaper. That’s a rare thing these days and something to be proud of. I am disheartened to see your recent editorial descends into calling those who disagree with you “evil.” As a citizen, it is of concern. It is a short leap from inflammatory rhetoric to violence. As a responsible publisher, I’d think you’d have more discipline. My conservative friends tell me that their guiding principles are personal responsibility and individual freedom. I share those principles; however, I include responsibilities beyond my immediate family, to my neighbors, to my community in circles that ripple outward. I don’t condemn those who seek to protect and secure their families by attempting to come to this great country of ours. I recognize there is good and bad in people, even in my fellow citizens. I believe in freedom over my personal decisions—including my healthcare and decisions about the welfare of my children. I do not believe I’ve been anointed to make those decisions for others. That doesn’t make me evil. If you believe the border must be secured, support President Biden and call on congress to pass the immigration bill without delay.
Pat Collins,
Fillmore, Ca.
To the Editor:
Martin: What made my head ache, in reading last week’s editorial, was trying to figure out whether you resent people with high financial IQ’s begging government to do its job and remedy increasingly destructive income inequality, or you were just avoiding holding Republicans responsible for pandering to extreme wealth. However, you clearly have not lost your choreography skills when it comes to avoiding the subject.
Republicans finally said the quiet part out loud when it comes to immigration and the southern border. Contrary to GOP representations, it’s not the Democrats who have failed to propose immigration regulation and controls. It’s not Demos trying to keep immigration an election issue rather than resolve it.
The 2024 Biden-proposed budget includes 14 billion to increase border patrol officers, immigration judges, and other border personnel. It is essentially a conservative proposal (resisted but ultimately accepted by Demos) and supported by a handful of Republicans.
But ex-president Trump has made it known he does not want a border/immigration solution during President Biden’s term. He wants it to remain an election issue so that, if elected, he will be credited with the solution. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Speaker Mike Johnson have decided not to “undermine” the political objective of the presumptive Republican nominee, sexual assaulter and defamer, and accused felon. The usual Republican handwringing continues, with Republicans who truly support immigration reform putting country over Party.
Many Republicans want the border problems to remain unsolved, an election issue with which to flog Democrats. No matter that it’s politics over the country’s interests, no matter that it’s disingenuous. No matter that their candidate is facing 91 felony accusations, last week’s second $83.3M civil verdict for repeated defamation damages, $65M of it punitive because the jury believed that he cannot be deterred by anything less than a massive award. A slow learner, without a moral compass but with a vicious temper, whom the RNC wants to be their 2024 presidential nominee by acclamation.
This weekend, Islamic Resistance in Iraq hit an outpost on the border of Jordan’s boundary with Syria and Iran, killing three American soldiers. Iran denied responsibility and clearly it is incumbent upon all countries in this tinderbox to withhold retaliation until all facts are known. President Biden stated that “we will respond.”
Candidate Nikki Haley essentially called for nuclear bombing of Iran without knowing the details, as did Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), tiny barking dog Lindsay Graham, and other Republicans. Candidate Trump, perhaps addled by his recent legal disasters, declared that he could have prevented the attack. Can’t get a jury to believe him, but the Middle East will fall on its knees.
Kelly Scoles,
Fillmore, Ca.
To the Editor:
The World Economic Forum (“WEF”) was convened in Davos, Switzerland, recently. A meeting of international business leaders met for the first time without Covid restrictions to reflect on the state of the world and expectations for the future. A number of issues were discussed, including the dangers of AI, and threats to world peace from Russia and an unrestrained Israel in Gaza, but there were two other issues that were particularly relevant to our current political situation.
First. In an open letter to the WEF, 250 “Proud to Pay” millionaires and billionaires, including Bill Gates, Abigail Disney, and Valerie Rockefeller, urged the developed nations to impose higher taxes on people of extreme wealth – like them – to “address the dramatic rise of income inequality” which will be “catastrophic for society.”
A subsequent poll of over 2,300 millionaires/billionaires in G20 nations found that more than 70% of the respondents said they believe wealth “helps buy political influence” and a majority see extreme concentrations of wealth at the very top as corrosive to democracy. “Inequality has reached a tipping point, and its cost to our economic, societal and ecological stability risk is severe.”
“Our request is simple: we ask you to tax us, the very richest in society…We need action now…This will not fundamentally alter our standard of living, nor deprive our children, nor harm our nations’ economic growth. But it will turn extreme and unproductive private wealth into an investment for our common democratic future...This is a political choice.”
