Milpitas Councilwoman Carmen Montano has come under fire for a Facebook post she made about the recent protests in downtown San Jose—and her subsequent call for the City Clerk to make a list of the names of all her critics.
The local lawmaker was among the many volunteers who helped clean up graffiti-stricken downtown after the first weekend of protests against police brutality in light of the murder of George Floyd. But once her work was done, Montano took to social media to share some thoughts that didn’t go over too well with some residents.
“Hoodlums came to loot and destroy businesses in SJ,” she wrote. “Sadly, criminals are taking advantage of peaceful protest and hurting the businesses even further due to the lockdown. No conscience!”
While Montano didn’t exactly call protestors themselves “hoodlums,” her statement was enough to spark outrage from some Milpitians.
“Do Black lives not matter to council member Montano?” resident Warren Brown asked at a recent City Council meeting. “How is it that the mayor and the rest of the city council has taken the knee in solidarity with those of us fed up with systemic racism yet she stays home in silence?”
Other residents called Montano a racist and asked for her to resign.
“She thinks Black people are hoodlums and criminals, probably thinks all lives matter too,” resident Monique Jackson said. “She is unfit to serve office.”
After the onslaught of comments, Montano shot back and said she was “appalled” to hear people accuse her of being racist and called their comments a “defamation of character and slanderous.”
“My grandkids are half Black and half Latino, so for someone to call me a racist, that’s ridiculous,” she said. “I support our Milpitas police wholeheartedly because the first chief that we had, he was a member of the Black caucus and he embraced diversity.”
OK, people! It is time to talk LA NETA DEL PLANETA. For the last ten years me and few other folks here in San José have reported via social media and in person the systemic corruption and discrimination particularly that occurring in the criminal and family law systems. You just have to do an informal review of our local organizations both public and private to know who has engaged in this systemic corruption and discrimination that have left Blacks, Latinos, and White people without connections out of the economic growth. These groups too have been kicked out of the Bay Area and replaced by international workers and Students. The Mercury Newx? recently had an article of this Bay Area Stratification. East and South Asians, Indians, have been the top two winners of this Bay Area systemic corruption granting them better academic and work opportunities. The Mercury Newx? also recently reported about a private discrimination settlement where the company was placing mostly Indians in the job. Most of these agencies have Indians and Middle Eastern people on the CEO and management positions which keeps securing opportunities for these two Asian groups that categorize them selves as only Asians. But Indians have discriminated against East Asian per discriminatory complaints. All these tech related companies contribute to our local politicians’ ambitions. Ash Kalra is the connector of all these companies, local organizations, politicians, labor groups and so on. THUS, I have and will continue to be against racism and discrimination. I will also continue to be against the unjustified killing of Black, Latinos, and low SES males by criminal law enforcement. THE LIVES OF BLACKS ARE IMPORTANT. However, kneeling down to the Black Lives Matter people is stupid. Those people are not MARTIN LUTHER KING TYPE; they are a group of ambitious and extremist left people. They are a minority among the larger Black community that clearly opted for Biden not these extremists’ option, Bernie Crazy Sanders. These Black Lives Matter people are being supported and funded by those I mentioned above… If there is graffiti or large Black Lived Matter signs on the streets we drive on, I would like for them to be removed. I KNEE DOWN ONLY WHEN I PRAY. As for Montano’s despotism, add my name to your b@bosa’s list chulis!
I lost all respect for her when she supported Johny Khamis who in turn endorsed her run, Khamis who was very positively outspoken about ICE being allowed to round up our community and enter the jails… and then she showed up at a SIREN event trying to gain support from the Latino Community.
> I lost all respect for her when she supported Johny Khamis who in turn endorsed her run,
Yeah, right.
Is there anyone you do respect?
If they knew about it, would they mention it to anyone?
> “Hoodlums came to loot and destroy businesses in SJ,” she wrote. “Sadly, criminals are taking advantage of peaceful protest and hurting the businesses even further due to the lockdown. No conscience!”
> While Montano didn’t exactly call protestors themselves “hoodlums,” her statement was enough to spark outrage from some Milpitians.
Sounds she was referring to some hoodlums as “hoodlums”. What’s the problem?
Also, sounds like some Milipitians weren’t listening.
Should she have said “Law abiding people came to loot and destroy businesses”? Is someone who is looting and destroying business a law abiding person or could they be perceived as a “hoodlum” If a person was not looting and destroying any businesses then she was not talking about them. What is the confusion about?
If you loot my house or business then you are going to get shot.
Ignorance is not limited to Montano. Santa Clara Council Member Debi Davis accused her opponent of being a member of the Muslim Brotherhood
> Ignorance is not limited to Montano.
How is Carmen Montano ignorant?
What do you know that she doesn’t know?
I know enough to stay out of politics so I can live longer, omitting the stress of ranters and ravers from infesting my personal life.
