A great victory for public education was handed down Tuesday by Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Rolf M. Treu. Judge Treu who ruled that tenure for California teachers was unconstitutional. "If the preliminary ruling becomes final and is upheld, the effect will be sweeping across California and possibly the nation."

Tenure for teachers, a perk no other professional organization enjoys, has meant that our public educational system has been virtually unable to fire incompetent teachers. "Judge Treu stated that tenure protections ‘impose a real and appreciable impact on students' fundamental right to equality of education the evidence is compelling. Indeed, it [effect of bad teachers] shocks the conscience."

"The laws governing job security were unconstitutional because they harmed predominantly low-income, minority students by allowing incompetent instructors to remain in the classroom."
Thank you Judge Treu!

* * *

By now even the dullest member of the electorate must see that Barack Obama's "leadership" is a clear and present danger to American freedom. The degree and frequency of his decisions, both domestic and foreign, are a cause of alarm. His mistakes are so egregious thoughtful citizens have begun to question his motivations, even his mental state. He has turned the already chaotic condition of the Middle East into an almost incomprehensible mess.

We now have Iranians defending Iraq. No one yet dare admit a civil war was broken out. We are evacuating many of the 5000-plus employees from our largest embassy. It appears to be Vietnam all over again.

Iraq has been overrun by the Al-Qaida. One third of that country is under enemy control. Al Qaida is stealing US armaments, including shoulder fired ground-to-air missiles and thousands of vehicles, thousands of tons of munitions, helicopters (Blackhawks?) and other heavy weapons. Most headed to Syria on flatbed trucks. We aren't even able to attack these huge enemy convoys with cluster bombs, but there are reports of Sunni Iranian fighter aircraft in action against Sunni- Al-Qaida in the north.

As for our own southern border, more utter chaos without a remedy from the White House. What remedy can there be for an insane president, a criminal Attorney General, and the cloud of yes-men doing their bidding.

Take a look at Andrew C. McCarthy's new book, Faithless Execution, Building the political case for Obama's Impeachment. The votes are there in the House; maybe the obviousness of our dire situation could assure the votes in the Senate.

The flag has dropped and the balloon has gone up. Barack Obama's campaign promise to change America has become apparent. But all the changes he commanded or facilitated are killing the nation.

Obama was voted-in by a narrow majority of the electorate because of his race. No thought was given to his accomplishments - he had none. He simply had no experience at running a government, was completely ignorant about military affairs, and had never dealt with foreign affairs, yet he was to become an American President, Commander in Chief of our armed forces, and assumed the most influential position among world leaders. That's how frightfully uninformed the American electorate has become.

Because of Obama's lack of leadership, incredible incompetence and invincible pro-Islamic mindset, the entire Middle East is on the verge of war. We learn today that Iraq (remember that war?) is about to be overtaken by Jihadists. When you hear "Fighters for the al Qaeda-linked Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) took Mosul today, giving the militant group control of Iraq’s second largest city and setting the country on a path toward chaos." 'Mass beheadings' by al-Qaeda forces in Mosul and Tikrit..." you should know the game is about up. When you hear that the Iraqi army (American trained for a decade) fled the city, leaving all their weapons behind, I don't wish them well. Afghanistan is nearing the same state. Thousands of American lives sacrificed - for what? Two trillion (that's 2,000 billion) given for what?

Everything Obama has undertaken has turned to rot. Our southern border is in chaos: "Central American newspapers tout Obama amnesty..." "Border Agent Issues Plea for Help...’. Crisis leaves border unprotected, cartels 'in control'...’No president in American has done more damage to this country than Barack Obama. From Obamacare to Fast and Furious federal gun-running, we have been put in jeopardy. He's slashed our military in time of war and released five of the most dangerous terrorists in exchange for a traitor.

How can we rid ourselves of a dangerous president? Impeachment - soon!

Debra Heine, on Breitbart has it right:

"It's not like she had any more credibility to lose, but [United States National Security Advisor, Susan Rice] told some whoppers, yesterday, possibly as Allahpundit notes at Hot Air, in a calculated attempt to set a false narrative...." "Even as the truth was gushing out about the deserter, Bergdahl, Susan Rice was on ABC News telling George Stephanopoulos that he was captured "on the battlefield" and that he had "served with honor and distinction." "As Ace quipped, Susan Rice, like Ron Burgundy, will literally read whatever is put on a card in front of her."

