About 400 cars, trucks, and motorcycles. A line 6 miles long that took an hour to drive to the end of Water Street and turn around. A massive Back the Blue Rally organized by the wives of law enforcement officers stretched from Chimacum through Port Townsend on Sunday, August 30, 2020.
The starting point was H.J. Carroll park, where all parking spaces, the open field and the sides of roadways were filled almost an hour before the scheduled departure. The event took off 20 minutes early because there was no more room. I stood at the exit as the motorcade got underway with a hand counter. 342 vehicles rolled by me. I learned that more participants had parked at Chimacum High School and the Grange when word got out that the park was filled. Along the way, other vehicles joined in at Ness’s Corners and closer to Port Townsend. One observer counted 60 vehicles parked on the shoulders of Highway 19 near Anderson Lake Road waiting to join the long, long line of cars, trucks and bikes decked out with flags, streamers, balloons, and signs proclaiming “We Support Law Enforcement,” “Back the Blue,” “Thank a Cop,” “Cops or Chaos” and “Blue Lives Matter.”
Organizers did not intend this as a political event. It was open to anyone supporting law enforcement. But numerous “Culp for Governor” and “Trump 2020” signs rode the route along with pro-law enforcement messages. I spotted Sue Forde, who is challenging incumbent Michael Chapman to represent the 24th Legislative District. I also spotted Brian Pruiett who is challenging incumbent Steve Tharinger who holds the other seat representing the 24th LD. No Democratic candidates or their representatives were present. I did not see any signs for any Democrat candidate, though I did recognize in the cars leaving H.J. Carroll Park people I know to be Democrats and to have held elective office in Jefferson County.
The Rakers, Port Townsend’s popular classic car club, turned out in force for law enforcement, as did several motorcycle groups. Jefferson County has a very large retired law enforcement population, and they were well represented.
What impressed me is that nearly all of these people, really 99% of them, had not been engaged in anything like this before in Jefferson County.
Someone, perhaps intending to intimidate participants, drove up and down the rows of cars before the start filming license plates. Their vehicle bore the campaign sign of a candidate for the District 2 position on the County Commission, but the persons doing the filming did not include that candidate. I don’t think it would be fair to that candidate to align her with the actions of these people as I know she has spoken highly of our deputies and police officers.
I was the last to leave H.J. Carroll Park. Along the 9 miles into Port Townsend ahead of me the line of cars decked out for the event stretched as far as I could see. Groups of people along the roadway waved in support, unfurled American flags and held up signs supporting law enforcement. It was noisy, with horns honking and cheering, especially when the long line had doubled back on itself.
The night before someone had gone along the route hanging Black Lives Matter type signs and banners on private fences. The paper banners were in tatters. Someone then came along and affixed plywood boards with messages to private property. At least one property owner had called the Sheriff’s Office to report their property being targeted without their consent.
There were a handful of counter-protesters approaching Port Townsend, no more than half a dozen. And there were people having nervous breakdowns.
One woman going south was driving with both hands in her hair and shaking her head back and forth. Just off Sims Way, in a lot near Kitsap Bank, a young woman was doubling over, writhing, screaming, “I can’t breathe.”
And there were the usual middle fingers from old White women. This seems to be a Port Townsend ritual for greeting opposing viewpoints in a town that supposedly celebrates tolerance and diversity.
Supporters of the motorcade and opponents report that it rolled through Port Townsend steadily for about an hour. As I approached the intersection of Water and Taylor, suddenly the slowly moving line of vehicles came to a complete stop. I walked up to see what was happening. A group of about 25 people, mostly young, all White, had blocked traffic in both directions. They were screaming profanities into the air and at people on the sidewalks, dropping to their knees and raising their hands over their heads, laying down on the blacktop and…
…dropping their pants (this is on video but I won’t publish the images).
They seemed to be following the lead of an adult woman who owns a downtown bar. She was the one talking with the police officer who was begging them to clear the roadway and advising them that their actions were illegal. Several times she turned and addressed the group with questions and instructions. Video she took and posted to her Facebook page confirms that she seemed to be a leader of sorts.
An individual named Rex Fergus, who does not live in Port Townsend, caused a bit of a sensation. He was filming the event for his own media activities. He was wearing a tee shirt that said “Proud Boys.” He was not part of the motorcade (he was on foot). The video he took, including conversations with some of those blocking Water Street, may be seen at his Facebook page. It does not show him engaging in anything other than media commentary and discussion with bystanders and traffic obstructors. At the end of his video, a woman who identifies herself as Port Townsend resident, asks him to join her for a drink and a chat.
