The LuLac Edition #2076, June 2nd, 2012

Complacency, kind of nice, heyna? 

COMPLACENCY BREEDS HATE  

The recent election of a White Supremacist to a seat as a Pittston committeeman is very telling regarding local politics. Not enough people take part in the local process. If I had a dollar for every time I heard this from an otherwise responsible, educated person, “I only vote in Presidential elections, the other stuff like Governor and Borough Ciuncil….that doesn’t turn me on” I’d be writing this from my villa at Runaway Bay Jamaica instead of LuLac land. This election happened because the local party didn’t or couldn’t staff a field for that post. Write Ins are a given because there is no opposition. It is a reflection of the decline of party politics in this area as well as voter apathy. I received this e mail from Casey Evans this morning on the subject. Here are his thoughts:  Much news has been made today regarding the election of Steve Smith to the Luzerne County Republican Committee. Committee members can be influential in local politics, and you can quickly rise up the ranks to sit on an Executive Committee of either party, which frequently can put you in the same room with State Senators and Representatives, District Attorneys, local Mayors, party nominees, movers and shakers, even members of Congress. Steve's Smith's expedited path to access Republican officials is quite disturbing. However, it is really not the fault of the Republican Committee that he was elected. Without a candidate listed on the ballot who had gone through the petition process, write in candidates for committee offices only need a minimal amount of support to win. He got three votes: Steve Smith obviously does not represent the Luzerne County Republican Party in any way, shape, or form. I'm sure we have all read Steve Smith's letters to the editor in local papers, filled with pure hate, against anyone who doesn't fit into his world view. In fact, I find find his views abhorrent on a very deep and personal level. As far as I can tell, I don't believe there is a mechanism for removing a committee person from either party from their position, as they were voted on by the public and those results certified by the election board. However, there are ways to minimize him over the course of his term, so that his election will have a negligible impact. We sincerely hope that the Republicans find a way to quarantine any political ambitions Steve Smith may have. No white supremacist should be anywhere near the inner workings of any party in Luzerne County. The Democrats have no intention to bring Steve Smith up again because, frankly, his election isn't merely a political embarrassment for the Republicans, it's an embarrassment for the entire county. Speaking about Steve Smith not only distracts us from real issues, it legitimizes him and gives him more attention (something I'm sure he craves), and frankly he is making other Republican committee persons across Luzerne County who work hard and care about their country and their communities look bad. We would rather speak on jobs and the economy, social justice and equal rights, and an America where everyone has a fair shot to succeed. So, don't give Steve Smith what he wants: this will be our first, last, and only word on the subject. Casey Evans  Spokesperson for the Luzerne County Democratic Committee. Chairman, 2nd District   Evans’ point about not giving the individual who won the post the attention he deserves is right on. But we should remember one thing. For as distasteful as this man’s politics and views are, he is not the threat. No one will embrace his philosophy openly or endorse it. The threat are the people who think like he does and covertly put his views into a quiet deadly action. This elected committeeman is a circus act. We, as a community should keep our eyes on those who will stick the knife in silently and then sit in the front pew on Sunday morning. This election happened because complacency set in. That cannot happen in a local electoral process. If the apathy continues, we’ll have worse problems to deal with than the elected committeeman and we won’t know where they came from. The beauty of a guy like him is you can see him coming. There are others we won’t see until its too late. 

We received a word from another young politico, this time from the Republican side of the aisle. Here's his statement: As the son of Cuban exiles and a Catholic, I am saddened and disgusted with the election of Steve Smith to a committee member position in Luzerne County. For the uninformed, Steve Smith is a former director of the Keystone State Skinheads – a racist neo-Nazi group. In 2003, he and two other members of his group pleaded guilty to assault and ethnic intimidation for beating a black man. This truly is a terrible stain and an embarrassment on our county and our party. Militant nationalism, fascism, xenophobia, homophobia, and anti-Semitism are some of the things that the Steve Smith and the Keystone Skinheads stand for; we have no room in this county for those ideologies. Having this person represent our party is disrespectful not only to victims of racism and discrimination, but also to our armed forces whose sacrifices protect all of the rights that Steve Smith and his vile group of thugs try to undermine. I ask the Republican Party of Luzerne County and fellow committee members to unite and call for Smith Smith to resign his membership representing Pittston City Ward 04, I also ask the voters of Pittston to echo my call for Steve Smith to resign. The Republican Party has no room for people like Steve Smith. 

Alex Milanes  Member of the Republican County Committee Representing Wilkes-Barre Township Ward 01