Second. Thomas Buberl, chief executive of French insurance giant AXA, one of the largest insurance companies in the world, called President Biden’s Investment Reduction Act (IRA), legislation giving incentives to American companies in one of several industries, “one of the most brilliant pieces of legislation I’ve seen in years. It creates a clear path for investment in carbon-reducing activities while helping the economy get over the hump of the transition from fossil fuels.”
European and Asian companies have objected that the measure unfairly helps U.S. companies and could steal their manufacturing capacity away. Many also argue a more cooperative approach among allies would help counterbalance the influence of China over manufacturing. A little too much “America First.”
But Republicans reject the view that taxing extreme wealth is an imperative to the future of democracy. As income inequality produces increased homelessness here, and children go hungry, the GOP congratulates itself for lower taxes on the rich and lower government assistance to those who are increasingly in need. As the world recognizes the advantage to America that President Biden’s IRA represents, Republicans claim he is “destroying our country.” Somebody is off their trolley.
Kelly Scoles
Fillmore, Ca.
To the Editor:
Re: 1994 Northridge Earthquake Experiences in Fillmore
Hello!
Just for the historical record, I was president of the Fillmore Historical Society and Museum Board of Directors at the time of the 1994 Northridge Earthquake. I have stories to tell, as well.
Sincerely,
Kathie Briggs,
Historical Society President for 8 years
Native of Fillmore
Declared and Potential Historic Landmark Advisor
To the Editor:
Martin, you are correct that the Democratic Party generally was racist, pro-slavery and Confederacy in 1860, et seq., but when the Democrats awoke and became the predominant Party of Civil Rights in the 1960’s, the South found a happy home in the bosom of modern Republicanism. There’s no point in further arguing your fantasy that General Brown has a plan to turn the military over to minorities, and that he consistently lies to protect that plan. The fact that he is urging minorities to aim higher for themselves in military service, to apply to the Air Force and strive to meet its stringent officer requirements, is pretty boring compared to your phantasmagoric theories.
When House Republicans threatened to cannibalize their third Speaker in less than a year for re-agreeing with Senate Democrats on an ultimate budget figure with exact appropriations to be determined, Johnson’s response was to declare that no immigration bill would be considered until Trump, or another Republican, occupies the WH (you read that correctly). They won’t accept the 14 billion the Biden administration has proposed for border control, even if it means no funding for allies in the middle of wars and keeping the government open. All they really seem to care about is “Hunter Biden’s balls” (Nancy Mace, R-SC, hollered in Committee that he “doesn’t have any,” while Margie Greene’s gallery of pictures from his laptop proved distinctly otherwise).
The closing arguments for Trump’s New York fraud case occurred last week. Because Trump’s legal team failed to timely request a jury trial, only Judge Engoron has to be persuaded. It was curious then, when he was allowed a few closing statements to the Court, Trump proceeded to insult the judge and berate the entire legal process. On appeal, SCOTUS will not respond favorably to aspersions on the judiciary.
Trump’s attorney, John Sauer, argued that “presidential immunity” should permit a president to order a Navy SEAL6 to assassinate a political rival and never be held accountable unless (s)he were first impeached and convicted by Congress. Sauer apparently didn’t consider that, were his ridiculous arguments successful, Biden could order his client’s assassination, be impeached by the Republican House, not convicted by the Democratic Senate, and therefore be immune from future criminal prosecution for the crime. Trump doesn’t think clearly beyond his own immediate self-interest and never has, which is why he is in all the legal trouble he is at present.
Last week, Trump demanded that Iowa Republicans defy the life-threatening weather and caucus anyway: “You can’t sit home. If you’re sick as a dog…even if you vote and then pass away, it’s worth it. Remember, if you’re sick, if you’re just so sick…Get up!” Once you’ve voted for him, Repos, you and your problems are of no further interest to The Don.
Kelly Scoles,
Fillmore, Ca
To the Editor:
Martin, in last week’s editorial, you provided a perfect example of the challenges of our discourse. Even after reading it a couple of times, I couldn’t discern what statements you were disputing or asserting. I finally got to the nugget where you insisted that General Brown made a statement, but “it just sounded like he didn’t, in military salad vocabulary.” Is that kind of like editorial salad vocabulary? You conjured a conspiracy theory that the General lied to promote his sub rosa ideologies, violative of the chain of command, because you think he is advocating something you don’t agree with. We will all pay a terrible price if this is how we consider informed expert opinion and advice. And I don’t go anywhere near a donut these days.
In December, campaigning in Berlin, New Hampshire, Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley responded to a voter about the causes of the Civil War that began in her home state of South Carolina, by describing it as a “conflict over how government was going to run, the freedoms and what people could and couldn’t do,” she said among other absurd things.
