Subject: Poor communication and disrespect to me
I have known you three years

I sent the Op Ed on ” What happens November 3″ in Monday, October 17. No response or acknowledgement of receipt was given me. Former Opinion editor Josh Premako would always acknowledge receipt.

I sent a follow up e mail Wednesday, October 19. No response of acknowledgement.
Some weeks back, I wrote a relevant piece entitled, ” Is it OK to use the word Negro.?” Lila, I am still waiting nor your three-times asked for explanation why you and The Signal refused to run that piece.
Lila,if no one ever told you, when you ignore some one that is rude behavior. This is not the first time you have displayed that behavior.

Your criticism of my commentary, ” Lame Dame Congress.” is nothing more than a red herring. You can find “ fault” with anyone’s work.You or Stephen could have e mailed me and said, ” Roger, could you soften this or alter that.” Nope, in the trash can it goes, no comment, no response, complete rudeness and display of arrogance. Lila, I am not the only writer who says this. Look in the mirror and listen to members of the community you so casually dismiss. The Signal is a biased, Left-leaning newspaper.

Also, in my commentaries on illegal immigration, The Signal ALWAYS changed the words “illegal alien” to your preferred words, illegal immigrants. I don’t say illegal immigrants. I say illegal aliens.

Sincerely,
Roger Gitlin

You know it’s a crazy time when an extremist who affiliates with people even George Runner refuses to be seen in public with can accuse The Signal – a newspaper that has endorsed Republican after Republican this season- of being a left-leaning newspaper.

But more than that, what leaps off the page is Roger’s sense of victimhood and need for validation. He really think’s he’s a man fighting the good fight against the liberals, the illegals, the greens, and now, the Signal, a “left-leaning newspaper.” He can’t believe someone would show him -a bench-warmer real estate agent, self-described “teacher” and crank letter writer- “disrespect.” He thinks that by virtue of his three years of race-baiting and illegal immigrant bashing op/eds, he is entitled to column inches in The Signal in perpetuity. He just doesn’t understand why the Signal would refuse to publish his way-out-of-the-mainstream views, so he defaults to what he’s been programmed to say: “You’re a liberal!”

And he shouts this at The Signal!

Notice too how he talks down to editor Lila Littlejohn, a woman who has taught journalism at College of the Canyons and who has, for better or worse, lead The Signal’s editorial group for many years. He can’t stand that he’s being denied a soap box for his hate speech (by a woman no less) and his need to see his own name in print is all-consuming.

I hesitate to post this because Gitlin is just one more race-baiting SCV extremist who doesn’t deserve attention, but his fall from Creekside’s grace is a major win for decency, rationalism, and human dignity.

So long Gitlin, don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out of town.

“If we don’t believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don’t believe in it at all.” — Noam Chomsky

Samual Johnson | Patriotism is the Last Refugee of a Scoundrel

While observing all the talking, shouting and letters written to the editor in recent days on the topic of free speech, I was reminded of the many chats I had with Dad in our family garage while I was growing up. One particular discussion stuck with me where he explained his service in the Marines protected people’s freedom to burn the America flag, but also protected his right to tell them they are wrong. My dad understood that anyone can support speech they like, but it takes a real man or woman to support speech you hate. What an amazing country we live in, allowing its citizens the freedom of thought and expression.

Roger Gitlin and the Save our State crowd are prime examples of what Samuel Johnson so eloquently stated: “Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.” Even 200 years ago, Johnson saw right though the manipulation of these self proclaimed plastic patriots who believe that dressing in red, white and blue waving American flags automatically makes their position somehow more American than others.

I never expected Gitlin or his people to understand the satire in my Feb. 6 column. I did however find it hilarious that he took my comments so literally that he felt compelled to address them individually. It was odd however when he publicly claimed not to engage in a war of words and instead enticed his followers to do his dirty work of sending in letters complaining to our friends at The Signal for him. This is not the first time Mr. Gitlin has played puppet master, either. Just a few days before the publishing of his Feb. 14 column, Save Our State launched a campaign to harass The Signal and hinder its freedom of press, not to mention attempt to get the “little bias SOB” Jonathan Randles fired. One would think self proclaimed patriots like Gitlin and the rest of his rodeo clowns believe in Jonathan Randles’ freedom of speech and The Signal’s freedom of press, but apparently Mr. Gitlin and his posse missed that day in patriot school.

