The Bully Pulpit

For a number of years, the RV Saltshakers have used their bully pulpit to go after healthcare providers and the LGBTQ community. Some are pushing back.

Top: The RV Saltshakers placed signs with hate messages on a church lawn. Below: Saltshaker Jon Peterman is caught on video as he hurled racial slurs. Photos courtesy of RV Pepper Shakers.

By Brad Smith

GRANTS PASS, Ore. – For the last few years, a hate group have disrupted life for some here in the Rogue Valley as they harass and bully those they disagree with or challenges them.

They have targeted events and individuals from Ashland and Talent to churches in Grants Pass. They have caused problems at Boatnik, the Pear Blossoms Parade, Talent’s fall festival and even Ashland’s holiday parade.

They are called the RV Saltshakers and they’ve weaponized religion to suit their agenda, their critics say.

Newman United Methodist Church’s Rev. Ryan Scott expected some cultural differences when he came to this part of southern Oregon in July 2019, having served in United Methodist churches in Eugene, Springfield and other communities. “Before being assigned to Grants Pass, I was at a church in Toledo, just outside of Newport,” he said. “I’ve been exposed to both conservative and progressive mindsets over the years. The congregation was very welcoming and I felt at ease here. I love it here.”

However, over the past few months, his church has had some issues with the Saltshakers. Scott said a small number of Saltshakers have appeared on Sunday mornings, standing on the sidewalk along the church property. They first appeared in February – not long after the church displayed a Pride flag.

Scott said he had heard about the Saltshakers disrupting a number of local events over the years. There were some incidents in which Saltshakers verbally assaulted congregation members and even attempted to block access to the church.

“Police were called and (the Saltshakers) were told to stay off church property,” he said. “Since then, there haven’t been any incidents. We did have our flag and Black Lives Matter signs stolen. They were replaced and it got to the point no one bothered them again.”

Scott has tried “extending the olive branch.” During hot weather, he has offered the protestors water to drink. It was, he added, the Christian thing to do.

“They always refuse the water,” he said. “And they don’t seem too communicative, either.”

The RV Saltshakers claim to be “evangelical Christians who are doing God’s work.” Spearheaded by a man named Jon Clement, the Saltshakers can be found picketing women’s health clinics and displaying very graphic pictures of aborted fetuses. They also have signs with trans- and homophobic messages on them.

The Saltshakers are abortion abolitionists: From the Abolish Human Abortion website, it’s stated that “. . . .  Abolitionists reject the idea that you can effectively fight evil by allowing it in some cases or do away with it by planned out incremental steps which preserve it along the way. Abolitionists reject the notion that you can ever commit evil in order that good may come. Abolitionists cry NO COMPROMISE!!! Pro-lifers cry “get the best that you can get when you can get it,” and consistently support the ‘lesser of two evils.’”

Abolitionists advocate more aggressive tactics and the use of graphic signs and posters. They also have animosity to the Catholic Church (Catholics pray to angels, for instance) and the LGBTQ community. More information can be found here: https://abolishhumanabortion.com/

Some have joined the Saltshakers and spent time with them – only to later leave. Growing up in Ashland, Gabriel Macias would watch the Saltshakers in action. In 2015, Macias saw the Saltshakers protesting and he decided to check it out. During an earlier interview with The Rogue Free Press, he opened up about his experiences with the Saltshakers.

“It was in the fall. That’s when it happened,” he said. “I was at the Ashland High School and one day, right across the street, I saw these people – they had signs, megaphones, they were chanting. I was curious, very curious. So, I went over to talk to them.”

That’s when Macias first met Jon Clement, the Saltshakers’ leader, and Mason Goodknight of the Community Outreach Evangelism or CORE, based out of Roseburg. Both men took an interest in him.

“They were very friendly, welcoming,” he said. “They asked me a lot of questions, they started talking to me about God, Jesus, things like that. They seemed like they wanted to be my friends.”

And, Macias said, that is part of the trap.

“Many in the Saltshakers, especially Clement and senior members, are predatory,” he said. “I mean, they find your weaknesses and target them, that’s how they get your guard down and get you to join. They knew I didn’t have a strong support system, they knew my father wasn’t a part of my life. Clement and Goodknight, along with the others, acted like they were more than friends, like surrogate family members.”

Macias said he was not the only one targeted that way.

“There were other kids and the same thing happened to them,” he said. “And adults who were targeted because they didn’t have much of family themselves. They were lonely and felt a need to be wanted, liked. Saltshakers filled that void for them.”

Clement, Goodknight and others in the Saltshakers/CORE group were “aggressive,” using megaphones to scream at people and provoking others to argue. Macias watched as women walked up to a Planned Parenthood clinic and “were swarmed by Saltshakers who yelled and screamed at them.” Saltshakers would also follow women down the street, waving signs and picture of aborted fetuses in their face.

“It was all very intense and very intrusive,” he said. “Looking back at it now, it was wrong and sickening. How can you treat people like that?”

According to a young woman who wants to be identified only as “Crystal,” Saltshakers have no qualms about “verbally assaulting and terrorizing women.” She claimed that she has had “terrifying encounters” with the Saltshakers, the most recent one while at the Grants Pass Growers Market.

“I was helping at a booth when I’d noticed the Saltshakers were close by. I politely asked them if they could move away, because their presence was making most people uneasy,” Crystal said. “The next thing I know, they proceeded to yell at me, calling me a ‘whore of Satan’ and said I had dead babies in my closet.

“Yes. They said that. I was so upset I was shaking for almost an hour. Those people are disgusting.”

Crystal said she walked away and believed that security or police had been called in. It wasn’t her first encounter with the hate group.

