Send In The Clowns

By Brad Smith

Famed silent movie actor Lon Chaney, Sr. – “The Man with a Thousand Faces” – once said, “There's nothing funny about a clown in the moonlight.”

Clowns. Remember them? They used to be the social media viral sensation before murder hornets and those "mysterious seeds" from China.

Four years ago this August, the killer clowns made their presence known. It all started in Wisconsin.

Green Bay, to be precise. Five pictures of a creepy clown roaming a vacant parking lot under a bridge in downtown Green Bay at night started going viral on Aug. 1. A Facebook page was created shortly after claiming the clown was named "Gags." The story went national, from Fox News to CNN. Suspicions of the character being related to a horror film were confirmed when a Wisconsin filmmaker announced the pictures were a marketing stunt for a then unreleased short film titled "Gags." A feature film was produced based on the short film and premiered in 2018 with a wide release planned for September 2019. It wasn't well received -- in fact, the website Dread Central said "Gags needs more gags."

After the Wisconsin incident, numerous other incidents started popping up across the country. In August, kids reported “creepy looking” clowns sighted in Greenville, South Carolina. By September, clowns were reportedly seen in Oregon. In early October 2016, further incidents were reported in Canada and the first occurrences in the United Kingdom and Australia. British communities were described as "horrified" and pressure had been placed on police resources.

Clown sightings were reported in Medford, Grants Pass, Merlin, Bend and Portland. In the Rogue Valley, someone posing as a clown was arrested by police. According to the Central Point Police Dept., Michael Richard, 21, was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and second-degree trespassing after police received reports that there were pictures of a clown holding a sign "We are Here" at Crater High School, North Medford High School, South Medford High School and Eagle Point High School. The CPPD received a number of tips about the clown’s identity, including a family member of Richard’s who identified him.

The CPPD increased security at area schools and several law enforcement agencies issued advisories on the potential problems if someone dressed as a clown in order to scare people.

While both news networks and social media have been ablaze with clown sightings and hoaxes, the phenomenon is not new.

According to media reports, the first creepy clown sightings were reported in early summer 1981 when reports came from Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Missouri and a few other states. Clown sightings were also reported in 1988, 1991, 1994, 1997 and 2008.

One possible precursor event was the 2013 sightings of a "creepy clown" in Northampton, England. The Northampton clown sightings, which were in the town during September and October 2013, were the work of three local filmmakers Alex Powell, Elliot Simpson, and Luke Ubanski. The clown shared similar looks to Pennywise the Dancing Clown from Stephen King's book It. The trio started a Facebook page for the so-called "Northampton clown" and were using the appearances to drive traffic to the page.

In March 2014, Matteo Moroni from Perugia, Italy, owner of the YouTube channel DM Pranks, began dressing up as an evil clown and terrifying unsuspecting passersby, with his videos racking up hundreds of millions of views. A rash of sightings appeared in California in October 2014, which centered around the "Wasco clown", and primarily occurred in the Wasco, Calif., area with photos appearing on social media.

A person in clown attire was spotted in a cemetery in Chicago, in July 2015. This occurrence involved two residents who spotted the "creepy clown" scaling the gate at the Rosehill Cemetery late at night. After the clown entered the cemetery, they turned to face the residents and began waving slowly as they made a video recording. After waving for a few seconds, the clown ran into a dark wooded area and was not seen again. Police investigation of the sighting did not lead to any arrests.

“It does seem to happen in cycles,” said Heather Wade, then host of the late night radio talk show, Midnight in the Desert, a program dedicated to conspiracy theories, the paranormal and “not-so-ordinary” news events. The program started in July 2015, with Art Bell as host and Wade took over in December that year. She now hosts The Kingdom of Nye show, focusing on similar subject matter.

“It seems that this wave of sightings have really been inundating social media with hoaxes and rumors,” Wade said. “Contrary to some reports, no one dressed as a clown has been shot or killed. I think a majority of these sightings is copycats – you know, people with way too much time on their hands and thinking it’ll be good for a scare or a laugh. Now, Target and some other stores are refusing to sell clown masks and costumes. It’s getting out of hand.”

Wade thinks she knows how this current wave of clown sightings started.

“A few weeks ago, I was contacted by someone claiming to be working on the remake of It,” she said. Based on the 1986 Stephen King novel, the original 1990 miniseries featured an evil clown named Pennywise. “According to this source, some of these earlier clown sightings started as a viral marketing campaign for the new movie – which makes sense, as these clowns were seen holding red balloons, like Pennywise did in the novel.”

However, Wade feels that copycats seized upon the clown sightings and took it up to another level.

“I think that’s all it is,” she said. “I think people should be careful.  I’ve heard stories of kids being scared and not wanting to go out on Halloween – I hope things settle down by then. I feel that the police and parents both will be cautious this Halloween. I hate to think that kids will have their fun spoiled by something like this.”

In the end, Wade believed that the clown sightings of 2016 would become urban legends, joining similar bewildering incidents that have happened over the years.

Which brings us full circle to murder hornets, prehistoric microbes and mysterious seeds.

