INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
- Chair’s Letter
- New Lane County Republican Headquarters Generates Excitement
- Gathering of the Eagles–Rally Around the Flag
- Ryan Radloff Exposes Hypocrisy on Racism, Age and Gender Bias
UPCOMING EVENTS:
- October 12: Gathering of the Eagles–Rally Around the Flag
- October 17: Lane County Republican Central Committee Meeting at the Lane County Republican Headquarters, 35817 Hwy 58, Pleasant Hill, (across from Dairy Queen); 6:30 pm credentialing, 7 pm meeting.
Letter From the Chair
My, another month has passed and we are in our new office. The Open House was a huge success. People stopped in from Oakridge, Lowell, Creswell, Cottage Grove and even a few from the Eugene-Springfield area. Several 2020 candidates were on hand to meet and greet: Dave Smith, running for State Representative in District 13, Nelson ljih, Jo Rae Perkins and Alek Skarlotos, all running for the seat in Congressional District 4, and PJ Romero, who is running for U.S. senator against Merkley.
I want to thank those who worked so diligently on decorations, food, and were perfect hosts and hostesses to all the guests. I would also like to thank the University College Republicans for volunteering their services to go door knocking and joining us at the open house. We have a great batch of new comers that are energetic and are trying to keep the new conservative students “conservative.” We will be looking forward to working with them.
We still need volunteers to man the office during the week. We are getting a few but not enough to give the troops a break.
Our next project is to stock the office (store) with more Trump 2020 merchandise. You almost wiped us out at the open house. The Republicans in Lane County are coming out and letting people know that the Republicans are back in town. It is a great thing that is happening. Thank you all.
Sincerely,
John Large
Gathering Of the Eagles-Rally Around the Flag
“Stand Your Ground”
Saturday, October 12, 2019 10 am to 3 pm
Plan to attend the FIRST annual Gathering of the Eagles– Rally Around the Flag
Tribute to Ames Curtright
Tax deductible Donations accepted in memory of Ames Curtright to pay for permanent infrastructure and expenses so the GOE/RATF and other liberty and faith-based events can be held annually.
For 10 years, “The Gathering Of The Eagles” near Salem has brought together grassroots activists, politicians, candidates and people of faith for grassroots training.
Last year the Oregon Liberty Coalition’s “Rally Around the Flag” combined efforts with the “Gathering of the Eagles” event. Our goal is to make this facility and The Gathering of the Eagles/Rally Around the Flag event self-sustaining financially, inspirational and, most importantly, effective in bringing Oregon back to our founding principles.
An array of experts, including current and former state legislators, will discuss issues likely to be central to Oregon’s next legislative session such as proposed “Cap-and-Trade” taxes. Western Liberty Network will provide training on how to be an effective citizen lobbyist and how to correctly and quickly gather signatures on petitions. Leaders from FreedomWorks will offer training on the use of social media and Regulatory Action.
Leading activist leaders will provide you with training, information, and inspiration that will help you be successful as a limited-government activist in 2019 and 2020.
This year’s event on October 12th has a three-fold purpose:
1. Celebrate the political and faith life of the late Dr. William “Ames” Curtright, co-founder of the event with his wife Dama.
2. Celebrate the Oregon Senate Republican’s 9-day walkout at the end of the legislative session that stopped the forced vaccinations, massive new gun restrictions and a rural economy destroying “Cap and Trade” tax scheme.
3. Build on the tremendous #TimberUnity energy that resulted from this walkout by offering effective and targeted training of new grassroots activists prior to the 2020 elections that will make a difference at the ballot box and holding Legislators accountable.
Don’t miss this event. It will be exciting. It will be inspirational. It will be informational. AND it will be FUN! Events like this will help limited government activists to STAND YOUR GROUND!
NEW LANE COUNTY REPUBLICAN HEADQUARTERS GENERATES EXCITEMENT
Right across the highway from the Dairy Queen and alongside a storefront with large block letters spelling out “Lane County Republicans,” the parking lot filled with cars last Friday and Saturday, September 27 and 28. Inside a doorway, the room was abuzz with excited chatter and dotted with patriotic décor, including a life size cut out of President Trump. The newly opened Lane County Republican Headquarters, located at 35817 Highway 58 in Pleasant Hill, brimmed with folks celebrating the headquarters’ grand opening and anticipating the 2020 election year. “The room was full and people were coming in,” said PCP Claudia Smith.