“One time, I was walking downtown and (Saltshakers) were protesting at the health clinic. They saw my tattoos and started yelling at me,” she said. “They chased me back to my car. There was no reason for that attack.”

Clement has been vocal about Saltshaker tactics over the years. In interviews, he admitted that intimidation was a “valuable tool.”

“It’s how we get our message across and let others know that we’ll never back down,” he said.

To the Saltshakers, what they perceive as “God’s law” overrules actual laws.

“Rules and regulations mean nothing to them,” Macias said. “They’ll push everything to the limit, just enough to get their message across. Now, when I was with them, they never talked about doing anything violent. It was just getting in people’s faces, yelling, screaming, harassing. Things like that.”

What bothered Macias the most was how Saltshakers “weaponized their kids.”

“Parents would bring their kids to these protests and it was very disturbing,” he said. “Kids would be holding these signs and pictures, saying things they didn’t understand – it was wrong. It bordered on child abuse; I feel. And, then they exposed other kids to those awful pictures and they felt it was the right thing to do.

“It was sickening.”

Meantime, Macias was also dealing with another secret: Being a closeted gay teen.

“Looking back at it, that was a big thing,” he said. “I was living this double life and we know how that will eventually tear people apart. I thought I could fill this void by being with the Saltshakers and it did not last long. I wasn’t being myself, I was not a nice person. I lashed out at my grandmother and others close to me. I didn’t like who I was.”

A year after being with the Saltshakers, Macias said he knew things had to change.

“It was time to come out, to come clean with myself and everyone else,” he said. “I had to do it before I imploded. So, I posted everything on Facebook. It felt good but there was a backlash from the Saltshakers.”

Some Saltshakers told Macias that he needed to repent or he would “burn in hell.”

“People I thought who were my friends said that I was a horrible sinner and some even called me ‘Judas,’” he said. “See, in their view, Jesus is all about hellfire, damnation and brimstone. A vengeful wrath of judgment and it just went against everything I believed in. There’s no love or mercy. It’s all about hellfire and damnation.”

It's apparent the Saltshakers have no compassion or understanding for Macias and others like him. However, the United Methodist Church has been very inclusive regarding the LGBTQ community for many years. According to the official website, the church states:

The United Methodist Church affirms that sexuality is “God’s good gift to all persons.”

This affirmation begins the denomination’s statement on Human Sexuality. It is one of several statements describing the church’s teachings on sexuality.

The Church affirms that all people are of sacred worth and are equally valuable in the sight of God. It is committed to be in ministry with all people. The Church “implores families and churches not to reject or condemn lesbian and gay members and friends.”

Underlying this is the constitutional principle of inclusiveness of the church. Everyone is welcome to worship and actively participate in the life of our churches. Laypersons may become members and live out their faith through their local church without respect to sexual orientation or practice.

The Church deplores acts of hate and violence against people based on sexual orientation or gender identity and believes human rights and civil liberties are due all people, regardless of sexual orientation.

Scott himself is gay and is married – he and his husband had their ceremony last September.

“There are a number of gay couples in the congregation,” he said. “Our church accepts and welcomes them. That will never change and the Saltshakers haven’t deterred them from attending services. In fact, those signs they use have become free advertising for us. We’re seeing new faces during our services. I’m good with that.”

Scott said he avoids directly engaging the Saltshakers – however, some have a different view.

Toren McKnight and Samantha Clum are the RV Pepper Shakers. Together, they have had several face-to-face confrontations with a number of the Saltshakers, particularly Jon and Cassandra “Casie” Peterman, group leader Clement and members such as convicted child abuser Trevor Emptage and Ben Steers.

McKnight, a recent high school graduate, remembered watching the Saltshakers protesting events in Ashland and throughout the Rogue Valley.

“It angered me,” he said. “What they did was wrong and I always wanted to do something about it. Finally, one day, I did do something about it.”

He finally did.

If the Saltshakers were picketing Medford’s Planned Parenthood clinic, McKnight would show up with his own signs. Alone, he would stand there, no matter, the weather, standing his ground despite the heckling and taunts from Saltshakers. Then, one day last year, Clum appeared on the scene.

“I was driving by and saw Toren there and the Saltshakers. I stopped my car and got out, stood there with him,” she said. “I had seen (Saltshakers) protesting and wanted to do something, stand up to them. That day, I finally made the choice.”

The RV Pepper Shakers were born.

Over the last year, Clum and McKnight have had several confronted the Saltshakers on several occasions. A few times, they have helped escort women to the clinic doors and have earned the ire of Casie Peterman.

“She’s very vindictive, very hateful,” Clum said. “She’s made social media posts calling me a ‘lesbian abortion worshipping witch’ and other despicable things. Casie is very fond of body shaming me and calling me ‘fat.’ Does it bother me? It’s like this: Casie is a bully, nothing else, nothing more. She has nothing good or positive in her life – so, she feels that she has to act like a spoiled brat in grade school, putting others down to make herself feel good. That’s pathetic, right?

“At the end of the day, I do feel good about myself. I’m out there, one way or another, helping people. Yes, even protecting my LGBTQ friends from monsters like Casie and her husband. At the end of the day, I can look at myself in the mirror and feel good about it.”

McKnight said it’s just the two of them taking on the “bigots,” referring to the Saltshakers.

“The ‘Shakers are inconsistent with the picketing, especially since Sam and I started our thing,’ he said. “It used to be they had a schedule of when and where they would picket – it made our job easier, knowing that and how we could respond. However, when Jon, Casie and the others realized we would show up, they changed their game.”

If McKnight or Clum are out driving and spot the Saltshakers protesting, both are quick to notify their Facebook group about it.

