Hating...Well, Just Disliking Propaganda

You have to wonder who comes up with some of the stuff in city government and who especially approves it to go out in the city e-newsletter?  I hate dislike propaganda of all kinds.  Propagandizing about "hate" is just another form of propaganda.  So this week's e-newsletter brings us

As the dangers of hate, racism, and bigotry grow more apparent every day, the need for local action to counter hate is urgent. Our City Council and Burlingame's United Against Hate (UAH) Committee invite you to join us for a week of civic action to stop hate and build inclusion.

Do we have an urgent need to address hate in town?  I must have missed that somehow.  I can only recall a couple--and I mean two--instances of hate in town. Both at BHS in the form of hateful graffiti and both committed by misguided teenagers.  One was dealt with efficiently by the police and I'm not sure where the other one stands.  Is hate "growing more apparent every day in town"?  I doubt it.  It's not a category in the daily crimegraphics report, but maybe it should be.

This seems eerily reminiscent of the police use-of-force hubbub we had that led to a townhall in July.  We learned that we didn't have anything close to a use-of-force problem in town.  Let's be thankful for that.  We were told there was a public outcry about it and we need to DO SOMETHING.  Here's what I did.  I submitted a Public Records Act request for city communications related to several aspects of police use-of-force, training, etc.  So far I have gotten back hundreds, maybe more than a thousand, electronic communications with city officials mostly around the weeks of the townhall.

Here is what I found.  As I worked through the “real” emails from people in Burlingame, I found 65 -- after attempting to account for reply-all’s etc.  Of those, 43 made some attempt to write something original or at least customize something from the e-mail mills that are active around the country.  Even more insightful was that 24 of the 43 showed unequivocal support for our police or concerns about looting!  There were dozens of cut-and-paste emails from Fremont, Berkeley, Santa Rosa and as far away as the East Coast; many suggesting we do what we have already done.

Do 19 residents expressing a general, but uninformed concern about police use-of-force justify all of the staff and police time and effort that went into that string of events?  Maybe, but in the end it was a non-event.  Will the movement against hate be the same or just more propaganda?

Comments

[Peter Garrison]

Next will be a rally for citizens who like apple pie.
Just fix the potholes, keep the lights on and fend off the barbarians at the gate.
We don’t need morality custodians at city hall.

[Paloma Ave]

It is apparent that the left fringe has taken over producing the Burlingame e-newsletter.

I would suggest they STOP telling us what to think and when. We do NOT want or need sermons from the City of Burlingame.

Just report upcoming events, then we can determine if we want to attend.

[Peter Garrison]

Thanks, Joe for your due diligence.

[Libertarian]

Those who believe in government as their God are sad individuals indeed.
This is how San Francisco began their road to the disaster they have become.

[Imposter Joe]

What to stand up for the anti-anti-hate movement. Anti-hate is the biggest threat to our society. Bold move sir.

[The Real Joe]

Nice try, Imposter Joe. Government condoned hate is the biggest threat to our society--and it seems like you should know that. But that means you have to actually think first.

[resident]

It looks like you hit a nerve, Real Joe.

[uhop]

Looking at the results of the election, san mateo county voted about 80/20 this year. What was it four years ago? I think it was about the same. there was no changing anybody's minds.

[Peter Garrison]

Let me deconstruct this thread theologically. (It’s my job...)

What is going on with virtue-signaling and PC behavior is “works righteousness.” One is in competition with others, ones-self or God in order to say, “I’m an OK type of person.”

Sounds good right? And, that’s the danger.

Take the French Revolution or the Great Leap Forward in China. How revolutionary can you be? If you’re not sufficiently revolutionary then your head comes off or you are sent to a struggle season to confess your shortcomings.

How this quest for self righteousness works out here are council proclamations of “It’s the right thing to do,” or “Put an anti-hate sign in your window at business or home.”

And what if it’s not “the right thing to do?” What if you don’t participate in a morality rally?

The result of works-righteousness is either pride, or hate- hate of your neighbor, hate of God or self-loathing and depression.

The solution to this is what is called “alien-righteousness.” Odd phrase to be sure... It means that one is justified apart from works. One has an innate worth bestowed on them. (For Christians Christ does this from the cross.) For others a self-worth is bestowed by being accepted by family, friends, civic clubs, philosophical reflection, nature hikes: in a word becoming “thankful.”

The key is that being thus justified, a response can be a relaxation of judging others, not presuming to have the right answer applicable to others and even loving those who hate you.

Such love is not earned. This love is a gift and throws hate to the wind.

