by Tony Hicks – The Martinez City Council has named two members to an ad hoc committee meant to help guide the city in forming an anti-racism and anti-discrimination, pro-inclusion and equity task force after backlash forced the council to change directions.
Councilmembers Lara DeLaney and Mark Ross will lead the search for answers in a community hit hard last summer by protests surrounding the death of George Floyd, an African American man killed by former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin while in custody in May. Chauvin is currently on trial for murder and manslaughter.
The idea of addressing issues of racism and inequity in Martinez arose last July, during nationwide protests over Floyd’s death. There were several incidents in Martinez over the painting of a Black Lives Matter street mural downtown.
Counter protestors painted over the mural, which led to more confrontations – one ending in the arrest of a 30-year-old Martinez man on suspicion of brandishing a loaded gun during an argument. There was also an incident during which someone painted “White Lives matter” on Howe Road in Martinez.
The council responded by asking community members to apply for a new committee to review city policies, programs and procedures for bias, while also brainstorming how to make city committees and commissions more inclusive.
The first two attempts, with deadlines in September and February, were rejected by many for not being diverse enough. The council also discussed hiring a consultant to run a public forum for discussion, an idea also rejected by many community members.
“I would hope that the formation of this ad hoc could head off these kinds of missteps that have been made,” DeLaney said Wednesday.
The council voted 3-0 Wednesday to create the subcommittee. Ross and Mayor Rob Schroder were absent from Wednesday’s meeting.
Councilmember Brianne Zorn said the community needs dialogue, instead of one-way public commentary during council meetings.
“I hope that the community sees that an ad hoc subcommittee allows for that discussion,” she said.
No date was set for the ad hoc committee’s first meeting. It’s likely that community meetings will follow, City Manager Eric Figueroa said Thursday.
63 comments
just like a democrat!
if you can create a task force to waste the people’s money, why not create a subcommittee so you can waster more!
#EndTheLockdown
#EndTheDemocratLies
I agree. I am sure systemic hatred will be on the list of remedies. Fools. More like a revenge team. Frankly, conservative blacks have made quite a bit of headway when it comes to “integration”. When I hear their stories my heart soars. Conservatives got it going ON!
“I would hope that the formation of this ad hoc could head off these kinds of missteps that have been made,” DeLaney said Wednesday.
Easy- If you want to head off these kinds of missteps vote in new council members and a new mayor. Boom! Ad Hoc committee now dissolved.
MANUFACTURED RACISM!!!!
Democrats have lost their minds. No one is oppressed, it’s all manufactured racism.
You think? Where have you been. You think this is all fake news? A hoax cooked up by the evil Democrats? Please. All the terrible events about our dear Asian brothers and sisters being seriously injured and killed by violent racists? George Floyd?
@lovepopcorn Yes, in this case it was actually a hoax that set the stage for unrest in Martinez.
Supposedly a “hate group” posted a flyer in the downtown area. A BLM mural was the city’s response to the supposed “hate group”.
You can see this supposed “hate flyer” here : https://patch.com/california/martinez/white-supremacist-fliers-found-martinez
It is obviously fake – riddled with spelling errors, with a mention to the 2nd amendment thrown in, to conjure the image of a crazed right-winger.
If you doubt that is a hoax, consider:
Why did know one else find these “hate flyers” in the downtown area, except for one person associated with the local BLM movement? (And yes, I live blocks from all this and saw no flyers.)
Why didn’t this supposed “hate group” make an appearance when events escalated with the BLM mural?
Why didn’t this supposed “hate group” appear during the large protest downtown, when many locals and bikers made an appearance to keep vigil over the Antifa wannabes.
Why hasn’t the city council mentioned this supposed “hate group” again?
Why is finding this supposed “hate group” not one of the objectives of the anti-racism task force?
Its almost as if this “hate group” existed for only one purpose: to justify painting “BLM” in front of the county court house.
You can pretty much tell a biased piece of journalism when the “journalist” has already convicted the accused of the crime.
@ Ilovepopecorn
What part of anything I said was not true?????
You have been brainwashed by the left wing democratic propaganda!