“If possible, we both try to be there and confront them,” he said. “Sometimes, a few others will see the post and come out to help. But, usually, it’s the two of us and it’s hard for others to take off at a moment’s notice.”

One time, someone offered to show up some with an airhorn and blast it at the Saltshakers.

“While I did like the idea, it would be too disruptive for others working in the area. I had to say no,” he said.

In the past, it was a common tactic for anti-abortion groups to find the addresses of those working at health clinics, then show up and picket their private homes. McKnight said he would never do that.

“It sounds good, right? But, no, it could lead to trespassing on private property and other conflicts,” he said. “No, we wouldn’t do something like that.”

Public reception varies. If the Pepper Shakers are in Ashland, the general public reacts positively, Clum said.

“If we’re in Medford, the reaction is rather mixed,” she explained. “Grants Pass – the reactions can be less favorable. It just depends.”

Aside from the Petermans, one of the more infamous Saltshakers is Trevor Maurice Emptage.

On March 4, 2012, Rogue Regional Medical Center ER doctors contacted law enforcement after seeing a 1-year-old girl with first and second degree burns to her feet. Jackson County Sheriff’s Office deputies investigated and found that her foster father, Emptage, was angry after the child had defecated in the bathtub – there was evidence showing the child was held in scalding hot water by force.

It was later discovered that Emptage was arrested for domestic assault in 2008.

Emptage would later plead guilty to second-degree assault as additional counts of first-degree assault and first-degree criminal mistreatment were dismissed in a plea agreement. While second-degree assault is a Measure 11 offense, Emptage received a sentence of 34 months rather than the mandatory 70 months due to having no criminal record. Emptage’s wife and members from his church wrote letters asking for no jail sentence. He was ordered to turn himself in by July 2, 2013.

Emptage was seen on video recordings harassing people outside of the Medford Planned Parenthood clinic on Nov. 3. When Pepper Shaker counter protestors confronted Emptage about his child abusing past, he countered that he had “found Jesus and was saved.”

Evidently, while being in church, he hadn’t found Jesus before and it’s not clear if having a criminal record is a prerequisite for RV Saltshaker membership.

“I’ve talked to (Trevor) about that incident,” McKnight said. “He told me that God’s forgiven him – but he has no remorse for what happened.”

More recently – and disturbing – Keith “Biome Michael” Erickson, a neo-Nazi who has caused problems for many over the years, appeared at the Grants Pass Growers Market.

McKnight recorded the encounter and posted it on the Pepper Shakers’ Facebook page.

“It was a classic Biome moment,” he said. “He denied being a Nazi and then said Nazis were n____rs. And he was sticking up for the Saltshakers. I wouldn’t be surprised if showed up again and sided with them.”

Clum has video of Jon Peterman repeating “n____r” over and over again. Another video has his wife Casie pulling a small knife on a Black Jewish man.

“It does make you wonder about them,” she said. “What other agendas and beliefs are they hiding? What else will we see or hear them do? It’s disturbing.’

Clum does have a point.

It’s disturbing when those claiming to be Christians go after other Christians in a hateful manner. It’s disturbing when a group uses children as props to push their hateful agenda. It’s disturbing when innocent families are subjected to graphic, bloody pictures as they attend a Christmas parade.

It is disturbing.

Pastor Scott said he has no plans to directly engage the hate group. “I’m a Christian and my response will mirror those beliefs. As it is, thanks to them, I see new faces in church and I know they are there to support us. I find comfort in that.”

McKnight and Clum, however, are not backing down.

“From the first time I saw the Saltshakers, I knew they were wrong,” McKnight said. “I was a kid but I knew then what I had to do. Here I am, standing up for what’s right and standing up for others. I’m not stopping.”

Clum agrees with her friend.

“This is the right thing to do,” she said. “Someone has to take a stand and that’s what Toren and I are doing. Even if we’re the only ones out there, we will keep standing up to those bullies and bigots and we will not back down. Not one goddamned inch.”

For more information about McKnight and Clum’s group and how to support them, information can be found here:

https://www.facebook.com/roguevalleypeppershakers

Antifa: Fighting right wing extremism

By Brad Smith

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Over the last few years, "Antifa" has become a term demonized in the media by conservative politicians and organizations.

Last summer, Donald Trump took to social media and held Antifa responsible for the violence that occurred at the numerous rallies and protests held at the time. Trump wanted Antifa groups to be classified as a terrorist organization -- despite the fact there was no evidence linking said groups to violent activity.

And, in September 2020, FBI Director Chris Wray testified on Capitol Hill that Antifa wasn't a cohesive organization but an ideology. Wray's statements put him at odds with Trump -- who later had a social media meltdown about the subject.

During the Black Lives Matter rallies held throughout Southern Oregon, many claimed that Antifa operatives were in buses and headed for area communities -- to commit violence and arson. None of that happened. Rogue Weather.com owner Greg Roberts posted on social media that Antifa was responsible for the September fires and even claimed Antifa and BLM allies were hiding among the homeless living at Hawthorne Park. A scanner group, one overseen by Ryan Mallory, echoed the same false information.

Someone even created a fake Medford Police Dept. press release stating that Antifa members were arrested for the fires.

Even more shocking, some Republicans still believe Antifa was behind the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill attack -- something actually planned and carried out by right wing extremists.

According to an August 2018 USA Today article, Rose City Antifa is the oldest known active Antifa group in the United States, forming back in 2007. According to an RCA member identified as "Milo," RCA's mission "is to combat and deplatform the far right while organizing in solidarity with others struggling for collective liberation."