City of Phoenix Wants Lawsuit Gone

By Brad Smith

PHOENIX, Ore. -- Phoenix and its police department are seeking to dismiss a potentially embarrassing lawsuit.

Two years ago, former actor and Mouseketeer Dennis Day disappeared without a trace shortly after his husband, Ernie Caswell, was placed under medical care. Lt. Jeff Price, Phoenix Police Dept., conducted a search of the residence and reported no evidence of a crime. According the Oregon State Police, Phoenix PD conducted two more searches -- the last on Aug. 8, 2018, after reports of a bad smell coming from the residence were made.

Nothing was found.

In April 2019, using a cadaver dog, Phoenix officers found a badly decomposed body inside the residence. The Jackson County Major Assault and Death Investigation Unit was activated and OSP became the lead investigating agency. The OSP reported that a medical examiner identified the body as Day.

Daniel Burda, a handyman who lived with Day and Caswell, was arrested on July 5, 2019. He was charged with manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, abuse of a corpse and identity theft. He was found unfiot for trial due to alleged mental disorders and transferred to a state hospital. He was released from jail in early July, fitted with a GPS tracker and given orders staying away from Day's house. His next court appearance is set for Dec. 7.

Meantime, Day's family have taken legal action against the city, the PPD and Price himself. They claim (Price) “acted with negligence and bad faith in conducting an investigation into the disappearance of Dennis Day.”

The claim states in part, “… due to the City of Phoenix Police Department and Lieutenant Jeff Price’s negligence, neglect, and failure to conduct an investigation at even a minimum professional standard, Mr. Day’s body was found in April, 2019 and not identified until June, 2019. Worse, Lieutenant Jeff Price made statements that certain investigative tools were used in the Summer of 2018, such as cadaver sniffing dogs, which were knowingly false and further delayed the investigation. As a result, Dennis Day’s family members suffer irreparable harm in the form of emotional distress and mental anguish, invasion of privacy, and costs associated with their attempts to solve the case themselves and seek the help they ultimately needed in doing so.”

Phoenix's attorneys are seeking to dismiss the lawsuit, claiming -- among other reasons -- that they did nothing to impede any investigation conducted by the family. During the nine months that Phoenix officers did nothing, the family could have used that time to investigate things themselves.

According to court records, the Day family will dispute the city's motion to dismiss on Aug. 10.

Local Neo-Nazi Appears At Sweet Home Rally

By

Brad Smith

SWEET HOME, Ore. -- Infamous local neo-Nazi Keith Michael Erickson -- also known as "Biome Michael" -- took part in a so-called "Liberty Rally" on July 17.

Erickson told The New Era reporters -- Sweet Home's newspaper -- that he had learned of the rally via Telegram, a social media app that right wing extremists frequently use. He reached out to the event organizer, Jimy White. White and Erickson posed for a picture of them hold a Black Lives Matter banner. 

White posted it on his Twitter account.

According to The New Era article, Erickson said "'white America was better' and talked about wanting white people to only associate with other white people. While giving a speech on a bullhorn, Erickson said 'racism is anything the left doesn't agree with.'"

Erickson then reportedly shadowed a local journalist during the rally -- he allegedly asked about their ethnic heritage and if they the reporter were an FBI agent. During the rally, Erickson said those who wore masks were "subhuman."

On his social media accounts, Erickson describes himself as "White (Aryan) Male American National Socialist / Historical Revisionist." He is a Holocaust denier and a 9/11 conspiracy theorist. In December 2018, Erickson and Gregg Marchese, another white supremacist, were barred from entering Havurah Shir Hadash, an Ashland synagogue, where a packed audience turned out to hear a presentation about anti-Semitism in the U.S. and around the world. According to local media reports, Marchese recently posted on Facebook that the KKK was created to protect Southerners from "powerful Jews who had Lincoln killed (and) roaming gangs of recently freed slaves inflicting murder, rape and vandalism on whites."

In January 2019, Erickson and Marchese appeared at a Medford anti-hate crime event featuring Oregon's Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum.

“I don’t feel safe myself,” Erickson. “And, I’m confused why Jewish people don’t like me. I have nothing against them. I just follow the truth and know the real history of the Holocaust. I want to be safe,” he said. “If I want to say that white pride is good, I should feel safe doing that.”

Over the past year, Erickson started attending events held at the Williams Grange in Josephine County. It didn't go well.

The following is from social media posts about Erickson and the Williams Grange:

Self-described Neo-Nazi Continues To Be

Accommodated By The Williams Community

Biome Michael Erickson, a self-described Neo-Nazi continues to be accommodated by many segments of the Williams community. Biome, both in person and on social media, promotes an anti-Semitic and white-supremacist agenda. Biome’s racist posts, links, commentary, and public disruptions are not limited to anti-Semitism, but also include misogynist, anti-black, anti- immigrant, and anti-native content. We are not talking about subtle political ideas, he is openly working towards the proliferation of an American-styleThird Reich. He has a history in the Rogue Valley for promoting this agenda and has been virtually banned from most of Ashland because of his posting of anti-Semitic flyers, racist public declarations, and aggressive physical behavior backing these beliefs. He frequently makes appearances at the monthly Pancake Breakfast held at the Williams Grange. This past week (10/13/19), Biome was confronted and told to leave by some community members, but Grange Master Brian Barton refused to allow this eviction, and instead attempted to kick out those who tired to make Biome leave. The Grange has been asked multiple times by various people in the community, including some who volunteer and work at the breakfast, to not allow Biome to participate in the Pancake Breakfast, but the Grange continues to refuse this request. Therefore, some community members are calling for a boycott and pulling of support for The Williams Grange until Biome is told not to attend events held there, especially events that others attending feel uncomfortable with his presence due to his hate-filled racist platform and active promotion of these goals.