Who is oppressed???? NO ONE!! We have successful people of all races in this country. The only person holding you back is the person looking back at you in the mirror. You can go to rags to riches in one lifetime, people do it all the time. It’s called drive and work ethic. All the resources are there. No excuses.
What has BLM done for the black community??? NOTHING!!!! Why aren’t they marching in Detroit, Chicago, Tulsa, etc….
What about black on black crime????
The only time a black life seems to matter to the media is when a non-black or a law enforcement officer is involved.
I’m all about personal accountability. BEHAVIOR MATTERS!!! Act like a fool and win foolish prizes no matter your ethnicity. When I say More whites are killed by police than blacks, people respond that percentage wise more blacks are killed. I then repose that blacks commit more crimes than whites. Blacks account for almost 50% of murders and are roughly 13% of the population. When you respond with facts the liberal gets loud and responds to their default and call you a racist?
What opportunities doesn’t everyone have??? We all have the same.
As for the Asians, besides the shootings that killed 6 and two whites, they have been largely targeted by another minority group. However, the democratic left wing media propaganda machine does not keep it in the fore front of coverage because it does not fit their narrative.
What about the Asian women attacked, raped and murdered in a park.
What about the disabled man who’s house was burglarized and then they set him on fire?? What about the 6 year old girl killed in a drive by shooting while she was asleep in her bed? Look at who is responsible?? What are there names of the victims?? But you know George Floyd’s name.
Theses are not important to the left wing democratic propaganda machine. It does not not fit their anti white narrative.
Wake up popcorn, think! Don’t be a puppet pushing the false narrative. They want to divide us. We are one race, human. THINK 🤔
No one is oppressed? Based on what?
@chuq
Oppression
Noun
– prolonged cruel or unjust treatment or control
-the state of being subject to unjust treatment or control
– mental pressure or distress.
Does this help? If you don’t understand the meaning of oppression I cant help the liberal mind.
No one is oppressed in this country. Anyone can do anything their little heart desires no matter ethnicity os sexual preference. The only person holding you back is the person looking back at you in the mirror.
WOW, still grasping at straws.
And BTW, WHAT are you even talking about tying George Floyd to Martinez, WTH???
George Floyd, Asian Hate are examples of the USA racist behavior and that includes Martinez! Yes it is wise to set up a task force to make people aware we are not going to put up with this. You all know that anyway. We are not going to put up with the violent behavior.
Walt Kelly’s famous quote comes to mind:
“Having lost sight of our objectives, we have redoubled our efforts.”
Popcorn,There is no evidence George Floyd’s death has anything to do with racism.
Hmmm
Mr zorg
Commentary from the community at council meetings
IS Dialogue you do realize that right or are you being a mindless blm democrat puppet with their hands controlling you
and I don’t usually point out idiocy or hypocrisy or plain moronic statements
But for your comment I will infer that you sir do not deserve to be a council member or any member of any public entity when you make a statement like that
Your disrespecting the freedom of speech of your cities hard working community constituents
You should be impeached and banned from the city at large
Why is it now that city council members think their preverbal crap does not stink or that they can infringe on the constitutional rights of citizens
Imposing your communist slanted views and degrading the citizens of Martinez is plain wrong
I hope they push for the abolishing of the council and its lunacy
Or the citizens of Martinez should go on ty and say yes to the nation that they want this lunacy so we can all stop doing business any where near that city
This absurd approach to envelope the city in a haze of perceived communist equity democrat glowing hypocrisy glory is going to provide a future for the city how
Is big business going to provide thousands of jobs
Is the city going to hire men are women so they can provide for their families
And has your self perceived glory forgot that thousands of people were placed on lockdown and lost their jobs and had their children devoid of any education
Until the governor had the people issue a recall
then all of a sudden the gates opened and the numbers disappeared to a magic rainbow in the sky that spewed Golden coins on unions and politicians bank accounts
What Martinez is doing is wrong or else the media would be showering the world with this lunacy as the next Scientology bliss brigade and issuing chaps out to every person who embraced being enslaved in absolute BS
Please Martinez don’t go down in history as the city that disappeared behind an iron cross of communist socialist rhetoric
You would think that pushing for a Stalin based committee in the city that houses our county courts
Would need a unanimous 5-0 vote
Or do you also allow the council to use loop holes to force your compliance and enslave your children in a blanket of endocrine culture
Can not believe some yahoo saying that the community who comes to the council meetings and banded together to speak out for their city
Are then deemed illegitimate by a council member because they won’t do as their told
Wow
What a wonderful concept this is. The task force can push an agenda and create division within the community where there was none. Divide and conquer!