Ms. Rice exemplifies everything that is so disastrously bad about the Obama administration. United States National Security Advisor, Susan Rice - sounds impressive. But like the rest of Obama's minions she's ill-equipped for the job, except for the fact that, like the rest, she will do her master's bidding; she follows orders without question. Also like the rest, she shares in the administration's tacit guarantee of bulletproof tenure. Regardless of the outcome she will never be fired; will certainly never have to face a warrant from our imbedded attorney general. She's a protected co-conspirator in the Obama cabal.

This Bergdahl exchange is yet another monstrous betrayal of national defense by the guy sworn to defend and protect our Constitution, and faithfully enforce our laws. I refuse to suspend my sense of reality any longer in some hope that the national nightmare will soon disappear. I can't find a single member of this administration I can trust. They're all liars, crooks, thieves, gross incompetents, or worse

Just look at who the president has placed in charge of our nation and its defense, the most radical Leftist-liberals and incompetents ever to have been assembled in our government's history. All of them are slick, obsequious toadies, including half of our generals.

There's a great book just out entitled "Faithless Execution, building the political case for Obama's impeachment", by Andrew C. McCarthy. The exchange for Sgt. Bergdahl, involving the release of 5 of the most dangerous killers in the world (think crimes against humanity) for what clearly appears to be an Army deserter and a traitor, is almost inconceivably foolish . The evidence is clearly there to apply both words to Bergdahl.
Obama should be impeached for many good reasons, none more important than the release of the 5 Islamic butchers from Guantanamo Bay.

My disgust and alarm over the Obama gang's activities has reached the overflow point. If we were able to impeach Clinton we should be able to both impeach Obama and convict him. He is the Great Destroyer.

Congratulations to all those responsible for organizing Monday's Memorial Day ceremonies. This was perhaps the best one I have seen in many years. The fly-over by four WWII Mustangs was a special touch.

* * *

The Gazette has had several "special" challenges this week so I have to keep my comments short.

A quick sample of the attitude which requires that our website can no longer be offered free of charge after 8 years. This from "Dennis" in northern California.

"As a former resident of Fillmore and now living in northern Calif, I often go to your Web site to catch up on Fillmore news. With you making Internet users pay to read your small town once a week piddling paper points to your "money is the bottom line attitude" You've taken the low road, just like the Ventura Star & LA Times. Shame on you.
Dennis Adams.”

Thanks, Dennis. Spoken like an archetypical liberal. Do you work for free? If so, we have a lot of odd jobs around here you could help us with. I wish I had the time to provide the answer your letter deserves.

I hope that everyone would read the May 14, 2014 Final Report of the Ventura County Grand Jury on “Firefighting Air Assets: The Camarillo Springs Fire.” We don’t hear much about the availability of our firefighting air assets these days. In view of the predicted “worst ever” fire season, this issue is a matter of life and death. The complete report can be viewed below.

***

Speaking of the website, we’ve notified everyone of the new “pay-wall” system. No doubt many long-time viewers will be irritated to find that the news we have worked so hard to gather online each week for the past 8 years or so can no longer be offered free of charge. We are dealing with the same problem every newspaper in the country is dealing with, that is: how is it possible to print a newspaper to sell at a small price, while at the same time giving away the product of our 7-day-per-week efforts FREE of charge online? Answer: It’s not possible. The great difficulty is designing a system to sell the news online and make the process as easy to use as a print subscription.

We have finally done that. All subscribers to the Gazette’s print edition will continue to receive the printed newspaper as usual, and have access online as well. Online readers can access our online edition by subscribing by the month or by the year with our quick and easy subscription system. Just subscribe once and you’re good to go.

The online edition of the Gazette, www.fillmoregazette.com, has become such an important means of providing news of our city, instantly when necessary, that we want to keep it healthy. That means that it can only continue as a subscriber-funded medium – just like the paper. We hope all of our readers understand and continue to support it.

Ventura County Grand Jury Report: Firefighting Air Assets: The Camarillo Springs Fire by TheFillmoreGazette

Congratulations to our Future Farmers of America who are celebrating their 75th anniversary this Thursday. I have thoroughly enjoyed playing a small part in reporting on their various activities these past 25 years. The tractor events, especially, bring back many happy memories of my first 18 years living and working on the family ranch. Sadly, today we all live in an utterly different world, controlled by an anti-traditional culture and a domineering government. How simple things were in the 40s and 50s when citizens still controlled the government, and our culture was unabashedly Judeo-Christian in character.