Biome’s activities include not only online organizing and promotion of his self-described American National Socialism, but he also publicly rallies with white-supremacists and has repeatedly disrupted gatherings at Synagogues and organized events focused on the Holocaust, Hate, and Racism. His Facebook has been slower recently, but it demonstrates a clear picture of the devolution of his attitudes over the past several years. Lately, he has been very active on Twitter. Just a quick search of recent tweets by Biome Michael Erickson (@biomemichael) reveal his active role in the proliferation of ethnic hatred and a fascist agenda. Some of the tweets on their own don’t have the full impact as they do in the context of the overall picture. 

The following are directly taken from his Twitter account:

Oct 5

Make Oregon White Again. MOWA. I have many, many video clips recently of black barbarism against whites while the Jew media pushes incessant anti-White narratives, ignoring the black assaults. The Goyim know. twitter.com/Nature_and_Rac…

Oct 3

An independent and benevolent autocrat, with well-deserved broad popular support, would tackle the pressing issues and those driving this world into a dystopian nightmare. May such a one rise from the masses to lead authentically. bitchute.com/video/

Oct 3

May the world come to learn the truth about Adolf Hitler and shed the mantle of lies promulgated by his enemies and the enemies all of good, beautiful and noble peoples. twitter.com/IPrevail4/stat…

Oct 3

Replying to @MoonRos @LutherBeckett

Do not equate National Socialist Germany with the Judeo-Masonic terror state of Israel. They are poles apart in ethic and worldview. History decrees you know the truth and that we stop using NS Germany as a whipping boy. bitchute.com/video/LBFuWMUZ…

Oct 2

Replying to @XiolaMoon

That would imply that they have the capacity for being rational, sentimental sentient beings instead of the demented sociopaths they are. The greatest mistake is believing that others operate similar to us.

Oct 2

Replying to @Know_More_News @ramzpaul

Very odd, @ramzpaul. Jews, bc of their elite supremacist religious, racial, national tendencies coupled with their subversion and terrorism against non-subservient non-Jews means Judaic political economy needs to be dismantled and Jews assimilated, at best.

Oct 2

Replying to @ramzpaul

Unfortunately and sadly, our current situation merits that the Jewish people are the only ethnicity who DO NOT DESERVE a national homeland (Israel being a base for global terroristic kleptocracy). Jews must assimilate and their malevolent quest for global supremacy must end.

Oct 2

Replying to @Henrik_Palmgren @redicetv @Know_More_News

We speculate why amazing content channels such as @redicetv, @Know_More_News are permitted by the kosher technocrats to carry on where smaller, yet still amazing channels get purged. I suspect they like the thrill of allowing some strategic dissent. Too easy if all are gassed.

Sep 15

Replying to @TalbertSwan @PolkSchoolsNews

All the unreported or underreported instances of black on white crimes, assaults, attacks, rapes, etc and you are frantic about an interracial kid school fight? More reason to have segregation brought back. 

Aug 27

Call for an Aryan Natural Aristocratic Military Coup to bring ZOG to heel and National Socialist Citizens Militias to protect communities from the bands of Deep State Mercenaries and Zombie Thugs! Reclaim Media, Finanace, Academia, Culture and Politics from the Jew Masons.

Aug 25

Replying to @gpbwesh @WESH

GODSPEED to the inevitable authentic National Socialist revival which, having seen through the lies and myths of the 20th century, will reclaim this planet from the International Jew Masons and allow for autonomous ethnostates for all!

Aug 25

Replying to @_whitneywebb @DoItForMaMa

Hitler never would have allowed the Jew terrorists to gain the type of foothold and leverage they did in postwar Palestine... though the aims of NSDAP and zionist factions dovetailed... Jews out of Europe!

Aug 25

Replying to @MatthewParrott @charliekirk11

Israel has no right to exist. Ethnostates for all except the exceptional Judaics which must either be banished to their Madagascar penal colony, so no one can bother them (and they cannot bother anyone else), or else the dreaded assimilation. 

Aug 19

CNN has me at 14:00 in this video from the protests in Portland this past Saturday. youtu.be/D7qKxerrntY 

(NOTE: This protest Biome refers to was an Alt.-Right white-supremacist rally)

Jun 15

Replying to @StefanMolyneux

My turn. Harriet Tubman. The Tubby Tubby Tub Toy... soon to come to your $20 bill. Boycott the Shekel!. In return for what... the transnational GloboHomo currency? Prepare for battle.

