If the vote to ban gay marriage in California did anything for the conservative Christian movement, it confirmed that they have just enough political clout to get by in a blue state. It clearly boosted San Jose’s Values Advocacy Council, which worked hard to pass Prop. 8 in the November election. The group isn’t stopping there. The group’s president, former San Jose Councilman-turned conservative activist Larry Pegram, is already closely monitoring his pet project, installation of porn filters in San Jose’s libraries. More recently, Pegram fired off an e-newsletter alerting folks of the group’s 2009 agenda. The email read as follows: “There is discussion in the conservative Christian community about the possibility of sponsoring an initiative entitled the “Children’s Bill of Rights” which would do much to replace the secular, liberal teachings in our public schools with rights for children and parents to control the content of public school curriculum. More on this as it develops.”
San Jose Inside
San Jose Inside (https://www.sanjoseinside.com)
“Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowd
We are taking sides, so no one
try to recall Madison Nguyen
Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack,
The California League President never
heard of the FPPC
Let me root, root, root Madison Nguyen
The San Jose Giants are taking sides
For it’s one, two, three strikes, you’re out,
If you like Little Saigon!
At the old ball game.”
Perhaps Larry can persuade the San Jose Giants to get involved, as they are now actively using their baseball team to fight the Nguyen recall. Intersting. Well, the California League President may think somewhat differently.
Children are eternal pawns to these people…
The website of the San Jose Giants carried this, and Mr. Weyermann is about to be a famous figure in the Vietnamese Smerican community, who will likely call for a boycott of the team, and also the FPPC has an issue with non disclosed non monetary contributions.
Here is the email they sent:
Please take a minute out of your day to read this letter from Councilmember Madison Nguyen. It is unusual for us to be sending you information regarding a political issue but Madison has been a huge supporter of the San Jose Giants since she took office and she needs our help.
Madison has done an outstanding job for the citizens and businesses located in District Seven. She personally led the efforts to secure $800,000 in capital funding for Municipal Stadium for much needed improvements. Her record on “quality of life” issues is outstanding and we need her leadership in the San Jose City Council. I understand how tough this economy is right now on all of us but Madison is being attacked by special interest groups who are taking nearly a half of million dollars of TAXPAYER funds to impose their personal vendetta. It is simply wrong and I ask you to join the San Jose Giants in contributing to her “NO RECALL” campaign. Please give what you can and let us send a message back loud and clear to those who would use our tax dollars for personal grievances.
All the Best,
Jim Weyermann
President/CEO
San Jose Giants
#3- Amazing. I guess securing $800,000.00 of taxpayer money for the SJ Giants isn’t considered to be helping a special interest group, nor is that considered to be using taxpayer money for personal interests. Perception is an incredible thing.
Why so snarky.
It would seem that Mr Pegram and his associates are just practicing the art of trying to influence their elected representatives and in some cases the general voting public. Pray tell, what is wrong with that?
i’m afraid to think of what secular curriculum would be replaced with?
A lot of the work on getting Prop. 8 passed (which might easily be wasted effort because it could well be ruled unconstitional) was done by the Mormon church. So if the same crowd actually succeeded in getting religion taught in public schools, the first thing that would happen would be a big fight over whether it was fundamentalist Christianity or Mormonism that was going to be taught.
# 6
>> “I guess securing $800,000.00 of taxpayer money for the SJ Giants isn’t considered to be helping a special interest group”
I would argue that publicly assisting a sports team is certainly not that out-of-the-ordinary or reflect a special interest . . . up until the team management does her favors. Then it’s helping a special interest group.
I even think the letter isn’t that bad—up until he signs the letter as ‘CEO San Jose Giants’ instead of ‘Citizen Jim’.
#7
Pray tell, what is wrong with that?
In theory, nothing. However, these religious organizations helping push the right-wing, religious agenda are tax-exempt. They are using their pulpit to bring in the tax-exempt dollars, and push their agenda.
If they were taxed as any other business, and that is all any religion is, I would not mind it as much. Plus the deficets we are having would be reduced, if not eliminated.
#10- Kenny,
Thought you might enjoy seeing the perks of raising $800,000.000 for a business like the SJ Giants when you’re a Council Person.
http://www.sjgiants.com/
http://www.sjgiants.com/ArDisplay.aspx?ID=1692&SecID=27
What will be very interesting to see is how the owners of SJ Giants will react if the Little Saigon crowd pickets their games, if Civil Rights groups get involved, or if a complaint is filed with the FPPC on the Giants for collecting funds for an election.
SJ Giants stadium is in D-8. Madison got them upgrade $$. One hand washes another.
It’s a great place to watch baseball without having to use your platinum card to pay for parking, a beer or coke, and a hot dog. The BBQ is great. The stadium is small enough that even little kids can really get involved in the game.
The Beer Batter is the best promotion in sports!
And they played very well last year. Tough to do when your best players keep getting called up.