And Mayor Foster too!
After a restraining order hearing that lasted over three hours on Thursday afternoon through evening in the La Paz County Justice Court, Quartzsite Division, Judge Newman announced that he would not rule on the evidence presented or motions made until next week because of the amount of material to be reviewed (including this blog). So, let's all give a warm welcome to our newest reader, Judge Newman! (sound of applause...we "may be seated".)
Claimant Shanana "Rain" Golden-Bear's most recent issue, page 4 which can be viewed online at: http://www.epageflip.net/title/6362 features a libelous and defamatory letter to "The People's Voice" by Violet Kiss' husband, "Proud Quartzsite Resident" Ron Jones.
The letter states "People were appalled at the unacceptable behavior that was allowed from the podium at the last Town Meeting by Jennifer 'Jade' Harris [Jones]. Shame on her for that reprehensible behavior and shame on Mayor Foster for allowing it. By allowing this behavior, it appears the Mayor wants to incite hatred and anger. Since my wife and I heard Mayor Foster strongly encourage Jade Harris [Jones} to sue the town and town officials at a coalition meeting, it appears there is a conspiracy between those two and others to make things so bad that our Town and Police force are disbanded. Is lawlessness what the good people of Quartzsite want? Why should the good people of Quartzsite allow bullying and vicious, slanderous venomous hatred from the podium and from internet blogs? Are we going to allow a few anarchists take over our town and make it a miserable place to live?...Jade Harris [Jones] was not discussing town issues, she was promoting her business, bullying and spewing vicious hatred. This is not her first time. The good people of Quartzsite need to band together and make sure this is not allowed. The Town Council should vote to bar her permanently from Town Meetings."
What did she really say in that two minutes and twenty six seconds that was allegedly such "vicious hatred" deserving of permanent banishment in violation of AZ law? This:
"Good evening. Tonight I have three brief announcements and one short report. The first announcement, I'm going to indulge myself in a personal nature and I'd like to say that my dog 'Jade's Dynasty Kennels Butterscotch Sundae' took first place at the national specialty last weekend. So, I just had to brag a little bit. The second announcement that I would like to make this evening has been something that has not been an easy decision to come to. I've served this community for ten long years and I've loved every minute of it. You guys have been wonderful to me and it is not without some serious thought, as a matter of fact, I even went out in the desert and prayed on it. But I have decided that I would like to continue to serve this community and I would like to announce that I am going to run for one of the open seats on the Town Council. I look forward to debating all of you on the issues, and keeping it to the issues and doing the business of the people. The next announcement that I have is because I have been grooming for so long and I can't do it forever with this back, it's not going to hold out , I will be grooming this year and I look forward to being open soon but I am starting a new business venture. I am going to be starting a free community newspaper. I anticipate that I will have the first issue on the stands on the first week of December and I've got some great specials. And the last thing that I have is a report. I would like to give my report on the update of the restraining order filed against me by Shannana "Rain" Golden-Bear and Starr BearCat. And let the community know that even thought I don't like to start my candidacy...(big, rude interruptions by "Machine Gun" Joe Winslow and others) I would like (more interruptions) I would like the community to come to the hearing on this. (Councilwoman Anderson interrupts with "I would like to ask our Town Attorney is this permissible?" Then Mayor Foster states "It's a report" To which attorney Pamela Walsma replies "This section is designated for announcements, typically it's public announcements.") Harris-Jones continues "Reports and Announcements. I'm inviting everyone to come to the hearing on October 21st at the magistrate court across the street at 3 pm to hear for themselves why Ms Golden-Bear and Mr. BearCat think that they need to be afraid of me. And I have all of the evidence that was submitted on that claim and if you'd like, after the meeting, you are more than welcome to approach me and I will let you read all of it. Thank you"
Ms. Golden-Bear has a "policy" for "People's Voice", which forbids "letters considered libelous, in poor taste, on a personal issue, mean spirited...", yet she gleefully violates this "policy" in every issue. Although she attempted to play the role of frightened victim in court, her hypocrisy and inflammatory publication clearly show that she is the perpetrator of the hate and divisiveness that is tearing apart our community. From the very first issue with her name listed as "publisher", Golden-Bear went on the attack against then rival news publisher Bob Miller, devoting two full pages to defaming him! She set the bar for journalistic standards very low to begin with, and as you can clearly see from her recent issues, it has declined from there. The message seems clear, opposing voices must be silenced. Here's a letter she refused to publish:
http://www.quartzsitenews.tv/fosterbashing.pdf
http://www.quartzsitenews.tv/fosterbashing.pdf
It was interesting to note that Town mismanager Alex Taft went scurrying out of the hearing to procure additional documents for Golden-Bear's claim against Harris-Jones. Hey Alex, where's the open records request for those police reports? The gallery was also filled by the usual suspects with Councilpersons Winslow, Anderson, Lukkasson and wife Michelle, former "acting" Mayor Wes Huntley and wife Mary, Police Chief Jeff Gilbert and wife Sondra and the rest of their usual "cheering section". One thing is for certain, after the masterful defense by Quartzsite pet groomer Harris-Jones, they were NOT cheering as they left the courtroom.
