Local Politicians speak at Anti-Gun Event and
Applaud Anti-American Rhetoric
Do you know what our local politicians up for re-election stand for?
A recently discovered exclusive video filmed at a town hall meeting came to our attention that seemingly reveals the support of un-American sentiment by event speakers Julia Brownley (D), Incumbent U.S. House of Representatives District 26 (Ventura County), Jacqui Irwin (D), Incumbent CA State Assembly 44th District (both up for re-election Nov 3) and Linda Parks Ventura County Board of Supervisors District 2. State Senator Henry Stern (D) Incumbent 27th District also up for reelection, County Supervisor Steve Bennett, District 1, now running as the Democratic candidate for the 37th District CA State Assembly seat and other prominent local politicians also spoke at this event.
The event, “A Town Hall on Gun Violence,” also called “A Forum on Gun Violence,” hosted at Westlake High School on February 3, 2019 masqueraded as an educational non-partisan event to memorialize the Borderline Angels. While it did take time to honor the lives of our local Angels, it also discussed the lives of victims of other murderers. These early event topics will naturally pull at anyone’s heartstrings. Who wouldn’t want to find a solution to these problems? It then turned to an exclusive platform to air anti-gun grievances with leaps to firearms themselves as the root cause and ended with a bizarre litany of every conceivable far left grievance item in the final speech announced as a poem. Julia Brownley, Jaqui Irwin and Linda Parks were caught on video applauding this “poem”, Irwin whispers to Brownley, they look at the camera and stop, continuing to look directly at the discretely held cell phone recording them. Linda Parks seems to smirk when she notices. Did they get caught approving of and participating in something they should know is inappropriate? Dive into this story and watch the videos below. You decide for yourself and vote accordingly November 3rd.
“black lives matter” “racial profiling” “institutionalized racism” “white privilege” “dismantle that privilege“ “reparations“ “resistance is the only means of advancement” “police officers who murder unarmed Black men and women” “America was built on the foundation of white supremacy” “whiteness and complacency are a toxic combination” “Politicians,… if they remain moderate” “there will be suffering and there will be resistance”
Just a small number of the shocking statements made ending with Brownley, Irwin and Parks’ applause.
Remember, a significant focus of this event was to memorialize the murder victims of Borderline. Borderline was less than 3 months before this event. Sgt. Ron Helus, the first in the door that fateful night, lost his life in the act of saving others without regard to their race... Watch this video, explore the rest of this story, other speeches presented and wrap your head around the motivations, moral compass… of its participants and organizers.
Watch the compilation video directly here: https://youtu.be/1bSTGeiTS8Y
Don’t believe this is what they’re applauding, watch this video next and listen. Same speech, same timing: https://youtu.be/LidRDxH0VFs
MISAPPROPRIATION OF BORDERLINE and Public School Property?
Event page on Indivisible Conejo
Publicity of this event on the Facebook page of Indivisible Conejo and Eventbrite stated the town hall was to “memorialize the victims” and yes to discuss various “gun violence” topics, but is this an appropriate use of our Borderline angels to promote gun-control when, for the most part, they and the country music and dance community are not the bastions of gun control proponents? The event announcement page on Indivisible Conejo and the Eventbrite ticket reservation page used a collage of Borderline victims as cover photos.
This was billed as a “Public” forum. One would also expect family members of the slain, certainly their parents would actively be invited. However, the only family members of Borderline victims known to be invited and spoke were the one mother and one father publicly known as gun control advocates. John von Colln, owner of VC Defense, a Firearm retailer in Thousand Oaks, states he asked a parent of another Borderline victim a couple of days prior to the event if they were aware of or invited. Both the parent and borderline angel victim were customers of his. Not only was the parent not invited to speak, s/he was completely unaware of the event. Further, the parent expressed great disappointment their child’s name was being used for such an event. Von Colln states, “while there may be exceptions, my experience is the Borderline community of friends, family and those at borderline that horrific night are largely not advocates of gun control.“
Speakers throughout the event called upon victim’s names individually and used photos of each of them as propaganda to support a gun control agenda. An appropriate topic while memorializing someone may have been what the victim stood for, was passionate about, and hobbies, many of which would likely be in direct contradiction with gun control and as you’ll see later in this article, the anti-American rhetoric which is virtually non-existent in the country music & dance communities like Borderline. A considerate memorial should include or at least invite the family of all the memorialized persons. This event was an inappropriate emotional tactic to weaponize the Borderline incident for leftist agendas.