I couldn’t help but think of John Locke’s gem, “I have always thought the actions of men the best interpreters of their thoughts” after observing Roger Gitlin the past few days. I think he missed his calling as a used car salesman as he attempts to sell the clunker of another Minutemen rally to the fair citizens of Santa Clarita. Mr. Gitlin does his best to paint his beloved Minutemen as boy scouts claiming they are a “multinational group that abides by the rule of law and whose members pledge a code of conduct.” Big surprise, this all powerful code of conduct didn’t stop the various documented physical threats various Santa Clarita citizen’s received did it Mr. Gitlin? It also didn’t stop Frank Jorge from making a sexually discriminating rant which was removed from The-Signal.com because of its vulgarity and content. And I hate to burst Mr. Gitlin’s bubble, but even the bankrupt energy juggernaut Enron had a code of conduct stating, “We are dedicated to conducting business according to all applicable local and international laws and regulations …” Just a guess, but I doubt they went with the “we have a code of conduct” defense in court. Mr. Gitlin goes further to say, “that no participant shall spew or act out any racially derogatory sentiment.” I am beginning to question whether he is aware people are videoing these rallies and putting them on the Internet.

Published In The Signal | February 26th

Mr. Gitlin and the “Save Our State” Minutemen crowd have a history of blowing into peaceful communities like Santa Clarita and bringing with them other unwanted outside extremist group opposition creating a spectacular three ring circus full of clowns pointing video cameras at each other, screaming emotional, irrational nonsense. Just ask the small town of Ojai off of Highway 126 whose residents eventually got fed-up and showed these guys the door. This is why I found Gitlin’s criticism of the wingnuts at Full Rights for Immigration Coalition busing in their bleeding heart from Los Angeles particularly rich, considering he has been working overtime to build his own plastic patriot brigade. Yeeehaaw!

Fact of the matter is The Signal has shown great maturity in handling the attacks which Roger Gitlin has provoked against it. It has shown immense grace in allowing Gitlin to publish an extra large, 1000-word column which came up just as empty as all the other letters to editor offering no viable solutions. He just echoed all the same illogical “Red Herring” fallacies which criticize people in the community who are powerless to do anything about the illegal immigration problems here in the SCV. If the state of California is powerless to enact its own solution, what makes him think small communities like Santa Clarita have an Ice Cube’s chance in hell? How about more solutions and less bullhorns, Mr. Gitlin?

“In the long run of history, the censor and the inquisitor have always lost.  The only weapon against bad ideas is better ideas.”  ~Alfred Whitney Griswold, New York Times

“There is no middle ground or debate when it comes to the issue of illegal immigration … rational human beings understand that being here illegally constitutes sufficient grounds for deportation.” -Frank Jorge

Frank Jorge

Frank Gorge - Socal's own CHE

Minuteman extremist leader Frank Jorge continued his assault and battery on reason today as he responded to my Signal column, “Fewer signs, more thoughts are needed,” published February 6. Jorge spoke like a typical extremist and claimed there is no middle ground or debate to solve illegal immigration issues, and that fools like myself muddy this apparently clear-cut issue. But is it a clear cut issue? Even Jorge was obviously torn and somewhat emotional at times during his 30 days living with a family of illegals on Morgan Spurlock’s mini-documentary show. Throughout the show, Jorge kept a kung-fu grip on his key defensive crutch of emphasizing America as a “land of laws.” This is particularly rich considering Jorge has advocated the vigilante killing of illegals and the assignation of political leaders, which, last I checked, is against the law. The biggest problem with using this rigid defense of legality alone is that it is a double-edged sword. Jorge lived with the undocumented family, which consisted of two undocumented parents, a few undocumented children and two children who were legal U.S. citizens. What would Jorge really propose we do about this situation? Send them all back? Even the U.S. citizens? Legally, the U.S. Constitution protects American citizens from being unlawfully exiled to another country. But Jorge claims there is no middle ground in a situation like this, which undoubtedly happens all throughout the United States.

