Gabe Romero
Last week, when the membership of the citizens advisory committee was announced, one school board member, Gabe Romero, voted against it. He didn't make a statement, so we don't know what he didn't like about it. He may have objected to the presence of Peter Sprigg on the committee. But the first theory that occurred to ... just about everyone ... is that he objected to the fact that the CRC's seat was left vacant.
The next day, the local branches of the Internet seemed to come alive. A number of different groups suddenly found it interesting that Romero is up for election in 2006, and wanted to talk about who should run against him. I'm not in on the political insider stuff, but even I was seeing these messages.
I can't find a list of his campaign officers, but for a long time the rumor has been that CRC President Michelle Turner is Gabe Romero's treasurer.
And then I see these minutes from a CRC meeting where they were planning their March Hate-Fest, and were considering speakers for it. And guess who was on that first list.
Yes, there's Gabe Romero's name. It says Michelle will contact him.
For those who weren't following this story back then, I'll tell you. Some of us attended the CRC "town hall" meeting in March, and it was one of the most disturbing things we have ever seen. One speaker after the other stood up to spew what one of them called "hate and fear of the homosexual agenda." It was beyond creepy, it was sick. Even the leadership of the CRC, knowing they had accidentally crossed the line in public, told reporters that they didn't really agree with their own speakers. But of course they knew what they were going to say, that's why they selected this particular group of extremists. And their crowd loved it.
We taped the talks, and made mp3 files out of them. Here, listen for yourself: CRC HateFest speeches.
Romero has always seemed like a nice guy to me, and he did vote for the new curriculum the last time it came around, in November, 2004. But is this the kind of company he keeps?
Gabe, the people of the county are watching for a statement from you. You can clear this all up very easily by telling us what your position is.
What is your affiliation with the far-right group called Citizens for a Responsible Curriculum?
The next day, the local branches of the Internet seemed to come alive. A number of different groups suddenly found it interesting that Romero is up for election in 2006, and wanted to talk about who should run against him. I'm not in on the political insider stuff, but even I was seeing these messages.
I can't find a list of his campaign officers, but for a long time the rumor has been that CRC President Michelle Turner is Gabe Romero's treasurer.
And then I see these minutes from a CRC meeting where they were planning their March Hate-Fest, and were considering speakers for it. And guess who was on that first list.
Yes, there's Gabe Romero's name. It says Michelle will contact him.
For those who weren't following this story back then, I'll tell you. Some of us attended the CRC "town hall" meeting in March, and it was one of the most disturbing things we have ever seen. One speaker after the other stood up to spew what one of them called "hate and fear of the homosexual agenda." It was beyond creepy, it was sick. Even the leadership of the CRC, knowing they had accidentally crossed the line in public, told reporters that they didn't really agree with their own speakers. But of course they knew what they were going to say, that's why they selected this particular group of extremists. And their crowd loved it.
We taped the talks, and made mp3 files out of them. Here, listen for yourself: CRC HateFest speeches.
Romero has always seemed like a nice guy to me, and he did vote for the new curriculum the last time it came around, in November, 2004. But is this the kind of company he keeps?
Gabe, the people of the county are watching for a statement from you. You can clear this all up very easily by telling us what your position is.
What is your affiliation with the far-right group called Citizens for a Responsible Curriculum?
posted by JimK at 11:54 AM
25 Comments:
Romero is not the only one that owes the voters an explanation. The school board needs to release the applications of all the people it appointed to the CAC and explain why they chose them to represent the community.
They tried to stack the deck obviously but made a few blatant errors. The NARAL rep should mobilize the pro-life community, giving CRC a boost; the TTF rep has demonstrated a propensity for not thinking before he talks, and since he has a public forum set up, he's sure to hurt his cause, which is their's too.
Ever-spying Eyes
Anon, I don't think your whining will have any effect. Remember, the previous citizens committee had representatives of Daughters of the American Revolution, the Peoples Community Baptist Church, Archdiocese of Washington, Parents Against X-rated and R-rated Books, Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays (PFOX), Maryland Coalition Against Pornography, plus the person who is now President of CRC, and still they were screaming it was unbalanced. They'll still say it. I doubt the school board is going to worry too much about your background noise. They've got good people on the committee, it appears to me.
JimK
Eyes(just another ashamed anon) so go ahead and bug the BOE.
And I would say Jim thinks a lot before he speaks- and I actually know that Jim can think. I have my doubts about our opposition.
Andrea
Andrea
Jim has given up so much information in the past week. We now no that TTF has been a communication link between Fishback and GLSEN. We also now know that a shadowy group too vile to mention has given you advice on how to address the public.
We also know that Jim is the only one on the TTF board that is still a male. Isn't it kind of sexist that the only remaining male in the organization is the President?
Anon
There may have been a time that you participated in some meaningful discussion around here.
Now you have become a troll, in the classic sense. An annoyance.
We have a serious topic to talk about here. It appears, from your comments here, that your side has nothing to offer the discussion beyond innuendo and trouble-making. None of our questions have been answered. If you think you have a point to make, please feel free to make it.
Otherwise, pretty soon I'm going to start deleting anonymous messages like this that have no point to them.
JimK
So let me get this straight. Electing Jim as President is sexist?
Then what is electing *We love you* Garza as VP, Attorney for CRC, Attorney for your partners from Virginia PFOX, and allowing him to take thousands of dollars from MCPS educational funding? Idolatry?
Aunt Bea
Look at his reaction to having his leadership questioned. Classic sexism.
With Jim's appointment to the CAC and all the controversy here, maybe there is too much on his plate. He should probably step down for the good of the group. Maybe Dana should take his place.
Concerned Supporter
I think women are as good at making judgments as men.
Harriet
I would suggest that you look to another organization if you are looking for sexism or weak women. All of you anons(both of you) with your occasional fake names are getting boring- why don't you go on Yahoo boards and act silly there.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
If you don't have anything to say, go to CRC's forum and say it.
JimK
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Please don't litter on our site.
JimK
JimK said...
If you don't have anything to say, go to CRC's forum and say it.
JimK
**************
Yeah why not pump some life into that "less than public" CRC/Recall message board by saying nothing?
Wonder if they will kick you off too?
Notice Jim didn't start deleting stuff until I started saying he was a bad leader.
"Wonder if they will kick you off too?"
Didn't kick me off Kay. He just is going to delete anything that doesn't make him look good.
Also, I told him earlier today that this will be the last day I post on this propaganda site so he wants it to look like he kicked me off.
Anony, I have been deleting your posts because you've become a troll. Maybe you think you're funny, maybe you think somehow you've scored some zingers, but there aint much signal in your noise.
If you want to make me look bad, do it by presenting an argument that successfully counters mine. A bunch of stupid stuff, such as you've littered our site with today, does not further your cause, but reveals that you have no point to make.
JimK
well, jim, why don't you just undelete the comments and let people make up their own mind?
Anonymous said...
well, jim, why don't you just undelete the comments and let people make up their own mind?
***************
We have that is why you are deleted.
Um, Anon honey? You told *everybody* who reads this blog that "this will be the last day I post" so how do you expect it to look like Jim kicked...oh never mind.
And I think we've read enough of your comments to have already made up our minds about you. Thank you.
Bye-bye, Anon!
Aunt Bea
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anon, it's time for you to move on.
JimK
Jim
Your people shouldn't make nasty comments if they don't want an appropriate response.
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