DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER

        The views, opinions, and commentary expressed in the Badger Flats Gazette are solely those of Gene Forte and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Badger Flats, LLC.  Forte is currently a plaintiff in the case of Forte vs. Monterey Herald, et al., Case No. C06-03948-JW,  Forte v. Lichtenegger, M70711 & M58208.  Back Issues are available for $10.00 plus postage by calling  (209) 829-1116, or write P.O. Box 989, Los Banos, CA, 93635.  Copyright 2009 The Badger Flats Gazette.  All rights reserved.  Material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without written permission.                

 

 

 

 Badger Flats Gazette  

Monday, August 03, 2009

 

Mr. Jon Grissom

NAACP

P.O. Box 2278

Los Banos, CA  93635

 

Re:  Los Banos City Council Public Condemnation, Eugene Forte (Racist or Not), Mayor Tommy Jones playing the Race Card and losing as per tactics described in Stupid Black Men by Larry Elder, Use Same Justice Scale, Good for Goose, Good for Gander

 

Dear Mr. Grissom:

 

I write this letter to request the NAACP bring resolution, and fairness, to a very troubling matter for myself and family in that I am being publicly ostracized from the community at large by an African American, Mr. Corey Pride, of the Los Banos Enterprise who is reporting that I am a “known racist” (See enclosed Exhibit 1 which are excerpts from OurLosBanos.com.)

 

In tandem with Pride, another African American, Mayor Tommy Jones, told Mr. Clinton E, Galloway, a fellow African American, that he (Jones) knew for a fact that I am a dangerous member of the Ku Klux Klan.   (See Exhibit 2 which is a declaration by Mr. Galloway testifying to such.)  I am not a racist nor have I ever been a member of the Ku Klux Klan.

               

Los Banos Councilman Manuel Tom Faria informed Los Banos citizens at the council meeting on July 15, 2009, (see Exhibit 13, video clip #4 and clip #5), that representatives of the NAACP had contacted him and affirmed that he was on the right track in seeking public condemnation for my using the “N” word at the city council meeting of June 3rd, 2009.

 

 Gene Lieb, editor of the Los Banos Enterprise in his commentary of June 5, 2009 (see Exhibit 3) demanded a public apology for my alleged racist remark while misleading readers as to how I used the “N” word, or that I proclaimed I was a member of a black family.   Lieb omitted material facts that if known to the reader would indicate that I am not a racist, i.e., my saying that I was a black man in a previous life, etc..  The video of June 3, 2009 is enclosed as Exhibit 13, video clip #1.  It was at this same city council meeting that I passed out a truncated version of the Badger Flats Gazette edition, V is for Recall with the article, “Angel Whispers” in it.  This article told the story of one of my closest and dearest friends that considered me a “brother,” Dr. Carl Galloway, an African American who passed away in my arms in April of 2008.  See Exhibit 4, “Angel Whispers.”

 

There is a history between Mayor Jones and I that needs to be visited.  I assert that it shows Jones’ propensity for throwing the race card at me for my reporting his activities to the public in the Badger Flats Gazette.

 

In November 2006, after Mayor Jones was elected, I wrote an article in the Badger Flats Gazette’s edition, Five Card Badger, discussing his being arrested for crack cocaine in 1999.  See Exhibit 5, article from Five Card Badger.  I advised Jones in such edition not to play the race card and presented pictures of my wedding party showing Clinton Galloway as my best man.  A copy of the magazine was delivered to Los Banos City Attorney William Vaughn for Mayor Jones. 

 

Shortly thereafter in May 2007, Jones told Mr. Clinton Galloway, and myself that he (Jones) knew for a fact that I was a member of the Ku Klux Klan and dangerous.   Mr. Galloway was the best man at my wedding to my Chinese wife 20 years ago (See Exhibit 6, excerpt of p. 27 from Five Card Badger).  I have stated publicly that he and the other Galloway brothers are closer to me than my own Italian/Portuguese brothers. (See Exhibit 13, video clip #3 from June 17, 2009)

 

I then gave Jones the opportunity to make a public apology and in return I would not sue him (See Exhibit 7, letter).  Jones did not respond to my request and thereafter I sued him in his private capacity and not as Mayor of Los Banos for slander and defamation.

 

Pride later reported allegations of “Racism, embezzlement” (see Exhibit 8, article) focusing upon Councilman Faria being accused of not wanting the community center to go forward so that the “guy in the middle would not get credit for it”.  Councilman Faria sought a Temporary Restraining Order against Mr. Frank Stone, father to councilwoman, Elizabeth Stone.  Pride reported that Faria said Stone was angry at him for exposing the undisclosed loans of Jones to the FPPC.

 

Faria did not expose the loans, the Badger Flats Gazette did in the edition, The Ball Game.  See Exhibit 9, an excerpt from “The Ball Game.”  In fact, Faria had said that he was not going to expose them because he did not want to be called a racist by Jones and Jones’ supporters.  Pride made no mention in the article about my lawsuit against Jones for saying that I was member of the KKK.

