Dear Editor:

As we celebrate the 242nd anniversary of the Declaration of Independence this year, I find myself writing to my fellow Americans in a rebuttal to Supervisor Federal Glover’s saddening attempt to smear our country.

As a former (for now) civil servant to a sitting public servant, I must vocally protest!

Mr. Glover, whenever I am confronted with liberal slanderous and ignorant platitudes. I must surmise which of two camps the offender stands in.

The first is the “forgive them for they know not what they do” populace that has yet to verify all the misinformation that has been pumped into their heads since grade school through college and even now through pop culture. Vladimir Lenin’s coined description as “useful idiots”.

The second and more insidious camp lies in the viperous pit of knowing perfectly well that misinformation and deceit is an acceptable means to an end.

“To make an omelet one must break a few eggs.” – Karl Marx

I will leave your dubious stance to the court of public opinion.

This new diatribe from liberals about the Trump administration’s positions and stands on major issues are “an affront to our America values,” is, in fact, an affront to the public’s collective intelligence, as it mocks us by being cute, by half.

Whos American values, sir?   The liberal Socialist’s values? well, then you would be right!

This sad attempt to conquer by division is contrary to the very concept of America’s value.

Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr’s values of unification not division. where he declared at the Lincoln Memorial:

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

There is but only one race, the human race. In all my journeys I have met albino Norwegians, yet they are not white.  I have grown up around very dark-skinned brothers, yet they are not black.  There is no such thing as a black or white person.

We are all flesh toned humans that bleed red, cry wet and dream in multi colors. Not until and when we unlearn this “adult” fairytale and embrace this self-evident reality, will we ever see the true color blind promised land.

We cannot be sliced and diced by way of sexual or psychological preferences.

That cannot be what separates us, that is very private and personal.

Not a tool to use as leverage for destruction, alienation, and kindling for an unsustainable ideology that feed off human subjugation and misery.

We cannot continue to be divided by economic class, age, sex, religion, thought nor skin color. For on this Independence Day:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain un-a-lienable Rights, (as in no man can take it from you, nor can you give it away.)

Which brings me to a more important point. Thomas Jefferson’s original draft stated:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain un-a-lienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of property.”

For his goal was to abolish slavery at the genesis of our independence. however due to immense pressure from the liberal southern factions. and the need to not fight a revolutionary war on two fronts. One being the world power of England as well as the slave colonies. But be unanimously united. He had to relent but not without a stern warning that the blood of this unattended injustice will be paid down the road in a tragic civil war.

We must not cower in the face of injustice especially not on this 4th of July.

As it has been said many times, if we do not learn the lessons of history we will be doomed to repeat it.

We are now faced with a new “slave race” that of the plight of the illegal alien.

For many amongst us are truly not free on this Independence Day.

For political gain, they have been exploited or decades on purpose and like some sick case of national Munchausen by proxy.

This ends now!

I present to you my fellow Americans a new Declaration of Independence.

Before you is a document created in the Spring of 2006 by Hispanic illegal youths as a written solution from their point of view. For too long the immigration conversation has been an A, B so “C” you later.

This one developed and drafted by the illegal community on how to constitutionally and fairly reboot the broken American Immigration system.  not by pitting one group against another. but by locking arm in arm to fix it together.

Don’t believe the mouthpieces that ‘represent’ the illegal community. They do not. Ask them, for they live this unnecessary existence every day.

I give you “La Patria Declaration”.

Fernando Navarro

Antioch

LA PATRIA DECLARATION

In Peace and Justice… and Being of Good Courage…

We the people of the United States and of the whole AMERICA….

Declare on this (two thousand and six years) our intent of Union and

Support of the Constitution Of the United States, and our commitment to her peoples and her Laws……to take up our task, through our shed blood and drained tears, make fertile freedoms roots!

WHEREAS We ADOPT…

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Right to the pursuit of Happiness..”

WHEREAS We EMBRACE…

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

WHEREAS We DECLARE…

“FREE AT LAST, FREE AT LAST …..THANK GOD ALMIGHTY WE ARE FREE AT LAST”… AND THAT NO MAN BE JUDGED BY THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN, BUT BY THE CONTENT OF THEIR CHARACTER.”

WHEREAS We DOCUMENT ………

“NO MAN BE PROSECUTED OR BLAMED FOR THE CRIMES AND ACTS OF OUR PREDECESSORS

BUT BY THE FACTUAL ACTS AFTER ONE’s BIRTH…LET THE PAST BE!!!!

WHEREAS We SUPPORT ………

“TRUTH, JUSTICE AND THE AMERICAN WAY!!”

NOW, THEREFORE………

Our battle cry:

BORDERS. LANGUAGE. CULTURE.  