When the questioner responded, “In the year 2023, it’s astonishing to me that you answer that question without mentioning the word slavery.” Haley shot back, “What do you want me to say about slavery?” before abruptly adding, “Next question.”
In subsequent interviews, Haley was clearly irritated about the criticism of her statement, but blamed it on a “gotcha question” from Democrats planted to embarrass her (are there any Republicans in politics who will own their errors?) She then conceded that slavery was a cause of the War, “everybody in the South knows that” (and some of her friends are Black), suggesting that it goes without saying. Rubbish.
Either Nikki is a victim of the current anti-history movement seeking to reinvent consideration of slavery and its present effects, or she is tailoring the truth so as not to offend her delicate constituents, and only cops to truth when cornered.
Recently, in Temecula, CA, the local school district board voted 3-2 to reject the state-approved history book in favor of a substitute which does not discuss causes or assess blame for the Civil War except in the most general terms. God forbid that the War and its dreadful aftermath, the long-term effects of slavery, our true history, should be confronted. No one must feel uncomfortable that their ancestors committed some terrible wrongs while others had to die to stop those wrongs and save the Union. The War is over, the perpetrators and defenders are all dead, but the experience is still deeply embedded in our society. And Temecula, et al., doesn’t want to hear it.
Like Haley, some people still censor or deny uncomfortable historical truth, as if that will change reality.
Kelly Scoles,
Fillmore, Ca.
To the Editor:
Martin, as you plan to respond to Mr. Gradias next week, I will make this brief. Since you had no objection to what I said about Trump’s legal morass, I’ll just focus on General Charles Q. Brown who was confirmed (83-11) as Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to replace General Mark Milley, and was interviewed about his personal experiences with racism before his confirmation.
May I suggest that next time, when you refer to a subject which is presented in a publication like STARRS which exists solely to protest “Woke” in the armed services, you read more than the skewed headline and perhaps even the actual document in question? Otherwise, it can lead a “careless reader” to assume that the General stated that there are “too many white officers in the US Armed Forces.” Once again, the General did not say that.
Instead, Senator Eric Schmidt (R-MO), in questioning the General, said it. “Good morning, General. Do we have too many white officers in the Air Force? In your August 9 memo, you said–that you signed on to– that there should be a reduction essentially, of about 9% of the white officers, that’s we have too many white officers.”
General Brown: “Senator, the memorandum updates Air Force and Space officer application pool goals…reflected U.S. demographics.” He said that he was not advocating for racial quotas in the military. Having them, he said, is against Pentagon policy. The general added that he would not have signed the memo if it did not also make clear that the military’s merit-based personnel system remains firmly in place. If you read the memo itself, Martin, you will discover his actual statements.
He expressed his concern that young African Americans and women, across the board, “might self-eliminate just because we don’t think we’re qualified.” Air Force and Space officer applications are currently comprised of 67.5% White and 13% Black candidates.
I know you are deeply attached to your Armageddon scenarios, Martin, but the world is challenging enough without concocting them.
Kelly Scoles,
Fillmore, Ca
To The Editor:
Martin, I was going to skip Christmas week and wait for the New Year to resurrect politics and then you “grinched” that idea and wrote last week’s editorial. I’m just going to comment on the first two paragraphs because we’ve all got things to do, but obvious misstatements are an “attractive nuisance.”
You quote President Biden warning that Kyiv can only anticipate 1 billion dollars to the end of the month, and then additional Congressional funding will have to be authorized by Congress. Right. Tell it to the Republican House, many of whose members are reluctant to fund Ukraine’s fight. Biden is not the one threatening to “kneecap” Ukraine in the middle of a war.
It was not just pay raises for the 11 generals that Tuberville refused. It was promotions. The DOD is unable to fill existing high-level openings. General Brown did NOT say there were “too many white people in the Air Force.” He said that of the 12,000 pilots in the Air Force, only a dozen or so are black. He pointed out that “you only aspire to what you are exposed to,” and urged black soldiers to aim higher, and white soldiers to recognize the imbalance. Stating the obvious is not having “a chip on the shoulder,” Martin, and if it is “woke,” count me in.
You characterize the four indictments against ex-president Trump as ex post facto, or “after the fact” persecution (US Constitution, Article I, Section 9). You are incorrect. The allegations against Trump for January 6 are for acts which were crimes then and are crimes now. Criminal conduct, such as insurrection, is “outside the scope” of presidential authority so, while sitting presidents cannot be prosecuted for criminal actions while in office, they can be when they leave office. Having been president is not a lifetime “get out of jail card.”
Trump’s attempt to sway false electors (and now they have it on tape) and interfere in GA’s and other states’ election process, are campaign crimes and beyond the scope of presidential authority.