Dec 28

Replying to @DianeDenizen @RichieAllenShow

Everybody needs a genetic test and an armband declaring the results of the test indicating not only biological gender, but also dominant ethnic origination, so that we may be certain about who (or what we are dealing with) in day-to-day interactions.

——————————————————————————

So What Now?

There is no doubt that Biome Michael Erickson is a neo-Nazi activist. Not just a sick person alone in his head, Biome works to manifest these sick ideas and conspire with others to broaden their appeal. He envisions a populist movement, or at least a vanguardist push, to implement his ideas, and he continually works toward the goal of forming a new American National Socialist (neo-Nazi) movement and regime. So, as folks who do not wish to squash individuality and free thought, yet cannot let this racist intolerance and potential ethnically-driven violence go unchallenged, how to proceed from here? After a year of Biome’s ongoing activity in Williams (and much longer in the general region), it is up to each individual to act according to their own conscience and feelings, BUT, inactivity feels like complicity. At a minimum, many feel that Biome should not be allowed to participate in or attend community events, as he uses these events as recruitment pools for his twisted cause and creates triggering and traumatic situations for others. 

Again, some community members are calling for a boycott and pulling of support for The Williams Grange until Biome is told not to come to events held there, especially events that others attending feel uncomfortable with his presence due to his hate-filled racist platform and active promotion of these goals. While we should clearly embrace a broadly diverse range of perspectives, even some that challenge each of us and make us uncomfortable, BUT, those like Biome’s, those clearly derived from hate, twisted bias, misinformation, and prejudice, and those whose ultimate goal is racist violence, is unacceptable, especially in a community which prides itself on its loving, diverse, peaceful, and compassionate perspectives. Enough is enough. There is no room for Nazis in Williams. It should seem almost instinctual to tell a self-proclaimed and active neo-Nazi that they are not welcome in our community and at our events, but it often seems like many people spend more time coming up with reasons why we shouldn’t say or do something. That is a sad state of human relations, one which is a part of the general crisis we are all in. Please contact the Williams Grange (and other venues) and ask them to not allow those who promote ethnic, racist, sexist, or any other biased-based hate at their events. Pleas share this post.

Sources claim Erickson has had some resistance from those attending Grange events. Other than that, Ashland residents have taken a few steps at pushing back against Erickson. Some attending the Sweet Home rally weren't happy about Erickson's presence or White's racist views. Since early June, many across the Rogue Valley have been taking a stand against those like Erickson, Marchese and White -- joining others across the United States.

Once people like Erickson and his fellow extremists are exposed -- one can only hope others will push back against them as well.

OSP arrests shooting suspect

GRANTS PASS, Ore. -- Press release from the Oregon State Patrol:

News Release from Oregon State Police
Posted on FlashAlert: July 31st, 2020 2:31 PM

On July 31, 2020, Grants Department of Public Safety responded to Three Rivers Medical Center for a female that had been shot. The victim was identified as Julie Names (43) from Josephine County.  Hospital staff made every effort to revive the victim but were unsuccessful and she was pronounced deceased.

The Oregon State Police Major Crime Team was called and responded to the hospital.  The man, who drove the victim to the hospital, was detained and interviewed as a potential suspect.  The suspect, Travis Albins (41) of Josephine County, was arrested today and charged with Unlawful use of a Weapon and Manslaughter I.

Neo-Nazi Biome Michael Is At It Again

Coming soon . . . .

One of Southern Oregon's most notorious neo-Nazis, Keith Michael Erickson AKA Biome Michael, is at it again.

You can read about it later on today.

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Worthington Fire now at 800 acres

MEDFORD, Ore. – Crews from the Oregon Department of Forestry, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, Jackson County Fire District #3 (structural protection) and Jackson County Sheriff’s Department are continuing aggressive initial attack on the Worthington Fire. The fire is currently at 800 acres and no sign of containment, as of July 31.

The initial and extended attack teams have been extraordinary in the aggressive efforts to contain this fire. Thanks to cooler weather and higher humidity last night, crews were able to make substantial process creating fire line, and as of 06:00, have dozer lines around 90% of the fire.

The plan for the day is to continue a robust ground and aviation campaign. Weather forecast is mid to upper 90’s, relative humidity 18 with a Haines index of 5. We are expecting some winds later this afternoon with the passage of a dry cold front.

Resources on the fire include 250 personnel, six dozers, eight 20-person hand crews, three water tenders, seven helicopters and one air tanker. Additional air and ground resources will be called in if needed.

POV: Stop The Shaming. Just Read This And Pass It On . . . .

POV: Duke Banned From Twitter

By Brad Smith

David Duke's been banned from Twitter.

According to the social media platform, the one-time KKK grand wizard, neo-Nazi, Trump supporter and all-around piece of white trash has finally been bounced for violating policies on hateful conduct. Last month, Duke was banned from YouTube and was banned from Facebook in 2018. Twitter's action no doubt caught Duke's more than 53,000 followers off guard.