********************** BORDERS **********************

WHEREAS … We recognize our status as “illegal”

We the signatories declare our desire to totally secure and close the southern border and frontiers…To support AMERICA’S SOVEREIGNTY … Protect Her people and her laws in the post-September 11th era.

“It is our mothers and daughters, sisters and brothers that are perishing in the wilderness.”

We also Declare that the legal portals be justly open and properly filtered to allow eager Immigrants to process orderly and be documented!

“Let us be “REBORN” legally under liberty’s watch.”

“For an attack of Mass Destruction does not discriminate LEGAL from ILLEGAL”

WHEREAS We DO NOT support an amnesty, but reform the immigration process!!!

WHEREAS we declare our union to STOP the black market of HUMAN, NARCOTICS and TERRORIST traffickers….AND Support all patriots that wish to aid on America’s domestic frontline.

********************** LANGUAGE **********************

We the signatories Declare that We come together to accept and adopt English as the official Language of the United States of America.

We also declare that our natural language, not be a burden on America, but that We take the burden upon ourselves to speak her tongue.

“He who knows MORE than one language is capable of more than one MAN.”

********************** CULTURE  **********************

WHEREAS…

“TRUTH, JUSTICE  AND THE AMERICAN WAY” is ours

The signatories Declare that they come together to embrace America’s mission of excellence and doing things right…TO NOT CUT CORNERS..

WHEREAS We embrace PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY….to accept and RECTIFY our discrepancies.

“FREEDOM IS NOT FREE, IT IS NOT FREE FROM ITS CONSEQUENCES.”

WE DECLARE OUR DESIRE TO MELT INTO THE FABRIC OF “OLD GLORY’S” THREADS…

Due to design or by OVERT CONSEQUENCES …We have been DENIED OUR OPPORTUNITY  for the pursuit  of happiness.   And thus declare in good FAITH our commitment to PEACEFULLY  and ORDERLY  process our status into the sunlight.

Inspect our background, DOCUMENT our Genesis and invite us into the AMERICAN FOLD!!

WHEREAS We are a conservative people that SHARES AMERICAS VALUES.  GOD, FAMILY and PATRIOTISM thusly…

WHEREAS We embrace the American concept of owning one’s actions and consequences and the concept of fairness of getting in line.

THUSLY To offset our influx we propose and endorse the following platforms:

WHEREAS We support VOTER I.D. Reform.

WHEREAS We support a FAIR TAX

WHEREAS We support School VOUCHERS.

AMERICA IS UNDER ASSAULT FROM  ANTI-AMERICAN FORCES AND THAT CANCER MUST BE

CHALANGED……..WE ARE HERE TO HELP HER ….BUILD HER UP AND  WAVE HER FLAG

….OUR FLAG  TO THE ENTIRE WORLD.

This is our projection and timeline!

“BORON Y CUENTA NUEVA”

LET US START A-NEW………. We Propose the following GOALS

Immediately closure of the southern Border, be it by a physical structure or by a manned presence (military or federal, civilian)

Open the legal Gates…

We Propose processing facilities such as FORT ISLAS ANGELES,… FORT NOGALES,… FORT LAREDO  AND POINT ELLIS.

Let us the “illegal” Immigrants process… go to these new “ANGEL” and “ELLIS Island” ports and DECLARE ourselves… Document us, To establish our official I.D.’s, to take our fingerprints.

“Let us be “REBORN” Legally and above board… become taxpayers.

Let us Prove ourselves to the American People.

Let us PAY as we GO.

“THE EGALITARIAN and AMERICAN SOLUTION!”

Let us own and earn our remedy!

Present us with two options.

1) If our goal is ultimately the American dream of becoming U.S. citizenship, they our penalty is for us to leave the country and get in line.

2) If our goal is only residencie then our penalty and path will be to BE PERMANENTLY BARRED from U.S. citizenship. Report to an immigration processing and orientation center.

A} Document and Start as a EXPLORE level migrant worker “ he who wishes to

work here after processing wishes to come and go, pays taxes but is not

eligible for any social assistance …no welfare, etc.

B} After 7 years an EXPLORE class immigrant can apply for a ENDEAVOR level Status “he who wishes to become a resident” can qualify for residency if migrant has kept his or her criminal record clean and learns English. They are now eligible for public assistance but cannot vote…

C} For illegal immigrants who opted for the goal of citizenship and have left the country and After 7 years an immigrant can apply for a ENTERPRISE level status “he who wishes to become a citizen”  can qualify for citizenship if said migrant has still kept his/her criminal record clean. And must pass a thorough civil entrance exam.

“IT IS URBAN LEGEND THAT ALL MIGRANTS SEEK CITIZENSHIP… SOME JUST WANT TO WORK.”

********************** TIMELINE **********************

OPERATION “STAR FIELD”

The rebooting and reformation of the immigration process will take 1-2 years to complete.

