There were a number of things that disappointed me in this article in the Manassas Journal Messenger, including a huge mistake in misquoting  Chief Deane.  But this part disappointed me, puzzled me, and pissed me off.  The writer editorializes that 9500 Liberty,

works to demonize board Chairman Corey Stewart, R-at large, who was running for re-election in 2007 when he and Supervisor John T. Stirrup, R-Gainesville, pushed to pass the resolution.

I’m not sure what the writer was thinking when he added this perspective to what is supposed to be a straight news article.  First of all, there is no call for using such a strong word.  Second of all, the film does not “work” to do anything other than show Chairman Stewart being very good at what he does.  If you like the idea of immigration culture wars dividing your community right before an election, Corey is no demon in this film, he’s a saint.  No one in the film criticizes him.  No one who spoke after the film directly criticized him.  In fact, his name didn’t even come up. I was among a number of audience members who were shocked that certain of the Chairman’s most dastardly deeds were NOT included in the film.  I wasn’t going to respond to the comment other than to say I agreed, but this was posted yesterday by Last Best Hope:

Billed as a film that “makes Corey Stewart look like an idiot” (this was the big quote in a MJM article from someone who got a sneak preview), the film revealed nothing I did not already know about him, while omitting many of the things he did to make himself look, if not idiotic, at least unhinged. There was nothing about Stewart instantaneously forwarding internal BOCS emails to Greg Letiecq so that the Letiecq Internet Frenzy machine could be used to bully the Board into firing Chief Deane. That was Stewart’s lowest moment and a glaring omission from the film. Stewart’s second lowest moment, or most brilliant depending on your agenda, was using county funds to send out a political post card during his “fighting illegal immigration” reelection campaign setting up the circus act BOCS meeting in Oct. 2007. While this is 10 times more predictable, it was also 10 times more infamous and more discussed at the time. I was looking forward to seeing Maureen Caddigan’s brilliant move to hold the Chairman’s feet to the fire when he tried to limit the very people he invited to participate to only one minute at the podium. I believe Stewart lost the vote 6 to 2, and the result was 12 hours of Citizens’ Time to delay a vote that was already decided before they showed up. But this was skipped as well.

Last Best Hope concludes by saying, “Basically Stewart is not in the film other than Board meetings, and I’m not sure this alone makes him look like an idiot.”   I could not agree more.  If anything, the film was soft on Corey Stewart, considering how it should, or could have been made.  Much was left out that could follow Corey politically. 

 

Speaking of soft pedaling, I thought the film went too easy on Mr. Fernandez as well.  Most people I have talked to say that his sign hurt the Hispanic community more than helped it, by handing Greg Letiecq a perfect gift with which to demonize (here is where the word is apt) the Hispanic community.  Greg got more mileage out of that sign.  He signed up more people because of it than he ever would have with his laughably manipulative pictures of men with ski-masks holding machine guns. 

The voice over in the film  criticizes the wording of the third sign, which was over-the-top offensive, but only because the inflammatory language could endanger his kids.  A fair point, but it did more than endanger kids, it pissed a lot of people off, of all races,  who might not otherwise have been that critical of the sign.  Fernandez insulted the very people who were actually trying to help; the coalition of people who were working to fight back the powers of darkness ended up being included in the broad-brush insult.

385 Thoughts to “Demonology: MJM Claims Chairman Stewart “Demonized” in 9500 Liberty”

  1. Witness Too

    I agree M-H. Leaving out Corey Stewart’s sharing private emails with Greg Letiecq was a glaring omission. The film doesn’t make it clear who was the puppet and who was the puppeteer in the attack on Chief Deane. If anything it seems to imply it was Letiecq’s idea. But the email thing indicates it was more Stewart’s idea to attack the Chief. That is a huge pass they are giving to Chairman on that one.

