Sanctuary Cities, Portland, Oregon / Mayor Ted Wheeler / Is he ignorant or just kind of a nut?

I’d like to weigh-in on ‘sanctuary’ cities; and in support of President Trump’s current proclamations - which I understand are just temporary until the federal government can get a handle on what exactly is going on.

The associated impact of Sanctuary Cities is, without doubt, a law enforcement issue; and I believe most in the law enforcement community would agree.  Maybe, I will talk more about this down the road and how politicians attempt to spin their unlawful actions in support of ‘sanctuary cities.’

But, for now, specifically, I’d like to talk about my home city, Portland, Oregon.  They have ‘proudly’ proclaimed themselves a 'sanctuary city' – commonsense be damned.

I particularly got a good laugh out of the ‘In my opinion’ article in the Oregonian (1/29/17) by our newly elected Mayor, Ted Wheeler.  As justification for his position on keeping Portland a sanctuary city, he utilized the famous quote displayed on the Statue of Liberty:  “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore.  Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door.”

My suggestion is that Mayor Wheeler dig-out his underutilized college dictionary and look up the word ‘irony.’

And, then he should look out his window at the “homeless,” the “tired,” the “poor,’ the “huddled masses,” “the wretched refuse,” that currently try to survive the cold, hardships, and dangers associated with downtown Portland streets.  They are on every block of the city.  It’s a disgrace.

My question would be:  Is Mayor Wheeler just plain stupid or is he a nut?  Probably not stupid and he has many degrees to prove it.  He is, of course, playing his cards as a politician attempting to placate his base.  Everyone should recognize that politicians have one priority and it is what’s best for them.

Wheeler is a new mayor, but he knows how the game is played – albeit clumsily in this instance.  Sorry to say, he doesn’t understand how absolutely ridiculous he can sound.  That seems to be a pretty common affliction with politicians these days.

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President Obama ignores pleas to pardon or commute the prison sentence of Leonard Peltier (Cop Killer)

Well, I was happy to see that President (now former) Barrack Obama did not, in the waning days of his administration, pardon or commute the sentence of Leonard Peltier who was convicted for the execution-style murder of two FBI Special Agents – Ronald Williams and Jack Coler.  As a result, Peltier will probably live out the remainder of his miserable life in prison – as he should.

I hope the former President understood that his decision regarding Peltier will likely compromise any future positive relationships he might have had with the likes of Robert Redford, Willie Nelson and Pamela Anderson.  But, these are the small sacrifices associated with leadership.

More information on this topic...

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The Lionization of a ‘Cop Killer’ (Leonard Peltier) by a tax subsidized University (American University, Washington DC)

Most decent people hate to read stuff like this, much less think about it.  It sometimes seems hopeless.  What’s that?  Oh, the Leonard Peltier statue erected on the American University campus in Washington DC.  It’s an affront to all decent people, and American University should hear from us.  But, guess what, they couldn’t care less.

Ms. Rebeca Basu, Public Relations Manager for said University put forth the schools justification:

“American University regards this statue as an exhibited piece of art and takes no position on the advocacy movement. As part of a major clemency push by supporters in the final days of President Barack Obama's presidency, a 9-foot-tall statue of Native American activist and prisoner Leonard Peltier has been installed at American University Museum to raise awareness for Peltier's plight and pardon request. Peltier, convicted and sentenced in 1977 in the shooting of two Federal Bureau of Investigation agents, has maintained his innocence in the 41 years he's been imprisoned, and his conviction has been contested by leading human rights organizations in the United States and beyond.”

Ms. Basu (pictured above), who incidentally looks about 18 years old, has articulated the University’s position.  It sounds pretty harmless doesn’t it?  Did you notice how she frames her statement to illuminate (exaggerate) “Peltier’s plight” and to minimize the University's dubious motives.

Well, let’s see… ‘Peltier’s plight’ is that he is now serving a life sentence for the brutal execution style murder of two FBI Agents – which Ms. Basu passes off in a very sanitized way as “the shooting of two Federal Bureau of Investigation Agents.”  Almost sounds accidental, doesn’t it?  

Special Agents Jack Coler and Ronald Williams were working a federal case on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation (South Dakota) – an inquiry that had nothing to do with Leonard Peltier.  As the Agents drove along, their car was ambushed from a distance by Leonard Peltier et al.  The Agents' car was quickly riddled with bullets and disabled.  Both Agents were wounded.  They tried to take cover behind their car and return fire, but all they had available were their revolvers and a shotgun.  They were outgunned and had nowhere to hide.  After sustaining numerous wounds and unable to resist any further, Peltier et al approached the Agents who were at that point unarmed and helpless.  The Agents were shot in the head at close range.  One Agent made an attempt to protect his face with his hand, an ineffective defense gesture of submission; but the bullet, of course, passed through his hand and into his face.