DAY ONE.  – Full deployment of national guard/ military to augment border patrols and to fully cover the Northern and southern borders.

DAY TWO  – Start full construction of the double security fence with manned watchtowers from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico.

DAY THREE – Announcement in advance of the NEW documentation process for undocumented/illegal alien migrants is to start. (orderly processing and documentation/filtering at the NEW border processing stations) Full public dissemination THAT THERE WILL BE A 1-2 YEAR opportunity TO DOCUMENT, That after that 1-2 year window, ALL IMMIGRATION LAWS WILL BE EXTREMELY ENFORCED AND APPLIED. “Anyone still holding out must have ulterior motivations to not come clean!”

DAY FOUR –  THROUGH END OF DOCUMENTATION PERIOD…   Migrants checking in at the border will be processed for criminal records, health screening, I.D. processing and RE-documentation.  DEBRIEFING  OF THE AMERICAN experience AND THE EXPLANATION OF RULES OF their STATUS.

WE NOW HAVE A SECURE BORDER. A DOCUMENTED POPULATION,(BIOMETRIC NATIONAL I.D.)… A REVERSE “MAGNETIC POLARITY” OR “SOURING OF THE MILK” FOR ANY ONE WHO IS STILL HERE ILLIGEALY… AND A CHECK VALVE AT THE BORDER. ANY ONE COMING TO THE U.S. TO WORK WILL WANT TO COME THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR AND IF ANY ONE PULLS OFF GETTING IN ILLEGALY (GETTING THROUGH THE U.S. PRESENCE) WILL FIND THEMSELVES BEING REPELLED NATURALY BY THE SYSTEM (NO NATIONAL I.D.). LET GRAVITY DO ITS JOB.
THIS IS OUR PLAN

THIS IS OUR COMMITMENT

THIS IS OUR SOLUTION

VIVA AMERICA……….. GOD BLESS AMERICA

By Federal Glover

As we celebrate July 4th, 2018, Americans stand at a crossroads:  do we stand up for those ideals our founding fathers put before us in the Constitution or do we our head down a path that continues to erode the institutions and values that Americans have held for 242 years.

Over the past 18 months, our country has been undergoing a sea change that is remaking the way the world sees us and – more importantly — the way we see ourselves.

This Fourth of July, I almost don’t recognize this country anymore.

The America I knew growing up in Pittsburg was a land of opportunity that allowed a laborer from Mississippi to find a well-paying, blue collar job in the steel mill, buy a car and home and allowed our family to live in relative comfort and security. There was opportunity here. There was hope. We dreamed about a better country and the possibility of Martin Luther King’s Dream of worshipping and living in a land and time when we were judged by the content of our character – not by the color of our skin.

I was fortunate enough to go to school in a city where I had classmates from all around the globe.

We were not isolated from the events that were happening in other parts of the United States. We kept tabs of what was happening in Selma, in Memphis and other parts of the South. Many African American families in town still had relatives in those far away places where history was being written.

Still, those events seemed far away. My best friend was Italian American. We grew up eating at the New Mecca Restaurant, pizza from Carlos’ Pizzeria and hamburgers from The Pirate drive-in. We expanded our taste buds to include lumpia and adobo cooked by our Filipino friends’ mothers and grandmothers. We bought groceries from the market a few blocks away which was owned by a Chinese American family.

As a member of the Pittsburg High School football team, my teammates were made up of a multitude of nationalities from families that had roots in Italy, Greece, Great Britain, the Philippines, Ireland, Mexico and, of course, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Louisiana.

Even when a major retailer was picketed in downtown Pittsburg for not hiring African Americans and King’s shocking assassination broke the peace and calm of our city, the residents and political leaders came together to examine the city and how it could weather the violence that hit other U.S. cities.

Even with the civil rights battle at our doorstep, our community found a way. Change was in the air. It didn’t happen overnight and we had obstacles to overcome, but we had hope. Our dreams – our common dreams — were still intact.

Today, that hope is withering away. Our dreams seem to be fading away. The gains and progress made over the last 60 years is in serious danger. The foundations that made our country strong is more fragile and the beacon of freedom and light for people throughout the world has grown dim.

Refugees who believed in the Statue of Liberty’s “send me your tired, your poor, your wretched refuse,” are being treated like criminals; the needs of our planet seem to taking second place to need for profit; more obstacles are being placed in front of voters; corporate profits are not trickling down to the workers who toil for 20^th Century wages shrinking our great middle class; home ownership –- a critical part of the American Dream – is out of reach for most people; the unregulated proliferation of guns has made our streets more dangerous; and the re-emergence of blatant racism threatens to destroy our civil society.

Most disheartening, our Congress, instead of acting as balance to the extreme policies coming from the current administration, has succumbed to the fear of losing an election instead of standing on principle.

For those who might want to give up hope and let cynicism replace our dreams, there are signs that that the American Dream is still alive.