    But I don’t know if I can blame the MJM writer for adding his perspective. There is very little objective journalism these days anyway. You could also interpret it as if he was just trying to push his perspective on to the film makers and thus maintain the objective posture he’s supposed to have while still taking a shot at Corey Stewart.

    I have to admit I got there late and I don’t know what I missed. But I did see the part where Chief Deane was accused of treason and it’s true that Corey Stewart was given a pass on the sharing of fellow Board members emails in order to put more pressure on them to fire the Chief. The post cards thing was also not in there.

  2. Moon-howler

    I rarely write an opinion piece but I felt the reporter and I had not viewed the same film. The film was more than fair to many people I consider to be villans.

  3. Slowpoke Rodriguez

    Since WHEN has Corey Stewart been anything BUT demonized by this blog? Isn’t that the reason for it’s inception? And when y’all deny it, I won’t believe it.

  4. Juturna

    Walks like a duck, quacks like a duck…. favorite response from the other….

    I don’t think Stewart is a demon. We’ve seen real demons around here and Stewart doesn’t come close. He’s made many mistakes mostly lack of self-control, keeping his yap closed and simply losing whatever altruism his parents drummed into him. Once he learn a few manners, self control and loses that consdescending attitude, there may be something worthwhile there. But it’s been painful to watch. And WHY US??!!!!

  5. Last Best Hope

    M-H, thanks for the plug.

    Whether Stewart was pressured into attacking Chief Deane or he was the mastermind, by forwarding those emails to Letiecq, he was basically performing the role of a SPY for an immoral political hatchet man. He was pulling an inside job on his colleagues on the Board, including two Republicans. That is a gross breach of trust, the likes of which I have not heard at any governmental level. It was a busch league political hit job, and the fact that he did it in order to manufacture hatred toward our Chief of Police makes it unforgivable.
    So, more than any of the things I mentioned, it should be in the film, not because it “demonizes” anyone, but because it was a crucial development in the battle to repeal the probable cause policy for status checks on the streets, which is the main focus of the film. The email stunt was a turning point on the Board, one that ultimately doomed the policy. If the probable cause policy were NOT the focus of the film, I would not make that argument.

  6. Opinion

    It’s a movie… everyone is a critic… most people will find something they don’t like… and in the end any publicity is good publicity. Frankly, a comment like the one in MJM is probably good for attendance. You want buzz. If the MJM reporter is truly astute, he may have known he was doing Eric and Annabel a favor. The measure of a successful movie is whether or not people go to see it and whether or not they have something to talk about when it’s over. I think 9500Liberty hits the mark in that area… a good view and plenty to talk about for a long time.

  7. Moon-howler

    Slow, what word would you use to describe someone who takes email from their colleages, regarding official business, and sends it to a local blogger? I am still speechless that was done. Talk about unprofessional. FOIAs aren’t done in a couple of hours.

    I still maintain it was all about an election. Were there any other hotly contested supervisor elections? I know that Stirrup had an opponent but he barely ran. I expect people to play fair. Corey didn’t. He and his Rasputin ran a crummy show.

  8. Moon-howler

    What professional directs someone of Chief Deane’s stature ‘to get back there and talk to him?’ (or something to that affect) Corey forgot himself, decided to play Little Napoleane, and darn near ruined the county. He would have been successful had the empire not fought back.

    I won’t forget what was done to Chief and I know many others won’t either. Corey and Rasputin overplayed their hands. I want the documentation of those shady deals to follow his political butt wherever it goes.

  9. Opinion

    There’s an election in 2011… let us educate others… and let us not forget.

  10. Moon-howler

    Opinion, I hope you are right. I am just one of those who likes the news straight up. I certainly didn’t think the film demonized Corey Stewart though. Eric and Annabel did him a big favor, not documenting some of his antics.

  11. Emma

    I’m sure many in the county also won’t forget the assistance that county employees gave to Eric in getting footage for his film. Weren’t they quick little bunnies when it came to reviewing security tapes for him to I’d citizens?

  12. Emma

    And let’s not forget that they did it on taxpayer-paid time.