Early estimates report 200-300 visitors to the new office who found hot cups of coffee and plates of cookies waiting for them. “People were excited and telling stories,” Smith added, “I shared how I had been a Democrat my whole life and then voted for Trump and changed my registration to Republican. I haven’t looked back since. I heard three other people tell the same story. It was inspiring to be there.”
The event was covered by two local T.V. stations, KVAL and KEZI and two UO journalism students. To view the KVAL news clip posted on the LCR website, click here <LaneCountyGOP.Org>.
Lane County Republican Chairman John Large was elated by the turnout and the enthusiasm that visitors brought to the new office. “A group of College Republicans from the University of Oregon stopped in. They were excited about the office and looking forward to working with us. People were also looking to sign the Gov. Kate Brown Recall petitions. I am still getting people stopping in to sign those, sometimes 10-15 people a day.” Large said.
Space in the headquarters will be used for Lane County Republican business, for 2020 candidates to use, as a central location for folks to pick up signs and campaign materials during the coming election, and an all around meeting space for Republicans and interested folks. “It is a safe place to talk,” remarked Smith.
If you missed the grand opening, the office is open Monday through Friday from 10 AM to 5 PM. Stop in and visit, sign up to volunteer, check out the merchandise, signs and bumper stickers. We look forward to seeing you soon!
Radloff Exposes Hypocrisy on Race, Age, Gender Bias
The following editorial piece was set to appear in the September 7, 2019 edition of the Register Guard. However, it appears the Register Guard has refused to print it. After extensive discussions with editors and having submitted a revised version of the column, the Register Guard continues to stonewall. If you would like to express your thoughts on this issue to the Register Guard, please contact Alison Bath at <abath@registerguard.com>. –Ryan Radloff
Untitled
By Ryan Radloff
The backlash in these pages to the Eugene School Board’s appointment of Jim Torrey to a vacant position on the board has been truly shameful. It seems evident from his years of service to our community that he is a good man who cares deeply for Eugene- especially our youth- and has been extremely generous with his time and talents.
Whether Mr. Torrey, Ms. Rabasa or one of the 13 other candidates should have been chosen I cannot say, as I was not part of the selection process. However, I’ve also seen no one argue that Mr. Torrey wasn’t the most qualified applicant for the job. The criticisms leveled at him have been for two things beyond his control- the selection process and his race, gender and age.
The analysis that the voters’ will was ignored by the board is deeply flawed. To assume voters would have chosen any of the other candidates in an election against Mr. Torrey is pure speculation. The democratically elected board members simply followed the process in place for replacing a vacant seat and chose the candidate they felt was best.
More harmful to our community is the narrative that Mr. Torrey should not have been appointed because of his race, gender or age; or that Maya Rabasa should have been appointed because of hers. This use of inborn traits to define people is insulting to the individual while creating division and hate in the community. The use of race, in particular, as a political weapon is an echo of what is happening more broadly in America.
It is being used by those who falsely equate border security and enforcement of immigration laws with racism…by those who give undeserved credibility to White Supremacists by attempting to link them to the President and his supporters…by those who cried out about the recent El Paso shooting, highlighting the racist motivation of the killer, while ignoring Dayton the same weekend and the shootings in Chicago, Baltimore and St. Louis every weekend…by those who attempt to shut down civil debate by casually throwing around the word “racist” when they have no logical argument to make. This not only divides the country, but harms the victims of actual racism. The boy who cried wolf would be proud.
The Register Guard’s editorial (August 11) summed up the collective local racism/sexism/ageism trifecta when they said, “Eugene didn’t want a 79-year-old white male in May”. Really? Did the ballots in May state “White vs. Latina”? Or “Man vs Woman”? Or “Young vs Old?”
No- voters voted for a person-not a color, gender or age. Reducing a person to these things completely ignores who they really are: their character, accomplishments and qualifications.
I’m sure that Ms. Rabasa has an excellent resume’. She would not have been selected as one of the final three candidates if she didn’t. It likely took years of study, hard work and community service to build such a resume. I imagine that she, like all of us, would want to be judged on these accomplishments- not on things she cannot control.
Fifty-six years ago, Dr. King famously said, “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.” Sadly, for some of Liberal Elite Eugene, that day is still in the future.
Please email me with your feedback about this topic, other topics you would like to see discussed and your interest in joining community meetings for face-to-face interaction. I can be reached at ryan.radloff@q.com.
Ryan is an Alternate Delegate on the Lane County Republican 2019-2020 Executive Committee and has written monthly opinion pieces for the Register Guard since January.