Stay tuned for more on this story and Judge Newman's ruling, as it becomes available.
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That letter kinda reminds me of Councilman Winslows town council rant about "anarchists" and seditionists"...I guess it's ok for Winslow to completely abuse "reports & announcements" but he shouts "point of order" any time someone he doesn't like tries to speak!
ReplyDeleteAs my grandmamma was so fond of saying, “What is good for the goose is good for the gander”! In short, how can she condemn what she does herself or is the proof in the puddin’ simply nothing more that the spoken or in this case written truth hurts her feelings, public conception, and her business?
ReplyDeleteThe true question here lies in the fact that by buying a local newspaper, becoming a very public business person that is involved in reporting the local news and joining political activities has she not in truth become a public figure? As I last looked, we are still the United States of America and if you play the game you can get hurt so build a bridge and get over it. I know of no law that protects you when anyone speaks, writes, and reports the truth.
Unlike many of us here we don’t have a newspaper to have our say as she does. How can she hid behind “Freedom of the Press” and then restrict any citizen from their say or rebuttal? In my household her choice of life style, her partner, or her political affiliation has never been an issue. However, her “Cries of Wolf” have caused her to loose ALL respect she once had with us and I now have to question her credibility. This is all by her own hands and I can only view her publication like the tabloids with stories like “Bat boy becomes a father with Mary’s little lamb”!
The Desert Messenger, what were they thinking? They are clearly hypocritical imo.
ReplyDeleteNo, the "peanut gallery"...what were THEY thinking??? Rain's testimony made it clear that she did not write her own complaint - so who did? Funny, but Rain couldn't remember under oath. What were they anticipating the outcome would be? Did one of them put Rain up to this?
ReplyDeleteAs I stated in my request for the hearing, this is a civil matter, and is an abuse of the court. Rain and "Ms. BearCat" are welcome to join me in civil court, and because of their overconfident publication of Jones' false letter(clearly intended to destroy my good name)I can assure the community that I now have ample cause to file a claim against Rain and Starr (who also filed false police reports against me).
I must admit that I felt vindicated when Judge Newman told me emphatically "You will refer to that man as Ms. BearCat!" Proving that even the judge was not immune to the obvious...
http://www.eff.org/issues/bloggers/legal
ReplyDeletehttp://www.newsu.org/courses/online-media-law-basics-bloggers-and-other-publish
"'Those who won our independence believed . . . that public discussion is a political duty, and that this should be a fundamental principle of the American government . . . [T]hey knew that order cannot be secured merely through fear of punishment for its infraction; that it is hazardous to discourage thought, hope and imagination; that fear breeds repression; that repression breeds hate; that hate menaces stable government; that the path of safety lies in the opportunity to discuss freely supposed grievances and proposed remedies, and that the fitting remedy for evil counsels is good ones. Believing in the power of reason as applied through public discussion, they eschewed silence coerced by law — the argument of force in its worst form. Recognizing the occasional tyrannies of governing majorities, they amended the Constitution so that free speech and assembly should be guaranteed.'"
ReplyDelete→New York Times v. Sullivan, 1964, quoting Justice Louis D. Brandeis.
Just where did Rain Golden-Bear get the idea that she can do as she please and print articles in her desert rag hurting other peoples feelings and reputations while asking the courts to keep others from saying anything she didn’t like. Isn’t that kind of, “Do as I say and not as I do”?
ReplyDeleteHow can anyone think that Rain’s partner was ever threaten by Jade when from what I have been told by those that were there she screamed that she was a victim of harassment and a false police report against her when (you are going to love this one) Jade was in the privy and totally unaware that Jerry Wilcox had complained that Star Bearcat was taking pictures against the Judges orders? This may still give Star Bearcat a chance to visit the County Court House but this time as a defendant!
