...An odd combo, I know
Thursday, August 5, 2021
Tuesday, August 3, 2021
“Go the fuck back to VIETNAM,” he shouted — it's yet another meeting of the OC Board of Supes
Rebel Girl called a couple of days ago and urged me to check out the video of the last meeting of the Orange County BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, which, as you know, can be mighty wild these days, what with all the red-neckery out there.
So I did. Here are some of the highlights (er, lowlights):
The first half of the meeting can be found here:
Things heat up for item 40A at about 57 minutes in:
S40A. Chairman Do and Supervisor Wagner - Allocate $20 million exclusively for site development of Veterans portion of Mountain Park Cemetery, Anaheim
The issue concerns the establishment of an OC Veterans’ Cemetery. For some time, the City of Irvine played around with the idea of including such a facility as part of the so-called “Great Park” (you’ll recall that, for several years, Don Wagner was Irvine’s mayor) but that kept coming to grief (the “quagmire of Irvine”). Eventually, to get the project moving forward, another location was proposed—in a portion of Mountain Park Cemetery, Anaheim. Item 40A is that effort. Wagner supports it, as does chairman Andrew Do.
At 1:08, one of the supporters of the “Irvine” proposal insists on speaking past his 1 minute limit, and chairman Do gets the deputies involved to remove the guy. Check it out. “Your time is up,” declares Do.
1:12 “your microphone is off now”
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| Supe Don Wagner |
Things heat up again for item 38 [2:20:46]:
38. Approve proposed response to FY 2020-21 Grand Jury Report "Orange County Pandemic Preparedness."
There’s 1 speaker request, someone named Bridget. She starts to speak, but Supervisor Katrina Foley objects to something, not sure what [2:21:12]. All of a sudden, Bridget is replaced at the podium with another person:
Go to 2:21:37
 |
| The "Boat Guy" |
Wow.
Item passes.
They move on to item 39.
Foley interrupts [2:23:12]: In all the “chaos,” Supervisor Foley was not able to discuss the merits of item 38.
They return to it.
 |
| Supe Katrina Foley |
Here, she mentions some problems in the verbiage of the item.
The next HOT item is 40G [2:32:28]:
S40G. County Executive Office and Sheriff-Coroner - Approve revised mutual aid agreement for COVID-19 vaccination effort; authorize Director of Emergency Management Division to execute agreements with partner agencies; and authorize Auditor-Controller to make related payments and reimburse….
2:33 - the natives are restless. Foley objects to “disruption in the chamber,” which, she says, is “unacceptable.”
Item 40G: public comments [42 requests]
Chairman Do calls for order. The crowd quiets down a bit. There’s some confusion about the first speaker.
2:34:47 The first speaker: “You are making a mistake,” says Angie. “Depart from evil,” she says. (Peggy Hall can be seen seated immediately behind her.) Angie ends by quoting scripture
2:36:22 Next guy: Native American (?) does not want “experimentation” on people via vaccines. Refers to blankets laced with smallpox.
Next guy: It’s an “agenda of coercion,” he says. Going to people’s homes and twisting their arms. Informed consent is not being given.
 |
| The "Boat Guy" addresses the board |
Next speaker: there’s a risk in everything. I’m not against vaccines; I’m against mandating them. Those who oppose the mandates are not like “drunk drivers,” the Governor’s analogy. Mentions “internment camps.”
2:40:06 This person is identified as “Rick W”: he compares the current government with the government of Nazi Germany. “Mr. Do, you’re from Vietnam. And I almost was drafted to go over there and fight for your people, and it blows me away how you’re over here dictating all this….! …You’re headed down the same things Hitler was doing…”
2:40 The speaker refers to "ludicrous" mandates in schools “and you support them!” As he walks away, he mutters: “you guys suck.”
2:42:26 How would you like to be on the list to be killed! Recall, recall, recall! We don’t want to be killed! [Peggy applauds.] “We want you to listen to common sense instead of the CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY!”
[Much whooping.]
2:43:38 My wife and I got Covid but my son never got sick. How come? Why should he have to get the vaccine?
2:44:52 Reads from some deposition, but it never becomes clear how any of it is relevant. Something about Covid being a “biological weapon.”
2:46:13 The vaccine is experimental. “This is all false data…”
 |
| Saddleback College's Peggy Hall: "frauds, fakes, and phonies." |
2:47:27 Saddleback College’s own PEGGY HALL speaks: “This board is required to follow the law.” Cites the definition of an “emergency.” “There is no emergency.” “You are all frauds, fakes, and phonies.” Violation of the Brown Act. I’m gonna pray for you. “Wagner, your behavior is so unbecoming; it’s very embarrassing for you.”