Except for about 15 vehicles, the other approximately 400 Back the Blue vehicles had completed their route and were on their way back to Chimacum before Water Street was blocked. The cars stretching for half a mile or longer back to Sims Way, and north along Water Street to Hudson Point were vehicles occupied by people having nothing to do with the event.
Police warned the protesters that they could be cited for illegally blocking a public roadway, but would likely not be physically arrested. That emboldened them and prolonged the blockade. At the request of police, the cars closest to the blockade turned around and the rest of the traffic followed. A truck and a car were slapped or kicked by those in the street, and a young man had to be restrained by police.
I do not know at this time whether any charges were or will be filed against the people who blocked traffic on Water Street.
Start your own Antifa group. Easy peasy. As our Concerned Citizen of Port Townsend has learned, like making bombs, the instructions are available on the Internet. For those slow to recognize sarcasm, this is sarcasm. But it shows us what the people burning our cities, attacking police, exploiting Black lives and deaths and calling for ever more violence are about. Some of the tactics from Antifa’s how-to manuals are already being used here, such as interference with rallies for law enforcement, doxxing and retaliating against individuals and businesses that don’t conform to their ideology. Ironically, the businesses being targeted by PT’s Antifa wannabees and Black Lives Matter supporters are mostly immigrant minority-owned businesses. We might be writing more about that. From the Editor.
The other day I was wandering aimlessly on the web, and in a freak accident came across exactly what has been on my mind for the last few weeks, How To Form An Antifa Group, at joinantifa.com.
According to United States Representative and Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee Jerry Nadler, “Antifa is a myth”, so this must be a parody website, yet the information provided is most helpful.
In a bright and positive tone the website declares, “Antifascist groups, often called Antifa, are popping up all around the U.S. and a number of people have asked advice on forming a group.”
According to the website, the first question I must ask myself is, “Why Antifa?”
I am told that the label has distinct advantages and disadvantages, primarily “brand recognition and built in credibility”, but also certain “obligations”.
Everybody likes brand recognition and credibility, obligations not so much. But, in for a penny, in for a pound. Here are the obligations as listed on the website:
Track white nationalists, far right, and fascist activity.
Oppress public far right organizing.
Support other anti-fascists.
Build a culture of non-cooperation with law enforcement.
This seems doable.
I am told to stay anonymous, and use the “closed collective” model for recruiting other members. No open meetings, no people just walking in off the street.
I should carefully manage my online presence. Use only Twitter because it limits the amount of personal information that could be exposed.
Creating a website is a good idea because this implies my group is more “legitimate”. This should be used if, and when, I want to “Dox a local fascist”.
It is also recommended that I practice martial arts, and educate myself in which self-defense weapons, pepper spray, clubs, etc. are legal to carry in my area. It is suggested that I might contact a lawyer who could help me with this topic.
For those who don’t have time to master a martial art, or contact a lawyer, the topic of guns is discussed, especially concealed carry because it is better “for fascists to try and roll on you without realizing you are armed.”
I note that if I am lacking in self-defense hardware I can buy over-the-counter assault pepper spray, military inspired weapons, and tactical pens directly from companies advertising on the joinantifa.com website.
I skim over the sections on dealing with loose cannons, infiltrators, state repression, and political orientation except for this gem – if other organizations hesitate to collaborate with your Antifa group, approach them under a different name such as “Las Cruces Against United Racism”.
Finally I came to what I crave, the “Take Action” section. Here is what the website recommends.
Establish an online presence – web page, twitter, etc.
Start monitoring fascists – they are everywhere!
Tear down any fascist posters or stickers in your community, replace with anti-fascist posters and stickers.
Start Doxxing – identify fascists, publish photographs, home addresses, phone numbers, social media, and employment information. Get them fired. Make sure your “Intel” is correct because you can, “lose credibility and create unnecessary enemies” if you have bad information.
Shut down events – “pressure venues to cancel racist or fascist events”.
Self defense training, again – “a good way to increase confidence and meet new people.”
Throw benefits and table at events – “important in cultural scenes where fascists are recruiting.” Don’t forget to donate to the International Anti-Fascist Defense Fund, intlantifadefence.wordpress.com.
Organize mass demonstrations – if this is too big of a hurdle, joinantifa.com recommends combining efforts with “other demonstrations such as Black Lives Matter”.
