I was astounded last night when I found out that anti-immigrant, if not anti-Mexican, Harald Martin (pictured on left) had been appointed to the Anaheim Union High School District’s Board of Trustees. He was appointed to the seat vacated by Denise Mansfield-Reinking when she tragically passed away earlier this year.
According to today’s O.C. Register, “Martin was appointed Thursday by a 3-1 board vote
The standard of racism was redefined by Mexican Arturo Pedroza: “If you are not with us, you are a racist”.
This came as a total shock when I read about it this morning. This is so disgusting!
The voters spoke loud and clear when Martin finished seventh in the election last November. Shame on the board for appointing him.
Poster 1,
I am not a Mexican. I was born in the U.S., as was my grandfather, who was a native Texan.
My parents were from Mexico – and I still have a lot of family there. My mom became a U.S. citizen a few years ago.
I am proud of my Mexican ancestry – but I remain an American.
If you want to know what a racist is, go to one of Coe’s meetings. You will get an eyeful of them.
Appointing Martin is ridiculous. The only thing that would be more ridiculous than this, would be someone appointing Lupe Moreno to some board or commission. Oh that’s right Miguel Pulido already did that.
“I am not a Mexican.”
#3 Arturo,
If you look like a Speedy Gonz
Art–great post. The majority on the school board sent a clear message—-we prefer an anti-immigrant extremist to a moderate, well-qualified guy who was the runner up and had bi-partisan support. I suspect the GOP had their fingerprints on this because Brandman was a Dem—-another example of their better dead if not red philosophy. If people in that district aren’t motivated to register to vote and vote after this I don’t know what will get them going.
Where is my buddy from Anaheim Amin David when we need him? He’s so quick to lead protests in Santa Ana or Costa Mesa but he wouldn’t want to rock the boat in the city where his amigo Curt Pringle is Mayor now would he? Come to think of it, where was Nativo Lopez?
Poster #5,
I do not look like Speedy Gonzalez. You can see my updated picture at this link.
I cant believe that this board moved to appoint Martin over Jordan Brandman to fill this seat. Jordan is a good guy, smart, and has a lot to offer the district. His registration as a Dem is the only reason they passed over him in favor of this whacko Martin. Jordan was the next top vote getter in the last election. He should have been apointed for that fact alone. Im very disapointed in this decision and my heart goes out to Jordan.
I hope if Jordan runs for this seat again next year, the Democratic Community gets behind him in his race.
Paul Lucas
Paul,
I would like to see the OC GOP Central Committee speak out against this appointment! They need to distance themselves from every Republican on this board who voted to appoint Martin.
It might be time to recall the lot of them.
Art Pedroza said it so it MUST be true…Then, the typical knee-jerk crowd from the left jumps right in with torches and pichforks at the ready…ROFLMAO!!!
I’ve met and talked with Mr. Martin on many occassions. He’s not a “racist,” he’s anti-ILLEAGAL immagration. Good for him for standing up for our established laws.
The only thing that would be more ridiculous than this posting, would be someone appointing the likes of Art Pedroza and Sean Mill to some board or commission – Oh, that’s right, the drug-dealing Michelle Martinez already did! LOL
Poster 11,
“Pedroza said it.” So did the O.C. Register and the O.C. Weekly.
Martin’s own words and actions mark him for what he is – an abominable racist. This appointment is a slap to the face of all the constituents of the AUHSD.
#1
Did your momma drop you on your head as a baby, or is it customary for you to broadcast your shortcomings in such a public forum?
Meanwhile, great post. The appointment of Martin is a disappointment.
Perhaps we should give Mr. Martin a year as a member of the board and then evaluate him. If he proves to be as bad as you say then we should look for someone else.
Poser 14,
Martin has already served on this school board before. He has a LONG record of racist comments and activities. He never should have been reappointed to this board.
The guy is a walking hate crime.
This blog has become personal to me; I teach in the AUHSD.
Martin is a wingnut cast from the same mold as David Duke and Tom Tancredo. To poster 11: We Liberals with our “…torches and pitchforks…” are part of the same plurality that twice decided Martin should not serve on the board. Yet, there he will sit in direct defiance of that decision.
I agree with Art: The OC GOP should speak out against this appointment. But sadly, we all know they won’t- for the current political climate in the GOP, this is “their kinda guy.”
I suspect that AUHSD teachers- in spite of many being out for the summer- will be walking door-to-door over the next 30 days gatherinig signatures for a special election. I will be in that group.
And I hope that voters will remember what the current board has done to disenfranchise them from their franchise; rest assured, they will be reminded as they stand for re-election.
There is already talk of a special election. One conservative Republican woman called him “evil”.
Not much of an endorsement.
OC Register has a follow up story on Martin: http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/homepage/abox/article_1782050.php
ANAHEIM Harald Martin has been called an unwavering crusader for students and a proven leader. He has also been called unsympathetic to immigrant issues in a district with a student population more than half Latino.
Martin was a polarizing figure during his eight years on the Anaheim Union High School District board of trustees, from 1996 to 2004. He spearheaded two failed efforts targeting illegal immigrants
When Martin was President of the school board a few years ago (2000), he publicly held (as reported in the LA Times) that a child who was repeatedly molested by a teacher was culpable for her molestion.
Oh yes, he champions for children!
#18,
Unless those “Latino issues” conform to American Federal and State Law, I don’t give a damn what those “issues” are. So what if the district is over 50% Latino.
Are they Mexican or American. If they say “Mexican” then kick them out. I’m an American first and if I have to chose between between following my country’s laws or being a “paisano” then I will chose to support my country!
Post #18 declared that …I’m an American first and if I have to chose between between following my country’s laws or being a “paisano” then I will chose to support my country!
… but you don’t have to choose, do you? It’s not a choice, and you were not asked to make it, were you?
And what do you mean that you are an American first? By your own admission you don’t give a damn about the issues, and appear to have complete disdain for any ideas conflicting with your narrow, shallow, willfully ignorant xenophobic point of view. So what kind of American are you? Among your peers, are xenophobia and ignorance among the necessary traits to be considered a good American?
Why do wingnuts feel so compelled to make the world an ‘either/or’ zero-sum place? They are drawn to a Manichean worldview like moths to a candleflame, and it is that uncompromising misguided dialectic that has put us into the position we find ourselves today, as a nation and a community. A person can be Mexican American, Canadian American, or Native American and not concern themselves with deportation or imprisonment; that is the law.
And why are “Mexicans” the sole target of your venom? What about Asians? Africans? Muslims? The district is over 50% Hispanic, but only about 35% White. Do you have the same distain for the other 10 to 15%? Or are Mexicans the only culture worthy of your witless, mindless wrath?
And what exactly do you mean by the Italian term ‘paisano’? What has that got to do with either kicking Mexicans out, or supporting your country?
Where do you get off thinking that such idiocy makes you a good citizen?
Correction: My comments were directed at #20, not #18.
This is a perfect example of why people should be nice to others. Maybe if Brandman had been kind to Holguin and not treated him with contempt when he ran for school board, Brandman woild have been appointed. Pringle should learn when not to make silly demands of other elected officials. I guess this big F U is the direct result of over-inflated egos. Too bad the kids will suffer.