After you read about our showdown, boxing showdown - a story that has gone viral and has gone all over the world (from Ukraine to New Zealand to Pakistan to Romania), I want you to watch the video below. I realized that the reader has no sense of who are adversary is. When you read the showdown post, I mention a matriarch council member who has no sympathy for our boxing program. In fact, at the ribbon cutting ceremony at the transit center, she told the boxers that "we're lucky to have boxing" because "boxing is just entertainment." Yet, she doesn't cut the aquatics program because her kids went through it. I just have to say - running a city isn't just about your kids. It's also about the children of others.
Boxing is not entertainment. It transforms lives. It gives hope to the youth - that they could be somebody. Not everyone will become a professional fighter, but everyone leaves a better person - more disciplined and more controlled.
What I realize though is that people don't know the nature of our adversary. Therefore, I have to show you.
I found this youtube video. Let me give you some context. The citizens showed up for a Town Hall meeting. But at the last minute, the majority faction cancelled it. The town's people stayed and wanted to talk about a local issue. When the matron councillor, Marlen found out, she demanded that people leave. The main line she says in the video is: "You have to listen to us." Us really means her.
Actually, people didn't, and they should've called the police on her. It would have been justified as she may have violated the Brown Act and violated the town's people's right to the First Amendment - the right to assemble. I mean it would be a good dose of her own medicine. After all, they did call the police on me and had me arrested (although just for a few minutes) because I told the HR manager Leticia Llara that I had First Amendment Rights. See the blog post here: The City Attacked Me!
What the director of the youtube video is saying, for my international and out of state audience, is that this woman violated the Brown Act. The Brown Act states that secret meetings amongst politicians can't happen, and that a voting majority cannot be present at a secret meeting.
Marlen allegedly violated the Brown Act when she entered the room because there were now three councillors present - a voting majority. Therefore, Susan Rubio stepped out because she was self-aware of the violation of law.
The Mayor, Marlen, and Mayor Pro Tem violated the Brown Act again when the people left the Town Hall room. What you don't see, is that after the town's people left, the Mayor, Mayor pro tem, and Councillor Marlen have their own private meeting. That's three - a majority vote. Furthermore - their constituency stayed, while the minority constituency was forced out.
Finally - she doesn't own that room or space. She disrupted the people's right to assemble to discuss a town issue on their hearts and mind - whether to go with the Sheriff or Police. She doesn't own this town. It's not her checkbook. And she doesn't get to decide to destroy our boxing program because she doesn't like it.
So - meet our opponent. Remember her words: "You have to listen to us." No, the boxers will not. We stand for the truth, for what's right, and what's fair.
Join the fight. Share this story. If you can volunteer, no matter where in the world you are, we can use you.
Updated on 8/11/2013:
On 8/10/2012 Marlen Garcia emailed me. She wrote, " . . .I'm not resigning . . ."
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