FFA, keep strong. You are among the few remaining bastions of America at its traditional best.

***

I just heard that our California Legislature is about to pass a bill authorizing birth certificates to be signed by a father as the mother, and the mother as the father. Confusing? It’s meant to be. Just another example of legislation produced by our degenerate state Senate and Assembly. These depraved Leftists are legion in our state government. These are the people who recently passed a law permitting men and boys to use girls’ bathroom and locker room facilities in all public school campuses. Time to flush Sacramento.

This a response to Bob Morris’ letter appearing in this week’s paper.

Thanks for your opinions Bob. Wish more readers would do the same.

About the gas pump caper, your numbers are too close for me to dispute. I don’t know exactly how many gallons are involved in what appeared to be a little more than an eighth of a tank. Had to be at least 10 gallons. However, to keep the peace I’ll concede your point.

About the two other issues: You wish the Gazette would “spend a little more time on some of the real issues that impact Fillmore” “like school issues and the Transportation Commission vs Fillmore Western Railriad.” Interesting questions.

No other newspaper, or website for that matter, has covered Fillmore like the Gazette has for the past 25 years. I have personally attended about 600 school board meetings as the District has gone through a half-dozen or so superintendents. The Gazette has covered scandals, disruptions, debates, fights between teachers and the board, unions and the board, and parents and the board, teachers, and superintendents.

We always have a photographer and reporter in attendance, for many important meetings a videographer as well. Most recently the Gazette participated in exposing the seriously improper hiring of one principal and the seriously wrongful behavior of a board member. The board member was chastised by the Ventura County District Attorney, and the principal will be leaving.

A great deal of money has been spent creating, maintaining and promoting our popular website, fillmoregazette.com. I emphasize the word “great”. The site was designed to provide (take note) a special page for each teacher in the Fillmore school district, also for the board, free of charge for the past 8 years or so. All that was required of these beneficiaries was to email stories, photos, or notices to the Gazette for publication. This service was greeted with much joy. To my recollection during that time two teachers took advantage of this free service; I traveled to her classroom to photograph one occasion for publication. With about two exceptions – silence. These, remarkable exceptions, were Ms. Jan Marholin at San Cayetano School, and Principal John Wilber. I may have missed a few others, but you get the idea. I am positively embarrassed to think of the cost of the website adventure.

Yes, Bob, we’ve been there – for 25 years.

As for troubles with the “Transportation Commission vs. Fillmore Western Railroad” like other news sources, we cover what is available. The confrontation is long-standing. The railroad has lost all of its appeals regarding the cancellation of the contract for use of the track and we have received no information of any new progress. Allegations of Commission incompetence, even if true, would be irrelevant to the findings of the court.

So, Bob, I regret your disapproval with Gazette coverage. You might keep in mind that there are large newspapers, medium-sized newspapers, and small newspapers. With a staff of three (and one on the website) the Gazette might be characterized as a nano-newspaper. We are the last traditional weekly community newspaper in Ventura County that I am aware of.

I am proud of what we have been doing for the City of Fillmore for the past 25 years, under extraordinary challenges.

I had a bad experience last Friday at the local Chevron gas station. I won’t be doing business there until this incident is corrected.

Among California’s legions of regulatory bureaus, offices, and agencies is our important department of Weights and Measures. The serious and blatant nature of this incident compels me to file a complaint with our federal, state, and county bureaus.

These are the agencies responsible for “Ensuring the accuracy of commercial weighing and measuring devices”. These offices have many other responsibilities but in this case I seek reimbursement for being cheated out of approximately $30.00. How often had this happened before when it was less obvious?

Here are the facts: For the first time in 50 years I managed to run completely out of gas, a short distance from the station. I retrieved a 2 gallon canister, took it to Chevron (Hwy. 126 and A Street) and had it filled for $8.00 and change. I returned to the truck, put in the 2 gallons and returned to Chevron where I added $60.00 more to fill the tank, (22.01 gal tank). About $60 usually fills the tank, paying cash.

Upon leaving the station I noticed the gage read less than three-quarters full (after putting in $68). I returned and explained the problem. No help. I told them which pump was used; the manager informed me that no cash transaction of that amount had been completed. This conversation lasted several minutes. I pointed to my truck, now at a different pump, and told them, to be sure my gage was working properly, that I would put another $20-worth in the tank. I did this, and the tank swallowed it without a burp – still showing about an eighth of a tank empty.