Stealing, refusing to return, lying about it, and sharing highly classified defense documents, secreting them by moving them from place to place to avoid detection, or “disappearing” one critical document on Russian spies, are crimes which occurred after Trump’s presidency and are well beyond any potential defense of immunity.
SCOTUS’ refusal to grant the petition for certiorari to bypass the Appeals Court on the issue of immunity was strange. The Court can set its own agenda for cases it deems “sufficiently important,” and in the past 3 years has granted 14 writs before appellate judgment. Jack Smith has already filed for an expedited appeal with the Fifth District Court.
Martin misrepresents a constitutional crisis as being about Trump and his base being unlawfully oppressed for lawful conduct. Trump has shown that he considers himself beyond the law. He knows from experience that the can successfully whine to MAGA about his victimhood (a self-proclaimed perpetual innocent, except for the rape conviction), intimidate the courts, judicial institutions, and the Republican Congress. He’s hoping it will work again.
Kelly Scoles,
Fillmore, Ca.
To the Editor:
Martin, regarding last week’s editorial, in the Spirit of Christmas, I won’t repeat now my serial refutations of your fanciful but apparently self-invigorating views of the political/social scene. May you have a restful, peaceful, and old-fashioned, bubble-lights holiday season. Now, don’t lick off all the icing and reject the more substantial cookies as you so love to do with politics.
I commend the Republican House for finally voting with Democrats to approve funding for our allies and for overriding Tommy Tuberville’s (R-LA) military hostage standoff in the Senate, absent add-ons for military reimbursement policy.
SCOTUS has agreed to decide if it will take immediate action on whether a president has absolute immunity for criminal acts committed while he was president, but outside the scope of his constitutional authority. A Federal Appeals Court has already determined that a president does not have absolute immunity in civil cases. My guess is that SCOTUS will take the case and ultimately not decide in Trump’s favor (I’ve been wrong before), as no president is a king who can act with impunity.
What Trump and his pouty-mouthed and procedurally challenged attorney, Alina Habba, fail to grasp is that there is no more defensive a body for judicial honor and respect than SCOTUS. It is highly unlikely that they are apathetic to the consistent Trumpian assault on the institutions of American law. Thomas and Alito are possible exceptions.
Last Wednesday, the House voted along Party lines to initiate formal inquiry into impeachment against President Biden. The allegations are said to be vast and dark; the proof has been ephemeral or absent. Even Fox is questioning the nebulous conclusions of the Republicans. Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC), in supporting the inquiry, said of Biden, "You cannot just….say you are innocent and not have to prove it," indicating a complete failure to understand how the presumption of innocence works in these United States.
Republicans claim they could “go on and on” with their claims of “plenty of proof” of “seedy criminal behavior” of the President, but they don’t elaborate, hoping that repetitive accusation will convince their base. It has worked many times before. Their biggest bitch is that Hunter paid his father back for a truck and may have used a funding source ultimately originating in a Chinese business Hunter worked with.
If that’s what Republicans think is their most imperative obligation to our country, go for it.
Kelly Scoles,
Fillmore, Ca.
Editor:
In last week’s editorial, Martin misrepresented the “reality of America’s military enfeeblement under the Biden administration” and once again chain-rattled about somebody else’s sex life.
Martin concluded that “the Biden administration will cut assistance to Ukraine, and possibly to Israel.” In fact, last week the Biden administration proposed 105 billion dollars in support of Ukraine, Taiwan, and Israel, and earmarked 20 billion for border security.
But Senate and House Republicans refused because the bill didn’t include tightening immigration laws. Republicans have rejected 8 Democratic bills on immigration since 2000 and have not offered their own bill since the far-right conservatives in the Republican House rejected even considering the bipartisan “Gang of Eight” immigration bill 10 years ago. Republicans are playing a lethal game and holding support for our allies hostage to do it.
Martin chose not to cite Senator Tommy Tuberville’s (R-LA) ten-months-long hold up of promotions which affected military readiness. He refused a phone call from four-star general and Secretary of Defense Austin on the subject. The Republicans finally got the votes needed to join Democrats in overwhelming his objections to 425 promotions, though he wouldn’t budge on 11 generals. Which Party is “enfeebling the military”?
The thought of “a normal, healthy, God-fearing young man” following a woman officer into combat has Martin’s knickers in a knot again. No matter that history is full of women warriors and brave and competent gay or bi-sexual military or civil leaders. I’ve listed many of them before only to discover that reason or proof against visceral reactions are futile.
The “soldiers forced to wear high heels,” to “walk in her shoes,” was a voluntary choice of a sensitivity exercise at Temple University and Arizona State designed to raise awareness of the significant issue of sexual assault in the military. I hope that Martin has no opposition to that objective.
