By Shayne M. Whitehead/ Shayne Michael Whitehead/
LB Resident since 1996.
MacArthur Park resident since 2004.
Home owner/ CERT volunteer/
Long Beach Leadership Candidate/
Etc
This is a breakdown of the following website: http://www.bestchoice6th.com/
Before I start it's deceitful, mean spirited and if Dee Andrews and they mayor don't condemn it they should both step down.
I'm going to skip over why I'm personally offended by it, and paint a picture that I hope makes District Six voters very angry.
The cover of this website, which boasts it costs less than $20, therefor no disclosure is required was accompanied by flyers that said they were paid for by Mike Simphenderfer, 19611 Bellflower. Simphenderfer. The author appears to be a mortgage broker at that address.
Here's his profile on Zillow. Here's the entry page to the website that requires no disclosure.
If you've seen what cancer does to people, you might forgive her that. Here's how easy it would have been to find a nicer pic of any canidate:
ROBERT HARMON: Candidate Page
Let's take a look at what the website says about Robert Harmon, whom I cannot support, but I still find the website offensive. Harmon, for the record feels we need a stronger police presence. I understand those who fear the police and those who fear we have turned them into the enemy. What does the link say when you click on Robert? It's a single image, that shows a black man being attacked by police in full military gear.Here's the source of the image, which I find offensive to associate with either candidate.
FERGUSON, MO - AUGUST 11: Police force protestors from the business district into nearby neighborhoods on August 11, 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri. Police responded with tear gas and rubber bullets as residents and their supporters protested the shooting by police of an unarmed black teenager named Michael Brown who was killed Saturday in this suburban St. Louis community.
What do you think is the intent of linking the Ferguson Riots with any District Six Candidate?
By any chance is this an appeal to racism and reactionary behavior?
I personally can't stand Robert due to his behavior in my district and neighborhood, for reasons I have kept to myself because I was honoring the same candidate oath they made Josephine Villasenor took,: and I still find this flyer over the line.
Way over the line.
Let's break down how this flyer treats everyone else.
ERIK MILLER: Candidate Page
A Carpet Bagger.
What is a Carpet Bagger?
"Carpetbagger" was a pejorative term referring to the carpet bags (a form of cheap luggage at the time) which many of these newcomers carried. The term came to be associated with opportunism and exploitation by outsiders. The term is still used today to refer to a parachute candidate, an outsider who runs for public office in an area where he or she does not have deep community ties, or has lived only for a short time.
Some other terms that come up rather quickly when you search for images related to Carpet Baggers are sharecropper, scallywag, reconstruction and Grandfather Clause.
Why does the flyer say this?
The flyer itself says Miller has been in District Six less than 124 days. Or it implies it by asking how long have you been our neighbor. Miller grew up in my neighborhood across from Antioch Church and later moved to Wrigley. Both are in District Six. I am pretty sure hundreds of church members can verify the flyer here is just plain false.
The flyer asserts he's not part of any sixth district neighborhood associations. Unless they're nonprofit organizations many neighborhood organizations do not have formal membership lists. That doesn't mean the resident hasn't attended. Has Erik been at Neighborhood Association Meetings? Yes. I know I saw him at both Wana and Wrigley Association Meetings, with both other candidates.
Based on my personal observations: that's also false.
JOSEPHINE A VILLASENOR: Candidate Page
How is it interview Josie says she's been in Long Beach for 15 years and in the neighborhood for 11? Well for starters Long Beach has more than one neighborhood. Josephine lived in Wrigley for about eleven years, prior to that she was in Bixby Knowls and the border of Lakewood. Mike Simphenderfer could have turned that ? into an oh moment if he had bothered to contact her at work, Facebook, her candidate page etc: but that isn't what lazy journalists with an agenda do.
Let's look at the picture you that shows Josie on the cover of the website:
It really makes her look bad. But let's go to the source and look at some of the hashtags that were associated with that photo.