I am heartened by the renewed vigor and interest being displayed by our neighbors, local leaders and government representatives. Instead of giving up, they are injecting new energy and new blood into our communities.

The marches and demonstrations in behalf of women, science, LGBTQ, truth, immigrants and against racism have inspired a new generation of activism that we haven’t seen since the 1960s.

Young people – inspired by high schoolers who have seen their classmates gunned down on campus – have launched a movement to hopefully not only make their campuses safer, but to make our greater society safer and saner.  As they grow into adulthood and assume their place in our society, there is hope.

People are not content with speeches and marches in the streets, they are taking their principles into the voting booth and into the halls of our capitols and city council chambers.

Ordinary people who were once content to let the status quo play itself out, are snapping out of their lethargy and are stepping up to the plate. New community groups are springing up made up or our neighbors, who might not want to run for public office, but are willing to make the phone calls, send the e-mails and knock on doors and are creating a wellspring of change in our cities and county.

I’ve seen the first stirrings of renewed activism myself when a group of middle-schoolers in Bay Point went up against the political might and influence of the alcohol lobby to limit sales of alcoholic beverages in their community. We saw it again on June 5 when Bay Area voters passed a measure to improve our transportation system and San Francisco voters spurned the lies and misleading commercials of the tobacco industry to pass a measure limiting tobacco sales in their city.

The words of Bob Dylan, “The times, they are a-changing!” suddenly have found a new audience. People are beginning to believe they can make a difference again. As stated by that great statesman Abraham Lincoln: That “government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth.” This is the American Dream.

Happy July Fourth! Celebrate in safety and give thanks that we live in this great country where the possible is … well, possible … for everybody.

Glover represents District 5 which includes portions of Antioch on the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors.

Aspire, Achieve and Acquire in Antioch to reach your goals and fulfill your dreams.

By Allen Payton, Publisher

If you haven’t heard already, the City of Antioch hired a consulting firm to help rebrand the city, in an effort to overcome the negative views and stereotypes that others outside and even some of our own residents inside Antioch have of our community.

For full disclosure, I formed an advertising, marketing and branding agency, last year, and brought on a team of five other local business owners who are professionals in branding, graphic design, websites and social media, and event planning. We put in a bid, but it was not accepted.

While I was critical of one of the five “Big Ideas” by the consultant mentioned in their proposal to the city, I’ve been willing to give them a chance and spent two hours with them, a week ago Friday, sharing my concerns and ideas, and an overview of the assets we have in the community, as well as some of Antioch’s rich history, upon which I believe they can build a new brand.

Rich History

First, I told them that a bit about our rich history. Antioch is the oldest city in the county, having been established as Smith’s Landing in 1849, renamed Antioch in 1851 at the July 4th picnic, and then incorporated in 1872. The number one reason the city was formed was for public safety. I have a copy of the incorporation papers in my office declaring that.

Clean & Safe

Second, I shared that the city needs to focus on two things, initially – clean and safe. That’s the same thing I learned that cities focused on, specifically with their downtowns, back when I was on the council from 1994-998. So, this is nothing new. It just needs to happen and quicker.

I pointed out the obvious, that we must get our crime under control – which according to Chief Brooks’ latest reports is happening – we won’t be able to attract the kind of businesses and employers to our city, nor will the upscale homes be built in the Sand Creek area, which are needed for Antioch’s long-term economic and financial success. In order to accomplish that the City Council must regain faith with the public and get us the 22 more sworn police officers we were promised if we passed Measure C and be honest with us by using the correct base figure of 89 officers, which were in the budget and on the force, before the measure was passed, for a total of 111 officers, not the 82 officers we had after it passed for a total of 104.

We need the council to direct City Manager Ron Bernal and Chief Brooks to “hire more cops, faster” and “a cop a week is all we ask.”

The city council and staff also need to crack down on the litter, including the shopping centers and require them to keep it picked up. People, please put your trash in the trash can and remind others to do the same. Also, keep your yard clean and maintained and show some pride of place, please.

Finally, the city council and staff must work with the county and local churches and charities to solve the homeless problem. We need them to get Supervisors Glover and Burgis who represent portions of our city, to bring more services out here to Antioch and East County where the need has grown over the past several years, instead of continuing to focus so much of the resources on West County.

City’s Assets

Third, I pointed out that we have a lot of assets that other cities don’t have. We have the river and waterfront, with access to the deep-water channel that serves the Port of Stockton. That port is currently doing $2 billion in annual business. According to the late, former Pittsburg Economic Development Director, Brad Nail, Antioch has a greater potential for a deep-water port than Pittsburg has. We need to build one in the Wilbur Avenue corridor to create the well-paying, industrial jobs for our residents.