  13. Emma

    And did Eric file a FOIA to get that info, or were the county employees just doing a little side work for him that they would provide to any other citizen?

  14. Moon-howler

    Not as quick as that little bunny Corey getting those emails over to bvbl. That is provable. The other allegation is not. That was just a seed sewn by the Red Circle god to cover up that he didn’t want to be seen coming out of Corey’s office after the 2 of them collaborated.

    So if the county lent Annabel and Eric an extention cord who the hell cares. Are you suggesting that a blogger should have access to county employees and elected officials and film makes should not?

    I must just like my politics a little cleaner and with a little more sunshine than you do Emma. It’s the Virginia way.

  15. Moon-howler

    What information are you asking about, Emma? Do you believe everything you read on the dark screen?

  16. Emma

    How do you know Corey gave Greg any emails?

  17. Emma

    I forget–are Eric and Annabel PWC residents?

  18. Moon-howler

    Now how do you think I know? If a supervisor sends Corey and email and 3 hours later it and emails from 3 other supervisors are posted on a blog, am I supposed to assume the tooth fairy sent them to the blogger?

    Maybe I listened real carefully to what a couple of supervisors said.

  19. Moon-howler

    of course.

  20. Emma

    You said the emails were provable. Just curious as to how?

  21. Emma

    And what about Eric and Annabel? Are they PWC residents?

  22. Witness Too

    Emma where have you been, I thought all you devoted Letiecq followers knew about this.

    Corey attacked Chief Deane in the newspapers saying he was violating the law by attending a meeting that, ironically, was part of the Immigration Resolution part 2 (the October version) that the police department was supposed to educate the public about the policy.

    Why was he violating the law? Only someone as mentally ill as Greg Letiecq could come up with a reason, but the reason was that also in attendance at the meeting was a diplomat from Mexico. The idea was that some of the people who were interested in learning about the policy might be from Mexico, and might feel safer if this guy was there.

    So after Corey attacked Chief Deane in the newspapers and Greg Letiecq attacked Chief Deane on his hate blog, Maureen and some of the other Supervisors sent an email to Corey saying he should cut it out. Corey immediately forwarded the emails to Greg Leteicq and Greg put it up on his blog just a few hours after Corey received it, instructing his followers to write hateful emails to them. So, Greg’s devoted followers wrote a bunch of nasty emails asking her why she was defending our treason committing Police Chief.

    Maureen Caddigan ripped Corey to shreds for sharing those emails with Greg Letiecq. She did it during Supervisors Time I was watching it live. Corey did not apologize, but he did not deny it either.

  23. Emma

    I recently became a property owner in PWC. I’m making a YouTube video about the positive impact the Resolution has had on my new investment property in Dale City. Can you give me the name of a county employee or two who can review some security video to ensure that I have properly identified some of the players? FOIA’s are just so pesky…

  24. Black Velvet Reporter

    Readers might want to check this link out.

    Fastest FOIA request known to man. Same day as a matter of fact.

    http://www.bvbl.net/index.php/2008/03/27/chief-deane-i-answer-to-no-one/

  25. Witness Too

    Emma, that’s a pretty poor attempt at a filibuster.

    Is supposed to be cover fire? What is this? You are getting Corey Stewart’s back by picking on a county employee who responded to a FOIA request and/or lent out an extension cord? Really? You really actually think this is somehow comparable to the County Chairman attacking the Chief of Police, accusing him of treason, and using the town bully’s blog to create a hate storm toward the most revered man in the county?

    Really?

  26. Witness Too

    Thanks BVR, but I almost threw up the first time I read that thread. Yes, Greg claimed it was an instant FOIA request. But how did he know to make that request so soon after the email landed in Corey’s email box.

    Either Corey just forwarded the email directly, or he called Greg and said “oooh oooh, I got something that will help you make everyone hate Maureen Caddigan, send me a FOIA quick quick!”