[Joe]

Thank you, Peter. I nominate your comment for best-ever-comment on the Voice. When the government gets involved in "works righteousness" at even a much smaller scale than Mao Zedong, the deleterious effects are much greater than simply individuals doing it. I hope that point came through on the original post.

@uhop took the thread in a slightly different direction, albeit one that I anticipated. San Mateo County people may not have changed their minds much, but across the country a solid 10+% of certain groups of people did. They were fed a steady diet of accusations of racism, etc and emphatically said "no thank you". We have eyes and can see the reality. A 10+% move is very substantial and is causing some welcome nashing of teeth.

[[email protected]]

After reading these comments I am concerned that all of the above authors are very, well, every single thing that Ex-president trump stands for are a Good Thing for Burlingame. It is NO wonder the "Lefty's need to react as they have. It would be GREAT if all the above authors would provide their age, sex, and net worth. That way I may be better able to understand why "you all" are the way you are. I am embarrassed for you. If you feel so strongly about your posted POV's you should be strong enough to identify yourselves. I have posted many "Crack Pot" opinion's. I would stand up for every single one. Right or wrong. If "All You" only talk to each other, I am not surprised you think the way you do. Very Sad.

[resident]

You only want their age, sex and net worth? Don't you want their race too so you can call them all racists? Voting against Prop 16 was racist right? I'm changing my name to Crack Pot in your racist, bigoted honor.

[Paloma Ave]

Holy Roller - Why don't you start the trend?

What is your real name, age, when did you move to our fair city, married or single, a parent and net worth?

[JP]

Did the council give the Buringame Unamerican Activities Committee any money?

[Fugit All]

The first thing I thought about after reading your post, Joe, was the incident at Flights restaurant on the Ave this summer when the drunken dad of a cop verbally attacked a family with little kids because they were wearing BLM shirts. So we've more than just two adolescent episodes of hate in our community. That man wasn't a Burlingame resident but he felt comfortable enough in this community and emboldened by the political climate to pull that behavior here. There was swift backlash and public outcry to that incident and he faced just consequences but I can imagine that he might have been able to carry on with his life unaltered if people in this community hadn't been so vocal.

What is it that you stand to lose by an organized anti-hate campaign? You'll never be the one targeted by racism. It really isn't about you at all.

[Joe]

Thank you, Fugit. I had forgotten about that one and that is my mistake. Certainly that is a terrible thing and his behavior was justifiably condemned. Yet we do have to face the fact that BLM is not a perfect organization and cops in particular might feel that way.

Since we are reminding each other of things, here is something that was in the WSJ over the summer:

The police fatally shot nine unarmed blacks and 19 unarmed whites in 2019, according to a Washington Post database, down from 38 and 32, respectively, in 2015. The Post defines “unarmed” broadly to include such cases as a suspect in Newark, N.J., who had a loaded handgun in his car during a police chase. In 2018 there were 7,407 black homicide victims. Assuming a comparable number of victims last year, those nine unarmed black victims of police shootings represent 0.1% of all African-Americans killed in 2019. By contrast, a police officer is 18½ times more likely to be killed by a black male than an unarmed black male is to be killed by a police officer.

----------------
Now to answer your very good question: What is it that you stand to lose by an organized anti-hate campaign?

The answer is nothing, unless it is being organized and sponsored by The Government. Private citizens should go for it. All they want and then some; as long as it is non-violent. But like many other statist efforts, it is fraught or can be fraught with discrimination. I assume you saw what happened to Prop. 16 that was waved through the CA Legislature like it was a Mother's Day resolution? 56.5% of a liberal state said No. Sacramento is seriously flawed and I would prefer Burlingame not follow that dirt road.

Will the Burlingame Against Hate be condemning Antifa? How about certain aspects of BLM? Omar and Talib's comments on Israel? Al Sharpton? And if they do, how will our local government respond? How should they respond? I'm guessing your idea of an "organized anti-hate campaign" might be a little different than mine.

Thank you for the comment and the reminder about the Flights incident. Appreciate that.

[Everything's Jake]

"he felt comfortable enough in this community and emboldened by the political climate to pull that behavior here." Let's work with the facts and not with fantasy.
Blame the man, not the "climate or location". He was a jerk (drunk, too). Bars are full of people like him unfortunately.

[Fugit All]

@Everything's Jake, he went after people wearing BLM shirts; the political climate has everything to do with his BS behavior. And I can think of a few places in the Bay Area where he would not have felt so entitled to act the way he did, drunk or not.

[Cassandra]

In vino veritas.
The alcohol revealed his true nature.
Never underestimate the oracular and destructive power of alcohol.

[[email protected]]

Whoa, "They Resident," I did not ask about Race because it does not matter. Thanks for sharing.

