In the City of Kindness, there will be some sort of protest at Anaheim City Hall over President Trump’s ramped up Immigration polices that have Immigrants all over the country afraid to send kids to school, seek medical attention or even go to the grocery store. That’s scheduled for 7 PM tonight.
On Sunday, there will be a protest at the Anaheim Police HQ over the bizarre incident of an off-duty LAPD officer who wrestled a middle-schooler and then both brandished and fired a handgun. The kids goes to jail; the off-duty officer goes home. That’s slated for 5PM.
The White House has banned CNN, the NY Times, the LA Times, the Hill and Politco from White House briefings because they do real news and not the fake news that praises every utterance from Trump’s mouth. This is how dictators start.
Dana Rohrabacher has earned a challenger. Boyd Roberts from Laguna Beach is going to try and raise $1 million to beat Crazy Dana.
And finally, State Senator Janet Nguyen was silenced on the floor of the State Senate for bad-mouthing the late activist Tom Hayden. Nguyen alleged Hayden’s activism against the War in Vietnam and a visit he made to North Korea in 1974 somehow impacted the war against the South Vietnamese undermining the war effort. Hayden help no position with the federal government and his activism had nothing to do with undermining the war effort — you might as well blame legions of activists in the early 1970s for being against the War in Vietnam for undermining the war effort too. Per the LA Times: “Hayden was an outspoken critic of the Vietnam War and made celebrated trips to North Vietnam and Cambodia, offering to help broker a peaceful end.”
Here’s the statement she issued after she was removed:
“Today, in a clear violation of my first amendment rights, I was silenced and forcibly removed from the Senate Floor during an adjournment in memory of Vietnamese and Vietnamese refugees which also offered another historic perspective on Former Senator Tom Hayden’s active support of North Vietnam’s Communist Regime during the Vietnam War.
I was especially perplexed by the actions taken against me because I notified the Senate Pro Tem’s office of my desire to speak on this subject matter and followed protocol. Out of respect for former Senator Hayden’s family, I also chose to wait to make my comments today rather than on the day they were present earlier this week. Nevertheless, the Senate leadership chose to censor me.
My family came to this country in search of the very freedom that was taken away from me this morning. I am deeply disappointed with Senate leadership’s actions because more than an act against me, Senate leadership silenced the voice of the residents of the 34th District, the more than 960,000 residents that I represent, whose freedoms of speech should never be silenced.”
Here’s the text of Senator Nguyen’s statement from the State Senate floor: ”
Dear Senators and the People:
I and the children of the former South Vietnam soldiers will never forget the support of former Senator Tom Hayden for the Communist government of Vietnam and the oppression by the Communist Government of Vietnam for the people of Vietnam.
After 40 years, the efforts by people like him have hurt the people of Vietnam and have worked to stop the Vietnamese refugees from coming to the United States, a free country. We will always continue to fight for freedom and human rights for the people of Vietnam.
Members, I recognize today in memory of the million of Vietnamese and the hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese refugees who died seeking freedom and democracy. I recognize that on Tuesday you had an opportunity to honor Senator Tom Hayden. With all due respect, I would like to offer another historical perspective.
On Tuesday, instead of participating, I chose to step out of the chamber out of respect to his family, his friends and to you. In contrast to your comments on Tuesday, I want to share what Senator Hayden meant to me and to the over 500,000 Vietnamese Americans who call California their home, as well as to the over 1 million Vietnamese Americans across the United States.
As you may be aware, Tom Hayden chose to work directly with the Communist North Vietnamese Government to oppose the efforts of United States forces in South Vietnam.
Mr. Hayden sided with a communist government that enslaved and/or killed millions of Vietnamese, including members of my own family. Mr. Hayden’s actions are viewed by many as harmful to democratic values and hateful towards those who sought the very freedoms on which this nation is founded.
Were it not for the efforts of the thousands of men and women who served bravely in the United States military and the South Vietnamese military, as well as the efforts of millions of Vietnamese citizens who resisted the communists, I would not be standing here on this Senate floor humbly representing the residents of the 34th District.
In addition to the sacrifices made during war, the efforts of President Ronald Reagan in the 1980’s allowed many Vietnamese like me to seek refuge in the United States.
In contrast to the great many people who fought to defend freedom and democracy, Mr. Hayden supported a Communist agenda and traveled to North Vietnam during the war.
He believed that those who protested the human-rights violations of the Communists were tools of the CIA. It is known that he believed that the war was a conflict between Imperialism, led by the United States and the “free” people of North Vietnam. Former Senator Hayden was profoundly wrong in his support of the Communist.
