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. Gainesville Resident

    Witness Too :
    I just wonder about the strategy for the handful of Corey Stewart defenders left on the internets, who think the best way to defend him is to attack the blog admins. Corey Stewart is the highest ranking public official in the county. This is only a blog. If you can’t defend his actions in good conscience, then you should admit as much and move on to another topic.

    I actually never attacked the admins. I’m not even going to bother addressing the rest of what you wrote.

  2. Elena

    I was being sarcastic Emma. Sorry if was too obtuse for you. Clearly I was harkening back to a day when the villifciation of an immigrant group was from a differnt part of the world but the slurs were virtually the same. I was reminding those who have been here some time of Poor Richards article he posted here.@Emma

  3. Elena

    Thanks Moon-Howler, I am just now returning to check in on the blog and was surprised that Emma did not immediately pick up on my obvious sarcasm, I certainly was not being serious.

  4. Moon-howler

    GR, you are right. No one thinks anything of it. I remember all the Polish jokes too. And it was perfectly acceptable. No one thought a thing of it. Then one day everyone woke up and all of a sudden…maybe it wasn’t so ok.

    I won’t go so far as to say that southerners are an ethnicity. But regional prejudice and slurs are still very acceptable.

    How many people living right here in the Manassas area think it is fine to make snide remarks about Manassas Park?

  5. A PW County Resident

    Moon-howler :Emma, what is your problem? Do you want me to go in there and correct the typo? How come you didn’t pick at me over A-rab?
    Is Elena the only one who is not allowed to make fun of ignorance? You do understand she was mimicking ignorance don’t you?

    Maybe because you were quoting something about the lady who asked McCain a question that many of us found offensive also?

  6. Gainesville Resident

    Moon-howler :
    GR, I am going to go out on a limb here…I think any time the admins have referenced ideas having to do with the Holocaust, it has been in the spirit of how that was allowed to happen. What happened first? People were belittled and dehumanized. An atmosphere was created where it was socially acceptable to laugh at another group of people.

    Actually, read that SS thread that was referenced (not by me – I never knew it existed). It definitely does not meet the criteria you just mentioned – although to be fair, you did say you were going out on a limb, and that thread appears to be in the very early days of the blog. Still, not a great way to start the blog off, wouldn’t you say? It wasn’t at all about what happened in the past, it was projecting real fear of police knocking down doors and other things of that nature. Now, it apparently was (contrary to what I thought earlier after doing some research) written while the probable cause was still in effect, but still – that thread was a bit much, and not at all in the spirit of looking back to see why anything in the Holocaust happened. I’m glad I wasn’t around for that thread – I would have had some very vocal things to say about it, to put it mildly.

  7. A PW County Resident

    It wasn’t a typo in either case.

  8. Gainesville Resident

    Moon-howler :
    GR, you are right. No one thinks anything of it. I remember all the Polish jokes too. And it was perfectly acceptable. No one thought a thing of it. Then one day everyone woke up and all of a sudden…maybe it wasn’t so ok.
    I won’t go so far as to say that southerners are an ethnicity. But regional prejudice and slurs are still very acceptable.
    How many people living right here in the Manassas area think it is fine to make snide remarks about Manassas Park?

    I remember hearing those Polish jokes all the time while growing up – often at school – even sometimes by adults – and feeling they weren’t at all proper, but it seemed no one cared.

    As to Manassas vs. Manassas Park – to be honest, I’ve heard plenty of bad remarks about Manassas in my time here in Northern VA – basically referring to it as a bunch of rednecks, etc. That was back in the 80’s and 90’s when it was less diverse than today. I haven’t seen that much of a distinction between Manassas and Manassas Park – really, as far as comments go. Both are looked down upon, basically, and have been for as long as I’ve been here, it seems.

  9. Gainesville Resident

    Elena :
    I was being sarcastic Emma. Sorry if was too obtuse for you. Clearly I was harkening back to a day when the villifciation of an immigrant group was from a differnt part of the world but the slurs were virtually the same. I was reminding those who have been here some time of Poor Richards article he posted here.@Emma

    I actually remember the article in question that Poor Richard posted some time ago. It does make sense in that context.

  10. Gainesville Resident

    In fact regarding remarks about Manassas, you should have heard the remarks I got at work when I mentioned I was moving out of Manassas. Nothing at all to do with the resolution, illegal immigrants, etc. All about rednecks or other negative remarks about Manassas. In some ways that stereotype still exists to a lot of people in the Northern VA area it seems. In fact, no one at work has ever once mentioned to me anything about illegal immigration when the subject of Manassas or PWC comes up. Something I find interesting – for all the belief about how infamous PWC is for the resolution, etc. Not once in many many conversations about Manassas and PWC!