[[email protected]]

Regarding "They Resident,"
If it is important to you to know my Race, I will do so. I have lived here for 34 years.
I might even be your neighbor. Or stand in a line behind you at "Molly's."
Get over it "They Resident" Biden Won. Nice!

[Just Visiting]

There's this: https://www.sanmateocourt.org/documents/grand_jury/2019/hate_at_schools.pdf

and this: https://www.fbi.gov/news/testimony/confronting-white-supremacy

and this: https://www.adl.org/media/14107/download

and this: https://www.statesman.com/news/20201009/fact-check-did-fbi-director-warn-about-white-supremacist-violence

[[email protected]]

I thought "The First Lady" was going to address Bullying-Hate Crimes. What happened to that?

[What comes after swastikas?-Taking back BHS]

There isn’t a question about if Hate exists.

There is a disagreement on how it’s being used.

Just Visiting listed links to the SM Grand Jury Investigation of BHS, this should be a wake up call to parents on just how bad things can get...the school issue is not about political correctness, it's about damaging our children.

The SMUHSD district administration has allowed the situation at BHS to spin out of control and now it has no idea what to do.

No one wants to state, that THEIR public school has problems. But unless some adults take action and air the dirty laundry, then the students will continue to get hurt.

It’s time for the parents and the community to take back the high school.

In a classic, “Put your money where your mouth is ”, the folks at Burlingame Against HATE need to attend the next two SMUHSD Board meeting on November 12 (regular meeting) and November 19 (Special Meeting-Grand Jury Report Response) to see if the Board and its administration are going to do ANYTHING about the issues at BHS.

The district administration is trying to bury this issue and relieve the adults of any responsibility.

This reluctance by the teachers and administration to take action is exactly WHY the Grand Jury conducted the investigation.

The Grand Jury wants to know WHY there is no response to these incidents, not if they exist.

A read of the SM Grand Jury Report conveys one clear message. The students see BHS as a “toxic school culture” where the adults fail to take responsibility.
BHS - Finding -F10-“After three incidents, administrative staff do not believe the incidents reflect the dominant culture of the school, although at least some students believe there is a lack of tolerance for minorities.”
In the student’s opinion, inappropriate language is perceived by school staff as verbal attacks on an individual and not a reflection of attitudes regarding a specific group. Yet, in his opinion, it does reflect a “toxic” school culture that warrants further response.58
This is not a liberal or conservative situation; it is one where the adults refuse to take action to control the environment.

There is a severe lack of knowledge or tolerance on the campus which has become a “dysfunctional and toxic” environment. Staff who identify as liberal are not necessarily tolerant of ALL liberal views. They are tolerant of their personal views, to remain popular in conversation.

Conservative male students have reported “significant” negative responses and threats from staff simply because they hold a different political position.

LBGTQ+ students have reported for years that they do not feel comfortable in certain teacher’s classroom because of the statements and mannerisms of the teacher. This negative tone signals to students that it is OK to HATE.

BHS faculty engage in highly inappropriate communications, gossipmongering, questionable personal conduct, in their actions towards peers, students, and parents (behind their backs) These actions reflect the juvenile and hostile environment in control of the campus.

The statement, “administrative staff do not believe the incidents reflect the dominant culture of the school” is because they know they would first need to fix the adults before moving to the students.

Burlingame High School parents have long articulated a fear of reporting incidents on the campus, because they know their child will become a target of harassment by teachers. Hence, no one is willing to take any action and the toxic environment prevails.

Almost 50% of the posts on the SMUHSD Awareness Instagram (where students post actions of Hate) account originate from BHS. That is not a badge of honor.

Burlingame Against HATE- It’s time to show up. Our own high school had to be hit by TWO swastika events and is described by our own students as a “toxic environment.”

How much more damage needs to be done to our children before the adults take action?

What comes after swastika attacks?

[Mom]

Two people can read the same document and come to different conclusions. When I read between January 2018 and September 2019 three incidents, including one hate crime, were all reported at Burlingame High School I think back to high school days and think Wow, pretty calm over at BHS. And one incident was by a past student.

Then I read of the 20 school principals responding to the Grand Jury’s survey, only 16 incidents were reported over the past five years. I keep thinking the same thing only more.

Then I think about teenagers in general and wonder if rebellion against the messages from above play any part? It does with drugs and alcohol. Speeding. Sex. Well maybe not sex since that doesn't need any more teen motivation. Aren't we talking about 15,000 or more kids in three grades in 20 schools over the last five years?

The best message might be to be clear on the punishment from the graffiti arrest. Unless it was a slap on the wrist.