Members, to this day, the government of Vietnam continues to violate the basic human rights of its citizens. They systematically continue to oppress freedoms of expression, religion and assembly and incarcerate those who speak out for freedom and democracy.
Thank you for allowing me to make my comments. I proudly stand before you as a Vietnamese-American who appreciates the freedoms that so many around the world do not enjoy.”
If Senator Nguyen is so critical of the Government of Vietnam, perhaps, in her capacity as State Senator, she could take steps to tighten imports and exports from Vietnam and Orange County. Little Saigon remains a major trading partner with Vietnam but that would hurt a number of Vietnamese Americans in OC and California.
Many are tying to tie this to Mitch McConnell’s silencing of Senator Elizabeth Warren on the Jeff Sessions/AG debate. This isn’t close. Warren was reading a letter into the record and Nguyen misrepresented Hayden’s anti-war efforts. Nguyen grandstanded — she’s up for re-election after all.
That all said — the State Senate should have let her speak. And then let her have it for disrespecting the dead.
Crazy Greg was all over this Anaheim story besides claiming he was “too busy”…..3,000 words later (in his normal condesending fashion) we are no closer to understanding anything.
But, hey aparantly, he he had a legion of followers request just this one peice. The same imaginary followers who tell him he’s sensible and plaid is still in and it’s OK not to work full time and provide for your family.
the guy buys his clothes at goodwill. Give him a break
No foolin’ since greg ghas graduated from the kitchen table to the garage office (presumably), he should hit Goodwill for a desk and bookcase. You can strip and re-purpose beautifully, of course it would take some elbow grease and thirty bucks in spray paint (I suppose he could use the left overs from tagging what a loser Lou Correa).
At any rate it beats the brick and 2X4 bookcase that used to serve as a credenza when I was a freshman in college!
How nice of you to reprint Janet’s long Tom Hayden-bashing tirade. I well remember how this blog loved her when she was just a baby monster.
I don’t remember this blog loving her. I think she did represented Little Saigon well, but we don’t love a Republicans the way you guys do. Keep fluffing Tait
“Keep fluffing Tait.” – classic !!
You guys are pissed at Diamond because he’s exposed Dan and all of you as flacks for the cronies politicians and lobbyists ripping off the public. Dan went to bat for Arte ‘ stadium lot giveaway, remember that?
Using fake and anonymous names is a cheap way by operatives to do a character assassination of Diamond. He doesn’t help with his self congratulating assertions, starting with the worn-out write up of his fights against you guys.
Why care whether he wears plaid, shops at Goodwill or not. Fess up and debate him on the issues. Leave his personal details and family alone (you’re as bad as the old FFFF). One thing though, let’s keep him away from *$.
Talking about coffee places. I tried to convince those East Anaheim pesky guys to use the empty Ralph store as a shelter until Kraemer opens up. I ended up suggesting to replace with a drive in *$.
I’ve been busy collecting materials for my timely posts, to be published three months later. Be patient, and stop peaking through my walls, you creeps! At least wear your pussycat hats.
I think the stadium parking lot development deal was a good thing. The risk was all Artie’s to make it fly. I have no problem with Irvine’s deal with the Ducks for new ice rinks at the Great Park. Lots of short term co struction jobs and then longer term operational jobs.
This blog debates Vern and Greg on the issues all the time. They tend to favor Republicans. Both resort to insults and neither can take return fire.
Dan, be serious. Let me refresh your memory with this VOC Sept 2013 reference :
“In a 4-1 vote earlier this month, the City Council approved a framework for negotiations that grants Moreno the land around the stadium for 66 years at $1 per year”
Artie would made this deal fly into his pockets, and into all the politicians and lobbyists pockets pushing for the virtual pillage of public resources.
You and the Anaheim politicians you support have advocated these type of deals years after years. The most recent one is the $500 million subsidy to three hotel projects.
Your intense boot camps exercises are depleting your testicular fortitude
reserve to acknowledge the facts.
Please fix my typo in my earlier comment, I meant to type peek instead of peak. We’re too busy covering the omega movement pasting a 100K doc on assault weapons, and writing about Bonnie and Clyde, very relevant topics in the resistance.
Sorry, I generally don’t fix typos for people I don’t personally know. Type more carefully next time.
There really isn’t a politician in Anaheim I support save for Tom Daly. I have no problem with public-private partnerships as they generally offer a community benefit in the form of job creation which is still the single best thing that helps people.
You don’t need to take a vow of poverty to be a liberal or a progressive and not every interaction with government and a business entity is corrupt.