Here's the text Mr. Simphenderfer and I use that term lightly, left out: "
Don't care! Love my body, love my mind, love my soul, you can say and spread the lies but I am who I am, I know me, you just know the lies. Event Planner, Party Set Up Team, Pinup Model, Community Watch Leader, Writer, don't touch my star get your own! ;)♡♡♡ ☆ #pinup #simplydivine #pinupstyle #simplydivinevixenpinups #simplydivinepinups #longbeach #longbeachcity #smallbusiness #localbusiness #partystore #parties #rockabilly #rockabella #pyschobilly #plussizepinup #pinups #supportjosephine #wrigleylbc #wriglife #wrigleylongbeach #wrigleyneighbors #wrigleyneighborhoodcommun
But now let's add some context. Around this time, Josie was undergoing chemo for Stage Two Cervical Cancer. She had recently learned the cancer was in remission and would undergo no more chemo and not have to endure radiation therapy. At the same time, someone in the Wrigley Association was spreading rumors about her and she basically said, "F you, I love myself."
There are also pictures of Josie in this album volunteering for Ready Long Beach, the Special Olympics and watching over family. These pics didn't make the cut, but a picture from MySpace made the website.
Let me repeat that: From MySpace
Here's the picture when you click on Josie's name at the bottom.
I would of course expect that from a crusader for those who are sexually abused. Take a picture like that, make it public, because you find it demeaning. What's what a crusader against sexual abuse does? Right?
Let's Really Break Some Things Down
I'm including the video where Mr Simphenderfer because it shows one of the attributes of a hypocrite. This video is about protecting victims of abuse and neglect. Josie was a victim of abuse and neglect. You ignored the photos of her making the dean list. Here are some photos that did not make the cut. I'll lay off the videos of her dressed nicely, since I already shared them. And I won't go looking for pictures to demean your friends and family, because I am not a jerk.
But now that I've started breaking down misleading information, let's break down some outright lies. And then let's apply this same screening process to Dee Andrews and see how he fairs. Let's breakdown what is false and misleading. Let's breakdown what, once applied to Andrews, Andrews doesn't fair so well.
Andrews has a criminal record for the sale of Cocaine. His first conviction is in 1984 for selling to an undercover police officer. Earlier campaign flyers assert he has a felony conviction for possession of Cocaine in 1995, 1997 and 1998.
Andrews first registered in 1999, after his last conviction. At the time he was 57. His tenure with City Council started nine years later. Why bring this up? Because the flyer makes when you register an issue for Erik Miller: therefor it's an issue for everyone as far as I am concerned.
Now, in the past references to Andrew's drug convictions have been labeled a smear campaign. The author of this flyer calls out Miller for not attending public forums. In 2008, Andrews calls anyone who challenged him for failing to appear at the NAACP Forum for running a smear campaign. If you live in District Six you might want to read some of the damn comments regarding his drug convictions.
Then ask yourself why Central Long Beach has such an issue with violence.
You don't know about the violence? Let's paint a picture.
But wait! Andrews was endorsed by Long Beach Teachers, the Fire Department and Police. First look at the homicide map of 90813. Look at these stories.
- City’s 2015 Year-End Crime Statistics Released; Confirm Rise in Violent and Property Crime
- Long Beach's Poorest District Also One of its Most Dangerous
- A Tale of Two Cities in Long Beach
Even if it was just for show.
The comments of many of the articles related to the Cocaine arrests indicate they happened very close to when Andrews worked for the Long Beach school district. TALB not even interviewing the other candidates is negligent, especially when students and teens are getting shot or are doing the shooting
What is Wrong With This Map?
The unions all endorsed Andrews without reaching out to the other candidates
While Josie and I were actively fighting to end the loitering at 17th and Alamitos, I was getting emails from the LBPD that Andrews was actively defending that loitering. No I will not share which officer, but I have copies and can prove this.