Photos at event- showing every Borderline victim including Sergeant Ron Helus during the Gun Control Event
Use of Public School Property
One may ask, why was this event allowed to be conducted on Public school grounds, Westlake High School? Apparently, they used the fact that active student groups can use the Carpenter Theatre.. for their group’s activities for free if there isn’t another event planned at that time. Was this an UNA-USA student group meeting or was it something more or much worst. Did an outside adult political group with a agenda use this high school kid’s group to gain access to an arena for free, that would have cost a great deal of money otherwise? Let’s look at who was there and who planned the event. As you will see from the email traffic below, Jon Cummings was carefully controlling the by name only attendance list. Who is Jon Cummings? He is the self described “Communications Guru” of Indivisible Conejo, an adult left wing Conejo Valley group. “Indivisible” is the name of a George Soros umbrella organization that may provide support to this group. Further, The Brady campaign and other adult anti-gun groups were not only there, but had tables set up in the lobby. No tables were observed being staffed by or for any student group(s). Appropriate use of public space? Again, you decide.
One of the attendees, Adam of A.M. Fox Plumbing, has this to say: "As a business owner I was very disappointed that the group holding the event advertised their venue being held at a public school was for the entire community yet cherry picked ticket purchasers to hold an anti-gun rally under the guise of honoring our lost members of the community at Borderline."
Tables in lobby of Carpenter Family Theatre at Westlake High School – Not one student group table
PARTISAN
The event registration page states, “This event is non-partisan in nature. However, organizers reserve the right to remove any attendee at any time for any reason.” Despite claiming non-partisanship, the event being named “gun violence” rather than something neutral such as “gun policy” was an early indication of bias.
The expectation of a non-partisan event, especially one named a “town hall” is that any person of any affiliation is welcome. Prominent local democratic politicians and only democratic ones were in attendance. No opposing views were presented and there were no Q&A sessions. Even before the start of the event, John von Colln, owner of VC Defense a Thousand Oaks firearm retailer, Renee Stringer (known as lionesstactics) a firearms instructor and executive protection agent in Simi Valley, her assistant Taylor Johnson, Adam Fox a Conejo Valley plumbing contractor and four other constitutionalist citizens had been singled out. von Colln states, “Once they saw my name on the list, they looked for ways to question our reasons for attending, seemingly attempting to exclude all of us or at a minimum make us feel unwelcome”. Emails between Taylor Johnson and Jon Cummings, Indivisible Conejo’s self named “Communications Guru” reveal these among other exchanges:
Jon Cummings, Jan 30, 2019:
"Some security concerns have been raised this week, unfortunately, due to threats from some in our community who militantly oppose this forum taking place."
"we are working with law enforcement to make sure that every attendee will be accounted for."
Taylor Johnson, Jan 30, 2019:
“In my group it would be Taylor Johnson, , , Renee Stringer, , , , , John VonColln, Mrs./ Mr. (the parent of, ,whose life was lost at borderline) and, . Members of my group are law enforcement who responded to borderline, family members of borderline attendees, or borderline regulars such as myself. This opportunity to sit in would mean so much to us."
Commas in the quote represent names redacted of those not aware of this writeup and haven’t provided permission to print their names. 12 names in total were submitted.
Jon Cummings, Jan 30, 2019:
"You’ll need to show them in order to gain access, which will be tightly controlled."
Jon Cummings, Feb 1, 2019:
"In the meantime, I have to admit I’m concerned about the disconnect between the way you characterized the people you want to bring and the list you gave me."
"John Von Colln’s name is easily recognizable as the owner of VC Defense, for example, and the fact that you didn’t provide first name (of first and last name of Borderline victim's parent) (alone among those you listed) seemed odd to me."
This was inserted above to protect the identity of a Borderline victim's parent's name: (of first and last name of Borderline victim's parent). Why would a Borderline victim's parent wanting to attend be a concern to Jon Cummings?
"To be honest, I’m left wondering if you weren't avoiding letting me know that you want to bring a group of gun-rights supporters to the event."
Taylor Johnson, Feb 2,2019:
“Where my group stands on gun rights shouldn’t have any impact on wether we are allowed access to this event or not.”