[

Mr Imhoff while you are busy running down the Minutemen and myself as being ridiculous to the point of being cartoonish you fail to note that there is no middle ground or debate when it comes to the issue of illegal immigration. Unlike yourself rational human beings understand that being here illegally constitutes sufficient grounds for deportation. If you are tired of people like myself striving to make the Federal government end the crime wave of rape, murder, and theft that has been part of the illegal alien invasion of the United States then I must submit to you that I am equally tired of fools like yourself who muddy a clear cut issue and who make it possible for the rape, and murder of our fellow citizens by the thousands at the hands of illegal aliens to continue. Nathan you’re an insufferable idiot and no nation can survive when fools like you form the majority opinion. Put down the crack pipe and get some common sense. By the way my name is Frank Jorge not Frank George.

In the end, Jorge missed the entire point of my column and complained about his beloved Minutemen being made out to be “cartoonish.” Personally, I don’t know how else to deal with these clowns except make fun of them. Frank Jorge and Roger Gitlin scraped the bottom of the barrel, from Santa Clarita to Victorville, to get a crowd of wackos to show up and do nothing but harass and threaten citizens of Santa Clarita, which we have seen from various YouTube videos like this one.

Jorge eventually blew his stack and wrote this response which was removed from The Signal’s website.  The following is quite telling as to what type of man and leader Frank Jorge really is.

Blazing left Wing Lunatic Monk

“If you don’t like what you hear I suggest you change you position. Because if you continue your extremism in Santa Clarita and I will continue to fight you every step of the way. My family is full of Veteran to fought for this country so you had to place to run to from Cuba. Don’t you dare try to give the impression that some how you love this country more then I do. You are an extremist that advocate violence against people and politician to get your way, So you can take that extremist crap right back to Cuba were it came from. You are like the second coming of CHE.”

1. I do not advocate violence. It is coming because our government is turning the USA into a hellhole.

2. I did not “run” from Cuba, we emigrated here legally two years before Castro took over.

3. Che was Argentinian, not Cuban.

4. You’re a pussy pretending to be both an American and a reasonable man.

5.You wrote:”Because if you continue your extremism in Santa Clarita and I will continue to fight you every step of the way.” Sounds like you’re a violent individual. Is this proof that you’re a vigilante? An extremist?

6. Monk you’re so far out there that I don’t doubt that you wear a dress to bake cookies and wear womens panties because it makes you feel good.

I’ve had enough interaction with you to understand that you are utterly worthless. You Monk, are a complete imbecile. Bye fool!

Frank Jorge

Click Here To Watch 30 days episode on hulu

Roger Gitlin

I have found Roger Gitlin to be much more reasonable and less militant then Frank Jorge.  However, He has yet to condemn or cut  Jorge from future minute men speaking engagements.  Gitlin wrote a response to the article published on February 6th in the Signal, while I am not going to take the time to respond to his letter directly it should be noted that Gitlin tries to provoke outrage in his followers and get them to write letters to the Signal complaining about my column.

Click Here to Read Roger Gitlin Response

Roger Gitlin’s public letter

February 9th Daily Brief SCVtalk

*UPDATE Not A Fan of Ferry

The coward behind “Not a Fan of Ferry” who is also not a fan of Logic or Reason. Put together another one of his temper tantrum videos where he snipes at everyone he doesn’t like include yours truly. Gotta love the blacked out tooth too, what no handle bar mustache?