Returning to the manager, who watched the transaction, the demonstration meant nothing. In the meanwhile she had found the receipt for the first $60.00. I told them their metering was faulty to the tune of about $30.00 – the pumps or the bookkeeping was wrong, and after spending $88.00 I was still an eighth short from being full according to my gage. I have been a customer at this station for years. I wish Bob Brown still owned it. No help, no concern, no refund, not even an apology. Nothing. The manager and her associate were completely unconcerned. Easy money.

Fuel pumps are easily manipulated at some point, and are often inaccurate. Whatever happened here, I was shortchanged by $30.00. It was easy to determine this because the tank was absolutely dry before this adventure. Thousands of dollars of consumer loss (per day) is possible when automatic pumps are out of adjustment, which was clearly the case here.

Beware pump 7 at Chevron, at least. I’m short of space this week. More to follow as my complaints to the various departments of Weights and Measures are processed. This being a matter of principle, the manager at our local Chevron is in for a long year until this issue is resolved. I will provide up-dates from time to time.

The Fillmore Ebell Club has disbanded. Our city has lost a good friend which has rendered years of assistance to wide variety civic interests. In parting, the club saw fit to distribute $110,000 to many important city programs and organizations. On behalf of the city the Gazette wishes to thank the club for its many years of important support. Your many civic contributions will be greatly missed.

***

One important Ebell award went to our library. Not to put too fine a point on it, but I have wanted to correct a small but longstanding and annoying mispronunciation by a library leader. Ms. Walker, the word is library, not “lieberry”. A library is a place for books, whilst a “lieberry” is a prevaricating fruit. Just sayin’.
I’m thinking of starting a new tweek-of-the-week section in the Gazette – contributions welcome.

***

I don’t often recommend reading material, mostly because I’ve learned that my conservative recommendations are often poorly received. But I’ll try again this week and urge readers to absorb the latest information from Imprimis, a Hillsdale College publication (hillsdale.edu). The article is entitled “Early Warning: The Continuing Need for National Defense”.

Every American should understand the present, precarious condition of our country’s national defense due to ignorance, neglect, naïveté, and Politically Correct politics. Sensible people should be alarmed; life as we know it could suddenly end.

Brian T. Kennedy, President of The Claremont Institute, discusses the homeland Jihadist threat, the April 16 attack on the Metcalf transmission substation, Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) challenges, the Boston attack, and what must be done to prevent these calamities. Kennedy quotes from an 1838 speech by Abraham Lincoln:
“All the armies of Europe, Asia and Africa combined, with all the treasure of the earth (our own excepted) in their military chest; with a Bonaparte for a commander, could not by force take a drink from the Ohio, or make a track on the Blue Ridge, in a trial of a thousand years.

At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide.”

Kennedy ends with: “As a nation of freemen today, we are courting suicide by ignoring clear and present dangers. Our elected representatives have eyes but do not see, and they have ears but do not hear. We must awaken ourselves, and then awaken them, before it is too late.”

Hillsdale College’s Imrimis is sent, free of charge, to 2,800,000 readers each month.
Contact hillsdale.edu.

Last night’s meeting of the Fillmore school board proved to be extraordinary. Nearly 100 teachers and parents gathered in the auditorium to admonish the board and, particularly, board member Tony Prado for his letter which appeared in the Gazette the previous week.

Among the few positive agenda items was the introduction of Fillmore’s new Superintendent, Dr. Adrian E. Palazuelos. Dr. Palazuelos addressed the audience briefly. He is a man with a positive personality, eager to take on the challenging responsibilities as head of our school community. Welcome Dr. Palazuelos. We wish you well!

***

I had a flurry of focus problems with my camera last night. Many the photos were unusable.

A video of the entire school board meeting will be uploaded as soon as possible. I regret that I left at the break, missing Mr. Prado’s rebuttal to a virtual avalanche of bitter criticism over his letter last week attacking recently retired teacher-counselor, Karen Ashim. Mrs. Ashim’s reputation as an outstanding teacher and counselor was vigorously defended by a dozen members in the audience.

Mr. Prado’s remarks can be heard towards the end of the video to be added soon to the story on the front page.

I was happy to see that, at last night’s city council meeting, our city manager’s suggestion that a plaque honoring America’s motto, In God We Trust, was approved to be placed in city hall. In a unanimous vote, Mayor Minjares, Council members Diane McCall, Rick Neal, and Doug Tucker agreed that such a plaque should be installed. Councilman Steve Conaway was absent.