 

After Jones had ex-police Chief Gallagher force me from the city council public podium almost three minutes short of my allotted five minutes time and threatened with arrest while reading Jones’ answer to the certified Recall of 2008 for Jones breaking FPPC disclosure laws (See Exhibit 10, Badger Flats Gazette edition, V is for Recall), I amended the complaint.  Corey Pride and the LBE have not reported upon the lawsuit of Forte vs. Jones to the public.

 

I am requesting the NAACP to issue an official written statement finding that after review of the video of my speech, my previous writings about African Americans, (see Exhibit 11, the article “A Cookie Crumbles” from the Badger Flats Gazette edition, Silence is Golden) and my 40 year relationship with the Galloway family that I am not a racist………….and nothing in my speech of June 3rd, 2009, including using the “N” word to describe what my black brothers and I would say in street talk what Tommy Jones is for lying against another black man, would be considered a racist remark coming from me in the context it was used.

 

I am requesting the NAACP issue a letter of reprimand to Jones for spreading such a vicious racist rumor and remind him of his high public duty as a public official not to throw the race card at a citizen (me) for reporting on his arrest for crack cocaine and exposing his undisclosed loans that broke FPPC rules.

 

Jones threw the Race Card at me, and lost, as described in the book Stupid Black Men by Larry Elder, to divert attention away from his malfeasance.   You will find enclosed the video of the City Hall meetings in question.  The video also includes Corey Pride’s assault upon me.  See Exhibit 13, video clip #2.

 

I am hoping that the NAACP will stand up for my rights, a white colored person that has stood up for the rights of black people his entire life.  It would be inordinately unfair to allow the relationship between me and the Galloway family, which is the epitome of what a white and black relationship should be, to be attacked and tarnished by Jones and Pride. 

 

Clinton Galloway has told me that even though he may have not said what I said in public at the city council meeting, he agrees and affirms that we, the Galloway brothers plus one, have discussed and agreed about it amongst ourselves just like I said.   Some may think it crass..….it is their choice……but no one can seriously say that it was a RACIST COMMENT IN THE CONTEXT IT WAS USED.

 

It is shameful that a man such as me, whose family has been raised to be color blind, should be painted any other way by his ruthless adversaries that are calling racist motives into question when, in my case, it is absolutely incorrect and false.  It is a slandering of me.

 

At present Mr. Grissom, you and the NAACP are taking a strong position concerning the alleged racist laced emails of Atwater Councilman Frago and demanding his resignation (see Exhibit 12, articles by Lamb of the Merced Sun Star).

 

I am hoping that in fairness, the NAACP will take as strong a position in demanding that Jones also be publicly chastised/scrutinized for saying that he knew for a fact that I was a dangerous member of the KKK when he should have known for a fact that I was not (due to the disclosures pointedly put to him in the Five Card Badger).  What is good for the goose is good for the gander. 

 

The NAACP, I believe in fairness and equity, has an obligation to me, again a white person, who has stood up for black rights before it was politically popular, to come to my aid and set the record straight that I am not a racist and that my comments were not racist.

 

With that said, I welcome a face to face meeting at my home, if you like, or at some mutually agreeable location.  Please let me know of any other information you may need to issue a written determination that I am not a racist according to the NAACP definition of what a racist is.  In fact, I am a defender of African Americans’ rights.

 

If I have not heard back from you within 10 days after receipt of this letter, I will accept that as positive affirmation by the NAACP that the NAACP does not consider anything said by me at the June 3rd, 2009 LB Council meeting, including the use of the “N” word in the context it was used, to evidence either racism or that I am a racist…..and that none of my writings in the Badger Flats Gazette are considered racist by the NAACP.

 

I also request that the NAACP issue an advisory warning letter to  Mayor Tommy Jones, or that he be publicly reprimanded, or demand that his resignation be tendered for such conduct of calling race into play against a citizen.  In other words, I request that the same scales of justice be applied to Mayor Jones as is being applied to Councilman Gary Frago by the NAACP.  Thank you.

               

 

Sincerely,

 

Gene Forte

 

 

 

 

Enclosures:  CD of Los Banos City Council Meetings, Badger Flats Gazette’s Five Card Badger, Silence is Golden ‘The Cookie Crumbles’, The Old Ball Game, V is for Recall, V is for Recall (Truncated edition ‘Angel Whispers’ distributed at July 1st, 2009 City Council Meeting)

 

 

 

Copies of letter provided, enclosures upon request:  Mayor Jones and the Los Banos City Council c/o Los Banos City Attorney, William Vaughn, Atwater City Attorney, Mr. Dennis Myers, Atwater Mayor Joan Faul, Atwater Councilmen Gary Frago, Joe Rivero, Jeff Rivero, Nelson Crabb, Los Banos Enterprise, Jonah Lamb/Merced Sun Star, DPS Agents, Maniord and Millspaugh.