Leaders of the local group telling our community how the police should do their job have no training or experience in law enforcement and criminal justice. But they have been frequent subjects of police calls for assistance and the subjects of arrests.
I have obtained their Port Townsend police records. These are public records. I have also requested their records from the Jefferson and Clallam County Sheriff Offices, and am awaiting a response. I do know that one prominent Black Lives Matter of Jefferson County organizer has a felony record for a vehicular theft compounded by a police chase in which he struck a horse then led police on a foot chase. He objects to the fact they had to draw their weapons to make him stop running. That incident occurred when he was a minor. But his contacts with police did not stop then.
I am not going to name these people because the purpose here is not to cause embarrassment or trouble with employment. The purpose here is to let our community know who is driving this defund, disarm and abolish attack on our local law enforcement. These are the people making fantastical accusations about vigilante and white supremacy groups operating in Jefferson County, of Blacks being lynched here, of an incurably racist, oppressive system that can only be fixed by tearing it down and turning it over to “the people.”
These are the people who have attacked the character and integrity, the professionalism and the humanity of our police officers and deputies. Just who are they?
Each of the described incidents comes straight from Port Townsend Police incident and case reports.
The Arrests
Attempted Residential Burglary
A Black Lives Matter of Jefferson County organizer was arrested for attempted residential burglary on March 15 of this year. A resident of Polk Street called 911 to report that a man was trying to open their front door and would not leave. The homeowner had felt the need to arm himself. This person kept banging on the door and demanding to enter, according to the transcript of the 911 call, for a full 5 or 6 minutes, even when told police had been called. He left the porch as police approached and was stopped about half a block away. He matched the description in the 911 call and was positively identified by the homeowner who had been looking directly at him through the front door window as he tried to get in. The BLM organizer said the homeowner was lying and he had just been riding his bike past the house. A police officer confronted him with the fact the house in question was at the dead end of street, at the edge of a cliff, so there was no way he could have been “just riding by.” He was known to the police from prior incidents (described below) and lived on the opposite side of town.
The BLM organizer, according to police reports, “was obviously intoxicated by the way he spoke” with “the strong odor of intoxicants coming off him.” Police took him first to the hospital emergency room for clearance. The BLM organizer did not understand why he was under arrest “and did not seem to understand that trying to get into someone’s home was a crime.” He demanded that his “mom and dad” be brought to the hospital, was told he could call them from jail, then insisted that he had the right to have his parents there. The officer told him that, as this individual was over 30 years old, he had no right to have his parents brought to him, but did have a right to an attorney.
He began telling the officer he was “a dick” and “a piece of shit” and refused to stand up. The officer needed the assistance of hospital security to get him to his feet, at which point the BLM organizer told the officer, “you know what’s funny? You’re a piece of shit.” The interchange was recorded by the officer.
Bench Warrants, Repeated Arrests and Other Police Contacts
A current, prominent Black Lives Matter of Jefferson County organizer was arrested in May 2016 on a warrant out of Jefferson County District Court for failure to appear at a hearing on the charge of driving on suspended license. He was rearrested three days later for the same underlying offense–driving on a suspended license, with the additional charge of possession of a controlled substance. Just over a year later, the BLM organizer was arrested again for driving on a suspended license. In addition, Port Townsend police–the same police he now accuses of inherent, incurable racism–as a courtesy let him know in 2018 that a warrant out of Port Angeles had been issued for his arrest and encouraged him to respond responsibly instead of taking him into custody once more.
This BLM organizer was a subject in a call involving a domestic dispute between two couples. His actions amounted to assault but he was let off with a lecture instead of being charged and arrested. The officer observed in his report that all four individuals in the altercation appeared to be under the influence of marijuana. This individual was also involved in another domestic dispute call the previous year and accused of having made threats.
A local Black Lives Matter spokesperson has been caught multiple times violating traffic safety laws. Port Townsend police, as is their policy, sought to educate rather than punish him. In these incidents he was stopped and warned about lacking a front license plate, riding a bicycle at night without any front or rear lights, running a red light at night and having no valid identification.
This individual was the subject of a night time 911 call from an employee of a downtown business. He reported someone with a bicycle yelling “in a weird way” and hearing “thumping,” which conceivably was him banging on parked cars. The responding officer observed that this person “HBD” (had been drinking”) and fell off his bike as he attempted to pick up money he had dropped. He refused a ride home from the officer.
Calling Police for Help
Black Lives Matter organizers who have called for abolishing police and accused them of racism just by being police have not been reluctant to call for and accept help from those same police when they need it.