“Political extremism involves two prime ingredients: an excessively simple diagnosis of the world’s ills, and a conviction that there are identifiable villains back of it all.” — John W. Gardner

Right or Left... they both would rather see america burn then the other be right about anything

There has been much discussion and sign making in recent days on the issue of illegal immigration in our country. One side sporting a wardrobe clad with American flags, cowboy hats and an unusually high amount of handlebar mustaches, and the other side full of disingenuous Hispanic hipster activist like Carlos Alvarez of Answerla.org[*] whose posse drove up to little Santa Clarita from Los Angeles for the photo op, then left the second the video cameras stopped rolling. I am not sure which group annoys me more. Neither side has demonstrated the willingness to deal with these immigration problems on all levels the problem occurs. They both just seem content to shout emotional nonsense and do their best to fit the Southpark stereotypes of their far leaning point of views. Can I get a high pitched, “They took our job,” anybody?

Let’s face it. The Minutemen are a scattered, unreasonable group of misfits who believe “might makes right” and the country’s problems are going to be solved with more handlebar mustaches and automatic rifles. Santa Clarita’s Minutemen are lucky enough to be led by the spunky Roger Gitlin, a teacher who defends blatant plagiarism, claims anyone who questions his methods or madness must be a “leftwing radical” and then gets a little confused when citing facts about the number of illegal immigrants when speaking to the good folks at The Signal, even though it is a topic of great interest to him. Gitlin, however, sits in second class on the crazy train when Frank Jorge comes on board. Jorge put on the infamous Jan. 16 anti-immigration rally. He was also the focus of Morgan Spurlock’s mini-documentary show 30 days immigration episode where he volunteered to live with an illegal immigrant family for 30 days and can be seen with his wife at the beginning of the show arming himself Rambo style with multiple guns, including an automatic rifle with 500 rounds of ammunition and a walkie talkie to chitchat with the boarder patrol. Jorge, a Cuban legal immigrant who came to America in 1957, is a frequent inspirational speaker for anti-immigration rallies all over the country, but he sounds more like Cuban revolutionary leader Ernesto “Che” Guevar when he said in September 2007 while giving a speech in Pennsylvania, “Maybe one of those who have had one of theirs (family member) killed by an illegal alien will utilize their second amendment right to take out the killer and in addition take out a politician that made it possible for it to occur.” Is Mr. Jorge really advocating vigilantism and political assassination as a solution?

Published in the Signal - February 6th // Fewer signs, more thoughts are needed

What I don’t understand is why Gitlin and Jorge would let passion, emotion and extremism highjack this extremely important issue. They show their unwillingness to even find a middle ground when they lean on the crutch of calling people who don’t agree with their methods and philosophy as “leftwing radicals.” Is Jorge W. Bush a leftwing radical for calling the Minutemen vigilantes and stating he is for reasonable enforcement of the law? I am sure there are many Americans on all sides of the political spectrum who feel very passionate about solving this issue and agree with much of what Gitlin and Jorge say but are repelled soon as the good ol’ boy vigilante extremism talk begins. I have yet to hear any group present a solution that fights the illegal immigration problem on all levels that it occurs.

I remember my Biblical Ethics professor asking the class, “Is it ever moral to break the law?” The students looked back at him perplexed. Why would he ask a question that was so obvious to any future fire and brimstone Baptist preacher worth his salt? One student sprung the trap and said, “No it is never moral to break the law.” The professor then asked, “So you think it was immoral for people in the southern states to help slaves escape to the north to gain their freedom?” He went on to explain that legality and morality don’t always go hand and hand, and just because something was illegal didn’t always mean it was immoral and vice versa.

The point? Yes we have illegal immigrants in our country and their presence is a fact of life. I can understand as Jorge did in the 30 days episode, why they came to this great country but I also agree that America should not suffer so they can be here. We need to find common ground, stop the “us vs. them” mentality and come up with real solutions that both allow us to stay true to our American principles and make America a stronger and greater country.

SCVtalk Forum thread about this column

February 8 Daily brief on SCVtalk

Read her letter to the editor here!

http://www.the-signal.com/news/article/22428/

Bravo! Better late then never.

SCVTalk Post “No Excuses”