    Either way, it has Corey’s finger prints all over it.

  27. Moon-howler

    Witness, I think that all happened the same day. Emails, Deane’s meeting, and posting on the blog–a matter of hours. Yup, those emails are loaded with biometrics. All of that stuff was pretty disgusting to read, I will grant you that. Most people were horrifed that the Chief of Police was being called a traitor. Totally over the top and with no shame!

    Emma, surely you don’t think this type of behavior is appropriate?

    I don’t understand the Dale City request. It makes no sense to me.

  28. JustinT

    I’m sorry, WHAT?!? Security tape footage of Letiecq and Stewart leaving Corey’s office together at 2 AM? I never heard about this. Any more screenings coming up? Can you give us more warning next time?

  29. Second-Alamo

    This idea that the Resolution “divided the community” doesn’t ring true yet it’s repeated constantly by those who were in support of all the Spanish speakers during the marathon debate. The community was indeed being divided, but into legal citizens versus illegal aliens. Now that Citizen Time is basically back to English only speakers dealing with normal issues the community is now one. BTW, has the unemployment rate for Spanish interpreters increased lately?

  30. Rick Bentley

    Exactly.

  31. Rick Bentley

    “Most people were horrifed that the Chief of Police was being called a traitor. ”

    Not the people I talked to in my neighborhood and in my area. We felt that way. We felt that way long before I knew who Greg Leteicq was, and before I personally knew who Corey Stewart was.

    For the Police to be pretending to enforce laws while the whole area was being overrun (systematically) by people who weren’t even legal to be here was an abject joke. And every public official shares in the blame.

  32. Emma

    You all are harping on old news that no one but the most rabid anti-resolutionists care about. Unfortunately, the law of unintended consequences can often bite back. I’m just sayin’…

  33. Slowpoke Rodriguez

    Emma :
    You all are harping on old news that no one but the most rabid anti-resolutionists care about. Unfortunately, the law of unintended consequences can often bite back. I’m just sayin’…

    And the best part is…they’ll insist 24 hours a day that it is in fact US who are the fringe elements! It’s kind of fun to watch!

  34. GainesvilleResident

    It’s not a problem that the film didn’t “demonize” Corey Stewart enough. This blog did a great job of it – I remember several very frequent posters on this blog calling him a racist and another term I won’t use since it seems to kick in the censoring software (the term describes a group of very bad people who killed 6 million or more people during WWII – which several idiots here seem to think describes anyone who they disagree with or who supports even the current form of the resolution).

  35. GainesvilleResident

    I am glad to hear the film at least criticized Fernandez’s sign wording to some degree. They ought to have called him what he is – a racist, which in that case would be true – unlike what some posters on this blog have done. I’m sure those same posters don’t think he’s a racist at all and think he’s some sort of hero. At least, judging from those same poster’s writings on this blog – I know they said they supported the sign and thought he was doing some great thing. Yet they throw the racist word and others around unfairly at people they disagree with. But I am glad the film to some degree criticized Fernandez. Every place else seems to paint him as some sort of hero. I would go further to say that those who agreed with the last most racist version of the sign are themselves racists, yet people seem to want to support all of them.

  36. hello

    Talk about demonizing, what the hell do you call this trash? http://www.antibvbl.net/index.php/2008/09/22/and-again/

  37. Second-Alamo

    You mean THAT poster wasn’t in the movie! Demonizing indeed.

  38. GainesvilleResident

    Funny, I never remembered seeing that thread. Interesting. Well, there’s even worse examples, just pull up the threads where some posters compared Corey Stewart to an infamous person in WWII. They said it seriously. It’s an interesting comparison – let’s see – 6 million people killed in WWII, how many killed here in PWC? Yet several people thought it was an apt comparison. It makes that cartoon look weak in comparison.

  39. Lafayette

    The bottom line is, there are equally offensive comments on both BVBL and ANTI-BVBL. Go ahead I’m willing to crap from both sides for saying that.