There are some Americans, such as ex-Katzenjammer Bob Stroh (who sauntered into the short meeting to express his angst at any reference to God in a public building) who object, but the vast majority approve of our motto. After all, our Founding Fathers reverenced God enough to base our Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and struggle for independence upon His authority.

Atheists and agnostics are quick to parrot their objections to all references to God on their mistaken understanding of the original meaning of our Constitution, in particular the so-called “separation of church and state”. They fail to understand that this statement refers to a prohibition against the “establishment” of a national church, like that in England, from which our “Puritans” fled. This new radical Leftist-liberal interpretation which seeks to deny and remove every vestige of God from government will prove fatal in our future.

It is true that America does not have a Judeo-Christian government; that would be unconstitutional. It is also equally true that we ARE a Judeo-Christian NATION.

Some of our most influential Founders were Deists, etc., but ALL subscribed to basic traditional Judeo-Christian morals and philosophy. Our law is thoroughly informed by Judeo-Christian ethics and principles – most of it Biblical.

To say that In God We Trust is also to logically admit that in un-godly works and beliefs we do NOT trust. Our Founders chose to DISCRIMINATE AGAINST un-godly ideas in government as apposed to Judeo-Christian mores. Some knowledge of George Washington’s life-long religious beliefs, as well as Abraham Lincoln’s, and nearly every president down to Bush II, tells the same story. America is a nation saturated from birth in the truths of Judeo-Christian beliefs – while defending freedom of thought for all beliefs, even though tragically mistaken in practice at times.

Taking Bob Stroh’s argument to its logical extreme (keeping God out of government and all government works) gnaws away at our country’s vital strength. This extreme, false interpretation is the cause of the obvious disintegration of government schools, our military forces, and pervasive corruption of our government.

I read that a Los Angeles police officer is suing (with his wife) the city, claiming discrimination because of his Wiccan Religion. Wiccan is witchcraft, “The Craft” in short.

Our military chaplains are now forced to perform same-sex “marriages” in military chapels. So, 95 percent of our military Judeo-Christian believers are, for the first time, forced to respect practices traditionally deemed blasphemous in “the house of God.” All of this notoriously disruptive anti-Christian regulation just to appease a tiny minority through Political Correctness.

These are life-and-death issues. The overall atmosphere created by anti-Judeo-Christian regulation, such as permitting and defending openly homosexual practices in our military, will ultimately destroy trust and cohesiveness in the ranks.

I am utterly dumbfounded by the near absence of any strong defense of traditional moral values in today’s armed forces. It must be due to those who have successfully convinced our “leaders”, from the president down through the general staff and the Department of Defense, that God and traditional morals are no longer needed to defend America.

What a dreadful future we are creating.

The long-standing feud between the Fillmore School District Board and Fillmore High School teachers has begun to boil over.

At issue are the disputed circumstances concerning the hiring of our high school Principal, Russom Mesfun, and his leadership methods. Numerous complaints have been directed to the Board and to District Superintendent Dr. Alan Nishino during the past several years. To date, teachers claim nothing has been done to rectify allegations of Mesfun’s incompetence and alleged improper hiring.

For me, Four issues stand out in this dispute: First, the appearance of serious cronyism in Mesfun’s hiring; Second, negligence by the Board in failing to properly consider serious legal problems in Mesfun’s professional history; Third, serious impropriety in calling candidates to apply and interview for the position of Fillmore High School principal when they clearly had little chance of being appointed – a serious ethical failure. And Fourth, the Board took Nishino’s personal recommendation of Mesfun, without due diligence, diminishing the seriousness of Mesfun’s lawsuit, which cost Lodi and Mesfun approximately $250,000 in settlement.

Here are some salient facts: Mr. Mesfun has been a personal and professional friend of Superintendent Nishino for more than a decade in the field of education. Mesfun was sued, and lost, in an action for sexual harassment in Lodi, CA. (Teachers sue Lodi Unified, former McAuliffe principal - Lodinews ...Lodi News Sentinel: Mar 21, 2008 - Three former Christa McAuliffe Middle School teachers have filed a lawsuit against the school's former principal, Russom Mesfun, and Lodi ... Please refer to “They Should Have Known”, fillmoregazette.com, Wednesday, March 12th, 2014 for official document.

