San Juan County Prosecutor Randy Gaylord is well known for his Left-leaning political agenda in San Juan County, Washington State. He is good friends with Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson, and I have produced Part 1 of a video series on local government corruption in which Mr. Gaylord seems to frequently participate (linked here). However, for the first time I have found, as part of a low-level political sign vandalism case, Mr. Gaylord is now requiring political (re)education, indoctrination classes as part of mandatory settlements – IF you disagree with locally dominant political orthodoxy. This is unusual, even for Leftist enclaves like the picturesque islands found throughout San Juan County in Washington State.
Imagine the volcanic outcry that would erupt if AG Barr required the hundreds of Antifa / BLM vandals and “mostly peaceful” violent arsonists, rioters, and protestors to take mandatory Western Civilization classes and Libertarian education camps as mandatory requirements to settle their charges (yeah, yeah I know, plenty of people would think that would be great). Traditionally, in this country, we confine political indoctrination camps to college campuses, wealthy tech companies, and in some of our primary public education centers. The State does not usually inflict political (re)education efforts as part of their justice system and criminal punishment. Understandably, the Soros/Davos crowd, billionaire philanthropists, Big Tech Titans, and all flavors of the leftist rainbow would be shrieking, posturing, virtue signaling, and burning down even more cities (in a “mostly peaceful manner” of course) if AG Barr or the Federal Government was trying to impose political indoctrination on arrested “mostly peaceful” violent leftists.
In this case, it appears some Lopez Island residents (Mr. Perry and Ms. Fopma) were upset their Trump signs were vandalized by local Leftists in the islands (not uncommon behavior in this community, which voted overwhelmingly for Hillary – see county election results here). There was a prominent BLM collection of signs which had been along the right-of-way on the island for months, and the aggrieved Lopezians decided to destroy/vandalize some of those signs in retaliation (see local article here and here). Unlike the Trump sign vandals, they did this in the day with plenty of witnesses. Dumb, petty stuff, but hardly rare during the political silly season. However, rather than settle the case with restitution, agreed penalties, etc. The Prosecutor sees this as an opportunity to impose political (re)education on the sign vandals (see letter from their attorney linked here).
Nobody should condone vandalism of political signs (the great crime being prosecuted in this case in San Juan County). I’ve written articles about Democratic County Commissioners being caught stealing their opponent’s signs (see here), I’ve posted videos of Democratic Party activists stealing signs in Bellevue (see here, here, here, and here) and I’ve been involved in lawsuits when cities attempt to suppress the free speech of their political opponents by stealing their political signs. It never occurred to me that those violators should be forced into politically conservative (re)education programs. Nobody condones what these sign vandals did to the BLM signs on Lopez Island – even if they felt justified because their Trump political signs were also being vandalized. However, they have been caught, prosecuted, will pay restitution of some commensurate amount, and several local articles were written about their escapades (see here and here). Here is a copy of the front page of the complaint filed against them in San Juan County:
The problem, of course, is the clear double standard and hypocrisy on display here, and throughout the Pacific Northwest. Once again there are two legal standards. In this case the different standards are not applied to people based on their race or class. These double standards are applied based on the perceived political stance of the parties involved. Nobody expects Democrat Prosecutor Randy Gaylord to prosecute any Leftists he catches destroying Trump signs in the islands. Gaylord didn’t do anything when the local Republicans were assaulted at the county fair a few years back (see letter here). Heck, those vandals and assailants probably donated to Gaylord’s campaign and voted for him. Go Team Gaylord! He sure would not be sending them to political re-education camps organized by the Heritage Foundation if he was forced to prosecute his political supporters. However, the Social Justice Warriors will force the baddies who deface the BLM signs to take political re-education indoctrination classes rather than just pay the fine for the crime. Here are the three classes demanded by Gaylord:
- University of Colorado- Boulder, “Anti-Racism I”: https://www.coursera.org/learn/antiracism-1
- Yale University, “African-American History: From Emancipation to the Present”: https://oyc.yale.edu/african-american-studies/afam-162
- Stanford University, “African-American History: Modern Freedom Struggle”: http://www.openculture.com/african-american-history-modern-freedom-struggle-a-free-course-from-stanford
The titles sound cool and boring, but the indoctrination is real. Many people are willing to pay big dollars and go deep into debt for the privilege of political (re)education as long as it comes with a label from Yale or Stanford. However, this is usually considered voluntary just like attending church or joining in a protest. In theory, your choice. In this case, the sign vandal couple (Mr. Perry and Ms. Fopma) would prefer to avoid indoctrination classes just like Antifa/BLM rioters would prefer not to take political classes with which they disagree. Until now, political (re)education or indoctrination has not been part of the criminal justice system. Obviously, that appears to be starting to change with Mr. Gaylord in San Juan County.