  40. GainesvilleResident

    That is quite true, Lafayette. It’s just that some posters on this blog refuse to believe that anything offensive was said here, and seem to keep saying it was all one sided from bvbl. Nothing could be further from the truth. Those of course are the posters who actually make the offensive comments, and then say they are entirely justified somehow.

  41. GainesvilleResident

    They also like to say how antibvbl always takes the high road – one poster actually said this – when in fact in cases like this it took a very low road. In reality, both blogs’ posters often get down in the mud and make offensive comments, and neither should hold themselves up as taking some sort of high road in this debate.

  42. Lafayette

    GR,agreed. Those same posters on either side are the FIRST ones to complain when someone make an offensive opposing comment. When I see someone is of the mind set to “name call” I tend to activate the IGNORE button.

  43. Lafayette

    GR, I missed your post at 8:31 before I typed mine.

  44. GainesvilleResident

    Lafayette – that’s OK, we are both just thinking along the same line of thought! It usually is the ones who make the offending posts that complain the most about the other sides’ posts though!

  45. Lafayette

    I find it very interesting how many people are able to be a “film critic” of a film that have not seen. I’ve no desire what so ever to comment publically on the film. However, I’m reading the posts on here and the paper, and it’s clear to me some of the biggest critics have not seen the movie. hmm. I do feel everyone can form an opinion based on the “reviews”, but they should not comment as if they were there Friday night.

  46. hello

    GR, you hit the nail on the head… if you take a look at the comments on the thread I copied you will see some perfect examples:

    KG [redacted] – “Not full of hate….an accurate portrayal of evil in action. Too accurate.”
    Moon – “I don’t want to hear some of you black velvets playing ‘holier than thou.’ ”
    “Suck it up and get over it.”

  47. hello

    I just think that it’s funny how upset some here get when someone else reviews this film and offers their opinion:

    Moon – “But this part disappointed me, puzzled me, and pissed me off.”

    Well, to take one of your own quotes Moon, “suck it up and get over it.”.

  48. hello

    besides, I don’t know why your so worked up and ‘pissed off’, only about 10 or 11 people read the MJM anyway.

  49. Elena

    ANTI would not exist were it not for the absolute VILENESS of Greg and his minions. The point of the film is not that we were divided into camps of “illegal” vs “legal”, that is simply not remembering the reality of what it was like to live in this county then. If you even dared to speak out against Greg you landed on his blog, being villifed and having your occupaton threatened. Remember Greg Reynolds? Anyone who knows that man would be horrified by the treatment he recieved by Greg. If you WROTE about the immigration fiasco you were villied at BVBL. I talked to people who were too afraid to say in public what they would say in private. The hatefullness that people expressed towards Hispanics was palpable, THAT was the result of Greg and his blogging. Too many times I have posted the disgusting comments that BVBL inspired.

    Everyone was afraid back then. People in neighborhoods were afraid of the new people in their community, of the houses that had suddenly become boarding places for multiple families or single men, people were afraid of their new community that suddenly seemed to look at them like they were cockroaches because they were Latino, people who wanted to speak out against the growing hate were afraid what would be said about them and if they might put their families at risk of retaliation, Board members were afraid of not being re-elected or being villified on Greg’s blog or having people bring vengence to their homes or families, EVERYONE WAS AFRAID!

    There is an issue with immigration, but the way that Corey handled it was worse than an embarrasment for this county, it was simply done for personal gain, his political personal gain. He knows it and I know it.

  50. Elena

    Lafayette,
    I know there have been things said on Anti that do not express the best of people’s intentons, however, to campare the two is unfounded. No one on anti, consistently, ever, has reduced human beings to cockroaches and parasites, carriers of disease, culturally deficiant, etc etc on a regular basis. You will not find people here wishing that their livlihood would come to an end so that they would not be able to support their families. There is NO comparison and I am quite surprised that would you suggest such a thing.

Comments are closed.