More information on Duke can be found here: https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/individual/david-duke

It's certain some here in the Rogue Valley will be angered by this action.

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OSF Actor Files Suit Against Sheriff's Office

By Brad Smith

MEDFORD, Ore. -- A former Oregon Shakespeare Festival actor filed a lawsuit against the Jackson County Sheriff's Office Tuesday, claiming he lost consciousness as a corrections deputy pinned him to the ground with a knee.

The suit also claims the man was chained and handcuffed to a drainage grate for more than two hours.

According to the Ashland Police Dept.,  Juan Anthony "Tony" Sancho, 44, was arrested at around 2:30 a.m. APD released a statement about the incident. There was an anonymous report of a man passed out. When police arrived, the statement said, "Sancho, was mobile but very intoxicated and moving from sidewalk to street and back."

"The officers got him seated and tried at length to get Mr. Sancho to say where he was staying and whether there was a responsible adult they could leave him with to sober up. Mr. Sancho either couldn’t or wouldn’t provide enough information to assist with this," the press release read. "Having no other options, the officers told Mr. Sancho they felt he was not able to safely care for himself and they would, therefore, have to take him to a detox facility until he could sober up."

The release noted that Sancho initially agreed but once informed he would have to be put into handcuff in order to be taken into a detox facility he, " fairly calmly opposed handcuffing efforts."

"A day or so later, I contacted the Jackson County District Attorney’s office and requested that the charge of resisting arrest not be filed by the DA’s office," wrote Ashland PD chief Tighe O'Maera. " I did this not because I felt the charge was unwarranted, but rather because I thought that an important ongoing dialogue and relationship building effort would be ill-served by pursuing this prosecution. The DA’s office agreed to this request, and the charge was not filed."

OSF actor Kevin Kenerly was upset about Sancho's treatment by APD.

"He was two blocks away from his home," he  said. "Two blocks. This could have been handled differently."

In a statement, Sheriff Nate Sickler said he took all allegations of excessive force seriously and they are investigated accordingly.

Fire Season Goes Up Another Level

By Brad Smith

JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. -- On 12:01 a.m. July 31, the Rogue Valley goes to Extreme Fire Danger level.

It's not a big shock. Southern Oregon typically hits the Red threat level this time of year. So far, the Rogue Valley's been very lucky. What few vegetation fires that have occurred were hit hard and fast by local agencies. According to the National Weather Service, the hot, dry weather will continue.

A Brief Overview of Hate and Extremism In Southern Oregon

By Brad Smith

JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. -- Oregon has a problem with hate groups and other extremists – and the Rogue Valley and surrounding area isn’t immune.

It's time for a history lesson.

Jackson County was where the Ku Klux Klan gained their foothold in the state. According to the Oregon Historical Society, Klansmen – also known as Kleagles – arrived in southern Oregon, via California and southern states in 1921. Oregon’s first Klansman was formally sworn in Medford while Kleagles found patriotic recruits from Portland to Pendleton. By 1923, the state’s Klansmen reportedly numbered more than 35,000 while many joined the Women of the Ku Klux Klan, the Junior Order of Klansmen for teenagers and the Royal Riders of the Red Robe for foreign-born Protestants.

However, by the mid-1920s, the Klan suffered a number of sex scandals in both Oregon and across the county, causing the organization to implode. Some local Klan groups struggled to survive but never had the power they once did. The KKK saw resurgence in the Civil Rights era and has been hanging on ever since, despite a number of legal setbacks during the last few decades. To date, a number of Klan groups are reportedly active in Oregon: The United Northern and Southern Knights of the Ku Klux Klan (this group has been posting recruitment posters and flyers throughout southern Oregon), the Pacific Coast Knights of the Ku Klux Klan and the White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, based out of Vancouver, Wash.

Neo-Nazi groups have made Oregon their home: According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, the National Socialist Movement has a chapter in the Salem-Portland area with splinter groups popping up across the state from time to time.  A few years ago, flyers promoting the American Vanguard have appeared in Rogue Valley communities and one of Oregon’s most notorious neo-Nazis, Jimmy Marr (his Twitter handle is Genocide Jimmy) has been sighted in Ashland over the last few years. Other groups of Nazis and white supremacists include the American Front, the American Patriot Brigade, Identity Evropa, The Right Stuff, the Northwest Hammerskins, Crew 38 and True Cascadia: The latter, known for inciting fights via social media, once Tweeted, “Mother Nature is a White Supremacist. She has cautiously shown favor to her mightiest children.”

A Black friend of mine, an actor with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, told me that over 25 years ago, he would run into Grants Pass skinheads . . . . Skinheads cruising liberal Ashland bars looking to stir up trouble. Looking to provoke people and start fights. According to him, that happened a lot back in the day. Today, they use social media to stir things up.

Sometimes, hate groups don’t need to wear white robes or march down streets with Tiki torches and chanting “Blood and soil.” Instead, they can and do appear under the guise of something else. In 2000, the group Oregonians for Immigration Reform was formed and has been based out of McMinnville. OFIR worked to put Measure 105 on the 2018 ballot – which was defeated. The Oregonian and other state media reported OFIR has been linked to white nationalist John Tanton, who has said, “One of my prime concerns is about the decline of folks who look like you and me . . . for European-American society and culture to persist requires a European-American majority, and a clear one at that.” 