In Mark Bray's 2017 book, Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook, Rose City Antifa was formed over 14 years ago to help others oppose a Portland music festival organized by neo-Nazis allied with White Aryan Resistance, a white supremacist organization. Since then, Milo said the RCA has been tracking fascists and other far-right groups.

"We monitor the rhetoric and activity at fascist and far-right events occurring in our area," he said. "We also track fascist activity online, in both public and private channels. We rely a lot on tips from our community members as well -- so when people see fascist activity in their area, whether on social media or in real life, we encourage them to send us those tips so we can investigate the activity. Our goal is to connect fascists' public identities with their hateful organizing activities, so that their community can keep themselves safe and hold fascists directly accountable for advocating genocide and white supremacy."

Milo said he joined because his community was threatened by the presence of fascists.

"I have the capacity to do something about it. I care deeply about community solidarity," he said. "As well as dismantling systems of oppression -- it's hard to build a better world when you have Nazis running around."

Milo said that's what Antifa wants: A better world.

Recently, RCA published in depth information about local neo-Nazis Keith "Biome" Michael Erickson and Gregg Marchese. Andrew Patterson, who once organized a very small neo-Nazi group here in the Rogue Valley, has been mentioned - -albeit briefly -- in an article. "We have definitely monitored some other instances of far-right activity and fascist organizing in Southern Oregon," Milo said. "Because we're a Portland-based and mainly Portland-focused group, local activists and journalists elsewhere in Oregon are often more familiar with the important far-right figures in their area than we are."

Milo and his fellow RCA members have noted the increased activity by white nationalists over the years.

"The election of Donald Trump certainly emboldened white nationalists, who saw an ally in the Trump administration," he said. "However, we want to make sure people don't falsely conflate emergence of white nationalism with Trump's election. There have always been white supremacists in the United States, and even the Obama presidency didn't do much to stem the growth of the far-right. We have to remain vigilant in our work regardless of who our elected officials are, because we can't rely on existing systems to do our work for us."

In response to Trump's social media posts about Antifa and violence, Milo said:

"When antifascists engage in violence, it is out of community self-defense. In our case, when Proud Boys and their ilk descend on Portland with the intent to cause harm to our communities, sometimes we have to meet them in the streets," he said.

Milo added:

"We also find it interesting that antifascists frequently get accused of violence when we see violence enacted against people at the state level constantly. If we define violence as 'things that do harm,' and we see people struggling with low wages, food insecurity, lack of housing, lack of health care, etc., and our state pours resources into policing, incarceration, and tax breaks for the rich, who is really enacting
violence on a large scale? It's not us."

Death threats are fairly routine for the RCA, Milo said.

"We frequently get ill-wishes in our inboxes and voicemail. It comes with this work. Some of the insults get really creative, which is an amusing part of our day.

"Most are . . . the opposite of creative."

Sometimes, law enforcement has used Antifa doxxed information.

"We have seen a few instances where information published by antifascists has garnered mainstream media attention, and that media attention has put pressure on law enforcement to eventually arrest a

fascist organizer," Milo said. "It also does appear that federal law enforcement have been taking advantage of their preexisting monitoring of online antifascist activity to collect evidence from doxxes to use against individuals arrested for participating in the Jan. 6 far-right rally in Washington D.C. That said, we continue to see little evidence that law enforcement are inclined to track the far right and white
nationalists overall, or beyond the scope of that single event in January."

When it comes to increased violence from neo-Nazis and a growing number of groups, Milo said the RCA was committed to the fight against such things.

"We never want to be complacent in our work, because we know that for too many people, being a decent human being that doesn't espouse antisemitism, racism, misogyny and homophobia is simply too high a bar," he said. "But we do believe that a combination of community building work, community education, and creating material consequences for hate speech for fascists is a good way to make sure that far right ideology doesn't root itself in the places we live."

Rose City Antifa doesn't accept donations nor look for financial support.

"Not currently, and we would encourage people to route their financial support to explicitly BIPOC organizations doing liberation work in their local areas," he said.

If people wish to pass on information, Milo said the RCA can be emailed at fight_them_back@riseup.net

"Sometimes a tip comes our way that isn't relevant to the area we serve, so when we can, we pass on that information to antifascists in that particular area," Milo said. "We are also part of the Torch Network, which is an affiliation of antifascist groups in North America, and we do maintain
regular contact with other groups within that network."

Meantime, Rose City Antifa continues taking a stand against neo-Nazis and other right wing extremists.

Stine's Tweet angers houseless advocates. UPDATED: Stine shutdown Twitter account

Marie Antoinette: "Let them eat cake."

Kevin Stine: "Hold my McFlurry."

Medford city councilor Kevin Stine upset a number of his constituents with a seemingly snarky Twitter post:

 

Stine posted the Tweet after a Thursday night meeting during which he and five other councilors voted for a controversial ordinance that bans camping along the Greenway -- as well as banning homeless from using tents while in so-called "noncamping zones" within Medford city limits. The only councilors who opposed the ordinance were Clay Bearnson and Sarah Spainsail. 

Social media lashed back.

"If Kevin Stine is afraid of his constituents he should resign."

"I hated him before, but after last night, I am so utterly disgusted with this piece of shit! He will definitely be hearing from me!"

"Kevin Stine is a Medford city council member who presents himself as a leftist but is pretty right wing. He wants to be a career politician. He voted yesterday to harass and antagonize Medford's homeless population under the guise of trash accumulation and fire prevention. He brings up open beds at shelters that number in the 10s (the beds, not the shelters) when the homeless population numbers in the hundreds . . . . He's been antagonistic to homeless people at every opportunity and then paints himself as the victim for his constituents speaking up."