"We all have one goal in mind and that is for violence to stop. This community is our home and we all want to feel safe."
Jon Cummings, Feb 2, 2019:
"Hi Taylor. Please add the full name of each person in your group to the waitlist on the Eventbrite page, and I will make every effort to get them all tickets. The process should be complete by noon, if you add the names before then."
"Please note that no one without a ticket will be allowed entry. Thanks!"
Jon Cummings
Communications Guru
jon.cummings@indivisibleconejo.org
Email Signature used in communications with Jon Cummings
The hosts of the event Never Again SoCal, Westlake High chapter of UNA-USA, Ventura County chapter of the Brady Campaign for the Prevention of Gun Violence, and Indivisible Conejo, are all left wing and anti-gun groups. The political speakers were only from the democratic party and all have gun control viewpoints without representation of other perspectives from politicians or family members and friends of Borderline victims. Event speakers include Julia Brownley (D), Incumbent U.S. House of Representatives District 26 (Ventura County), Jacqui Irwin (D), Incumbent CA State Assembly 44th District, State Senator Henry Stern (D) Incumbent 27th District (all three up for re-election Nov 3), County Supervisor Steve Bennett, District 1 now running as the Democratic candidate for the 37th District CA State Assembly seat and Linda Parks Ventura County Board of Supervisors District 2. Below you will find quotes from their speeches and links to those videos in their entirety. Additionally, there are quotes from their political opponents in the upcoming races November 03, 2020.
Event registration page states the event is non-partisan
Event Announcements, largely publicized by the Anti-Gun Brady Campaign
POLITICIANS TALK
Julia Brownley (D), Incumbent U.S. House of Representatives District 26 (Ventura County), https://youtu.be/IFbaquPCtnk:
~13:13 into the video:
"Or the insanity of the repeated, repeated myth that I hear over and over again that the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun. None of these arguments are true and the American People also believe that they are not true"
Then why once Ron Helus entered Borderline did the mayhem stop, losing his life in doing so? Answer: A good guy with a gun showed up. Same would have been true if others at borderline were armed.
~10:45 into the video:
"We stand ready to also introduce bills to ban assault weapons, high capacity magazines..." "all of which I'm a co-author"
This was done already in the national assault weapon ban of 1994-2004. It expired and the FBI's own data proves the law had no measurable effect to lower "gun violence"
Ronda Kennedy (R), Brownley’s opponent November 3, 2020 for the 26th Congressional seat, Quote obtained from her campaign manager Mike O’Brian:
She was not a speaker at this event
“Even the possibility of a good guy with a gun will deter a shooter from a mass shooting. Both the Borderline and Aurora CO venues were gun free zones and the shooters knew this in advance. The gunmen were free to shoot innocent victims at will. In the Borderline shooting, six police officers inside were forced to leave their service weapons outside in their cars. The outcome would have been much different had those officers been armed. Like it or not, we have an enumerated constitutional right to keep and bear arms. America was built on the Constitution. We must always protect these fundamental rights.”
Jacqui Irwin (D), Incumbent CA State Assembly 44th District, https://youtu.be/p8D_kbW70qo:
"California has more a regulations than any other state, at last measure 109 regulations"
She then proceeds to discuss several Bills she is proposing related to Red Flag laws. Five, I think, became law. Red Flag laws allow for someone, in some cases, almost anyone to get an ex parte (without the restrained party being represented) Gun Violence Restraining Order (GVRO) against someone else. This is a violation of that person's constitutional right to due process. No notice is given, it's done in secret, you get served and you don't get a hearing for 20 days. Meanwhile, you either get your firearms and ammunition confiscated on the spot or must turn them in within 24 hrs. People that can request these GVROS are not just those with evidence of abuse or a spouse, domestic partner..., but in some jurisdictions nearly anyone such as co-workers, employers, teachers, siblings, distant relatives... It is fraught with abuse not to mention being unconstitutional.
Denise Pedro (R), Irwin’s opponent on November 3, 2020, CA State Assembly 44th District, https://voteforpedrow.com/campaign-updates/f/bill-sb61:
In reference to AB61 that effects CA citizens ability to purchase firearms, Denise Pedro says:
“People are scared right now, not just for their safety but for their businesses, and the California Government seems determined to keep the people of CA from being able to protect themselves.”