Another subject: Rep. James Comer has subpoenaed Hunter Biden to testify behind closed doors to the Judiciary subcommittee. Hunter has agreed to testify but only if the hearing is public. Comer is clearly not interested in transparency. Hunter is willing to let unpleasant facts be raised publicly, but the circus that is the Republican House wants to protect itself from possible censure for overplaying its hand, again.
Keep in mind that Republican Judiciary Committee chair, Gym Jordan, known to have been central to the 2021 insurrection, himself refused to testify under subpoena to the January 6 Committee behind closed doors or publicly. Hapless phonies, but you have to give them points for consistency.
Kelly Scoles
To the Editor:
You say, “truth is singular, solid, and exclusive.” It is proven that two people can witness the same event and recall and characterize it very differently. What you mean is that truth is whatever you believe it to be, and your predispositions are immutable. Thousands who disagree with you or have lived a different experience are just…wrong, and likely “woke communists.” One example of your way of thinking is the horrifying situation in Israel/Palestine where insistence on binary choices of the Israeli Jews and Muslims have resulted in a potentially world-wide religious and political war.
Your argument that the Jews have a superior claim to the land because they inhabited Israel for four thousand years before the Diasporas, and the Palestinians for only the last thousand years, suggests that the US should hand over our entire country to Native Americans who were here first, at least 25,000 years ago.
When competing human interests are involved, binary choices often lead to disaster. That’s why negotiation and diplomacy are essential. The western allies should have foreseen this conflict when, in 1947, it surrendered a country inhabited by Arab Muslims to Zionists, without negotiation or compensation, and then let Israel “righteously” gobble up the land until all that is left to Muslims is Gaza and an increasingly diminished West Bank. This does not justify anti-Semitism. But restricting solutions to binary choices, as in “one or the other of you must cease to exist” is a reptilian conclusion of a supposedly intelligent species.
When you quote “Church Militant,” I smirk. Turgid, objectivity-free opinion is at hand. While 99.9% of scientists believe that human activity is responsible for rapid and irreversible climate reactions, atheist and Nobel Laureate Dr. John Clauser believes that "as much as it may upset many people, my message is the planet is not in peril…I believe there is no climate crisis." Goody for him. He has also called for the “termination of carbon-limiting measures which threaten…a terrible and dangerous waste of scarce money." A true binary choice: you can pay now, or you can really pay later.
As an aside, Michael Voris, who founded the radical far-right organization “Church Militant” to speak out against reforms in the Catholic Church and play an active role in right-wing politics, recently resigned for unidentified “very, very ugly truths from my past that I have avoided facing...there are things that I have to …address and work on. They are horrible, ugly things.” May he find the peace he seeks but, given his attacks on the LBGTQ community, the climate crisis, and other issues he deems as "woke," his election denial and determination that all Democrats are communists and “not real Americans,” these lurid admissions pique interest.
You, Dr. Clauser, and Michael Voris, are entitled to your exotic point of view in defiance of "overwhelming scientific consensus.” But when freshwater is gold, humankind will not get a do-over.
Kelly Scoles,
Fillmore, Ca
To the Editor:
Sometimes a binary choice, one or the other, is not possible. Sometimes the truth resides in more than one point of view. Sometimes the solution requires painful admissions, confronting a friend, or defending an enemy.
I understand that the Israel/Palestine tragedy can engender a visceral response from Jews and Muslims the world over because it involves family and friends, ancestral horrors, and historical pain and suffering on both sides. The idea that any criticism of Israel is anti-Semitic is fanatical, as is assuming that Palestinians have no legitimate right to defend their lands against an ever-encroaching Israel.
Conflicts exist between generations. Many Jewish parents believe that “without Israel, there would be no Jews in the world,” but their children may see Israel as a west-supported super-power imposing military control over a vulnerable population. There is some truth in both points of view.
After WWII, the western allies awarded Palestine, a Jewish homeland 2000 years prior, to the Israelis as compensation for ignoring “The Final Solution” extinction effort by the Nazis during WWII.
The Palestinians assert that the West and the Jews, in 1947, had no right to disestablish what had been their homeland for the last 1000 years to salve a collective guilt, without negotiation or compensation.
Tragically, efforts to obtain a “two-nation resolution” have been repeatedly rejected by both parties, and each side has vowed obliteration of the other. The political leaders of both sides consider themselves “righteous” belligerents. And both are drawing the rest of the world into their mutual intolerance.
Without denying the savagery of the October 7 attack in Israel, one which assured some level of atonement, those of us who have been generally supportive of Israel are horrified at the lack of proportionality in the retribution and “message to terrorists.” While I support Israel’s insistence that the hostages first be returned, killing every Gazan is an offense to humanity.