Last year, U.S. Inc., another hate group linked to Tanton, donated over $3,000 to the OFIR’s anti-immigration effort. The OFIR’s ballot measure had the support of right wing extremists from white supremacists to other groups like the Proud Boys and Patriot Prayer.

Anti-government groups have been more visible in southern Oregon the last few years. Until two years ago, the Oath Keepers had a presence in Josephine County, under the leadership of Joseph Rice. The Oath Keepers, along with a similar anti-government extremist group III Percenters, have been connected to Islamophobic and anti-immigrant groups. During the Sugar Pine Mine uproar, Rice, his Oath Keepers and a motley assortment of III Percenters and paramilitary wannabes prepared to face off against the federal government. The issue was later resolved in the courts. However, two years later, Rice and his group broke off ties with the Oath Keepers, due to disagreements with national leader Stewart Rhodes. Since then, Rice reorganized his group into Liberty Watch of Josephine County.

In some places, bigoted views are openly expressed and even encouraged.

When I started stringing for The Rogue River Press, local churches took out ad space for their Sunday service and so on. One pastor used his advert space to launch vicious attacks against Muslims. Now, the publisher said the pastor had a right to use that space however he wanted -- after all, he did pay for it. What was bothersome . . . no one complained about it. No one said anything. The pastor's congregation said nothing. Subscribers -- nothing. Businesses advertising in the paper didn't have a problem with it.

Something like that wouldn't have happened in Ashland or Talent. Someone would have complained.

Sept. 11, 2016. Rogue River. I was covering a 9/11 event held by the local VFW and was talking to a post officer. As I mentioned the issue regarding Colin Kaepernick, another VFW member overheard the conversation and said: "Kaepernick. That sonuvabitch. Where's the goddamned KKK when you need them the most?"

That VFW officer? He smiled. Laughed. Said nothing and did nothing. Like the time when a Rogue River planning commissioner uttered a racist slur about Asians during a meeting. Nothing was done.

That's the problem we have here. People need to know that this happens here and it shouldn't be acceptable or enabled.

Or ignored.

There's so much more to talk about, other right extremists and those who have hate mongering agendas. Keith "Biome" Michael Erickson. Jeff Rense. Bill Meyer. Ryan Mallory. Andrew Patterson.

Oregon -- especially the Rogue Valley and surrounding area -- has a history of hate. Now and again, from this point on, we're going to talk about it.

And, see what we can do to shut it down.

-30-

Antilockdown Rally in Medford, County Commish Ignores Covid-19 Threat

Note: This rally happened on 16 May 2020. I covered the event and wrote the article -- however, the publisher cut the it so much that it was nothing but a puff piece. They omitted key elements about Roberts' recklessness, the lawsuit and so on. I told the publisher not to run it.

By Brad Smith

MEDFORD, Ore. -- A few hundred or so protesters descended upon the Jackson County Saturday to decry alleged constitutional rights violations and other so-called inconveniences they’ve supposedly suffered due to the state’s COVID-19 guidelines and restrictions.

The event came one day after Oregon started the first phase of slowly reopening. According to Harvard’s Global Health Institute, Oregon – along with Alaska, Hawaii, Montana, North Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming – was performing the right number of CV-19 tests per day to properly and safely phase social distancing and other measures. Jackson County and over 30 others gradually reopened.

Event organizers said they would proceed with the rally regardless and said they expected over 1,000 participants. However, the numbers fell short of that.

While such an event usually requires a permit, the city of Medford said one wasn’t approved due to Gov. Kate Brown’s shelter in place orders. “In accordance with (Brown’s) statewide directive to cancel all events and gatherings larger than 25 people – in response to COVID-19 – (Medford) is not approving special event permits at this time,” said a press release.

Chief Scott Clauson, Medford Police Dept., issued a statement stating that his agency wouldn’t stop the event because MPD support individuals’ right to exercise constitutional freedoms. Last week, the Jackson Co. Sheriff’s Office stated they would not be enforcing the state’s pandemic guidelines.

Despite both law enforcement agencies urging people to practice social distancing while out in public, event co-organizer Amy Rose said social distancing and other measures would not be enforced.

“We feel people are smart enough to do what’s best for themselves,” she said in media statements.

However, shortly after the 1 p.m. start time, event organizers – with county commissioner Colleen Roberts and state senator Herman Bautschiger (R – Grants Pass) present – urged protesters to move in closer and crowd together. Which they did.

Aside from disregarding social distancing, protesters also ignored mask guidelines. Many parents brought their children along and none wore masks either.

After a large April 24 lockdown protest in Madison, Wis., more than 72 people who attended were infected with CV-19. And, across the country and even the world, other places that have reopened are seeing surges of new cases. Germany’s leaders are looking at closing down after reopening.

Sarah Paisley was upset over the restrictions hitting religious organizations.