That ended with two murders on 17th street on both sides of Orange. When I wanted the Press Telegram that loitering was going to lead to violence and Andrews was working against me, the next day there was a murder. I have copies of that email which I share below.
The Press Telegram never so much as emailed me to ask,
"Wow, how in the hell did you predict that?"
I know for a fact, two out of three candidates never heard from the Fire Department. Not only that, the Fire Department Union demanded Josephine be taken of the flyer for the Irish Heritage Festival, which she helped organize, or they would take their charity elsewhere. The organizers fortunately told the Fire Department no.
That's the kind of behavior I would expect from a five-year-old that's still acting like a three-year-old.
You would think after Erik Miller became a mentor and director for Operation Jump Start and The PEACE League the Police Department would have at least reached out to him. But then the City might have to address the map's I just shared. Josie organized a community watch that actually patrols the streets, because in many cases the police weren't. She wasn't contacted either. Mayor Robert Garcia was warned that violence is impending at 17th and Alamitos.
Do you think there was a return email? In fact, notice Mayor Garcia's fan page, doesn't even have an email option anymore.
What does this mean: Despite the drug convictions, conflict of interest with the schools and the increased violence: the unions that endorsed Andrews never reached out to anyone else. Do you find that negligent? I do!
When I sent that letter to the press predicting violence at 17th an Alamitos above, I expected the murder the next day to bring the police to my door. I expected them to start asking for my alibi.
It never happened. Nobody is listening, at least not in Central Long Beach.
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| What A Carpet Bagger is Meant to Invoke |
We're driving businesses out of Central Long Beach due to licensing fees, we're crushing jobs and have nearly three times elected a driver who is, at the very best, asleep at the wheel at the worst is ignoring the violence on purpose.
It is time for a change.
The flyer what was released here was shameful. Moreover, if paid for by Andrews or any on his campaign, it's a violation of LB fair campaigning laws.
Josephine, Erik and Robert all had to sign pledges not to run a smear campaign. In the past Andrews has been "smeared," for drug convictions and a failure to vote. Andrews supporters are smearing his opponents for failure to vote and not attending neighborhood meetings. They are associating them with the Ferguson Rots, Civil War Carpet Baggers and general hatred and bigotry directed at gay and transgender people.
No matter who is elected to the 6th District they will be held to every promise they ever make. Both myself and Josephine A. Villasenor promise this. Also if you're annoyed the police department endorsed Andrews without bothering to reach out to the other candidates, here's a great place to talk with them about it.
And to the Mayor and Dee Andrews. We are your boss. You said at the Candidate Forum: the word that describes you is Service. If you This flyer doesn't spell service: it spells abuse of those you serve. I am closing this blog with a promise and a challenge.
* No promise you ever make to the residents of District Six will ever be forgotten. If you fail to keep it, I will be there to hold your feet to the fire. Josephine will be there beside me.
* And if Dee Andrews and Mayor Robert Garcie do not denounce the flyer for the hate filled, anti gay/ racism it conveys and they should both step down.
Minor Update:: We're going to start working to prevent this from happening again, by putting an end to exceptions to good laws.
One more promise, the next time anyone ever bullies me out of speaking out for my neighbors/ neighborhood/ the next article will be more in a lot more depth than this one. In case you're wondering: I'm holding things back.
Update Two: The website is down. FYI the creator and whoever financed it: A domain usually takes more than $20 to reserve. #2: I have the whois information from ICAN. #3: I downloaded every piece of the website and had lots of friends including tech experts take digital shots. I am encouraging the candidates to take legal action since much of the information was misleading, mean spirited and or outright false. The definition i of libel is printing damaging information to a person's reputation that is false.
Here's what happens when you elect a City Council Rep asleep at the wheel for 12 years: http://lbpost.com/news/crime/2000008630-one-dead-in-shooting-long-beach-s-macarthur-park-neighborhood#disqus_comment
Again. That's right about where those emails warned Garcia, the police and the press about. Maybe I need to purchase a billboard and put i on the public right of way.
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