Parenthetically, one of the enduring mysteries of this tragedy is why Israel ignored the warnings of Egypt, Jordan, and the US, that “chatter” indicated that something highly consequential was planned by Hamas near the date they attacked. Israel did not alert the military or warn the public. Israel wasn’t even monitoring Gaza communications but focused entirely on Hezbollah to the north. Why? Netanyahu disingenuously dismisses the issue.
The October 7 Hamas attack was grotesque and horrendous, and what is happening in Gaza in response is likewise inhumane. If anyone should be revolted at the killing of humans in a barrel, you’d think it would be the Jews, who have suffered extermination efforts themselves. One side, or the other, is not solely entitled to survival.
Kelly Scoles,
Fillmore, Ca
To the Editor:
TAKE A STAND FOR AT-LARGE ELECTIONS IN FILLMORE
DON’T LET THE BULLIES WIN
As I’m sure you all know, based on the things I’ve said, eMailed and submitted as Letters to the Editor of the Gazette, I feel that the current attack on the City of Fillmore is the worst we’ve seen yet. It stands to have the most devastating effect on the community if it goes through and, even if it doesn’t, could destroy the town.
I just had a chance to watch the council meeting from October 24th, where a presentation was made by the National Demographics Corporation, whom the city has contracted to help with the districting. I’ve added a link to that presentation with the comments of citizens and the council members at the end of this letter. It is long but please watch it.
After seeing the presentation and then hearing the comments of the community and council. I am both excited and encouraged! First, I want to thank all those who yielded their time to Rhonda. Today, Rhonda is my hero! The points and the comments you made were extremely effective.
Remember, at this point we have one objective; to get three of the five council members to show the courage to stand up against this. At the first meeting, your mayor was the only one who voted against it. But at this meeting, after the comments from the community, two more council members are expressing the same sentiments and it will only take a little more encouragement for them to join with Mark in putting a stop to this.
Now, don’t think I don’t recognize what it may mean to the city if the council decides to fight. Losing a lawsuit in this matter could bankrupt Fillmore. But, I assure you that adopting district elections will destroy Fillmore just as surely. So, I reiterate what I’d said in an earlier message; sometimes you have to stand up and fight because something is right…regardless of what that might mean.
What follows are some random thoughts I had while watching the council meeting.
1) In response to Carrie’s question about damages, the city attorney made the point that, by virtue of the CVRA, the alleged injury is that the number of Hispanic council members is not representative of the racial makeup of the town (paraphrasing). I’d just like to point out, and I’ve been making this point for years; the number of Hispanics in Fillmore make up the overwhelming majority of her citizens. If the Hispanic community of Fillmore so desired, every council member and every mayor ever elected could be Hispanic. That shows that there has been no injury as presumed by the CVRA. If anything, it shows that Hispanics in Fillmore vote according to what they feel is in the best interest for the town…not along racial lines and I would commend their community for that.
2) In discussing this matter, perhaps the issues of the baker and the photographer who were sued for not going against their convictions when asked to participate in same-sex weddings could be mentioned. Like Fillmore, they were targeted by bullies. Even when faced with lawsuits, these courageous individuals did not back down. Why? Because their cause was right. Fillmore MUST do the same thing for the same reason.
3) Christina Villasenor keeps talking about how few Hispanics have been on the council; she keeps raising her seven fingers to illustrate how small that number is. She talks about Ernie as having been the last mayor who was Hispanic. Is she forgetting about Manny Minjarez, who was elected twice and served as mayor just a few years ago?
Here’s a link to the portion of the October 24th council meeting discussing the issue of district elections in Fillmore. I grant you, it’s long. But, if you care about Fillmore, you will watch it. Especially if you’re going to make any comments about at the next meeting.
https://youtu.be/F1sQp9ZGva0?t=536
DON’T LET THE BULLIES WIN
Tim Holmgren
Former Fillmore Citizen
The anger and fear in Mr. Shiells’ LTTE last week are not baseless. However, let’s acknowledge that, while a sitting president is considered “the most powerful man in the world,” Joe Biden could not have single-handedly masterminded the vast conspiracies, lack of humanity, deviant inequities, and dark order for which Ryan is sounding the alarm. Turning the “boob tube” off for news would help, but what are some solutions to our challenges?
Democracy is in decline in the world. The lightening-rapid massive changes in technology, Artificial Intelligence, rapid-repeat false information, the growing power of other countries, the effects of population, disease and the growing climate crisis, are overwhelming our long post-WWII complacency and expectations.