Jaqui Irwin voted yes for AB61 in 2020 and Governor Newsom signed it into law.
Steve Bennett (D), County Board of Supervisors District 1 now running as the Democratic candidate for the 37th District CA State Assembly seat, https://youtu.be/Gu6g6Mz8PGw:
07:20 into the video:
"We have a pervasive gun culture in this country"
11:56 into the video:
In reference to his efforts to ban gun shows at the Ventura County Fairgrounds and the fact it's controlled by a state level entity, not Ventura County:
"...We need at just that level, we need over whelming political support in order to take that step. Not because banning gun shows at the fairgrounds will dramatically change those statistics, but it will be one more step in building the momentum we need so that more and more politicians say I'm not going to stand up to those people that want real meaningful gun control legislation in this country."
Note that he admits this will not improve the safety of our citizens, but wants the ban to help create a mindset conducive to more gun control.
14:50 into the video:
"25 years ago when I was on the Ventura County, a Ventura City Council, I brought gun control legislation to the City Council, I could not get a majority vote on the Ventura City Council."
There’s a state pre-emption on firearms laws, so this is not doable then or now and he stated such knowledge in this video.
Charles Cole (R), Steve Bennett’s opponent for the 37th District Seat of the state assembly:
Source: https://www.coleforassembly.com/issues
“California has some of the most draconian gun laws in the United States, unconstitutional infringements based on fear rather than fact.”
“The right to protect oneself, one's family and one's property is inalienable. If elected to the State Assembly, I will work to do away with bad-faith laws that make us less safe and less free.”
Henry Stern (D), state senator 27th District up for re-election: https://youtu.be/f4Pfg23czQM:
4:56 into the video:
"With all of those families, those families, those other families who definitely didn't vote for me and definitely bleed the 2nd Amendment and support this President and don't have any sympathy for a bunch of liberal politicians spouting gun control, they want a change too, they want a change too and they know that Veteran, that Marine Veteran who went there that night should not have had a gun, they know that too" "...and bring that shame that's so well deserved in in The White House and those other halls of power that don't want to hear this and think it's inconvenient.."
Obvious distain for those who "bleed the 2nd Amendment" and for the President. Seeming admiration for "liberal politicians spouting gun control". Understandably upset about what happened at Borderline. We all are, but the target for his anger is misplaced.
Houman Salem(R), Stern’s opponent for CA State Senate District 27:
“First and foremost and Pro 2A. Now more than ever we need to be able to protect ourselves, our families, and our property. I would never stand in the way of someone’s legal right to own any weapons they deem necessary. We must not forget that the criminal element among us are not beholden to the laws and will always find ways and means to obtain weapons.”
ANTI AMERICAN SENTIMENT
The event was closed with what was said to be a poem “I want Politicians to…,” a call to action for politicians in attendance to boldly condemn the police, limit access to firearms, give reparations to communities of color, regulate gender neutral bathrooms, and state “resistance is the only means of advancement,” just to list a few. (You may view the full 4 minute 18 second video of the “poem” here: https://youtu.be/1bSTGeiTS8Y)
The speaker brings up “white privilege [and] class privilege” and male privilege as issues in American culture. Other statements about America include, “America was built on the foundation of white supremacy,” “America’s gun culture operates because of our history of imperialist greed and colonization,” and “America was also built on a foundation of hypermasculinity and rape culture.”
The speaker talks about racism and poverty: “I want [politicians] to condemn the police officers who murder unarmed Black men and women.” “I want [politicians] to acknowledge that communities of color and other marginalized people deserve reparations for the subtle, sometimes outright killing of our most vulnerable.” “To say that our gun violence problem is not just due to our access to guns, but [due to]: our weaponization and dehumanization of people of color, … poverty, and America [being] built on a foundation of white supremacy.” “In order to uphold that supremacy, we [have limited] communities of color.” “I want [politicians to] propose solutions to heal the Black and Latino communities affected.”
The speaker talks about gender: “America was also built on a foundation of hypermasculinity and rape culture intensified due to our inability to address and check that masculinity.” “I want to hear them acknowledge gender as a spectrum and work to regulate gender neutral bathrooms in city owned spaces. I want to hear them use they/them [as] pronouns as often as Generation Z does. I want them to dismantle cis gendered normativity and heteronormativity in their own lives, in their workplaces, and at home.”