"The very next death of exposure is going to be laid at your (Stine's) feet, along with the one after that, and the one after that, and the one after that."

Some flooded Stine's Twitter feed with attacks and insults -- to which a callus Stine retorted by saying he got "M&Ms McFlurry."

"He needs to get a fucking clue or a better moral compass," one person said. "However, you can say the same thing about the other councilors or the (county) commissioners. We have leadership that lacks decency and compassion. That's our problem."

Houseless advocate and Hawthorne mutual aid volunteer Melissa Jones soon posted this on her Facebook page.

The image has been reposted and shared all over social media.

Earlier this week, local lawyers have announced that they will fight the ordinance in the courts. Over the last few years, similar ordinances have been struck down in Boise and Grants Pass.

UPDATE:

Stine is now blocking people from his social media.

UPDATE:

Stine has shutdown his Twitter account. 

Local neo-Nazis radicalize anti Covid-19 movement, interact with county commissioner

Above is Keith "Biome" Michael Erickson, one of Southern Oregon's most notorious white nationalists and Holocaust deniers. 2020 was a busy year for him, as he and fellow neo-Nazi Gregg Marchese took part in anti lockdown rallies and harassed Black Lives Matter demonstrators throughout the Rogue Valley. Below is a screen capture of Erickson allegedly at the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill attack.

 

Below are pictures of neo-Nazi and Covid-19 denier Gregg Marchese taken at an event in Medford prior to the pandemic lockdown.

Above, Erickson was active in a number of counter protests as BLM protests took place in Ashland, Medford and elsewhere in Southern Oregon. During one such rally, Erickson allegedly attacked a young man. According to some witnesses, Marchese was "aggressive and verbally abusive" as well.

By Brad Smith

JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. -- It's been an odd, disturbing transformation as over the years Keith "Biome Michael" Erickson went from goofy, hippy Ashland mayoral candidate to being one of Southern Oregon's infamous neo-Nazis.

In October 2012, Erickson gained some national attention when Comedy Central selected him to be featured as a One of a Kind Candidate for its Indecision Forever website. Local media outlets snapped up the story, Erickson shared a few quips about it and he would eventually -- not surprisingly -- lose the election.

It was good for a few laughs.

Flash forward to December 2018, as Erickson and fellow neo-Nazi Gregg Marchese 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. Jackson County District Attorney Beth Heckert and Central Point Police Dept. Chief Kris Allison were also present. It should be noted that none of the county commissioners were present.

However, the two neo-Nazis would eventually get the attention of Commissioner Colleen Roberts.

"I don't feel safe myself," Erickson told the visibly upset audience that night. "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."

Marchese spoke as well and echoed Erickson's sentiments -- however he asked not to be identified in the media.

By 2019, Erickson had already caused a stir on social media with his posts. On both his Facebook and Twitter accounts, he describes himself as "White (Aryan) Male American National Socialist / Historical Revisionist." Aside from being a vehement Holocaust denier and 9/11 conspiracy theorist -- the Israelis, the Freemasons and so many more -- "Biome Michael" is also a staunch anti-GMO activist, hates 5G technology, worries about chemtrails and, not surprisingly over the last year, has jumped on the Covid-19 "Plandemic" bandwagon.

Erickson reportedly shutdown his Facebook after numerous activity suspensions. His Twitter is still visible but he hasn't posted anything publicly in a long while.

Marchese still has his page open for the public. On July 25, 2020, he posted this:

BEHIND THE MASK: THE REAL AGENDA

Face masks have absolutely nothing to do with public safety.

They are being imposed as a form of slave training and prison indoctrination. Compliance with foolishness imposes shame and despair.

Masks are also phase one of the initiation ritual into the 'new normal' totalitarian rule world. First isolate and separate and break down identity, then indoctrinate with the new program into the brain void created by the isolation, then re-introduce the initiate into the transformed social and physical world.

Face masks drive people apart, cutting off an essential aspect of human communion, observation of emotional and personal expression and recognition of familiar faces and prevention of familiarization of new faces. Ever notice how babies stare for a prolonged time at new people who enter their view? They are imprinting familiarity. Put a mask on someone, they can't do it. We can't really know what someone is feeling, thinking, intending, expressing. Anxiety results.

Alienation, separation, isolation and despair result. This is the goal, this is one of the main functions of the mass mask wearing mania. Another of course is to impair the health and clarity and energy of the entire population. Another is to drive a further divide through the People, another bilateral polarization. Still another may be to identify those who are the resistors, the rebels, the counter-revolutionaries, and separate them out and neutralize them.

But if there are too many of them, too well organized, too determined, it will not work and the maskless face of freedom will shine openly.  

As with Erickson, Marchese embraces most of the same conspiracy theories and fringe beliefs -- and as with his July 25, 2020 social media rant, he views the Covid-19 pandemic as some sort of Machiavellian scheme for global domination. 

Erickson started appearing at the Williams Grange Pancake Breakfasts, where he took time to voice his numerous views -- much to the chagrin of some. The Grange reportedly postponed the breakfasts until the situation was resolved.

Last summer, he took part in a so-called "Liberty Rally" on July 17, held in Sweet Home. 

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

Aside from some drug arrests in Tennessee and some driving violations -- plus a failure to appear charge on a trespassing arrest -- Erickson hasn't had any major charges filed against him. Yet.

However, some feel that Erickson was present in Washington, DC, during the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill attack carried out by alt-right domestic terrorists. In the following video that appeared weeks ago on C-SPAN, a number of people claim that Erickson can be seen -- at timestamp 1:56 -- as terrorists accost a Capitol police officer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivVOPWrFfW4&t=123s

Some feel that it's possible Erickson was a part of the Capitol Hill terrorist attack since he's been seen taking part in a number of alt-right protests throughout Oregon, especially Salem and Portland.