2:48:50 Everyone waits for an old man to shuffle up to the podium. [It's like a scene from Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In] The Covid vaccine effort is a clear threat to our speech and freedom.” We did not consent to using tax dollars to be bullied. “God bless America!” [Whooping crowd.] Peggy applauds.
2:49:50 Emma Clark: “Americans were against World War II, until FDR tricked Japan into bombing Pearl Harbor.” [!] Americans went to war because our way of life was being threatened. “With the Covid-19 vaccine agenda, it is being threatened.” Where is the evidence of an actual health emergency? She ends with: “The 1st Amendment is first for a reason; and the second is just in case the first doesn’t work. Your time is up.”
[Much whooping.]
2:50:56 “Good day, Board of COMMUNISTS.” “These [he refers to board members] are bought and paid-for politicians; there’s somebody who funded them, put them in their seats; they answer to somebody else…. They’re passing forth an agenda.” They won’t speak with us and can’t answer our questions and concerns. [We see Peggy clutching her little dog in the background.] No evidence of health emergency.
[The crowd gets rowdy.]
2:52:10 Show me the evidence! No evidence of an emergency! [Peggy clutches her little dog.] This is really a “cash cow.” “Medical apartheid.”
2:53:20 The original “BOAT” guy is back. We should beware of the “medical industrial complex,” he says. These people the County wants to hire are protected from litigation. “That’s what they’re not telling you, people!” “This is Homeland Security run a-blanking-mok.” “Are you blanking-kidding me?” “You’re not gonna be able to go to church, the gym, Costco without showing …– it’s a hidden agenda!”
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| Chairman Andrew Do |
2:55:46 Middle-aged German woman speaks. There are people forced to take vaccine in Germany, she says. They get sick!
Julie: vote no on G. So proud to be part of this group. People should be taking vitamins. You should offer free classes for exercise!
Myrna: Mr Do, you are so rude. Terminate the state of emergency now. There is no emergency. Immoral. Blood money.
Woman: Stop the funding for vaccine, the door-to-door jab! Fraud! Never mind the facts; you’ve made up your minds. There is a god. Don’t you ever forget that! You will be held accountable!
3:01:05 Woman: attributes her daughter’s suicidal tendencies to the vaccine effort. Scamdemic! “This is our hill to die on.” We will fight tooth, nail, and gunpoint to make sure our children are no longer harmed by masks and…forced vaccinations. So, board of paid propaganda, know this: you better hope that you’re willing to go all the way with blood on your hands because I am.”
3:02:10 I want to comment on the surveillance being proposed. Implemented in Communist China. “Repent or you’ll die. In Jesus’ name!” (Peggy really liked that).
3:03:16 Woman: there’s a lot of anger. You have become our enemies.
3:04:35 Man: opposes door-to-door vaccine services, a form of coercion. No informed consent.
3:05:11 Young woman: I am firmly oppose to this item. The vaccine is experimental. President Do, “why are you bringing communism to OC?” “My generation sees the communism coming!...We [young people] are going to do whatever it takes to fight against this.”
Woman, Laura D.: Immunization agenda. A tracking system.
Woman: we the people do not consent! You’re all corrupt, complicit
Man, Edwin C.: Where is the state of emergency? .
Woman: I pray for you. You are coercing people to take gene therapy. You should accept Jesus Christ as your personal savior. You are enforcing this emergency. Turn away from evil. (Peggy likes that.)
3:12:12 Michael Adam: drove all night to be here. “I haven’t slept in two days.” “This is an evil world mafia that’s going on right now with this Covid. Absolutely.” “You’re being used as puppets.” (Peggy nods.) “Mr. Do, they’re dong nasty things in Vietnam because they’re under Communist control over there, and YOU KNOW IT, TOO.”
[Much whooping.]
Woman: nothing can be mandated. Not masks, shots.
(No further speakers.)
Golly. Supervisor Don Wagner speaks:
[3:14:54] He questions some assumptions made by many of the speakers: that sheriffs will be coming to knock on doors? Nah, no such thing is planned. Enforcement of mask-wearing?, cops going door to door? Nope. None of that is involved here.
And so the item is not opposed by any board member. The item passes.
The crowd is disheartened, restless.
The board goes into closed session.
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| Peggy |
AFTER RECESS:
Public comments [1:55]:
The BOAT GUY, returns, discussing litigation against the County government. “You committed fraud!” he roars.
Christian M: a member of IBEW electrical union has a beef about something.