  11. Gainesville Resident

    I take that back – I did once hear someone saying driving down Rt. 28 in Manassas – they were amazed at all the Spanish signs. But that’s the only thing I ever heard even vaguely about the whole “immigration issue”.

  12. Elena

    Thanks GR, I appreciate that, it was in the context of that article.

    I was here for the thread and I have referenced the phrase by Pastor Nemoeller. That poem has always held great meaning for me. Having visited the Holocaust Memorial several times, it is on a placard, prominently placed for all to understand why it is imperative that we stand up for those being villifed, even if it ISNT us.

    It is no coincidence that the Anti Defamation League has expressed great concern over the growing dehumanization of Hispanics. I have experienced neighborhood issues, just because I now live in a more rural area, it doesn’t mean I don’t understand ,for most of my life I have lived in more urban areas.

    First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a communist;
    Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist;
    Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist;
    Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew;
    Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak out for me.

  13. Moon-howler

    Actually, Manassas is famous for the Bobbitts.

    I have had confirmation that the reporter was present at the film on Friday night. He and I just had very different interpretations. I still think I must have seen a different version.

  14. Moon-howler

    I remembered the article, just not who had given it to us. Now I remember. Alanna referenced it in the movie didn’t she? re: I-talians?

  15. Moon-howler

    For Emma: I trot this out every so often. I got it from my dear friend Roger, a brit, who does not think highly of all this goings on.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bV9tPXvwLc

  16. Gainesville Resident

    Moon-howler :
    Actually, Manassas is famous for the Bobbitts.
    I have had confirmation that the reporter was present at the film on Friday night. He and I just had very different interpretations. I still think I must have seen a different version.

    Indeed, someone maybe just a year ago mentioned the Bobbits to me when I mentioned I’m from Manassas. What an embarrassment that continues to be. At the time I heard all manner of jokes about that – it seemed wherever I went in my travels and wrote my address down – like when I reigstered at a hotel – all I heard about was the Bobbits! Indeed, if anything Manassas is infamous for – that’s the thing!

  17. Gainesville Resident

    Moon-howler :
    For Emma: I trot this out every so often. I got it from my dear friend Roger, a brit, who does not think highly of all this goings on.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bV9tPXvwLc

    Funny video – and of course I know of your friend Roger – looks like just the kind of video he’d send!

  18. Moon-howler

    GR, Roger is beyond not being PC. Different standards there I suppose.

  19. Gainesville Resident

    @Moon-howler
    Yes, must be a Brit thing. Indeed, Roger is most definitely “not PC” – at least by American standards!

  20. Gainesville Resident

    So does that video imply the Brits are going to invade us – that seemed to be what the end of it was showing. They were sailing west anyway!

  21. Rick Bentley

    Maybe if we feed the deer and provide them safe harbor they will go away? Oh wait that’s not logical. The approach is only to be taken with illegal immigration.

  22. Moon-howler

    GR, I suppose history does repeat itself. 😉

  23. Moon-howler

    Rick, You are obsessing.

    Furthermore, we have taken the deer’s lands. What we do is grab our nearest AK-47 and go gun them down!!

  24. Witness Too

    Speaking of taking lands, what do we think about the US Senate voting to apologize to Native Americans?

    1. Moon-howler

      Tell more. I had not heard that, Witness.

  25. Slowpoke Rodriguez

    Witness Too :
    Speaking of taking lands, what do we think about the US Senate voting to apologize to Native Americans?

    Yep….that should fix it! Everything will be cool after an apology!

  26. Emma

    “I was being sarcastic Emma. Sorry if was too obtuse for you”

    Wow, that’s some skillful backpedaling. You throw out an ethnic slur and then blame me for misinterpreting it. I get that Italians are fair game, which might explain why you didn’t choose instead a notorious slur against the Jews you cited. Maybe you yoursef have some unexplored prejudices?

  27. GainesvilleResident

    Slowpoke Rodriguez :

    Witness Too :
    Speaking of taking lands, what do we think about the US Senate voting to apologize to Native Americans?

    Yep….that should fix it! Everything will be cool after an apology!

    I guess if an apology makes them happy – that’s great! Doesn’t seem like much though to make up for it.

  28. Opinion

    The number of comments on this blog editorial made me wonder… what is the “record” for comments on a blog editorial?

  29. @Elena
    AMEN!