Antifa rioters can in a “mostly peaceful” manner burn down cities like Portland, break windows in Seattle, Olympia, and Portland, create lawless zones of succession (CHOP/CHAZ in Seattle), assault police, assault journalists, and destroy public property with almost total impunity. Most of these crimes are unprosecuted, even when the assailants are identified and arrested. This results in lawlessness. Not because there are too many absurd laws or ridiculous rules (THOSE laws – crimes against bureaucracy – they must be enforced rigorously, of course). No, these are crimes of violence, intimidation, and the destruction of property – public and private. In a sane world, these crimes would be prosecuted as a priority, but for purely political purposes, they are ignored, which of course guarantees these crimes will proliferate and expand. Instead we have Clark County Prosecutors attack dog groomers (see here), Snohomish County prosecutors attack barbers and hair stylists (see here), the Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson attacks and harasses water park owners (see here), gyms, and churches. THOSE are the priorities for the State now.
Now, apparently political re-education will no longer be confined to North Korea or Cuba. San Juan County will lead the way in Washington, and this Gaylord plans to spearhead the effort. Does anyone on the Left see the absurdity or the double standard?
OUR CONSTITUTION BEGINS WITH THE PHRASE “WE THE PEOPLE.” IT WAS THE FOUNDERS’ INTENT THAT GOVERNMENT BE CREATED BY THE PEOPLE, TO SERVE THE PEOPLE. IT WASN’T THEIR INTENTION FOR THE PEOPLE TO SERVE THE GOVERNMENT. IT WAS ALWAYS INTENDED THAT GOVERNMENT WHICH FAILED TO SERVE THE PEOPLE SHOULD BE “ALTERED OR ABOLISHED.” UNTIL WE RETURN TO THE FOUNDER’S INTENT, WE REMAIN WE THE GOVERNED…
Background articles and documents:
Lopez man arrested for vandalizing Black Lives Matter Memorial Signs
Vandalism on Lopez Island Offset by Community Action
Corruption in San Juan County – Supreme Court rules against County
The Professor, the cop, and the student: a tale of sex and deception in San Juan County
Did Krebs and Gaylord lie to the county council?
Criminal case dismissed after sheriff uses camera to zoom in on lawyer’s notes (San Juan County)
San Juan County Democrats settle AG lawsuit for $13k, hope to do better next time
He is a prosecutor. He is not a judge. I assume this was a plea bargain and the defendants could have refused and gone to court.
I imagine you will be watching for a case where a person is caught destroying Trump or other Republican signs to see how that is handled now that the prosecutor has established this consequence for political sign theft and damage.
That will be interesting to see…
Oh joy another long winded defense of the entrenched ignorance of the radical right, where black history is dismissed as repressive re-education and the raging old white man is the paragon of political discourse.
We welcome the Social Justice Warrior group thinkers here as well. Thanks for your insightful comments.
It is always interesting to see the race obsession – which is clearly present in your comments. Does that mean you are racist? Maybe, but it is unfortunate that race obsession serves as a way to cancel every political opinion with which you disagree. It is lazy groupthink and it is sad that you feel the SJW world can’t debate anything, instead they just want to silence, persecute, or attempt to indoctrinate all who they disagree with. That will not solve anything.
Glen sweetie a college level course in black history is not the same as a heritage foundation meeting of the Proud Boys. Recall that the offending graffiti was itself race conscious in nature. When pray tell did the right become purveyors of moral relativism?
You haven’t been to college or audited these classes in a long time. Just like Evergreen State College really doesn’t function like a college any more. Just religious indoctrination in nearly every aspect of every part of the curriculum, the staff, and the administration – SJW style religion. Weird, sure. Obnoxious, yes. Orwellian groupthink – of course. Are you allowed to think differently? Only if you want to be punished, persecuted and cancelled. I’m sorry you are no longer able to see that, but in the end, your orthodoxy will not be pure enough either…
Glen – I can see community services but isn’t the re-education class or class – telling us what to think breach our constitutional right to freedom of Conscience – Article I, Section 11? Don’t they now have a stronger Constitutional Case AGAINST both Ferguson and the Prosecutor that should go to the Supreme Court ?
Yep. Community Service is a fine option for diversion from jail time or prison, particularly for minor crimes like this. However, the re-education classes are bizarre and not normal…Obviously, if the shoe was on the other political foot (Antifa rioters forced to go to Heritage Foundation sponsored Western Civ. classes, for example) the Leftists would be blowing up everywhere… but the rules are always applied unequally in places like San Juan County…
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