Woman: You’re rude [Mr. Do]. It's wrong what you’re doing to speakers, discouraging people from coming here. What are you hiding?
Ann: she’s here about the Dana Point harbor issue.
Woman: my daughter hasn’t committed suicide. Addresses Wagner. Trying to understand [County Health Officer] Clayton Chau. Parents are told students must be masked. They’re hands are tied!
Woman: back to that tedious deposition.
Woman: another boat owner about Dana Point harbor fee increases.
Man: Dana Point harbor, unfair increase in rates
Woman: something about concentration camps. Legal grounds for state of emergency. Fauci will be criminally charged. We will not leave you off the hook! Chau is next. Fraud, corruption!
Man: Dana Point issue again
Man: addresses Cho, Bartlett. We need a public audit on slip rents. Where is this money going?
A person named Kelly: vaccine coerced on citizens. Experimental vaccines.
Woman: More on Dana Point.
Kim S (the native American dude): “last time I was here, when I left, I was followed.” He mentions the Chinese. He doesn’t like Foley.
Man: slip increases, Dana Point
(At this point, all speaker names have been called:)
Man comes up, asks: why are we only allowed 1 minute, not 3? Do: Too many speakers is why. The speaker seems utterly perplexed. Do is impatient.
Rene M: young man objects to masks at school. Difficult to breath, learn.
Young boy: 7th grader. Masks are hurting students.
Another kid: wearing masks makes me stressed, …
Do: [to all speakers:] we appreciate your speaking. He notes that, contrary to many speakers, face cover policy comes from school districts, not from the board.
Another woman: her name was called previously but she didn’t show up. [Standard board policy is, if you don't come up when called, you've lost your chance to speak.]
Do: asks about commotion in the back of the hall. “Did you submit a slip?” No. “I can only call what I have.”
Asks woman to sit down. Chairman Do waits for designated speaker to speak. Deputies called in to enforce his orders.
[24: 20]
Do seems discombobulated. He says that people are making asses of themselves
25:19 Woman finally speaks: physical therapist. Human-monkey hybrids created by Chinese/US. That’s science for you. I follow Jesus, not science.
Do: Wagner asks to speak, he does
26:49 WAGNER: A couple of comments. First, masks in schools: that’s not in our control. Wish it was.
2nd, owing to paperwork errors or whatnot, a couple of speakers were not able to speak. So I’ve decided to cede my time to them.
 |
| "Go the fuck back to Vietnam!" |
Do: I see one [speaker].
OK.
Woman speaks.
[27:40]
Mr. Do, two weeks ago, you spoke in support of masks, etc. Two days later, you appeared at GOP function without a mask, no social distancing. You seem confused. Mr. Wagner, will sheriffs be knocking on people’s doors?
So that’s the last of it.
Do is miffed. He says to Wagner: “This is what you ceded your time for.”
(LAist, Jul 30)
...Do is an outspoken critic of communism and perhaps the best-known Vietnamese American leader in Southern California. Some critics say his measures to combat COVID have not been aggressive enough compared to neighboring Los Angeles County, and they find it ironic that anti-vaccine activists are focused on him.
"I think most people look at Andrew Do and say he's certainly not at the vanguard of some of these efforts to limit COVID," [State Sen. Dave] Min said....
(Voice of OC; Aug 3)
... Two years ago, Do, a Republican, publicly pushed back against language President Trump used calling on four non-white U.S. congresswomen to “go back” to their countries.
Do called such language “bigotry” and related it to “hatred” he said led to assaults against his family when he was growing up as a Vietnamese refugee in Orange County. His family immigrated after South Vietnam fell to North Vietnam in 1975....
(OC Register, Opinion; Aug 4)
...When COVID-19 vaccines were on the agenda last week at an Orange County Board of Supervisors meeting, anti-vaccination protestors came with their typical slop trough of panic, misinformation, Nazi comparisons, conspiracy theories and even a few not-so-veiled death threats.
But one person, dressed in all black with dark shades and a stocking hat and calling himself “Tyler Durden,” decided misinformation, a conspiracy about a “mysterious” death and corny quips like “scamdemic” were not enough and took to hurling racist insults at the board president, Supervisor Andrew Do....Sunday, August 1, 2021
Tuesday, July 27, 2021
Thinking about race in Orange County
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| A united right-wing front |
New group clashes with O.C. Board of Education over ethnic studies
OC Register
As board members critique new ideas on teaching history and culture, Truth in Education critiques the board.
On the same day that more than 200 residents met for an Orange County Board of Education forum on ethnic studies, a new group gathered to say it will push back against what they termed the board’s “misinformation” and “lies.”
