We have been discussing the increasing intolerance on the left for conservative and controversial speech. A case in point comes out of Topeka, Kansas where Adrienne Foster, the director of the Kansas Hispanic and Latino American Affairs Commission, is facing calls to resign for simply supporting Donald Trump in comments made to the Kansas City Star.
Three Democrat lawmakers, Louis Ruiz of Kansas City, John Alcala of Topeka and Ponka-We Victors of Wichita, sent a letter to Governor Sam Brownback objecting to the support shown for Trump, whose comments are described as “inaccurate and highly inflammatory and discriminatory.” They insisted:
“Donald Trump has described Latin American immigrants as being killers, criminals, drug dealers and rapists, has called for the building of a wall between the U.S. and Mexico and has even praised the beating of a Latin American man by his supporters,” wrote the Representatives.
Ruiz wrote that Foster has “diminished her position” in the organization and called on Brownback to request her resignation.
I can well understand such feelings but it is shocking to see lawmakers seeking to punish someone for her political views. People can disagree about Trump, even with the hispanic community. I do not believe that different political views diminish an organization but rather shows its strength and diversity. I cannot imagine that these legislators would want such a political litmus test applied to them in participating in commissions or groups.
Foster would seem someone whose success should be celebrated in the Hispanic community. Her bio states:
Adrienne was the first to attend college after obtaining her high school diploma from Bishop Ward High School. After receiving a LULAC scholarship to Washburn University, Adrienne graduated with a Bachelor’s in Public Administration and an Associate in Art. Later, Adrienne obtained her Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Missouri-Kansas City along with her Fundraising Certificate. Adrienne was elected to the Roeland Park City Council during a Special Election in June 2005. She became very active with the National League of Cities and two of their constituent groups; Women in Municipal Government (WIMG) and Hispanic Elected & Local Officials (HELO). Adrienne currently serves as the President of WIMG and First Vice-President of HELO. After serving on the City Council for four years, Adrienne ran for Mayor of Roeland Park and was elected in April 2009. Adrienne volunteers with her Church, Kansas Children’s Service League and the Shawnee Indian Mission Historic site. She has been married for 17 years to her husband Stephen, and has five boys.
The fact that such a position is now considered reasonable is itself chilling. These legislators do not seem at all concerned about punishing people for political views. They are not saying that a director cannot make such comments but that Foster simply took the wrong side in praising Trump. I could understand if there is a ban on staff making political statements in their role as a Commission representative. However, the letter seems to object to Trump’s view — suggesting that it would not be a problem is Foster praised the ideas of Clinton or Sanders. Unless there is a contractual or legal bar on such statements, Foster appears to be the subject of attacks because she is viewed as having the “wrong” views on politics.
I am still trying to find a copy of the letter to see if the legislators are citing any legal authority for their demand.
Seeking diversity for the sake of difference is insanity.
A chat with Former U.S. AG Alberto Gonzales in the Bush years. Best and the brightest will make mistakes.
Vincente Fox, former President of Mexico, bluntly expressed his feelings about making Mexico pay for the wall.
I think Trump is the greatest gift to Democrats in decades.
If nominated, or if he goes 3rd party, he will inflict damage on the GOP that will take years to repair.
Some who ostensibly support Trump may be Democrats in “elephant’s clothing”, welcoming the prospect of a Trump nomination.
@Lisa
I think this kind of thing was once called, “The Night of the Long Knives” or “Operation Hummingbird” when the fascists in the Nazi party turned on the socialists in the Nazi Party. Hitler and the SS won. From wiki:
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
Jon Turley wonders what legal authority there is for demanding the resignation of Adrienne Foster, the director of the Kansas Hispanic and Latino American Affairs Commission, for simply supporting Donald Trump. The legal authority they are applying here is an extension of The Communist Manifesto, specifically, plank No. 6:
6. Centralization of the means of communications and transportation in the hands of the State.
Americans call it the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Department of Transportation (DOT) mandated through the ICC act of 1887, the Commissions Act of 1934, The Interstate Commerce Commission established in 1938, The Federal Aviation Administration, Federal Communications Commission, and Executive orders 11490, 10999, as well as State mandated driver’s licenses and Department of Transportation regulations.
SFGR,
You are exactly right in your comments to Donald Duck, but unfortunately they don’t see it that way.
Wasserman- Shultz has already demonstrated her ability to be a fascist by denying her own party the right to voter data, from the DNC, all because she decided she doesn’t like who is running against her chosen candidate or herself. But Democrats have demonstrated that they are capable of electing crooks and felons and now Fascist and Socialist.
The irony is, Bernie Sanders is a Socialist and his parties head fascist, Wasserman-Shultz, is denying him the info he has a right to have. What’s that called?