As individuals I have great respect for each of our school Board members; I have known most of them for many years. But I have to say, as a Board, in this case at least, they have failed, seriously. I think Mr. Mesfun should step down.

***

I see that President Obama seeks to hand over our Internet to other world powers, like Russia, China, maybe even Iran; who knows.

This is not insanity; it is a deliberate act of treachery. Though we know nothing about his school grades, he is not stupid. He knows (as Ronald Reagan insisted about the Panama Canal, another insane giveaway by another Democrat president, “We built it, we paid for it, it’s ours”.

Someone should remind the Commander in Chief that America’s entire defense and civilian communications networks depend completely upon our internet, which our many enemies constantly seek to destroy. Put Russia in charge of our Internet and see what happens to our power grid.

Only an enemy of America would even suggest such a thing. NASA has to keep a closer eye of Barack Obama!

Our prayers go out for the victims and the families who have suffered such horrendous losses in the Washington state mudslide. It seems more than odd to me that such an extraordinary amount of TV time has been spent (wasted) on the airliner mystery crash and so much less on the mudslide story. As important as the airliner story is, it didn’t need to have almost all major cable news stations reporting (it seemed) 24-hours a day with repetitious speculation. The number of fatalities in the Washington disaster may finally exceed those of the airliner disaster. What a horrible way to die.

Rest in peace all victims of these disasters.

***

Congratulations to our City Manager David Rowlands and our city council for beginning the much awaited street paving program. It’s great to see Fillmore surging back with such strength.

***

I have a hard time understanding how quickly America’s military strength has dissipated. From our previous position as the world’s only super power the Obama administration has reduced our status as defender of the free world to a shameful false friend of betrayed allies, Poland and the Baltic States. Who can trust us now?

Obama’s Leftist ideology and naïve national security policies amount to a nuclear Trojan horse. Informed, rational people must recognize the mindset of our Commander in Chief to be more than mere naïveté. Obama is deliberately deconstructing America’s national defense. How else can his conduct towards our armed forces be understood?

At a time when the world’s geopolitical situation mirrors pre World War 11 Obama decimates America’s armed forces. At that time Mussolini invaded and annexed Ethiopia, with Emperor Haile Selassie’s pleas to the League of Nations for help, rejected. The Spanish Civil War broke out. Hitler, as the Furer of Germany began picking-off smaller parts of Europe like the Sudetenland districts (because they had many German-speaking people there - ring a bell?) He was named Time magazine's Man of the Year for 1938.

Then he moved on Poland and started the world war.

Today, we have Putin, Mussolini’s megalomania twin, and (as former KGB leader) Hitler’s and Stalin’s evil progeny.

Our present American government is utterly ignorant of today’s military realities. Our State Department is a hollow joke; its comments on Russia’s recent aggression displaying frightening ignorance and stupidity. These fools disparage Putin as someone living in the 19th Century rather than the 21st. Maybe, but 19th Century strategy is working just fine for Putin, and will continue to do so as long as he and his cohorts (China, Iran, North Korea, etc) see that America is weak and has laid down its arms in the face of its enemies.

Thanks to Obama’s complete lack of experience in foreign policy, and his lack of common sense, expect to see a Middle East atomic arms race very soon. Iran will get the bomb, and Israel will have no choice but to attack.

America has never been so vulnerable, not even in the pre-WWII era. Barack Obama and his team of sissies could be the death of our nation as it works to take our military strength back to pre-WWII levels, while Russia and China build their forces with unprecedented speed.

My Aunt, Letitia Leonard "Tisha" Harz, passed away this week. She was about one month short of her 106th birthday. Tisha was a wonderful woman who I will always remember as cheerful, energetic, with a positive outlook on life.
Rest in peace, Tisha.

***

Congratulations to Nick Johnson, Fillmore High School’s Student of the Year. Nick is a truly great young man, who also happens to be the Gazette’s cartoonist, and has been for the past four years. We are very proud of his accomplishments.

***
[This editorial was edited on 3-20-14]

How Far We Have Fallen

On every front America and her culture is in a state of collapse. The evidence is obvious; we are in deep trouble and even the most invincible cheerleaders of the Leftist Obama administration will not escape the inevitable conflagration. Liberal Political Correctness is the immediate tool of destruction. It has undermined all of America’s traditional Judeo-Christian principles.