Keep shoveling this crap and you think things are bad now.This stuff is creating a bigger division than exists now.A real war is mounting be prepared.
WHY?
If you can’t come up with enough proper candidates for the task force, then you certainly don’t need the task force.
Hey Hicks!
As others have pointed out, Chauvin is innocent until proven guilty. Your job is not to help hang him in the court of public opinion. It is to report the facts in an unbiased manner.
This story would lose none of its factual potency if you simply wrote that “Floyd died in the custody of Chauvin.” Instead you named Chauvin as his killer, even as you state in the next sentence that this hasn’t been adjudicated on and thus is not factually true.
George Floyd overdosed, almost fatally in a very similar incident, after ingesting drugs during an arrest. Yet this bit of context gets scant mention by the media.
Ask yourself: Is this kind of persistent journalistic bias helping or hurting race relations?
I agree with YH ….. but still, how effin brainless does a guy have to be to keep kneeling on a perp’s neck when he’s handcuffed & obviously unconscious?
Stupidity!
I think he did it just to deny any satisfaction to the crowd yelling at him to get off.
By the same token, how brainless does a guy have to be to struggle with an arresting officer when it never ends well?
anti-racism is code for anti-white
You know, I think this is actually true. I worry it is going to breed some real racism. If you keep telling one section of the public that they’re responsible for all the ills of the other sections, you will not only divide but you will increase animosity.
The other day, a friend of mine stated that they felt they were becoming racist when they were never so before. That actually struck a nerve with me. Because I’ve almost felt the same way. I’ve never been prejudice in my life but I find myself on the defensive now because Europeans like me are being accused of all the wrongs that ‘people of color’ have gone through.
I’m waiting for them to now claim that rain is racist
@Badge:
“I’ve never been prejudice in my life…”
Don’t you know by now? Just by virtue of being white (if you are white) you are racist. Stating that you’re not racist…is racist. Get used to it – it’s what they’re teaching our children now in school.
“There was also an incident during which someone painted “White Lives matter” on Howe Road in Martinez”.
Soooo what they are saying is White lives don’t matter only Black lives can post murals on the streets.
End this insanity. The only racists are the ones crying racism.and the ones that fear them.
And Another Thing Hicks… The catalyst for the civil unrest in Martinez wasn’t the George Floyd incident. The City Council themselves, provoked the unrest in Martinez by secretly and unanimously approving the BLM mural in front of the court house.
They did so without input from the public and refused to answer questions about its origins and legality over the long holiday weekend, when much of the unrest ensued.
They justified their actions by saying that a BLM mural was a needed response to a “hateful flyer” that had been found in the downtown area. The council further enflamed the situation by refusing other group’s request for similar murals in available public spaces.
How do we get to equality when our local politicians flagrantly show preference to a select group?
A solution without a problem.
Heart warming to see universal condemnation to this divisive, racist tripe by “tony hicks”.
Another example of biased liberal journalism acting as an extension of the Marxist democrats. “Shepherding”? Really? Such a virtue signaler you are Mr Hicks. Common sense thinkers are not fooled by such misuse of words.
There is an undeniable arrogance attached to their careful selection of the term “Shepherd”. The subtext as always, “we are smarter than you and we know what’s good for you, and if you get smart with us we will screw you over”.
The same messiah complex Newsom was born with. You can’t reason with people like this, the only answer is to vote them out.
If you claim that “Black Lives Matter” is anti-racist, but “White Lives Matter” is racist, you are the racist, and you are the problem.