    Incidentally, it’s absurd to put forth the argument that, “I am more sensitive about war than you are because you talk about it more often than I like and I don’t like what you say.” That’s the argument being put forth. “Don’t talk about it because then it’s talked about too much and no one will talk about it.” But if it’s not talked about, it becomes taboo, and then how are we suppose to analyze anything? It’s not like we are putting this on MSM and beating it to death like what happened with the Michael Jackson story. The whole point is to have a discussion! Yet when we try to have a discussion and it happens to involve things like war, some of us get all offended because we think others have no right to participate or initiate the discussion! Talk about shutting down communication.

    People, let’s not assume we know how others feel all the time or why they bring up the things they do. It’s really okay to say, “I don’t understand why s/he wants to talk about that” and admit there just MIGHT be a valid reason. Weren’t we all expected to do the same when people complained about their neighborhoods, even when they did it in such a way that might have offended us? The point is….there was a problem.

    Anyway, I’m sick of addressing GR’s personal problem with me that he can’t get over. I find it ironic you can have a personal problem with someone who doesn’t even know your name or whom you have never met, but whatever.

    GR, since you can’t even be bothered to read about my own connection to war (which apparently will be inferior to your own no matter what it is), then I have nothing to say to you.

    On to better things…and a shorter thread. WOW! I think this MIGHT be a comment-record for this blog!

  30. Incidentally, I’m half A-rab and Eye-talian. Maybe that’s my problem, huh?

  31. Elena

    Emma,
    Get a life and talk about the real subject at hand. The villification of a specific immigrant ethnic group, whether it’s the italians, poles, irish, jews, german, take your pick, all these groups have suffered under the same dehumanization tactics.

    You know full well I was being facetious. Here is the definition in case you need a reminder:

    Use facetious in a Sentence

    –adjective 1. not meant to be taken seriously or literally: a facetious remark.
    -joking or trying to be jocular, esp. at an inappropriate time

  32. Moon-howler

    Emma, let me be very blunt here: You don’t know when to back off. Elena explained her reference to ‘I-talian’ more than adequately. Those of us who had recently seen 9500 Liberty had just heard it quoted, it has been posted here.

    Furthermore, saying ‘I-talian’ or ‘A-rab’ is not an ethnic slur, it is just a sign of ignorance, or more accurately, non-exposure. Its sort of like calling all Asians ‘Chinese’ or all Latinos ‘Mexicans.’

    Any further nastiness towards Elena will be seen as harrassment and will result in time out. Its just getting old.

    Try real discussion rather than bear baiting. Actually you would have friends here, even those with whom you disagree. However, you choose to go into nasty mode and just come out looking like a jerk. I can’t tell you how many times I have kicked myself for letting down my guard. Not to quote your favorite person, but I am willing to extend my hand if you are willing to unclench your fist. So are many others.

  33. Moon-howler

    Opinion, I have no idea but this has to be a near record!!! I was in and out yesterday, Every time I came back in to look at the blog I kept thinking the counter was way off. It wasn’t off. I will ask Alanna to look at the logs. They might tell.

    It must have been the holiday and the topic combined.

  34. I was away for the weekend and missed the film — it’s been interesting wading through these 330+ comments. Kind of like being inside a pinball machine!

    Uriah Kiser, the News & Messenger reporter who was at the film is one of several local reporters/writers who post on Twitter. I encourage anyone who wants to, to follow him. He seems pretty open and honest about where he’s been or where he’s headed.

    I really appreciate all Alanna, Elena and Anti-BVBL have done, and continue to do, to stand up to hate. That shows through in the final film. Would you stand up, using your real name, and take the abuse they have?

    I also appreciate the admins allowing me to post about neighborhood solutions. In fact, there’s a Neighborhood Leaders Group meeting tonight from 7 to 8:30 pm in the McCoart Building’s Occoquan Room. Everyone is welcome!

    Moon – I think it’s the holiday, the topic, and the need to continue healing.

  35. GainesvilleResident

    And at least I don’t stoop to name calling people I disagree with. There is a way to debate people without hurling stupid names at them like someone who is in grade school.

  36. GainesvilleResident

    @Posting As Pinko
    And stop putting words in my mouth! I did not say “I’m more sensitive about the war than you are because you talk more about it than i’d like”.

    I NEVER EVER SAID THAT. But it is OK to tell lies on here and distort what other people say to win your argument. You’ve done it before – deliberately misquoting me. You never learn – this is how the whole thing started when you put some filthy disgusting words in my mouth to “prove” I was a racist. Typical. Go back and read what I wrote – and stop intentionally misquoting me. And at least i don’t stoop to name calling.

  37. GainesvilleResident

    And also I never said your war experience is less than mine, whatever that even means. I never said I had a war experience. It’s sure amazing how I allegedly say all these things you claim I said, including way back at the beginning you claimed I said a very insulted racial stereotype when you reworded one of my first posts on this blog to prove your point that I was a racist. Nice. Maybe I’ll start putting some words in your mouth to prove some ridiculous point.