Our motto, “e pluribus unum” (from many, one) no longer holds true. Diversity, rather than unity is what the liberal mind seeks. “In God We Trust” is now the exception rather than the rule – and that fact sets us adrift from our first principles as set forth in our Constitution. How can we possibly seek help from a God whose laws we now revile?

As a political entity America has altogether abandoned traditional ethics and social mores. What has been declared anathema for 5,000 years is now embraced instead. Our new political authorities demand that we provide special respect for ideas and practices which directly attack Judeo-Christian sexual morals; these affronts are now mandated in our military and in all official public works. What is profoundly evil is now pronounced good, what is abnormal, normal.

This new ethic is now mandated in all government educational facilities (e.g. male use of female bathrooms) despite protests from Christian parents who must use these schools. Strong official punishments are applied to those refusing to comply.

Our armed forces have been forced to accommodate activities of gay-lesbian members. Promoting homosexual events in the military ("US military sees first ever DRAG SHOW for gay and lesbian troops" [link: http://theweek.com/article/index/257285/speedreads-gay-and-lesbian-troop... ) This activity, which is growing, contributes strongly to the destruction of troop cohesiveness, especially in combat units.

Government always rules from the top down. A military private soldier, sailor, Marine, Air Force member, etc. has no authority. A probable result of this policy effecting troops who hold traditional Judeo-Christian moral standards (90 percent) is that eventually a cabal of gay superiors forms which severely undermines unit cohesion – like the lesbian General and her live-in Colonel girlfriend Obama bragged about in a recent speech.

This unprecedented change was deliberately instigated by generals and other high command individuals, like former Chief of Staff, Admiral Mullen, Dick Cheney, former Defense Secretry Robert Gates, etc. These people have betrayed the trust of our troops. Troops holding traditional religious beliefs are forced to tollerate activity which they recognize as sinful. Mullen, et al, have forced the 90 percent to respect the moral abberations of the 5 percent. Why? And why so little resistance? Military authority alone.

Why should any of America’s enemies now have anything but contempt for our armed forces? You see this contempt world-wide today as our craven commander in chief bows, maybe courtsies, to our most deadly enemies. America has become a laughingstock in the face of Russia, China, Iran, Iraq, etc.

Obama pledged to change America fundamentally in his first campaign. He is succeeding, in ways that only a determined enemy of this nation could appreciate.

Christian men and women thinking of joining America's armed forces today, as redesigned by Barak Obama, should closely consider the environment they would be entering.

For several months I’ve been prodded by many people to look into the alleged improper hiring of Fillmore High School Principal Russom Mesfun. I’m giving up my usual Realities space to provide space for the remainder of Karen Ashem’s letter to the Fillmore Unified School Board, see page one. The more I read the documentation the more outrageous Mr. Mesfun’s hiring appears to me. Mesfun was hired primarily on the recommendation of his old friend, FUSD Superintendent, Dr. Alan Nishino. It is unclear if the Board did any significant vetting of Mesfun prior to hiring him. I have a sense of outrage about this, considering his long negative employment history as documented by teachers and legal actions. The central question is whether Mesfun should have been the preferred hire before other applicants on the basis of personal friendship. This is a question that the entire Board must answer in order to maintain Fillmore’s confidence. And, there’s another question -- should the Board grant Mesfun tenure?

See Karen's letter and documents here http://www.fillmoregazette.com/front-page/%E2%80%9Cthey-should-have-know...

Just got back to the office after a photo shoot with the US Navy SEALS who are visiting Fillmore High School, so I don’t have much space for my usual rant.

I had the distinct pleasure of speaking with a few of the guys after their video presentation in the Memorial Building. Special thanks to SEAL Captain Duncan Smith for his participation with the half-dozen other SEALS.

Some senior and junior students later tested individual swimming endurance. Then, they were off to the football field to test physical endurance with push-ups, pull-ups and sit-ups, before the timed track run.

Many thanks to all the SEALs and Navy men who put the program on, and to Superintendent Alan Nishino for arranging the meet.

I regret that the Gazette’s city reporter was ill during Tuesday’s city council meeting. I wasn’t able to cover the agenda.

I would, however, like to thank former Police Chief Monica McGrath for her outstanding work during the past three years. Among her many accomplishments was the recent $750,000 grant for city law enforcement. She will be missed as she moves up to the position of Commander in charge of eastern Ventura County. I regret the Gazette did not receive a press release providing more detail on her promotion.

Thanks very much Monica.

Welcome to our new Police Chief, Dave Wareham, long time Fillmore resident and friend to many!