That also allows for recreation, with boating on the river, with the marina and two boat launches. I shared that we need to develop a big boat berth marina either at G Street or at the old Tommy’s Harbor near Rodgers Point and The Red Caboose on Fulton Shipyard Road, on the east end of downtown, to attract boaters with money who will stop and enjoy lunch and shopping during a day on the Delta.

We also have our historic, downtown Rivertown which has so much potential. I suggested to them the idea of creating a Pier 39-type boardwalk on the water, running along the waterfront from the fishing pier next to the Riverview Lodge all the way to E Street, near the Old Lumber Company Building, to help attract more people to downtown. Plus, the renaming of L Street to Marina Way and A and West Second Streets to Rivertown Drive and West Rivertown Drive for permanent marketing of Antioch’s historic, downtown Rivertown (as has been in the city’s plans since the 1996 Economic Development Plan was adopted), especially now that Smith’s Landing Seafood Grill is getting ready to open at the former Humphrey’s location. That’s the best location on the Delta for dining.

We also have the rail line running through the north side of our city, bringing goods and people in and out of our city from the Port of Oakland, across the country. We need to take greater advantage of that.

We have Highway 4 widened to Antioch, and the section between Sand Creek Road and Balfour Road (of what used to be referred to as the Bypass) about to be completed.

Of course, we also now have the BART extension and station in Antioch. That opens up all kinds of economic development opportunity, surrounding and near the station.

We have empty commercial buildings for businesses to locate in and we have land, specifically the 200 acres that were set aside 20 years ago, this year, in the Laurel Road/Highway 4 interchange area for commercial development and employment. Slatten Ranch Road will bisect the property and connect Slatten Ranch Shopping Center and the Antioch BART Station to Laurel Road. That will begin construction once the homes on the other side of the freeway begin being built and paying the developer fee for the new road.

Another asset Antioch has is our immediate access to the adjacent, permanent, publicly owned open space of the East Bay Regional Park District with the Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve and soon the 900 acres of the Deer Valley open space where the Roddy Ranch Golf Course was located, and the surrounding new home development was planned.

Location & Transportation – The Jobs Highway

I also told the consultants that if you look at the map, Antioch is at the center of Northern California commerce. The only problem is we really can’t get there from here.

What we need is the connection out the back door to East County, which is the long-planned, four-lane Route 239 freeway between Brentwood and Tracy. Mayor Sean Wright refers to it as the “Jobs Highway” as it will connect us to Interstate 5, the lifeblood economic artery of the state. The total project, which has been referred to as the TriLink, also includes two lines of transit down the center, which will help connect the Antioch BART Station and the proposed Brentwood BART Station near Sand Creek Road, to Discovery Bay, Byron, Byron Airport, Mountain House, Tracy and back to Livermore and ultimately to the Pleasanton BART Station. The price for the TriLink is pegged at $1 billion.

But at the recent East County Transportation Summit two lower cost alternatives were discussed, including adding two lanes to the current Byron Highway/J-4 at a cost of just $200 million.

Branding –Aspire, Achieve, Acquire

Finally, I shared with the consultants some of my ideas for branding Antioch, that my team was going to pitch the city. First, I shared with them the acronym I used for my five-part economic development strategy, when running for city council in 1994 – B.R.E.A.D. for Business Retention, Expansion, Attraction & Development. The city needs to do what’s necessary to retain current businesses, allow them to expand, attract businesses to our city, and allow for the development of new businesses in our city. That puts bread on our tables, “bread” (the old slang word for money) in our pockets and “bread” in the city’s coffers with more sales and property tax revenue, to pay for more services.

I suggested we get away from the old city slogan, “Gateway to the Delta” because we want to be a place to come to, not somewhere to drive through or stop by on your way to somewhere else. I suggested we be known as the Jewel or Diamond of the Delta, and to become the Sausalito of the Delta.

I like alliteration, so I suggested using inspiring, uplifting, positive words to describe us beginning with the letter “A” of “Antioch Aspires” and “Antioch Achieves”. Or, Aspire in Antioch, Achieve in Antioch, Aquire in Antioch, as messages we can send to businesses we can attract to locate here. Antioch aspires for and desires to achieve greatness. If you want to locate a business here, you can acquire land or an existing building, aspire to and achieve greatness for your company.

I also thought of another word that begins with “A” that made me laugh, as it reminded me of that movie, The Big Lebowski, in which Jeff Bridges’ character is known as “The Dude” and had the saying “The Dude Abides”. That would be “Antioch Abides” or “Abide in Antioch”. Or maybe not. LOL

Actually, it’s because we can no longer abide the negative views of Antioch and the problems we face, that we must improve our city and rebrand it.

So, we need to let our people, the Bay Area and the rest of the world know that “you can aspire, acquire and achieve in Antioch to reach your goals and fulfill your dreams.”

That’s my input in an attempt to edify our community, focus on the positive and offer a future vision that I believe most of us want.