The final statement is a warning, “if [politicians] remain moderate … at the expense of the marginalized, there will be suffering and there will be resistance.” “I want to hear them say things that are not complacent, like ‘Resistance is the only means of advancement.’ “
This is the stance many of our youth, leftists, and politicians take today. Politicians Brownley, Irwin and Parks acknowledged this call to action with smiles and applause as seen in the video linked above. They pause their clapping when they realize they are being recorded once Irwin whispers to Brownley. One might later want to ask if they stand for these radical left statements.
While this speech was made in February 2019, we’ve seen in the last several months large demonstrations across the United States with many people resisting the police and law and order, turning to violence, looting, and killing in the name of counter racism. Our nation is more divided than ever before. Know that your vote is the first line of defense to protecting what you love. You are subject to the laws put in place by politicians that you put in these positions of power whether by vote or by complacency. Protect your family, friends, neighbors, community, and nation and vote November 3rd, 2020 for those who share your ideals.
“I Want Politicians to…” Speech, Brownley, Irwin, Parks applause
Von Colln finds the anti law enforcement comments “..police officers who murder unarmed Black men and women..” particularly offensive while memorializing our fallen friends at Borderline. He states “because Sgt Ron Helus, Ventura County Sheriff’s office lost his life that night and certainly didn’t enquire as to the race of the occupants as he entered. My father a Sgt with another county had his back broken on the job in a fight with two assailants and had to retire. 5 years earlier having his cousin, also a Sgt., murdered in his own substation, shot in the back while sitting on the phone. This disrespect is way over the top and is even more infuriating to see our Congress Woman Brownley, State Assembly Woman Irwin and County Board of Supervisors Parks applaud this anti-American sentiment.”
Transcript of the “poem” “I Want Politicians to…”
I want to hear politicians start saying their names. Tamire Rice, Sandra Bland, Falando Castio, Eric Garner, Alton Stirling, Travon Martin. I want to hear politicians say the words “black lives matter” and “racial profiling” and “mass incarceration” and “institutionalized racism” and propose solutions to heal the Black and Latino communities affected. I want to hear them acknowledge their privilege, white privilege, class privilege, heterosexual privilege. And I want them to work to actively dismantle that privilege every single day of their lives. I want them to acknowledge that communities of color and other marginalized people deserve reparations for the subtle, sometimes outright killing of our most vulnerable. I want to hear them say things that are not complacent, like “intersectional feminism is resistance to oppression” and “resistance is the only means of advancement.” I want to hear them acknowledge gender as a spectrum and work to regulate gender neutral bathrooms in city owned spaces. I want to hear them use they/them (as) pronouns as often as Generation Z does. I want them to dismantle cis gendered normativity and heteronormativity in their own lives, in their workplaces, and at home. I want them to work to end all gun violence including mass shootings. I want to hear them condemn the police officers who murder unarmed Black men and women and acknowledge the victims and survivors in inner-cities. To say that our gun violence problem is not just due to our access to guns, but our weaponization and dehumanization of people of color, and because of poverty, and because America was built on the foundation of white supremacy. And in order to uphold that supremacy we required to limit communities of color. America was also built on a foundation of hypermasculinity and rape culture intensified due to our inability to address and check that masculinity. I want them to say that we don’t just have a gun problem, we have a gun culture. I want them to recognize that America’s gun culture operates because of our history of imperialist greed and colonization, and that any space we utilize as a public forum once belonged to indigenous people. I understand politics is a game of power, that being moderate means you’ll get reelected, and you’ll appeal to more people, that you’ll propel yourself forward without actually standing for anything. But whiteness and complacency are a toxic combination. Martin Luther King Jr. was more afraid of silence than he was of the KKK. In his works: “I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Black man’s great stumbling block in the stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen’s Council-er or the Ku Klux Klanner, it’s the White moderate who’s more devoted to order than to justice, who prefers a negative peace, which is the absence of tension to a positive peace, which is the presence of justice; who constantly says, “I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I can’t agree with your methods and direct action.” Politicians, I want them to be aware that if they remain moderate to gain power and then get stuck in the cycle of maintaining that power at the expense of the marginalized, there will be suffering and there will be resistance.
Some small differences may be present due to difficulty understanding some of the audio, spoken words...
Brownley-Irwin-Parks-Bennett-Stern-2019-Feb-03