“As you may be aware, Tom Hayden chose to work directly with the Communist North Vietnamese Government to oppose the efforts of United States forces in South Vietnam.
Mr. Hayden sided with a communist government that enslaved and/or killed millions of Vietnamese, including members of my own family. Mr. Hayden’s actions are viewed by many as harmful to democratic values and hateful towards those who sought the very freedoms on which this nation is founded.”
Janet Nguyen, like many Vietnamese-Americans, has a rather odd view of history. Like the Cuban-Americans in Miami, OC Vietnamese-Americans are raised with a rather peculiar view of the pre-communist country of their ancestors.
It is one thing to point out the atrocities committed by the North Vietnamese communists in their invasion of South Vietnam. But her comments criticizing Hayden seem to imply that South Vietnam was a haven for democracy and freedom. That was the point of those who, to this day, see US military involvement as doomed from the beginning. Either Senator Nguyen is ignorant of Vietnamese history under French and Japanese colonialism, or her family were among the elites who abused the average Vietnamese. I do not know. I just know that her comments were ill-timed and deeply uniformed.
Dan, there is no need to take a vow of poverty to be a critical engaged citizen, and spot the greedy motivations from the so-called “job creators”.
“The land at the center of a controversial new Angel Stadium lease framework is worth between $225 million and $325 million, according to a city commissioned appraisal released late last week.” VOC May 2014
You and Jordan Brandman, Kris Murray and Lucille Kring wanted to give the stadium lot to Artie Moreno for $1 during 66 years!
So now you only remember supporting Daly but not Jordan Brandman. Daly who often supports GOP candidates, including at the district levels. He supported the SOAR sponsored Faessell over the fiscally conservative DEM candidate.
Our Tom, has done much more than your Tom to address the absurd barriers to fuller political participation in the city. Come to any district community meeting and people are overflowing the meeting rooms.
Tell me again that you did not support Brandman, Murray and Kring. Tell me your Trumpian alternative interpretation of the facts.
I thought I was supporting Arte Moreno wanting to develop a portion of the parking lot that would create a bunch of jobs, finance a new stadium and keep the Angels here for decades. Your Tom transferred property he owned adjacent to the stadium to one of his kids (how they pay property taxes on it, I’ll never know) and stood to make lots of money if the Angels left Anaheim because the property was valued higher without a team and the stadium.
I wonder if folks in San Diego have voters remorse over the Chargers deal they voted down?
Lucille Kring called for an up or down vote on sanctuary cities status. Moreno has a coniption fit. Why?
Lucille called for it. Jose ought to put it on the agenda. Even if it loses, at least Latinos in Anaheim know where he stands. Right now, it looks like Lucille supports immigrants more than he does.
What about the DEM mayors of two large cities, Garcetti, and the Phoenix mayor?
How do you like Trump starting to change his position on immigration? LTPar and Al Albondiga, haters of undocumented people, must be having a tantrum
Trump actually hasn’t changed his position on immigration. He referenced a possible change in a meeting with ztV anchors but his speech was short of what he told TV. The GOP doesn’t want a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants … more voters for them to suppress. Legal status but no voting rights.
What about Garcetti or the Mayor of Phoenix? I live in OC.
Because Jose Moreno is a self serving phony.
Let’s s not corget, the guy only became Democrat when it suited him.
Who ever said “Jose is all about Jose” was right.
Wylie Aitken, you know him Dan, replaced the leading negotiator of the parking lot project you supported after “… talks collapsed late last year amid public uproar over the proposed lease framework, which critics said was one-sided and a massive giveaway of public land to team owner Arte Moreno.” VOC April 2015
A year later, “… less than two weeks after The Times first reported the Angels and the city of Anaheim had revived talks on a new stadium lease, the team lost a bid to prevent a large-scale development adjacent to the parking lot controlled by the team.”
There you have Dan, a beneficial project both for the city and business came to fruition. There is yuuuge difference between this and the rip-off you and Brandman pushed.
Regarding our Tom standing to make money of his property if the Angels left, it is just nonsense, it isn’t worth for Cynthia to come over here to spank you.
Oh the Chargers. According to a real alternative media fighting the right-wing noise machine, not a fake one like yours, the San Diego Free Press: “Adios Chargers: Don’t Let the Door Hit You Where the Good Lord Split You”
..the team lost a bid to prevent a large scale development adjacent to the parking lot controlled by the team. Exactly. It renders Arte’s development useless. So what’s keeping the Angels here? Not a first class stadium. I won’t be surprised when the Angels do bolt Anaheim.