Alaska drilling and Mr. Environment, Jared Huffman, is quiet as a church mouse — mindless tribal politics at its worst

Sherman R. Frederick/Properly Subversive

I’ve drawn your attention to this previously, but I need to do it again not only for my own peace of mind, but because it exemplifies an ugly flaw in modern politics – mindless tribalism. 

Marin’s representative to Congress is a progressive environmentalist. A hail fellow well met by all accounts. He’s forever telling us how he works so very, very  hard to protect the planet. 

But, when the president in his own party betrays that core value, he’s quiet as a church mouse. Mum’s the word. Nothing to say. 

Of course, I’m talking about Jared Huffman. Last month President Joe Biden approved oil drilling in an untapped area of Alaska. At a town hall in San Rafael, Rep. Huffman didn’t mention it. And weeks have passed, with our brave environmental congressman maintaining radio silence on the issue. 

If this were a Republican president drilling in Alaska, do you think Rep. Huffman would have nothing to say? No pushback? Of course not. 

My point is there are so few true bells out there anymore. Bernie Sanders, maybe. Rand Paul, on the other end of the spectrum. 

Kinda sad, don’t you think?

APRIL 1

April Fool’s day came and went. I thought for sure that was when the powers that be in San Rafael would reveal the results of their “thorough” investigation into the beating of a day-worker drinking beer in a parking lot in July 2022. 

If you’ve seen the video, then you know it was a BS assault by police. Yet, the City of San Rafael, the DA’s office and the police department have yet to release their findings. 

Now look, I know this is going to be filed in the folder labeled “No One Asked Me,”  but the community needs closure. I think that means the SFPD cops who participated in this need official discipline. Firing seems too harsh to me, but I can see that some will advocate for it because they are still sore about George Floyd. It would be a big mistake to conflate what happened with George Floyd with what happened in San Rafael. 

And, of course, the attorney representing the day worker will want a wheelbarrow full of money for himself … and his client. Par for the course.

Time to get on with this, San Rafael.

MARIN RENT

This social media post last week caught my attention. This guy wants to live in Marin (who doesn’t?) but can’t find rent he can afford. He says:

“I’ve been looking for somewhere to move due to my living situation changing and I’ve always wanted to live in Marin but it would seem the entire Bay Area has a lack of anything under $3k/mo (who can afford that???) and my budget wouldn’t realistically make sense over $2100-$2200 not including utilities of course.”

911 RECORDING?

Jolie in NextDoor reports this encounter with a deer and our Marin 911 line: 

“Well a deer got me on 101 just before the marinwood exit. It was so scary and my car was totaled. I couldn’t believe it. This thing lunged onto my car (as I was) going 65 on the freeway. It was very scary to think someone could have wiped me out on the freeway waiting for help. The crazy thing is when it happened I immediately called 911 and you know what ? No answer. It was a recording. Then I thought wow maybe I’m just messed up from this deer, so I called again and the same thing. That is crazy. They are short staffed, the patrol guy told me. Well I just thought I would share. Be careful driving in those parts.”

NO DISCUSSION

How closed minded can some people be? I asked myself after reading this social media post from a person who thinks she knows so much about EMFs (electrical, magnetic and wireless radiation) that the discussion about it must be closed. 

Says the lady from San Geronimo in her post: “I have closed the discussion for now as it took me 1 1/2. hrs to weed thru all the comments. If you are interested in coming to an evening presentation you can message me directly. I am NOT interested in debating and being challenged, this is simply a gift to my beloved community and there will be no charge. I would ask that you respect the sincerity and honesty of my offer and not make this a battle ground. Thank you. I studied with one of the leading EMF Electrical engineers in the US and have my degrees in Environmental and Biological Sciences from Canada.”

If you have an opposing viewpoint, you are a “weed.” If you challenge her, you’d be wrong because, as she points out, she has a degree from Canada. 

ONE MORE THING

– Despite all our accomplishments, we owe our existence to six inches of topsoil and the fact it rains.

– The bishop visited our church last Sunday. But I don’t think he’s a real bishop. I never once saw him move diagonally. 

– I got my wife to help me put some posts in the ground for our new fence. I got her a new hammer and said “When I nod my head, hit it.” Don’t remember much after that. 

Thanks for reading Marin’s favorite newspaper. Until next week, avoid soreheads, laugh a little and always question authority. And, don’t forget you can read us everyday at MarinLocalNews.com.

(“Properly Subversive” is a commentary written by Sherman R. Frederick for Marinscope Community Newspapers, the “mother ship” of the Novato Advance, San Rafael News-Pointer, Mill Valley Herald, Ross Valley Reporter, Twin City Times and the Sausalito Marin Scope. Mr. Frederick is an award-winning journalist and co-founder of Battle Born Media, a news organization dedicated to the preservation of community newspapers. You can reach him by email at shermfrederick@gmail.com.)