KNOWN DISCRIMINATORY CASE: A woman I know lives on the apartments on San Thomas Express Way in between Williams and Payne. You can see the apartments when driving on San Thomas. Most of the families living there are Latino families. There are few White and few Black families living there too. In February of this year, these tenants were sent a letter with notice to leave the apartments. The apartments were going to be remolded and they had to leave ASAP. The letter was written in English only. Some of these Latino families speak Spanish only. Management sent a Spanish speaking representative to talk to them. But this person did not share all the content of the English letter. Few families, about 4, who were already planning on moving due to rent being increased to almost $3000 per month left right away. Others left with two weeks after receiving letter. Only monolingual Spanish speaking families left. The woman I know was preparing to leave her apartment after many years of living in that place. She asked me to read the letter. What the letter said and what she was told in person were two different stories. After talking to other families and management, it appears the owner was trying to kick out some of these families by rent increases and miscommunication tactics. About eight families left in total. Few moved to Modesto and now commute to their jobs here in San José. Some of the apartments were also infested with insects…some of the heaters and AC do not work. These families typically ask relatives and friends to help with repairs. Per the people living in these apartments, the owner is an Arab man. The rent increases, living conditions, and recent displacement have never been monitored. According to the families. The owner wanted to kick out some of these families to remodel some these apartments and increase the rent to all. The woman I know still lives there. The letter written in English did not say they had to leave. What they were told by the Spanish speaking representative was different. These are the people who regularly face abuse and discrimination. Their cases are never on the local news because they do not know anyone who care enough to write an article about their situation. We personally talked with few of these families and took pictures of their living conditions. We were determined to stop the obvious displacement of these hard working families. Then, it was the shelter in place situation which made our job easier. The discriminatory behavior of the owner against these monolingual Spanish speaking families is clear. As tho the why of his actions? WHO KNOWS!
> The discriminatory behavior of the owner against these monolingual Spanish speaking families is clear.
These types of situations could easily be avoided in the future by not building any more high density housing.
Single family housing only from now on.
Just the reverse of what current San Jose housing policy promotes.
I doubt the lease or rent agreement were in Spanish.
Why would the families be fine signing those when it was advantageous to get housing… but when they needed to leave for a remodel, it’s suddenly discriminatory?
Regardless, it’s not “racist” to call someone a hoodlum because of their decisions/actions. After all, aren’t we supposed to judge people by the content of their character, and NOT by the color of their skin?
The discriminatory factor here is that those who were able to read the letter knew, it was likely they may move temporarily for remodeling reason. If they would move, the owner will pay for stay at a motel and pay for moving out and back in. Thus these families knew there was a plan for them, and they won’t be displaced. For the monolingual Spanish speaking families a meeting was scheduled with this Latina woman. We personally talked to her. What she told the families in Spanish was they needed to leave for the plan of remodeling. They could come back after that if they wish. However rent will be higher even for those who just renewed their contract in the last three months. The heater, AC, and other fixing orders were never met for the Spanish speaking families. The English speaking families were sent professionals to do any necessary fixings and fumigation. We personally spoke to the English speaking families. It was them that told us some Spanish speaking families moved within the past two weeks. The discriminatory behavior happens when some of these families are treated differently causing negative living conditions and even displacement. All these families were paying their rent monthly. I have names, contact info, home pictures…of families who still live there and of families that moved to Modesto. It appears this owner has taken advantage of monolingual tenants. We were ready to connect them to legally aid groups, but the Shelter in Place stopped the displacement. Our initial contact still lives there. I have copies of the English letter sent to tenants and testimony of the monolingual Spanish speaking families about what this Latina woman told them during the scheduled meetings. I believe it was cheaper to pay someone to translate the English letter instead of hiring someone to go talk to these families.
KNOWN DISCRIMINATION CASE: Females working at Gardner Family Care in San José are more likely to earn less money than males, even those males with less education and training. NO EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK. Both males and female are equally likely to be exposed to sexual harassment. Employees and clients are equally likely to be exposed to pornography. Gardner calls this “soft” porn. You are very likely to not be paid for over time, no breaks… A private settlement was reached this year in favor of the employee. If you need to suit any of these local organizations, do not hire local legal representation. I have attorneys’ info. If you don’t win, you do not pay. Gardner CEO Raymundo Espinoza was one of the names in the discrimination claim. This is the same guy you see around politicians and other “community leaders” talking about justice, equality, and so on. Dime de que presumes y te diré de que careces!
Somewhere in a galaxy far, far away – Tom Williams is laughing his butt off at the dysfunction Milpo has spiraled into.
Learn English or you readily invite peril into your lives.
Do you really want a reason to cry…the moratorium on evictions is going to end this month.
Unfortunately, there is going to be a diaspora of poor people and soon to be poor people hitting the streets. They will be hungry, tired, dirty and have no place to go for comfort.
Is our nation is headed for an economic depression?
David S.Wall
David, the people I talk about were paying their rent monthly. This was before the shelter in place situation. Stop excusing criminal discriminatory behavior. You should have enough education to understand you are confusing apples for orange. I wasn’t born yesterday sweetheart!
I find it hypocritical, to read these instances of the rabid hate accusers actually betraying their bias. Councilwoman Montano attacked those committing criminal acts. She did not mention race. In fact, those slamming her exposed their bigotry by associating her comments on “hoodlums” as a Black critique! They are the ones who are associating Milpitas graffiti to Blacks, ha! I do not know the racial mix of Milpitas protests, but the recent skate party downtown San Jose, the latest mass BLM action, was by far predominantly white. Blame the Metro for even giving credence to these pathetic agenda bloggers with their “not fit for office” or the inexplicable “She thinks Black people are hoodlums and criminals, probably thinks all lives matter to”. What?
> In fact, those slamming her exposed their bigotry by associating her comments on “hoodlums” as a Black critique!
Very astute!
It’s by no way just Milpitas. The simple minded most easily swayed into trending foolishness, are thanks to social media, on full display. The media then latches on for a one night newscast .