Amen!
https://news24-680.com/2021/04/10/walnut-creek-police-investigating-downtown-armed-robbery-assault-saturday/
108RS
Thank you Jeff.. residents need to be aware. the City tries to hide these crimes..
Black Lexus says it all.
Kindly, what does the link you posted have to do with this article?
Martinez needs to focus on other things. When letting people out of jail send them back to the city of arrest instead of allowing them to roam the streets of Martinez. Same with the hospital. People are released all hours of the night and the buses aren’t running. Provide some sort of trasportation home. This would be a much better use of funds. Racism isn’t a problem in Martinez. Only the people making it one.
The Martinez city council is doing something, or anything, to justify their paychecks. They don’t care about real city problems, only the ones they create.
When you have a panel like this how does it make Black people feel? Like we knew it, those Whites are a bunch of bigots. So Whites don’t like being called bigots and Blacks are being told we are. We are living in some weird times. It is the “Victim Mentality Time”. Nothing good will come from it.
“We are living in some weird times” …… I say we are living in the time of ….. STUPID!!
The incompetent and incapable democrats have zero ability to handle the real issues, like roads, crime, education and so on. So, in an attempt to make themselves look and feel important they make up fake BS issues for themselves to handle.
Sounds to me like a solution looking for a problem.
Bingo.
All these distractions from the real problems facing our country it’s all about the bait.
Its amazing that a city council can purposely shove it’s small obscure town into the national news in a very negative way, but still think they are doing the right thing.
“Black Lives Matter” IS RACIST. These morons aren’t superheroes with magical powers to make racism disappear. IT’LL NEVER GO AWAY. Why can’t they understand or see that they’re actually perpetuating it, making it worse and creating more division than ever with their ridiculous quest to save the oppressed (who are oppressed by choice, mind you, and they are people of every color). The very fact that they single out people of color and exclude others is, in itself, RACIST. I’m absolutely blown away by how completely stupid people have become and how many actually think this is a good thing.
@IHE
well said!
yup! agree 100%
Waste of resources and contributes nothing. Honestly probably going to cause more harm than good. Let’s bubble wrap everything.
I hope this panel will find all those evil White Supremacists hiding in the dark. President Biden tells us that White Supremacists are the #1 domestic threat in America. I’m afraid to go outside. From the new Jim Crow laws to the need for slave reparations, we are moving in the right direction for racial equality and equity. We should give every black person $100,000 in Contra Costa County.
Crazy how ”anti racism” has just morphed into just meaning hatred or white people.
Make this council resign now! Recall these race grifters
Asst to the Asst to the Asst to the Asst… and so on… and so on.
With each day that goes by, this is becoming more and more an academic discussion.
At the rate the Biden border is admitting illegals, the black population will eventually be a rounding error. Sounds like Joe is the racist.
Clayton, not Martinez needs an Anti-Racism task force because of the bonehead flying a swastika flag in front of his jewish and homosexual neighbors. That guy also gave the heil hitler salute and said, “Whoay Powah”. All on video too.
Go to youtube and search for the key words clayton ca racists. You’ll see the whole video. Funny.
@Tony Its actually not against the law to be a racist or have a Nazi flag – just repugnant.
Ironically creating police task forces to stifle repugnant political opinions is exactly what the Nazis did.
Thank you, Yoyo Hop!
@ Yoyo Hop:
Please don’t cloud up their narrative with facts.
@Tony
If you are a racist, you dislike/hate/are against an entire race.
You are against an entire town over a bonehead neighbor. Sounds kind of racist.
Unfortunately, “Bezerkeley thinking” appears to have seeped its way into suburbia. Those hills around the Caldecott used to work pretty efficiently holding the fog at bay … the bizarre ideas … not so much.
Hate speech in Australia: Arrestable offense
Hate speech in Canada: Arrestable offense
Hate speech in Germany: Arrestable offense
Heil Hitler dab in Germany Arrestable offense
Hate speech or Hitler dab in USA: Legal, free speech
Hate speech+threat in USA: A felony w/enhancement
It seems you post this unironically. Who gets to define “hate speech” in those countries, and why?
I would love to participate but since I am a White Male, they will NEVER EVER consider me. The irony is sickening.
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