Between the anti mask/lockdown protests and the BLM rallies, both Erickson and Marchese were busy. During a rally at Medford, Erickson attacked a protester and they talked about the incident in a Facebook video:

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=332836487841490&id=10003345423008

Last August, the local journalist group Sailor Boy Media interviewed someone who had a disturbing encounter with Erickson, Marchese and some Covid-19 mask/lockdown opponents. The individual quickly scrubbed their online presence and, according to some sources, moved away for fear of their lives. The video can be watched here and the actual encounter starts at the 24:53 timestamp:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w__Hpdm7zAc&t=31s

Portland's Rose City Antifa, a group some believe to be the oldest known active antifa group in the country, have devoted a considerable of time and resources in tracking and outing neo-Nazis and other right wing extremists. It was inevitable that Erickson and Marchese ended up on their radar. On March 10, the group posted on their website a lengthy, well-documented article on Erickson and Marchese's activities.

Rose City Antifa viewed and screenshotted several Telegram channel posts made by both Erickson and Marchese, along with others, focusing on Covid-19 conspiracy theories and rants about masks and lockdowns. From the article: At the end of 2020, Rose City Antifa researchers came across a known Ashland-area neo-Nazi, Keith Michael “Biome” Erickson, posting in a Telegram channel titled “Make America Fascist Again.” In that channel, Biome and a local compatriot with the username “RogueOp NS” bragged to other fascists about their successful infiltration of Southern Oregon COVID-denial circles, and discussed their efforts to further radicalize people they encountered there.

And:

Investigation into messages from Biome and RogueOp NS—who was identified as Erickson’s partner-in-fascism Gregg Marchese—alerted us to a Telegram channel titled “FreeJaCo.” “FreeJaCo” (short for “Free Jackson County”) was created by Erickson and Marchese and to share anti-mask action plans, COVID-denial conspiracy theories, and antisemitic, homophobic, and racist content with a larger group of like-minded Ashland and Medford-area residents. Marchese and Erickson spent much of 2020 orienting a group of COVID-hoax believers towards anti-COVID-restriction organizing and radicalizing them through repeated exposure to fascist propaganda.

Later in the article, the Rose City Antifa researchers revealed a worrisome series of interactions between Jackson County Commissioner Colleen Roberts and the two neo-Nazis. Both men had been present at an Aug. 5 meeting and spoke of their "concerns" about the pandemic lockdowns. Evidently, they established some sort of connection with Roberts, according to the researchers:

The next day, after Biome, Marchese, and a collection of their fellow “FreeJaCo” channel members gave testimony in front of the Jackson County Commissioners, Commissioner Colleen Roberts approached them in what Biome described as a “more informal non-session setting out from the auditorium” and told them about what she believed were inconsistencies in COVID-related “Executive Orders” from the Governor that might make those orders vulnerable to legal action from right-wing advocacy groups. Commissioner Roberts, who was first elected at the end of 2014, was a featured speakers at a May 16th rally in Medford against coronavirus restrictions, where she at one point addressed the crowd by asking “Why couldn’t you have an elective surgery, but I understand an abortion can be done, which is elective?!…It comes down to this: Are we a free state, or are we a police state?”

The Rogue Free Press was there for the May 16 rally. Prior to making the aforementioned remarks, Roberts urged everyone present -- including unmasked children -- to move closer to the stage and "crowd up together."

It's bothersome to some that Roberts opted to interact with two known neo-Nazis: Both men, especially Erickson, were the focus of articles featured in local papers, including The Mail Tribune, The Daily Tidings and Rogue River Press. And, judging from her non appearance at the January 2019 anti-hate event featuring the state's Attorney General, some would say she's not concerned about the issue.

The article can be viewed here: https://rosecityantifa.org/articles/biome-erickson/

The Rogue Free Press has attempted to contact Roberts and ask her why she interacted with two known neo-Nazis.

She has not responded.

Concerned county residents can reach her at:

 RobertCL@jacksoncounty.org

Phone: 541-774-6117
FAX: 541-774-6705

UPDATED 1 March 2021: Talent Elementary not commenting on Dutra's transphobic social media post

This screenshot is of Cassie Dutra's transphobic remarks that appeared on social media last Friday. The school district has not announced what their reaction will be.

By Brad Smith 

TALENT, Ore. -- In response to a Talent Elementary special education teaching assistant who made made a transphobic remark on social media, school officials issued this statement today: 

Phoenix-Talent Schools is aware of concerns raised about the personal opinions of an employee of the district. Although we cannot comment on internal personnel matters, our focus, as always, is on providing a supportive structure for students to ensure their opportunities to be successful. 

Our school district has a formal Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policy which all staff are expected to follow in the course of their professional responsibilities.

Take care,

Javier del Rio

javier.delrio@phoenix.k12.or.us

Assistant Superintendent

Last Friday, Cassie Dutra, a special ed teaching assistant, posted transphobic remarks in a KOBI NBC 5 post about the recent LGBTQ Equality Amendment that's being addressed by the Senate. In the photo above, Dutra compared the situation to cats and dogs. A Talent Elementary employee, over the phone, confirmed Dutra worked there -- they also looked at the initial KOBI story and saw the remarks.

They also said the matter would be "looked into."

Dutra's Facebook page also has fake news stories linking President Obama and others to a conspiracy theory that SEAL Team 6 members were assassinated after killing Osama bin Laden. Other posts show that Dutra is a Covid-19 denier and opposes Gov. Kate Brown's pandemic response protocols.