Here are the facts of which you should be aware…  A letter sent to American University’s President from the FBI’s Agents’ Association.  And, just who is the illustrious President (the principal decision maker) of said University?  He is Dr. Cornelius M. Kerwin, aka Neil (and pictured below).  I'm sure he is the one who gave Ms. Basu her marching orders.

December 29, 2016

American University

4400 Massachusetts Ave., NW

Washington, DC 20016-8060

Dear President Kerwin:

I write today on behalf of the FBI Agents Association (FBIAA), a voluntary professional association currently representing over 13,000 active duty and retired FBI Special Agents.

We write to express our concern regarding the decision by American University (AU) to proudly display a statue of convicted murderer Leonard Peltier in an outdoor area, and to announce that decision by repeating slanted and misleading claims about Peltiers’ murder convictions.

The message being sent by AU to FBI Special Agents and their families, past and present, and to all members of the law enforcement community, is both clear and troubling— AU has decided to advance the political arguments of activists with little concern for providing all of the facts or considering the views of law enforcement.

The fact that the display is a political statement, rather than simply a display of art, is made clear in the press materials released by AU in connection with the display.  The AU press release notes that the display is “part of a major clemency push by [Peltier] supporters” and that the installation is intended to “raise awareness for Peltier’s plight and pardon request.”

The press release from AU also includes misleading descriptions of Peltier’s case and a variety of hyperlinks to activist groups that have created a cottage industry dedicated to misleading the public about Peltier. The press release does not, however, mention the names of the murdered FBI agents, the circumstances surrounding their execution, or the exhaustive judicial process already utilized by Peltier.

The FBIAA believes that AU should remove the installation, and that AU has a responsibility to share additional facts with students and the public.

Relevant facts regarding Peltier and his convictions include:

On June 26, 1975, Leonard Peltier was involved in an unprovoked attack on FBI Agents Jack Coler and Ronald Williams while they were searching for a fugitive on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. Both agents were caught in an open field in a deadly crossfire by members of the American Indian Movement. Both agents were critically wounded and then summarily executed with rifle shots at pointblank range, killing them instantly and mutilating their faces.

Leonard Peltier was convicted of first degree murder and aiding and abetting in those murders and sentenced to two consecutive life sentences. Through well-over a dozen appeals, twice reaching the U.S. Supreme Court, every aspect of Peltier’s trial has been reviewed in minute detail and his conviction and sentence has been upheld in every instance.

Peltier has been far from a model prisoner, and would never be considered a candidate for clemency but for his status as a political celebrity. Peltier has been punished numerous times for violating prison rules. In 1978, he was involved in an armed escape from Lompoc Penitentiary, during which shots were fired at prison guards. For this post-conviction criminal act, Peltier received an additional seven-year consecutive sentence.

Peltier does not have a credible argument for clemency. One of the requirements for Executive Clemency, as described by the U.S. Attorney’s manual, is that a prisoner has accepted responsibility “for his or her criminal conduct and made restitution to its victims” and that “A petitioner should be genuinely desirous of forgiveness rather than vindication.” Peltier’s supporters, and now AU, have decided to re-litigate the Peltier case rather than satisfy this requirement. AU has repeated the familiar mix of folklore, falsehoods and out-of-context statements that are designed to both exonerate and lionize Peltier in the eyes of the public, rather than show any true remorse regarding the murders of Agents Coler and Williams.

The FBIAA is committed to protecting the Constitution, and we appreciate the right to free expression. However, with that right comes a responsibility to consider the consequences of speech. AU should not use its property to celebrate the man convicted of murdering FBI Special Agents Coler and Williams.”

PS:  One more comment from me regarding ‘freedom of speech’ and the diversity issue on campuses that seems to supersede any semblance of commonsense.

American University is proud to display a statue of Leonard Peltier (convicted cop killer), but would they do the same for someone like General Robert E. Lee?  I don’t think so.  That would be just too controversial and politically incorrect.

To read more details of this case please refer to previous posts:

   More Info Regarding Leonard Peltier (earlier post - part 1)

   More Info Regarding Leonard Peltier (earlier post - part 2)

   More Info Regarding Leonard Peltier (earlier post - part 3)

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