My encouragement to you is rather than be negative and point out all the things you don’t like about Antioch – while not being pollyannish and ignoring reality – please, focus on the kind of city you want Antioch to become and offer your constructive input to the consultants.

Residents are invited either to fill out a brief survey at https://tinyurl.com/antioch-brand or to email brandingantioch@ci.antioch.ca.us.

Dear Editor:

‘After waiting almost 60 years Antioch gets extension to BART!’ Vol. 9, No. 6, dated June 2018

This article has been anticipated about as long as residents have been waiting for the new EBart train and Antioch Station to open. It’s a wonderful advancement on the part of BART and a welcome addition for the residents of Antioch!

Although the article is highly positive on the new eBart train, the negative factor involving the parking at the station far outweighs the good it brings when there is absolutely no ability to access and utilize the train because there’s no available parking. By 7:30 am on any given day, the parking lot is packed full. And for those who chose to park on the street, citations and towing added to the agony of not being able to find a spot to park. If you can’t park at the new station, how are you supposed to use the new train system? For those of us who daily commuted on the Tri-Delta 300 Express to BART, this is extremely disappointing as we can no longer take the bus from park-n-ride to the Pittsburg BART, and even then, having a place to park. Sure, the new eBart trains boast a variety of amenities and the “newness” is refreshing; however, with not having adequate parking to accommodate the daily commuters who have been using this park-n-ride location for years to ride the bus to BART, it’s very discouraging to know that we now must try to find another alternative in parking our car if we wish to use BART’s Etrain system.

It is awesome to see the new eBart train up and running. The issue of parking and the overwhelming demand for such on a daily basis limits this “awesome’ness” to a great degree. Both the City of Antioch and BART should have planned way ahead of this station’s opening to ensure sufficient parking was readily-available for the mass of those who would utilize this station – this should have been a prime consideration and know well in advance that the two parking lots would not suffice for the demand of the commuters who have been waiting such a long time for this station to open – only to find now that we can’t utilize its services since we can’t find a parking place.

It’s very sad that I now must rely on someone else to me ff and pick-up at this station if I use BART’s Etrain. The impact of others having to do the same is also a serious issue with more car traffic in the lanes adjacent to the station. The high demand for use of the new train demands a higher use for parking and this now needs to be a key factor to consider in moving forward. Having the BART Etrain finally open is great; allowing the daily commuter to access and use this train system – and can park at its station – is now the immediate need that both the City of Antioch and BART need to consider and rectify.

Michele Garcia

Antioch

Dear Editor:

Let’s talk about the really poor marketing of the marketing campaign to listen to the citizens of Antioch. I love this city, and I am happy to give input as to why Antioch is great, why folks should move here, etc. What I’m not happy about is the embarrassing debacle that surrounds this effort by the company hired to survey residents: evvivabrands.com.

I read about this series of events on Facebook Thursday morning. The first event shown was Friday 10-6 at the Somersville mall. I was surprised to be the first person in a city of over 100,000 people to register for the “listenting session” (the typo is theirs, not mine).

I showed up at 10 am and found no signage, no indication of anything happening in the main courtyard where the session was to take place. After asking around, I was directed to a storefront lined with black curtains where three people were standing around with rolling bags. I asked if they were associated with the brand event, and, hallelujah, they said they were.

I understand why they may have been defensive when I asked why it was so difficult to find them. But if you are a professional listener, I would recommend less arguing and more acknowledgement of the problem. Furthermore, this event that I signed up for was not an all-day meeting or session. They were simply there to pull shoppers in to ask the questions that, I assume, are the same ones on the electronic survey.

Come on, Antioch. If you hire a “professional” company to help with brand for the city, at least make sure that they know what they’re doing.

Jacquelyn Higgins

Antioch

An argument in favor of Travis Allen for Governor

By Brenda Higgins

This commentary originally appeared on OCPolitical.com on June 2, 2018. Republished at the author’s request.

Polls are not hard to understand.  The science of polling, even with the basic college level understanding of how the math behind it works, is also easily understood to be not just subjective, but fully within the manipulation of the pollster.

It doesn’t take a scientific poll to see and comprehend what has happened in elections in the U.S. and around the world in the past three U.S. election cycles.  People with a real power to vote, have done so. And, they have done so in outright rebellion to those in power who have told them what to do and how to vote.  In spite of the effort of this ruling class of politicians and pollsters and pundits, people have rejected their group-think advisements to vote as they are being told to vote, and they are voting, with a level of enthusiasm and fervor, that we have not seen in our lifetime.

People have, in massive numbers, rejected what they have been told, and voted for candidates that experts said could not win.  My opinion is based upon my own very unscientific polling. I knocked on people’s doors and talked to them about things like health insurance and abortion. I called them on the phone and talked to them about unions and school bonds.  I knocked on their doors to remind them to vote or show up to their caucus. I have done this many thousands of times in the past few election cycles.