@Donald Duck
What you are doing is exercising your right of free speech to ridicule a political opponent. I respect that! I do it all the time. But why don’t you use your voice to ridicule and condemn the far greater threat to our country—the young fascists and old fascists like Bill Ayers, who openly opine that they have the right to shut down the rights of free speech and assembly??? My goodness, but if the fascists win, you may no longer be able to ridicule anybody except for who they tell you to ridicule. This is Weimar Redux, and you are on stage, in baggy pants with a red rubber nose, throwing cream pies at everybody except the Brown Shirts in the audience!
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
I wouldn’t at call this chilling. And the representatives are free to disagree – but calls for the Director’s resignation appear unwarranted. As this is Kansas I am confused! What type of Director did the representatives think Brownbeck would put in? A conservative ideologue! Or a radical conservative ideologue!
I can understand her views appear inappropriate based on her position and Drumpf’s comments on Hispanic immigrants being rapists, drug dealers, etc……., but she should be allowed to freely state her own political views without fear of losing her job.
Antonio
You are funny. Donald Trump-like funny. Pretending you know what I “want.” I can’t wait to hear who Trump will appoint in his administration. Dr. Ben will be ambassador to Egypt, so he can learn more about the pyramids. Sarah “I’m determined to resign halfway through my term no matter what” Palin will be ambassador to Russia, so she can actually “see” Russia. Chris Christie will be Secretary of Transportation. Putin will be Secretary of Defense, although I hear he is unhappy about the hilarious (or should I say “Hillaryous”) ad that shows Hillary barking and Putin supposedly laughing at her. Trump may have to find someone other than Putin for SecDef, even though that ad is a really good one.
Trump is a fabulous marketer and publicity hound. Possibly the best carnival barker that has ever lived.
@bams and lisa n
The Liberal Left does not have the ability to defend their belief system with reason, so they defend it through intimidation. My BFF had me do this the other day:
https://pansiesforplato.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/youngfascists1.jpg
Face it–the Left are the new Fascists.
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatch_Act_of_1939
She’s a state employee, so it’s unclear if this applies to her, but if it does (and I think it does), then there is no “chilling effect”. People in public office have to follow different rules from the rest of us, it’s part of the job. Took me 10 seconds to find this law. IANAL.
If she is Hispanic then she should support Trump. If he builds up that Wall then she will retain some status. If there is a huge flow of migrants then people will start dissing all Hispanics. Keep the dogpack at a respectable level of population. Trump has a lot of friends who are Hispanics. I think that he has said so. When Trump takes over the Presidency he can make her the Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. She is not an Indian but she can be a Chief.
The left/liberal’s/democrats preach tolerance to the right/republicans/conservatives all the freaking time. They have forced/pushed their agenda down our collective throats, yet they are extremely “intolerant” of any opinion/thought/act of all who disagree with them.
The left/liberal’s/democrats elected a racist judgemental race divider terrorist loving Muslim to the White House and we have suffered for 8 years for it.
It’s our turn to elect whom we want, even if they think he’s racist judgemental race divider terrorist hating Christian, and they will be forced to deal with him for 8 years as we have.
It’s our right to elect whom we want, it’s not up to the RNC or the liberal nuts who don’t like our choice. It’s up to the MAJORITY of Americans to elect our leader, not the establishment RNC or the radical intolerant anarchist.
Tony Crocetti
The punishment you deserve is having to live through 4 years of Donald Trump as president.
@donald
Don’t worry, we’ve already reached the tipping point. At best, Trump will only slow down the leftist slide of the country. You’ll get your socialist utopia in a few years complete with gun bans and European style hate speech laws.
I wonder what their position would be if she expressed support for Hilly?
Some particular positions require discretion in announcing your private views.
Lawyers have to practice this all the time, and Judges that try cases should as well. There are some obligations that come with a particular job and the writing by the three protagonists may be political in itself. (Notice, they don’t have the power to do anything more than ask.) She is in the game of politics and every step in the dance requires a follow up step, so she should not be surprised by this. Her “speech” in this instance may well affect how effective she can be in carrying out her job.
“It is shocking to see lawmakers seeking to punish someone for her political views”.
Really? That’s why it’s called politics. The governor must resist this kind of intimidation, but at least it’s public. The lawmakers are willing to go on the record to say where they draw the line. Calling for any official to resign is a risky move, and it could backfire for them. But it’s not a first amendment issue if it stays in the political arena, and not the legal one.
A discussion between the left and right: Stop calling me gay! You can’t be gay!, Don’t talk about my abortion. It’s none of you business! You ca’t have an abortion. It’s my business!, I demand the right to protest anywhere about what you are saying! Stop protesting at places where I am and about what I am saying! Don’t tell me I can’t vote. I have the right to vote without a difficult to obtain ID! You can’t vote without going to a seldom open, hard to reach location and signing the ID papers to vote!…. The left is afraid of what you are saying and the right is afraid of what you are doing.
I am a Hispanic who supports Trump. Wonder what punishment I deserve?
Antonio