  38. GainesvilleResident

    At least I’ve never reworded someone’s post to contain the word cockroaches when they never referred to people as such! That should sum up this whole conversation neatly.

  39. GainesvilleResident

    MH – leave comment that is in moderation there – no use in continuing this conversation – and what I said in that comment doesn’t need to come out of moderation.

  40. Mando

    This is great. 300+ posts because the MJM took a “controversial” stance on the publicity vultures. Thanks for the chuckle.

    Somebody better set the MJM straight.

  41. Elena

    Thank you Cindy, your kind words have come at a good time. 🙂

  42. Witness Too

    Astonishing. In nearly 350 comments, not one person, even anonymously will defend Corey Stewart’s actions as Chairman of the Price William County Board of Supervisors. Not one person.

    I did sense a desire to defend him in some of the comments, but this could only express itself in attacking citizens of the county such as the blog admin’s or the filmmakers.

    What does that say about the loyalty of remaining Help Save Manassas members, or whoever it is that anonymously defends their agenda, and their relationship to an elected official, who, once upon a time, put everything on the line for them? If there is one thing we can say about Corey Stewart: he backed up Greg Letiecq and Help Save Manassas when they needed it most.

    And here we are, at a time when the Corey could use some back up, and all they can do is attack the people they attack every day with exactly the same foolish and petty accusations.

    Some are saying Corey betrayed the county. Perhaps. But it seems to me that Greg Leteicq and the stragglers remaining in his fold are betraying, or at least abandoning Corey.

    Don’t you realize, Greg Letiecq followers of the county, Corey Stewart attacked Chief Deane for you!

  43. Moon-howler

    Did Corey defend and help HSM or did HSM help out Corey? I will always believe that HSM helped Corey win an election. I think maybe you have it backwards, Witness.

    Who is the puppet and who is the puppeteer? That question was never answered was it?

  44. Moon-howler

    GR, I can’t even find the moderated comment.

    To everyone, I cannot find moderated comments like I used to be able to. It might just happen that if you go to spam or moderation, it will be a forever type thing. Sorry. I wish things were different…oh you don’t know how much I wish!

  45. Last Best Hope

    The “puppet or the puppeteer” is the quintessential question that will haunt this county until one man, or the other comes clean. Letiecq may yet do it, if he somehow blows a fuse and turns on Stewart, in the way that Glenn Beck turned on John McCain.

    But a more likely scenario would be that Stewart comes clean, one day years from now after leaving office and says, “It was Greg. Greg made me attack Chief Deane. Greg made me share those emails. I knew it was political suicide, but I felt at that moment that I had no choice, because defying Greg would have come at an even greater political or even personal cost.”

    For all the talk of healing and reconciliation that, really, did NOT BEGIN to happen last Friday night, words such as these from our Chairman, capped off with a sincere apology both to Chief Deane and to the county, would be the a momentous step toward healing, and a rebirth for the county and its reputation. It may in fact be the most important act of courage left for Corey Stewart to perform for this county.

    It may sound far fetched, but I have a feeling my theory is correct. “Greg made me do it,” “I’m sorry,” and “I regret it to this day” are probably the words on Corey Stewart most wants to say to us.

  46. Lafayette

    LBH,
    Far fetched-lol

    I don’t think we’ll ever know the truth to the quintessential question as you put it so well. I’ve always liked the “puppet and puppeter” analogy best of all. Honestly, I think both played both roles, depending on who needed who/what. There’s no doubt in my mind they both needed one another at various times. Therefore, I think the roles of puppet and puppeteer reversed from time to time. Of course, this is just my opinion.

    I agree completely the healing and reconciliation did NOT begin last Friday night. I don’t know that will ever happen.

  47. Emma

    I hear you, Moon. It sucks to get picked apart over a benign comment, and then be accused of “backpedaling” when you try to clarify. As you well know, I should know.

    I believe I made my point, and shall move forward.

  48. Emma

    Incidentally, I have had very compelling reasons for completely changing my opinion over the last couple of months about the Chief and his actions. I will say here without reservation that protecting and standing by his officers are his first priority.

    Sometimes you just have to see these things for yourself.

  49. Lafayette

    Emma, your last statement is interesting. Would you care to elaborate on your opinion changing? I respect your not wanting to, but I still thought I’d ask none the less.

    I saw your note to me yesterday, and appreciate it.

  50. Witness Too

    Emma, I missed it. Do you support Chief Deane now? Does that mean you think Corey and Greg were wrong to accuse him of treason? If so, I commend you. But I don’t want to put words in your mouth.

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