They want to talk about things that aren’t in the polls.  In 2014 in Arkansas, people expressed angry reflexive passion to vote for any candidate with an “R” by their name. In 2015 there was fury over more special elections and efforts to create more special taxes to fix things they thought were already paying taxes for.  In Nevada in 2016 they only wanted to talk about Donald Trump or Bernie Sanders and had no interest in hearing anything else.  In 2018, as I talk to people on phones and at their front door, about the down-ticket, they want to talk about Travis Allen.

The politicians and pollsters and pundits, have told people in the past three election cycles that whatever they are feeling or thinking as an individual, sitting in their living room in front of their TV or behind their computer screen, the way that they should think because a lot of people think that way, and this is who you should vote for because all the other people are going to vote that way.  The American public has rejected that instruction out of hand and have become inherently distrustful of the media and of ‘establishment’ politicians.  Funny thing it, the media is now telling them that this has happened because of Donald Trump. The media misses it again. The rebellion is not ‘because’ of Donald Trump. Donald Trump is because of the rebellion.

So, it is in 2018, California.

Here’s a poll.  How many Democrat governors have we had in California since 1959?  That is more than a half century.  Think about that, because in the past three election cycles, Democrats, Republicans, pollsters and media pundits, continue to tell Californians that they can only have a Democrat governor.

In the past 59 years, we have had three Democrat Governors.  Brown, Brown, Davis, and Brown again.  Three. And one, Grey Davis, was kicked out of office by the rulers of California, the California people.  In the same time period, we have had four Republicans, Schwarzenegger, Wilson, Deukmejian, and Reagan.

Reagan’s two terms were after the two terms of Edmund G. Brown. and before two terms of his son, Jerry Brown.  Jerry Brown had ANOTHER two terms, after Schwartzenegger ousted Grey Davis. The last time we had a one term Governor was Culbert Olson in 1938. He was a Democrat. Before Culbert Olson, sequential Republicans held the office for nearly 50 years. You have to look back to 1894 to find another Democrat Governor.  My point is, there is not a long or strong history of support for Democrat Governors in this state, and in the last three election cycles, voters in every other state have rejected Democrat governors by wide margins.  Republicans are Governors in 33 states.  In 32 states, Republicans control BOTH houses of the legislature.  In 2010, Republicans controlled ONLY FOURTEEN STATES.  14, in 2010.

The tide has changed, and California citizens are missing the benefit of conservative ideals.

In the past three election cycles, the pollsters and pundits and party leaders (in both parties actually) are telling the voting public to sit down and be quiet, that there may never be a republican Governor in California again.  In keeping with their pearl clutching and hand wringing, over their polls, and research and infinite wisdom, they have given us, Meg Whitman and Neel Kashkari in the past two races for governor.  There was a bizarre victory lap when Neal Kashkari lost by less than expected in 2014.  These two were barely Republicans, they were wealthy people who spent their own money and the party rejoiced in that.  Kashkari, who had never held public office and supported Obama in 2008, was outspent by something like 10 to 1, so he got more votes per dollar than Meg Whitman.  The party leaders bizarrely counted in a victory and called on Tim Donnelly to step down because (by default), Kashkari was the party ‘standard bearer’.

Now we have another non-Californian, rich guy, and they are asking the voters to do the same. Take one for the team, vote this way because we are telling you that everyone else is going to vote this way, and we need to have a candidate at the “top of the ticket”.

Gone is any language about reclaiming the governor’s mansion at any time in the future, the strategy is simply to get someone bland enough, lack luster enough in policies, and rich enough to pay for some TV commercials, but not to win.

There is no strategy to re-take the governor’s mansion or find and promote a conservative candidate for governor in California.

Donald Trump did not have a path to 270.  There is a scientific poll.  The historic fact however, is that he far exceeded that necessary 270.

In 59 years, a member of the Brown family has held the governor’s office for 24 years, six terms.  There are no more members of the Brown dynasty, but the professionals are telling us that it is time for the Newsom/Pelosi dynasty to be coronated.  There is nothing you can do about it, we have given you this proper second place finisher, please just sit down and let us tell you how to vote.  Ruling, establishment, elitism, but in their tone deafness, they miss, that THIS is precisely what the rebellion has been aimed at.

Remember, this is what they told us about Hillary.  It was her turn.  She had the money, the experience, she was the most “qualified” and that Donald Trump was a joke. The coronation of the next ruling member of the Clinton dynasty had arrived.  Sit down Peasants.   The pollsters always leave out one thing.

The ruling class are not rulers, and the people are still in charge, and their not buying this.

Cox is a big government advocate still. No matter what he tries to do to distance himself from his own ideas. His only voting record, is his vote for Pro-Choice, Open Borders, Libertarian, Gary Johnson.  Cox has never won a race.  That makes him a perfect choice for the second place strategy.