A prominent Black Lives Matter organizer has made no less than eight calls requesting police assistance dealing with transients, vandalism, a suspicious person, a dog, and, in a desperate call for help, pleading with police to find his girlfriend who was evading court ordered drug therapy. He wanted police to take her into custody over night then put her on the bus that would take her to her treatment facility. Police had no probable cause to take her into custody but did undertake a search for her out of concern for her safety.
A Black Lives Matter organizer has twice called police for help when he felt he was being threatened.
A Black Lives Matter organizer’s passport was dropped off at the police department. Police tried to find him, could not, so they left the passport with his brother.
Coming to the Rescue
On August 5, 2020, a 911 call from a woman living across the street from Fort Worden State Park reported a crash and a man stumbling at the front entrance. The 911 log reflects concern that this individual was injured and may have a broken knee. The Fort Worden Ranger did not respond and State Highway patrol was not available, so a Port Townsend police officer went to the scene. He found a bicycle crumpled “like a soda can” and the post that secured the front gate dented and pushed back, causing a rut in the pavement at its base. A Black Lives Matter of Jefferson County organizer was bleeding from a knee and hand and smelled of marijuana. It appeared to the officer that he may have urinated on himself. This person gave a fake name and only truthfully identified himself when the officer assured him he would not be arrested for DUI on a bicycle. He made up a story about a phantom car side-swiping him. A witness to the accident said there had been no car present before the crash. It was clear to the officer what had happened: this individual who smelled of marijuana had been traveling at a high rate of speed down the Cherry Street hill and ran head on into the closed gate. A tire mark on the damaged stop sign on the gate showed the point of impact. The area was dark, without any overhead lights. He was not wearing his eyeglasses and did not have a front light on his bicycle.
No Complaints of Racism or Abusive Conduct
In all twenty-nine contacts between police and Black Lives Matter organizers, not one complaint was lodged that the police had acted in a racist or abusive manner. Indeed, in the data supplied by the Port Townsend police to the City Council’s ad hoc Committee on Public Safety and Law Enforcement, there is not one complaint that police have mistreated anyone because of race, skin color or ethnicity. Going back to 2017, there are only eight complaints. Some are comical, such as a person who had accosted an officer not appreciating the officer’s joke that they could be charged with “illegal finger pointing.” All were investigated, including one from a complainant who claimed she had been harassed into pornography and sex by the Chief and was suffering joint pain and muscle spasms due to “dark lasers.” All complaints were determined to be unfounded.
Many differences and many similarities exist between these cities. Let’s start with similarities.
Population, from the 2018 U.S. Census: Poulsbo 10,927 people. Sequim, 7,481 and Port Townsend, 9,704.
Retail sales for 2018: Poulsbo was $484,036,676; Sequim $395,878,966; and Port Townsend $287,029, 148.
Per capita retail sales are a different story.
Sequim has the highest per capita retail sales at $52,917. Poulsbo is next at $44,297. Port Townsend is the lowest at $29,578.
This shows that the reliance by Port Townsend on tourism has not proved to be a wise decision. It also shows that the exclusion of so-called “Big Box Stores” was not a good idea, either.
Of course, Poulsbo has a tourist district. The old downtown along Front Street is a nice place to be on a warm summer day. Sequim has the old downtown area along Washington Street. We all know about Water Street in Port Townsend.
Let’s consider those “Big Box” stores. Generally the term refers to retail stores with a floor area of 50,000 square feet or more. Port Townsend has one, Safeway. In fact, in all of Jefferson County there is only one big box store. If the goal were to have the least amount of big box stores, Jefferson County would likely rank #1 in the area.
Sequim has three: Walmart, Home Depot and Costco, and quite a few other large retail outlets.
Poulsbo has four “Big Box” stores: Walmart, Home Depot, Safeway and Central Market, and a whole host of other sizable retail establishment.
A more telling difference among the three cities is the attitude toward business. Port Townsend has gone to extreme lengths to stop businesses from locating here. In the Eighties. McDonald’s and Safeway were both opposed, but not successfully. Later opposition blocked RIte-Aid and Hollywood Video. Port Townsend has been very successful in opposing new business. Just look at the per capita retail sales above.
But, this opposition has come at a price. It has not just been retail businesses that have been blocked. Manufacturing and affordable housing are all in short supply.
Of course, there has been much talk about affordable housing of late.