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I hesitated to begin writing about Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel's reported plan to cut back the Army to its smallest numbers since BEFORE World War II. I don’t want to have a stroke.

This is such insanely outrageous foolishness I can hardly believe it. If not insanely outrageous, it is the activity of traitors, or just dangerously stupid people.

Don’t we understand yet that America has never before faced such a probable catastrophic threat to its existence? We are still fighting wars. More implacable nuclear enemies are preparing to attack the West, especially America, by multiple tactics, than ever before. And our Leftist president, friend to all of our Islamic Jihadist enemies, and enemy of our long-time friends and allies (Israel), stimulates the white hot contempt of Iran, Libya, Syria, North Korea, Russia, etc. These deadly enemies publically mock Obama and America and challenge us to fight. Look at Putin dealing with Ukraine! PUTIN RATTLES SABER; TROOPS ON ALERT... No doubt they await more Obama red lines (or red carpets)to tread across.

Around the world the USA is no longer taken seriously by our enemies after witnessing Obama’s craven performance as Commander in Chief of the United States of America. They know he's an empty suit, a coward.

And this guy Chuck Hagel is telling the American people to “get real” as he seeks to emasculate what was once the greatest military power in the world! Hagel and Obama, by this action, are INVITING Jihadists, Communists, Leftist anarchists, and just plain Satanic mad dogs (like North Korea’s Kim Jong-un) to attack us. How can they resist the temptation when our Commander fills our combat forces with women and welcomes openly homosexual conduct in the ranks? Under these circumstances America must be bigger and stronger than any enemy determined to kill us off. This should be obvious to reasonable people. Another thing: hands off the Warthog!!

We are going to spend critically needed defense money on food stamps, instead?

This cost-cutting is so utterly suicidal that I fear to look more deeply into the details.

Obama and his flying monkey minions will be the death of America during his three remaining years in office. Impeachment cannot happen quickly enough.

Enlarge Photo

Enlarge Photo

Next month, on the fifth, Fillmore will be privileged to host our US Navy SEALs. Fillmore’s School District Superintendent Alan Nishino has arranged to have a SEAL group give a talk to Fillmore High School seniors at the gym. The SEALS will also set-up a training course on the football field and demonstrate underwater training techniques at the community swimming pool.

Dr. Nishino with others attended on-going SEAL training at Coronado, CA a few months ago. He thereafter arranged for this special visit. More details will be available next week.

I have the greatest respect for all members of our armed forces. Anyone willing to take up arms in defense of our nation deserves that respect. I’ve read a great deal about our US Navy SEAL teams, especially since they destroyed Osama. They are unquestionably the elite among the elite. It is not the boxer, Olympic athlete, or cage fighter who makes that team. It is, above all, the men with extraordinary heart, a determination never to quit.

Fillmore welcomes the SEALS. I know they will inspire those seniors who are lucky enough to see what makes winners.

The long awaited decision by Administrative Judge Joseph D. Montoya in the Egedi case was published last week for two particular reasons. First, it’s necessary to establish fault. The case had dragged on (unnecessarily in my opinion) for many years, at great expense to the county and the City of Fillmore. Second, much false information (hearsay) and many false allegations had been directed against those seeking to bring criminal charges and a dismissal from employment. The record had to be established to question the expenditure of hundreds of thousands of tax dollars, even though no trial was ever set and no reimbursement made to the city or county.

Publication has put an end to approximately six years of the public being unable to discover information as the case was “under investigation.” The public can make up its own mind as to how well this matter was handled. In the end, Judge Joseph D. Montoya rendered a fair and precise decision.

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I read that the Seahawks had “cracked the code” used by Broncos quarterback, Peyton Manning. If true, the Seahawks knew in advance every play the Broncos took. Surprisingly, I haven’t heard much about this. Again, if true, hundreds of millions of fans would have seen an entirely different game, and possible outcome. I hope it wasn’t true.

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Bill Clinton – again? Why don’t these two (or three, etc.) lovebirds just fade into the sunset?

We have fought last minute computer problems this week to publish the final results in the Egedi case. I don’t have time to write a more complete column on this, the greatest scandal in Fillmore history. After 6 long years, one dismissal, and two investigative hearings, justice has been done. Administrative Judge Joseph D. Montoya’s meticulous discernment of the facts in this case restores much of my faith in the law. This is a truly outrageous case that should have been tried years ago. Thank you Judge Montoya!