Members of “Truth in Education” on Tuesday said their group was formed to counter the Orange County school board’s opposition to ethnic studies and critical race theory. They also said they will emphasize the importance of teaching ethnic studies, not just in Orange County but nationwide.
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| OC Board of Ed's Lisa Sparks: right wing Her hubby spoke at IVC Commencement a couple of years ago |
“The current system, our system, your children’s system, is outdated. It teaches hate and rewards bigotry,” said Ian Scruton, a student from Saddleback Valley Unified School District who gathered with some 20 fellow “Truth in Education” members outside Eastbluff Elementary School in Newport Beach.
Meanwhile, in Costa Mesa, the Orange County Board of Education held its own press conference and later hosted a special meeting with invited speakers on the same topics: ethnic studies and the more controversial critical race theory, also known as “CRT”.
“I don’t think that anybody here today would deny that racism sadly continues to play a role in our society,” board member Lisa Sparks said during the press conference.
“But where the conflict arises is on whether, in fact, society is designed to perpetuate racism or whether we have continued to make progress towards a more just society, thanks to the work of all ethnicities, color and backgrounds…
“In many of its iterations, CRT seems to reject the idea that America is a fundamentally free country, born out of lofty aspirations, and concludes instead that our country is fundamentally flawed and designed only to protect white privilege.”
Ethnic studies is the interdisciplinary study of race and ethnicity, which includes the often-overlooked history and contributions of Blacks, Latinos, Native Americans and Asian Americans.
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| Mari Barke, OC B of E, Republican |
Critical race theory is a decades-old academic concept typically taught at the college level that looks at race as a social construct [isn't it?] and racism as something that is embedded in governmental institutions and policy.
Some educators, including Los Alamitos Unified Superintendent Andrew Pulver, have said the two teachings are separate and they tout ethnic studies as a means of teaching empathy and helping achieve racial justice and equity. Critics, however, say that schools have melded the two and that the ideas of critical race theory have seeped into K-12 curricula, teaching children that people are divided into groups, with some as victims who are oppressed, and whites as the oppressors, leading to divisiveness and intolerance.
“It is not unreasonable to affirm that critical race theory is designed to convey hostile, divisive, race-obsessed, poisonous, elitist, non-inclusive ideas,” Sparks said.
Parents like Henny Abraham of Costa Mesa criticized proposals to introduce a curriculum that she said is divisive….
See also: Orange County to explore tense issues over ethnic studies and race, EdSource
Friday, July 23, 2021
Thursday, July 22, 2021
Peter Green's "Black Magic Woman" (1970), Procol Harum's "Juicy John Pink" (1969), Otis Rush's "All Your Love" (1966) — live
Well I opened my eyes this morning
I wasn't at home in bed
There were four angels standing round me
I thought I must be dead
Yeah I opened my eyes this morning
Thought I must be dead
There were four angels standing round me
And the room was painted red
Tuesday, July 20, 2021
"Voila," she said
I am among those Luddites who persist in purchasing music, something, for me, necessarily coming in units called “albums” etched onto plastic discs that spin.
No clouds for me, nope.
To this day, I routinely purchase such discs—and thus I have hundreds of them, mostly on shelves.
My CD shelving maxed out years ago, and so lots of these discs are scattered about my place, like empty vodka bottles strewn about Ray Milland’s weekend hideaway.
Kathie, being the observant sort, has noted my shelving deficit and its resultant clutter, and so, a while back, she bought me a large and fine CD case. It came in the mail in a big box.
“Voila,” she said.
But that was many, many months ago. The dang CD case came in parts (in that box) that required some assembly, and so, what with my back going out and then my broken leg, the box of parts just sat there on the floor for all this time, cluttering things up even more. Kathie would visit, note the box, and then, in silence, experience a tiny bout of despair. There were several such visits, such bouts.
But I have now addressed the situation!
Our pal Julio—a neighborhood fix-it man—came by today to open the box and assemble the parts. It took him about an hour. He even moved the case to the right spot and secured it to the wall. He charged me $50.
Somehow, none of this bothered Teddy, who sat nearby, intently watching Julio's progress.
The whole place now smells like an old sawmill, which is good. Teddy likes it.
One of these days, I’ll start stickin’ CDs in there.
Here are some pics. And some music, too.
* * *
Guess who just got back today?
Them wild-eyed boys that'd been away
Haven't changed, had much to say
But man, I still think them cats are crazy
They were askin' if you were around
How you was, where you could be found
Told 'em you were livin' downtown
Drivin' all the old men crazy
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