“I want to be in my church,” she said. “I don’t like this at all, being told I can’t be in my church and worshiping. This isn’t right.

Paisley acknowledged that the virus was initially a threat but “they” used it to get power over people.

“This is all about power and control,” she said. “It’s government overreach and it’s not right. We’re safe here, we’ve had a few cases and one’s dead. We’ll be fine – just let us open back up.”

Since the gathering restrictions went into effect late March, churches, synagogues, mosques and other places of worship have been adapting to the pandemic response. Gatherings under 25 people have been using social distancing or using social media platforms to have services online.

Ten churches across the state have filed a lawsuit against Gov. Brown earlier this month. The suit alleges that the governor is not acting according to the state constitution. Ray Hacke, a one-time sportswriter, is a staff attorney with the Pacific Justice Institute, is representing the churches. PJI, a Sacramento, Calif.-based organization, has been designated by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a hate group since it has challenged same-sex marriage laws and tried to champion reparative or conversion therapies – which have been debunked by many mental health professionals.

Hacke represented some churches in the Bay Area who opposed a cannabis dispensary. Although city commissioners did eventually side with the churches, an SF Weekly reporter covering the case wrote that Hacke’s courtroom antics rivaled Joe Pesci’s performance in “My Cousin Vinny.”

A local hate group, The RV Saltshakers – known for displaying graphic bloody images and attacking the LGBT community – was also present and did nothing to hide pictures from passing children. A few Confederate battle flags were displayed too – the Confederate government was founded upon slavery and oppression of blacks and upholding white supremacy. The Faith and Freedom event organizers didn’t object to the displays.

A number of participants handed out pamphlets about COVID-19 conspiracy theories:

• Some claimed that 5G technology caused the virus. Others said that Bill Gates and the “Big Pharma” cabal was behind the pandemic. The same pamphlets said contact tracing, a valuable tool in fighting pandemics, was a prelude to martial law and American citizens being herded into death camps.

• Some pamphlets repeated a debunked claim made by the Trump Administration that the Wuhan Institute of Virology received millions of dollars in grants from the previous administration. The money, the claim goes, came via the National Institutes of Health. The money actually went to the US based EcoHealth Alliance and $600,000 went to the Chinese lab. The same pamphlets also repeated claims made in the widely discredited video, Plandemic.

When Roberts spoke, she expressed her concerns about Jackson County’s Christians from attending church – however, she never said anything about the county’s number of Jewish, Muslim, Sikh and other adherents.

According to polling data collected from different sources, Americans who take part in anti-lockdown protests are in the minority. The majority of the country do support lockdowns and are wary of opening too soon. Polls conducted by Fox News Channel and others revealed varying numbers for support, from 56 percent to 81 percent of Americans approve of such guidelines and restrictions.

Hacke's lawsuit failed. A Baker County judge attempted to run with it but the Oregon State Supreme Court shut it down.

As of July, the state is experiencing surges of new Covid-19 cases. Gov. Brown has issued new mandates in an effort to avoid another lockdown.

Many in the Southern Oregon area are refusing to comply.

All in the name of "freedom" . . . .

History

History repeats itself.

Over a century ago, a flu pandemic ravaged the world . . . and stupid and selfish people balked at the idea of wearing masks.

Anti-mask groups were everywhere.

People died.

Over a hundred years later, Americans still haven't learned a damn thing.

That's how you do it . . . .

That's how you do it . . . .

Woman recalls her loss amid abortion controversy

Note: This was originally written in November 2016. The Rogue River Press publisher opted not to run it because she felt the right to life side didn't have enough of "their side" presented. The Oregon Right to Life group didn't have anyone to interview -- they told me to find someone on Facebook. So, the story never ran.

By Brad Smith

On Oct. 19, 2016, as she watched the third and final presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, Jillian Schoene found herself angered by one remark made by the latter: “You can take the baby and rip the baby out of the womb in the ninth month, on the final day.”

The following day, both social media and news outlets were filled with reactions from doctors, nurses and other healthcare specialists, all of whom asserted that Trump was wrong. In The New York Times, Dr. Aaron B. Caughey, the chairman of obstetrics and gynecology at the Oregon Health and Science University, stated that such procedures do not occur in the United States. The doctor cited situations if the woman’s life was at risk – but even then, labor would be induced or a cesarean section performed. Moreover, he added, the term abortion would not be used. In those cases, it is called the induction of labor for a nonviable pregnancy.

Schoene found herself upset as she read the reactions.

“(Trump’s) lack of knowledge really got to me,” she said. “He didn’t know what he was talking about and he made it sound so cavalier. I know – because I had to make a terrible choice that no parent should have to make. You shouldn’t say something like that unless you have all the facts.”

Schoene and her husband had always wanted a family and they were “thrilled beyond belief” after learning she was having a baby.  Learning they were going to have a girl, Schoene and her husband picked out a name – Annabelle Rose. For several weeks, their lives were filled with medical checkups and preparations for Annabelle Rose’s arrival. In August 2012, Schoene had what she thought was a routine checkup with her doctor and at the time, she was 22 weeks pregnant.