Travis Allen has never lost a race and was never expected to be in office.  The pollsters, pundits and ruling class have counted him out, and told him to sit down and wait his turn for the entirety of his political career.

Historically, it is time for the Governor’s Mansion to be turned back to the Republicans.  Someone needs to tell the leadership of the Republican party, they don’t know it yet.   There is no justification for rolling over and paying dead with a second-place candidate.  Californians, just like Americans across the country in the past three elections, have risen up to remind you, who is in charge, and they seem to be pretty tired of Second Place.

Higgins practiced family law for 17 years prior to becoming a pro-life activist. She is currently the Executive Director of Stanton Healthcare SoCal, a non-profit medical center for women who’s mission is to replace Planned Parenthood with life affirming medical care. She writes for both OCPolitical and The127Activist.

Editor’s Note: Opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Herald, or it’s publisher and editor.

Editor:

I find it interesting that simply pointing out the fact that Jews played a predominant role in the African Slave Trade https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7VkQSb7JlI&feature=youtu.be along with questioning Israel and challenging their control over U.S. foreign-policy, consequently gets me labeled an anti-Semite and NAZI by Former Republican Chairman, Ron Nehring. I will bet that he has NEVER taken the time to read the numerous and informative links I have provided on my website that substantiate my claims. Does Mr. Nehring find it interesting that the ONLY historical issue that lands people in prison– in eighteen countries and counting– is the holocaust? This is a fact! Why is this and why do so many people get imprisoned under Orwellian Hate-Speech laws, simply for challenging any aspect of it outside the “official narrative?” Please read:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2018/05/08/nazi-grandma-ursula-haverbeck-who-denies-holocaust-taken-jail/589613002/

Also, watch this video of Monika Schaefer, who is also serving time in prison for apologizing to her mom’s spirit in a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0_BZphQ7Qo. Isn’t debate good to rule out falsehoods, etc. and to glean fact? So why is the holocaust off-limits but no other issue? Also, why did South Carolina recently pass a similar Hate-Speech law strictly focusing on Israel and anti-Semitism in public schools and college campuses. Please read: https://www.reuters.com/…/south-carolina-passes-bill-to-fig….

Now Tennessee is soon doing the same and a federal law was just introduced last week in Congess to cover all 50 states for a similar anti-Semitism bill: https://www.thefire.org/new-federal-anti-semitism-act-same…/. I find this remarkable and, even moreso, troubling! No matter the issue, taboo or not, why is our 1st amendment (free-speech) being eroded and only for questioning Israel and/or Jewish interests and no other country or people? We supposedly live in a free and civilized society, yet how free are we if we cannot express contrary opinions without fear of being deemed afoul of the law? Also, isn’t this a slippery slope that may lead to more draconian laws and/or measures in the future? After all, shouldn’t one’s opinion– no matter how offensive it may be to some– along with what’s deemed “truth” stand on its own merit when scrutinized? I think so.

I challenge people to go to my website and find any information that I post that is incorrect or anti-Semitic. I research every issue extensively and take what I claim very seriously and I hope you will do the same. I am not an anti-Semite by any means, but only a person of strong values, morals and character who has the courage to challenge controversial and, what many people perceive to be “taboo” subjects that a certain sect of society try to suppress and/or, subsequently, deem off-limits. Thank you and please remember to vote June 5th. Here is my website:   http://johnfitzgeraldforcongress.com/

John Fitzgerald

Candidate for Congress, CA District 11

Dear Editor:

Let’s talk about the really poor marketing of the marketing campaign to listen to the citizens of Antioch. I love this city, and I am happy to give input as to why Antioch is great, why folks should move here, etc. What I’m not happy about is the embarrassing debacle that surrounds this effort by the company hired to survey residents: evvivabrands.com.

I read about this series of events on Facebook Thursday morning. The first event shown was Friday 10-6 at the Somersville mall. I was surprised to be the first person in a city of over 100,000 people to register for the “listenting session” (the typo is theirs, not mine).

I showed up at 10 am and found no signage, no indication of anything happening in the main courtyard where the session was to take place. After asking around, I was directed to a storefront lined with black curtains where three people were standing around with rolling bags. I asked if they were associated with the brand event, and, hallelujah, they said they were.

I understand why they may have been defensive when I asked why it was so difficult to find them. But if you are a professional listener, I would recommend less arguing and more acknowledgement of the problem. Furthermore, this event that I signed up for was not an all-day meeting or session. They were simply there to pull shoppers in to ask the questions that, I assume, are the same ones on the electronic survey.

Come on, Antioch. If you hire a “professional” company to help with the brand for the city, at least make sure that they know what they’re doing.

Jacquelyn Higgins

Antioch resident