It is an historically settled fact that, when people are faced with great change, frightened of the future and a reduced chance of achieving their expectations, many find representative government too risky and difficult, and will yearn for a political “strong man” who will enforce order and “certainty,” and relieve them of the burden of decision. History has many examples, and the “strong man” never returns power willingly, as we have recently seen for ourselves.
Ryan hints at other unspecified villains in his apocalyptic future, including multi-national corporations, “a small club of globalist bankers who finance both the rebuilding and the destruction and death of other humans,” along with the “Biden regime” and US government for “turning future generations into debt slaves” and “seek[ing] to destroy and impoverish all of us.”
But when Democrats try to level the economic inequity by imposing additional taxes on the wealthy, Republicans repeatedly refuse such a “socialist” act. Instead, Republicans want to place the debt burden on the middle class and poor in cuts to Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. They allowed the child tax credit to expire and sent nearly 5 million children back into poverty, voted against Medicare’s authority to negotiate for drug prices and tried to defund the IRS program to target wealthy tax cheats, oppose workers’ unions, endorse deregulation, vote to reduce food and housing assistance to poor families, and vow to extend the Trump Tax Cut which primarily benefits the very rich.
A 20-mule team of Republican Speaker-candidates and rank-and-file have decided not to negotiate a 2024 budget, but to vote on individual appropriations to grind and delay the system. What they really want is a one-Party, strong central system of government (though they hawk “small government”), erasure of the boundaries between Church and State, White straight male culture dominance, continued SCOTUS protection of the wealthiest citizens and corporations, denial of half the population’s rights to reproductive choice, persecution or denial of the LGBTQ community, and an authoritarian oligarch who has conspicuously demonstrated his lack of respect for the system of law as it applies to his interests. And apparently the Republican electorate is on board for it all.
Governance of The Free requires negotiated agreement between the political Parties for the welfare of the country. Many of the inequities Ryan lists could be quashed in just that democratic exercise. Which the Republican Congress refuses to do. I hope they are listening to you, Ryan.
Kelly Scoles
To the Editor:
The selection of Joe Biden has been the biggest failed experiment in political and intelligence community history and thankfully many people are waking up from their mental slumber and seeing this installation for what it is. The one question that remains: will the mass awakening be too late to save the world from implosion?
As it stands powers that control the Biden regime and the US government are responsible for turning future generations into debt slaves, which was something JFK warned Americans about before he was assassinated by a supposed lone gunman. Around $230 million in your tax dollars PER DAY goes to enrich the Ukrainian government and weapons makers with the debt falling at the feet of generations US children, many of which have yet to be born. 10 MILLION illegal immigrants, the majority of which are military aged men, have joined the fire sale of American prosperity during the Biden regime, funded by nefarious globalist groups whose interest have NOTHING to do with what is good for America or its youth. To anyone who thinks that’s racist - take them in and pay for them yourself or shut your mouth. And take the front door off your house and your fence down while you’re at it, hypocrites. Your virtue signaling rings hollow if you don’t take them in yourselves and try to feed some of them.
While many people are beginning to recognize that we are living through a controlled demolition of American interests, there are far too many amongst us that reside in a perpetual mental slumber, devoid of any semblance of intellectual curiosity as their very consciousness has been placated by a modern version of bread and circuses. In other words, not only are we going the way of the once powerful Roman empire, these people have spent too much time in front of the elite controlled TV and have allowed the elites to greatly manipulate what they know and believe. These special citizens have yet to connect the dots between the wealth of multinational corporations and the control of information by multinational news and information conglomerates. These special people have yet to recognize the pattern whereby once sovereign nations are destroyed on purpose so they become essentially owned by a small club of globalist bankers who finance both the rebuilding and the destruction and death of other humans.
Instead, this ever dwindling group of sheeple sits religiously in front of the boob tube with a Pavlovian drool and willingly submits their mindset and intellect to the will and canned narratives of the elite owned media in what is an obviously effective method for herding the consciousness of a certain element of humanity: the ones who can’t think for themselves. Apparently they would rather let a news anchor do the thinking for them, so long as he or she has an acceptable paint job, without ever realizing that the news people are simply there to read words written by someone else on a screen. These special Americans have been tricked into supporting wars that kill the oppressed which is perfectly exemplified with the Iraq war and the weapons of mass destruction lie. They have been fooled into taking a nefariously created Covid vaccine - which is now known to be completely ineffective - at the detriment of their own health to enrich the very people who seek to destroy and impoverish all of us. They were actually fooled into believing that BLM was not a nefarious group greatly funded by subversives such as Soros and company. They somehow believed Donald Trump was racist while at the same time overlooking the numerous documented statements by Joe Biden about his kids living in a racial jungle, or him saying “poor kids are just as smart as white kids”, or his involvement in imprisoning a generation of young black men through his mandatory minimum sentences. In other words, these people don’t have an original thought of their own and find it easier to let complete strangers tell them what to think and believe.