Hard to believe that someone is in fear of their life when they scream out as Star Bearcat did at Jade’s court hearing. A friend of mine said that the Judge looked at Star as though she was a madman! I can’t wait until Jade puts up the audio of the hearing to let us all hear it in Star’s own words. Just what kind of fools did Rain think the Judge and we are? From reading the findings of the Judge, he wasn’t one as he found in Jade’s favor and now allows for Rain Golden-Bear and Star Bearcat to be added to Jade’s civil law suit!
As for Rain & Star’s friends on the Town Council, Town Manager Alex Taft, and Chief Gilbert, “Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright;
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,
And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout;
But there is no joy in Mudville - mighty Casey has struck out.”
You forgot the last stanza:
ReplyDeleteOh! somewhere in this favored land dark clouds may hide the sun;
And somewhere bands no longer play and children have no fun;
And somewhere over blighted loves there hangs a heavy pall;
But Mudville hearts are happy now--for Casey hit the ball.
Anonymous it was NOT the "last stanza" but a sequel to the poem "Case at the bat"! Your comment still doesn't change the fact that your friends at the Desert Rag Struck OUT!
ReplyDeleteCasey at the Bat
by Ernest Lawrence Thayer ©
Published: The Examiner (06-03-1888)
The Outlook wasn't brilliant for the Mudville nine that day:
The score stood four to two, with but one inning more to play.
And then when Cooney died at first, and Barrows did the same,
A sickly silence fell upon the patrons of the game.
A straggling few got up to go in deep despair. The rest
Clung to that hope which springs eternal in the human breast;
They thought, if only Casey could get but a whack at that -
We'd put up even money, now, with Casey at the bat.
But Flynn preceded Casey, as did also Jimmy Blake,
And the former was a lulu and the latter was a cake;
So upon that stricken multitude grim melancholy sat,
For there seemed but little chance of Casey's getting to the bat.
But Flynn let drive a single, to the wonderment of all,
And Blake, the much despis-ed, tore the cover off the ball;
And when the dust had lifted, and the men saw what had occurred,
There was Jimmy safe at second and Flynn a-hugging third.
Then from 5,000 throats and more there rose a lusty yell;
It rumbled through the valley, it rattled in the dell;
It knocked upon the mountain and recoiled upon the flat,
For Casey, mighty Casey, was advancing to the bat.
There was ease in Casey's manner as he stepped into his place;
There was pride in Casey's bearing and a smile on Casey's face.
And when, responding to the cheers, he lightly doffed his hat,
No stranger in the crowd could doubt 'twas Casey at the bat.
Ten thousand eyes were on him as he rubbed his hands with dirt;
Five thousand tongues applauded when he wiped them on his shirt.
Then while the writhing pitcher ground the ball into his hip,
Defiance gleamed in Casey's eye, a sneer curled Casey's lip.
And now the leather-covered sphere came hurtling through the air,
And Casey stood a-watching it in haughty grandeur there.
Close by the sturdy batsman the ball unheeded sped-
"That ain't my style," said Casey. "Strike one," the umpire said.
From the benches, black with people, there went up a muffled roar,
Like the beating of the storm-waves on a stern and distant shore.
"Kill him! Kill the umpire!" shouted someone on the stand;
And its likely they'd a-killed him had not Casey raised his hand.
With a smile of Christian charity great Casey's visage shone;
He stilled the rising tumult; he bade the game go on;
He signaled to the pitcher, and once more the spheroid flew;
But Casey still ignored it, and the umpire said, "Strike two."
"Fraud!" cried the maddened thousands, and echo answered fraud;
But one scornful look from Casey and the audience was awed.
They saw his face grow stern and cold, they saw his muscles strain,
And they knew that Casey wouldn't let that ball go by again.
The sneer is gone from Casey's lip, his teeth are clenched in hate;
He pounds with cruel violence his bat upon the plate.
And now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he lets it go,
And now the air is shattered by the force of Casey's blow.
Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright;
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,
And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout;
But there is no joy in Mudville - mighty Casey has struck out.
Well, the journalistic freak show was not expecting the judge to rule in my favor, but the law is clear - speech IS protected and the judge agreed with me. And in all honesty, I don't really care if Mr. BearCat is now Ms. BearCat, or if they are lesbians, or whatever, other people might, but I don't. However, I do have a problem with them being nothing more than a mouth piece for the subversive members of this community. And I have a big problem with false statements about me being presented as fact. Let me be clear, I have no desire to dissolve the incorporated municipality known as Quartzsite. I just want to see it survive the current council so that our citizen's needs are met and they are not paying for the privilege of being treated the way Rain and Starr treat me.
ReplyDelete