According to her profile, Dutra is head instructor at Chip Wright's Champion Karate. Riley Hackett, another instructor, said that the school was "very inclusive" and provided a safe environment for all students.

"We've always had students from various cultures or held different beliefs," he said. "We teach karate and focus on the values of honesty, compassion, respect and good sportsmanship. We don't judge. We value and respect everyone. And, yes, our students -- especially our kids -- learn all of this in safe environment."

On social media, a number of parents who had their kids enrolled at the karate dojo expressed dismay over Dutra's views but said that the school certainly didn't reflect her beliefs about transgender people.

"I am a karate student at Chip Wright's," one person said in The Rogue Free Press comments. "It is a fantastic school despite the views of this instructor. I'm just putting this out there because I don't want it to hurt the school through association."

The Rogue Free Press looked at the school district's policy and found this from Section 3 and all of Section 4:

" . . . . We therefore commit to recruiting, hiring, and retaining a workforce that reflects the diversity and demographics of our student body.

4. Professional development should be designed to help staff grow professionally as well as personally. We therefore commit to providing professional development that is culturally competent, culturally responsive, and curriculum that is culturally relevant in order to affirm the identity of both students and staff."

It would seem that Dutra's transphobic views might conflict with school policy. The Rogue Free Press asked del Rio if students -- especially any transgender children -- were in a safe learning environment.

At press time, there was no response.

On social media, a number of concerned parents and even former and current special education teachers said that they contacted state officials about Dutra's remarks and sent screenshots of her posts.

Meantime, a number of area religious extremists and transphobes voiced their support of Dutra, one claimed that her comments were "benign" and another echoed transphobic remarks uttered by GOP senator Rand Paul when he attacked Rachel Levine, a transgender woman and Cabinet nominee for assistant health secretary.

However, many in the Talent community voiced their displeasure and concerns over Dutra's views and wanted her removed from her position.

Talent city staffers dropped ball after Almeda Fire

City manager Spelliscy, city planner Moody failed to contact FEMA

By Brad Smith

TALENT, Ore. -- Emails from FEMA indicate that in the weeks and months following the Almeda Fire, former city manager Sandra Spelliscy and city planner Zac Moody never contacted the agency.

In articles and news segments about the current controversy about FEMA looking at locations throughout the community suitable for temporary housing -- including Chuck Roberts Park, which has upset little league parents -- interim city manager Jamie McLeod-Skinner has said, "This has been my priority from day one from my getting here. There is a lot of groundwork that needs to be done."

When asked about the situation, McLeod-Skinner said she wasn't "aware of what did or did not happen" prior to her taking over as interim city manager in January this year.

"If there were communications with other agencies, I'm not aware of it. I never had any contact with my predecessor before I took over," she said. "However, when I did reach out to some mobile park owners and regional agencies -- based on their feedback -- it was apparent that they hadn't heard from the city until I called."

According to an anonymous source -- someone who has worked as an interim city manager throughout Oregon and California over the years -- they were surprised by the apparent lack of action.

"I knew people who worked at Paradise (Calif.) and they reacted rapidly," they said. "Personally and professionally, I find it disturbing that no one took action. If they had, those FEMA trailers would be in place and displaced families living in them. A mayor can't do it all. That's why you have city staff to take the initiative and rake up the slack. That's what they're paid to do. As far as I'm concerned, someone screwed up. Badly. As it is, the city is fortunate to have (Mcleod-Skinner)."

Community development manager Moody resigned on Dec. 31 2020 and Spelliscy left in early January. When Mayor Darby Ayers-Flood was asked about events that led to Spelliscy's departure, she stated that she was "unable to comment on the reasons for separation."

As for why Spelliscy and Moody never contacted FEMA -- it might never be known. Meantime, FEMA is continuing its overview of viable locations for the temporary housing.

The Rogue Free Press has attempted to contact Moody. There has been no response.

It should be noted that Moody has been on the Phoenix-Talent Little League board and is one of the parents opposing the possible housing of displaced families at Chuck Roberts Park.

As new information comes forward, this article will be updated.

Little League parents meltdown

To some parents, ballgames are more important than families

By Brad Smith

TALENT, Ore. -- Ryan James declared that he would fight for the Phoenix-Talent Little League.

"If it means that I have to get a picket sign and block (FEMA) equipment from going into the field, I'll do it," he said.

A number of people cheered and applauded afterwards.

That was the scene at a recent emergency meeting of the PTLL board meeting, held in response to an emergency Talent city council session held last Friday. Talent's interim city manager Jamie McLeod-Skinner signed off executive orders, having the city working alongside FEMA to create temporary housing for residents displaced by the Almeda Fire. FEMA would study a number of possible locations to see if they are viable for temporary housing.

One location is the south side of Chuck Roberts Park and two of its baseball fields.

"We have to move fast," McLeod-Skinner said during the Zoom meeting. "We have a window of 18 months to get this done and we're nearly six months into having our families displaced. We had to fast track this."

Should FEMA feel that the park is suitable, the agency would place power, sewer and other infrastructure in the park then move in approximately 29 trailers for the displaced families. Once the trailers aren't needed, FEMA will rebuild or replace everything removed and the park reverts back to the city.

Enter the PTLL parents.

During the Friday night Zoom meeting, some parents and "concerned" individuals -- some of whom not living in Talent -- voiced opposition to the proposal. While most claimed they were concerned about the displaced families, they were upset that kids wouldn't be able to play their games.