But, talk is cheap. It is the mainstay of any politician. They can talk about things for a lifetime and still nothing happens. This is likely what will happen with affordable housing. There used to be a bunch of talk about retail sales leakage. But, that was also just talk. The talk never amounted to anything. Port Townsend and Jefferson County lack retail sales and will likely lack affordable housing for many decades to come.
As a result, the tax revenue available for Port Townsend is lower than Poulsbo and Sequim. Lower retail sales results in lower property tax, sales tax and B&O tax revenue.
Just ask yourself the following: How many of you drive to Port Townsend for your needs? Instead of shopping here, many from Jefferson County go to Sequim and Poulsbo. This is a significant retail leakage that does not have to be.
By having more options for retail here in Jefferson County we could retain the retail sales tax and employ people in addition to having more revenue from property taxes for the additional retail stores.
And if that happens maybe the attitude towards affordable housing would change also.
The choice is yours! Just do not think anything will change until the general attitude in our community changes.
Is ejecting a man from a yoga class because of the color of his skin color a racist act?
It looks like one of the lead organizers of Black Lives Matter of Jefferson County kicked a Hispanic man out of the yoga class he leads at Fort Worden because the Hispanic man’s skin was not dark enough to meet some racial standard and he did not choose to label himself “BIPOC.”
Here’s what happened. It involves Cameron Jones, one of the two or three leaders of Black Lives Matter of Jefferson County.
Mr. Jones teaches a yoga class for the Mystic Monkey Yoga studio in Port Townsend. The class is entitled, “Yoga for BIPOC: Mindful Movement for Black, Indigenous and People of Color.” To participate in Mr. Jones’s class you book a spot and pay through the Mystic Monkey website. Then on Sunday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. you look for Mr. Jones at Fort Worden State Park where he holds his class outdoors.
On this particular Sunday, a Hispanic man new to the group spread his yoga mat on the ground and sat down. Mr. Jones in an August 7 Facebook post described what next occurred:
“I didn’t know this person and one of the other students commented on their approach with…apprehension…and why’d they be coming to class because this person was very, very light skinned….The person who came to class, an apparently cis-white male came ‘in’ (we were outside) placed their mat down and was ready to begin. Not that I expected this, but there was no preamble, no prior connection, seemingly no awareness as to the discomfort of others present. So I asked them their name and if they knew this was a BIPOC class. They responded yes. So I asked if they considered themselves BIPOC, they said, ‘well, my dad was Mexican.’ Ok. Cool. At this point there was still a low level of discomfort, so I asked if they identified as BIPOC. Their response was, ‘I really don’t believe in labels.’ This, for lack of a better word, triggered me. And I asked them to leave. They were visibly frustrated at always being perceived as a cis-white man and ended up leaving in frustration and anger. As they were leaving I attempted to invite them back so we could all sit and talk about what transpired, but they were too upset. Understandable.”
Understandable? What an understatement. Is this not an overt, rather aggressive display of bigotry that resulted in injury to a man who only wanted to participate in a yoga class?
Mr. Jones actually blames the victim for having helped “incite the event.” The “event” was that Mr. Jones and others did not approve of the color of this man’s skin, and it took off from there.
Nobody would or should tolerate a commercial enterprise offering a service only to White people. Nobody would or should tolerate a White instructor grilling a customer because of apprehension about their skin color. Nobody, regardless of who they are or the nature of their business, is entitled to treat any person differently because of the color of their skin.
The right to be free from discrimination on the basis of race and color is one of the most fundamental and protected civil rights under Washington law. Our state guarantees the “right to full enjoyment of accommodations, advantages, facilities, of any place of public resort, accommodation, assemblage or amusement.” This law was enacted in 1890 as the result of the efforts of a towering figure in Washington state history, William Owen Bush, a Republican and the first Black elected to state public office. (On a side note, Democrats opposed this bedrock civil rights law and Democrat legislators continue to defeat periodic efforts to honor Mr. Bush by naming an area of the Capitol after him.)
Perhaps the Mystic Monkey business is unaware that its teacher excludes and gives a hard time to anyone who does not have the right skin color. But there is no need to wonder. The owner of the Mystic Monkey business applauded Mr. Jones for his actions. The very first comment to Mr. Jones’ account of how he ran this Hispanic man off came from Jason Caslyn, who owns the business:
The Jefferson County Board of Health is expected today to declare systemic racism to be an emergency in Jefferson County. The preamble to the proposed resolution does not set forth a single instance of racism in Jefferson County among the justifications for their declaration. Maybe they’re looking for racism in the wrong places and among the wrong people.