In conclusion and in lieu of the above, it is obvious to an increasing number of Americans that the mainstream media and those that control them are the true weapons of mass destruction in this world. They will not hesitate to use this geriatric out to lunch president as their proxy with the support of the boob tube controlled sheep to embroil this country in never ending drama, while simultaneously attacking the constitution and our individual GOD GIVEN liberties in favor of their stated desire for us to “own nothing and like it”. America is now on the precipice of societal implosion while fighting a world war that would be the end of our country as we know it. My question to you readers is: is your fake news, your football game or your Taylor Swift concert still more important to you than future generations becoming debt slaves and perpetual serfs in order to enrich merchants of death? If so, enjoy the comfort while it lasts because if you thought things were bad now you are going to be surprised with how much worse things are about to get. War is on the way, will you cheer it on as we fight for the borders of other countries as we lose our sovereignty, freedoms and economy? My guess is, if historical president is any indication, that’s exactly what will happen.
Regards
Ryan Shiells
Fillmore, Ca
To the Editor:
I was gratified to see House Republicans reject Gym Jordan as Speaker for the third time last Friday, by the largest margin yet. I understand why anyone would reject the dude because he hasn’t the slightest interest in governing. He just wants to wrestle and throw down, and to belittle any opposition. It’s all he knows.
There are credible reports that multiple death threats were made to dissenting Republicans and even their families. It didn’t help that one of his enthusiasts anonymously threatened – on tape - the wife of one non-compliant House member with “molestation that you can’t ever imagine.”
Meanwhile, Trump has apparently abandoned Gymmy as being of no further use to him (the former president has few admirable qualities, but you have to give him consistency), while dunderhead McCarthy continues to blame the Democrats for the fiasco, as if it’s their job to traipse after the Republican elephant with a long-handled broom and dustpan to remedy its colossal evacuations.
Fox and other Republican sources, including you, Martin, denigrate the efforts of our President in personally going to Tel Aviv to stand with Israel, understanding their rage and fear over the horrific Hamas attack two weeks ago. The President expressed sympathy for the desire to retaliate but called for clear objectives in counterattack to protect the innocents held as hostages in Gaza and prevent expansion of the conflict.
Biden urged Israel to do what we had failed to do after 9-11. He emphasized how important it is to have a “Plan B” when unexpected combatant consequences occur, as they always do.
I take exception to your mislaid remarks about Pope Francis. Finally, after centuries of old European men who understood nothing about the non-clerical world (excepting John XXIII), comes a man who had a life before the priesthood, who had friendships with women, families, even non-believers, and people of all social strata. He does not long for the vengeful Old Testament Yahweh, the social and political power of the Dark Ages Church, and he is absolutely not an Inquisition Catholic, the three strikes that are likely to be the sources of your vilification.
Pope Francis accepts the frailties of mankind, the need to recognize the sacred in each other, the need to be generous, the obligation to understand the God-given nature of all individuals, the complexities of marriage in the modern world, and to welcome the sinner. To you, this man is a heretic. To many of us, he is the human image of Christ.
Kelly Scoles,
Fillmore, Ca
To the Editor:
Open Letter to Fillmore Citizens,
I am strongly encouraged by the voices of community members at the Fillmore City Council meeting last Tuesday evening regarding the change in voting structure in Fillmore from At Large to District voting. Each of you made such important and vital points.
It was obvious in their comments that Mark, Carrie and Chris understood the gravity of this change. And it took incredible courage for Mark to vote against the resolution.
This action is a game-changer for Fillmore. It is the one issue that will do more damage to our town (yes, I still consider Fillmore “my” town) than any other issue. If you recall back in June, following the strip show for kids, the outrage from the community was strong and fierce (even if only short-lived).
As community members were expressing their concerns to (and being ignored by) both the school board and the city council, I was busy telling everyone that would listen that the fight had to be broader than just that one issue because the negative forces penetrating Fillmore’s charm and character would have the next attack right around the corner.
And…here it is. Apart from every other attack on our town, this will be the quietus. If we sit by and let it happen, it will literally be like Nero fiddling as Rome burned. At this point, nothing else matters because this one issue will lead to control of the council, which leads to voting in all of the negative things we’ve been standing up to and fighting against for so long.
So, please…do not be a Nero. Join those who are rising up. Protect your town. Stop letting the bullies win…because this win means all the marbles.
Tim Holmgren
Former Fillmore Resident