During the meeting and on social media, there were insinuations that Talent was doing this for money and that it wanted to get rid of the PTLL. When one media outlet released a badly written article on the situation, Mayor Darby Ayers-Flood went on social media with this post:

The purpose of the meeting (the first of several) was to begin the discussion, let everyone know that of the several contingency/back up sites, one of them could be the back parking lot/2 of 4 diamonds at CR Park. The council wasn’t “prepared to vote on this” because we can’t vote on this. There is only a discussion on the table of all the sites we need to look at and a council decision isn’t on the table, which was made clear both in the agenda as well as verbally at the meeting. FEMA hasn’t even evaluated any of the CONTINGENCY sites, of which this is only one possibility... possibility to become a backup site, one of a few back up sites. It was said at the meeting that FEMA has looked at over 300 sites. Erin Parent was there, spoke and asked questions. It was said that we would have several discussion about this among the other sites. It was said that the two mobile home parks are likely going to be used but that FEMA needs several back up sites. It was said at the meeting that are more discussion to have with neighbors and Little League. Working together seems like a better approach than taking a stand. That seems premature or someone is stoking misinformation.. It was said at the meeting that FEMA restores what they demolish. I can understand with only 4 years left on the lease, they have concerns but wouldn’t that be a more positive place to start the lease renegotiations around brand new diamonds? I feel like that is not likely because my money is on FEMA never needing them, but if they do, a petition war, which side has the biggest petition seems unproductive.

And in an email to media outlets:

I hope to add clarity when I say that The City of Talent hasn’t chosen any site with FEMA yet. We are viewing several sites with FEMA, one of which is just two of the four diamonds at Chuck Robert’s park. We will also be showing FEMA another site at Chuck Robert’s park, while we continue to look for more site, all of which will serve as possible contingency sites. Contingency in case any of the two mobile home parks, which actually are chosen, don’t fill the need or fall through. I appreciate the concerns but we are pretty far from “chosen” at this point.

Please accept this email as an introduction to Jamie McLeod-Skinner who is Talent’s Interim City Manager. She is working her heart out to provide FEMA with as many “back up” sites as possible so if something falls through, we can still bring our families home without losing more time. I particularly appreciate that she is sharing her work with the community, so we can prepare every contingency for our people to be safe and sheltered in their hometown.

However, some of the PTLL weren't having it.

It should be noted that a number of parents did say that of it came down to a choice between kids playing ball or families coming home -- they would choose the families.

James and others weren't so gracious.

"They can go somewhere else," he said. "I played ball on these fields. So will my kids. I'm going to fight for that!"

As a number of others spoke out against the FEMA proposal, one person noted: "It's like a parade of middle-aged men who have lived mediocre lives and Springsteen's 'Glory Days' is their personal anthem. It's sad."

However, a representative from the Medford Little League was on hand. She said that it could be possible the PTLL could use their fields. It was something the two organizations could talk about at a later time.

Some parents said that if they had assurances that the park would still be accessible to the PTLL, they were fine with the proposed plan.

Meantime, scores of Talent residents are scattered throughout the Rogue Valley. Some are in motels and temporary housing. Others are living in cars or have been camping in tents the last few months. Some are struggling with red tape as they deal with insurance companies and government bureaucracy. It's shocking that as the six month anniversary of the Almeda Fire nears, there are elements in Talent determined to keep families from returning.

Months ago, people were declaring "Talent Strong."

Now, it's "Talent NIMBY."

Medford bakery owner thinks transphobia 'is very funny'

Top is the Facebook post made by Erica Bryan on Jan. 26. Below is the response received on Feb. 9. Bryan hung up after The Rogue Free Press attempted to call her. An Ashland business owner posted the same meme. Below is her response.

By Brad Smith 

MEDFORD, Ore. -- By late Monday afternoon, a transphobic Facebook post from local business owners was making the rounds on social media -- in a negative manner.

Erica Bryan, owner of Sweet Stuff Bakery, and Steve Barnard, A Street Print and Parcel, posted the same transphobic meme on Jan. 26. Below is Barnard's post.

The Rogue Free Press called the bakery and Bryan refused to comment. However, she later posted on social media:

Bryan admits to making the post and that it's "very funny." However, transphobia is very harmful.

From the National Center for Biotechnology Information, there was a 2011 study of depression among male-to-female transgender women with a history of sex work (THSW). During this study, a total of 573 THSW who worked or resided in San Francisco or Oakland, Calif., were recruited through street outreach and referrals and completed individual interviews using a structured questionnaire.

The results were compelling. More than half of Latina and White participants were depressed on the basis of Center For Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale scores. About three quarters of White participants reported ever having suicidal ideation, of whom 64 percent reported suicide attempts. Half of the participants reported being physically assaulted and 38 percent reported being raped or sexually assaulted before age 18 years. White and African American participants reported transphobia experiences more frequently than did others. Social support, transphobia, suicidal ideation, and levels of income and education were significantly and independently correlated with depression.

The Human Rights Campaign has been tracking violence against transgender people and 2020 saw more than 44 transgender individuals killed. That information can be found here: https://www.hrc.org/resources/violence-against-the-trans-and-gender-non-conforming-community-in-2020

Unfortunately, suicide rates among transgender teens have also been increasing: https://www.aappublications.org/news/2019/10/14/suicide101419

In short, this sort of behavior is not funny.

One hopes that Bryan and others like her will, eventually, understand that their words and actions can and do cause harm to others.

Trophy Club article has been updated!

 The Trophy Club article has been updated with new information.

The racist slur has been removed. The bar owners issued a lame attempt at an apology. And, the main reason they took down the message was due to alleged "death threats" received via telephone.

At press time, it's uncertain if the bar owners filed a report with local law enforcement.