The routine checkup took a “shocking turn” when her doctor gave her some news, Schoene said.

According to test results, the doctor said Annabelle Rose had a form of skeletal dysplasia, a genetic condition that would not allow her rib cage to grow. Schoene said it meant that from her daughter’s very first breath after being born, the ribs would prevent her lungs from expanding.

“In other words, she physically wouldn’t be able to breath,” she added. “Along with that, the doctor found other physical and mental developmental complications. It was very heartbreaking to hear. I can’t explain how surreal it is to have a conversation in which your doctor carefully and calmly explains to you that your baby girl will suffocate at birth.”

Schoene’s doctor urged her to seek out other opinions. So, she went to the Oregon Health and Science University and consulted with doctors there. Again, the results were the same and Schoene found herself facing an agonizing decision. “I had two choices: Carry Annabelle Rose to term and watch and listen as she tried to take a breath, but couldn’t – suffer as she gasped for air – or induce delivery at 23 weeks and allow her to quietly and less painfully pass away.”

It was very traumatic, Schoene said, but she knew the right choice had been made.

“My husband and I didn’t want Annabelle Rose to slip away like that. But, the reality was a horrible one,” she said. “What kind of mother would I be if I allowed my baby girl to suffer like that?”

In Oregon, such medical procedures are legal. According to Mary Nolan, executive director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon, they are rarely performed.

“We are talking about planned, wanted pregnancies,” she said. “That’s what happened with Jillian. She wanted that baby – but something went wrong. These so-called ‘late term abortions’ total up to one percent or so of procedures performed in the state. That’s one percent – a hundred or so procedures.”

According to the Guttmacher Institute, a research and policy organization focused on reproductive health issues and rights in the United States, of the more than 1 million abortions performed in the United States in 2011, about 12,000, or 1.3 percent happened after 21 weeks, more than halfway through a 40-week pregnancy. In that same year, in Oregon, 65,900 of the 758,988 women of reproductive age became pregnant. 68 percent of these pregnancies resulted in live births and 16 percent in induced abortions, while the rest miscarried. The Institute also reported that in 2011, 10,690 women obtained abortions in Oregon, producing a rate of 14.1 abortions per 1,000 women of reproductive age. Some of these women were from other states, and some Oregon residents had abortions in other states, so this rate may not reflect the abortion rate of state residents. The rate decreased 18 percent since 2008, when it was 17.2 abortions per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44. Abortions in Oregon represent 1.0 percent of all abortions in the country.

“Overall, unwanted births and abortions have been dropping for some time,” Nolan said. “It’s because we have better family planning, better access to contraceptives and more realistic approaches to sex education these days. That’s what we want to see.

“However, in cases like Jillian’s, women need to have that choice available to them. “

Liberty Pike, communications director of the anti-choice organization, Oregon Right to Life, felt that Trump’s statement was valid. “These horrible things happen. It’s very barbaric and it needs to be stopped.” However, Pike did not provide data on such alleged procedures.

Pike’s organization opposes abortions – even in cases of rape and incest – but does feel that the procedures are necessary only when the mother’s or infant’s life is at severe risk. The organization also opposes Oregon’s death with dignity law.

“I really do feel sorry for (Schoene),” she said. “No parent should be put in that situation. I’m glad that she consulted her doctor about it – but what if the doctor was wrong. What if both doctors consulted were wrong? Mistakes can happen. That could have been the case here. Even if the mother carried the infant to full term,” Pike said, “there could have been a chance of life. Again, doctors can make mistakes. We here at ORTL, as I stated before, feel abortions are only necessary when the mother’s or infant’s life is at risk. Was the infant really at risk?”

Schoene said she developed a “good, strong relationship” with her doctor and trusted the diagnosis.

“My doctor knew there was something wrong. We discussed my options and I was urged to seek out another opinion,” she said. “I had one of the best doctors at OHSU examine me and the diagnosis was the same. To even suggest that everyone I talked to was ‘wrong,’ well, that’s ludicrous. I would even say ‘deluded.’”

Schoene said she felt fortunate to be in Oregon, where she could have the medical procedure done.

“I know some people might think I’m terrible and I’ve even been called a murderer,” she said. “Contrary to what those people say, I loved my daughter. I wanted Annabelle Rose to be a beautiful, healthy girl and I wanted to watch her grow up. I wanted so many things.

“Then, that one day in August, it all changed.”

Time passed. Schoene and her husband moved forward with their lives. A few years later, during another routine checkup, Schoene learned she was pregnant.

“I was excited but apprehensive,” she said. “I thought about my daughter during that time. I didn’t want to go through this again. However, I now have a highly energetic boy named Cole and he gets excited about Halloween and Christmas. I’m so glad that we have him. He’s everything that we ever wanted.”

Since her experience, Schoene has worked hard to keep women’s access to healthcare and their right to choose intact. She has testified before legislative hearings and shared her experiences whenever possible. By doing that, Schoene hopes people will have a better understanding of why she has made her choices. – and why other women make similar choices.

"No one should ever have to make that decision," she said. "At least, here in Oregon, if someone has to, they have options available to them."