County GOP's politicizing of fair is wrong, inappropriate
Is the GOP about to RIP in Bonner County and Idaho?
If it is headed that way, it is definitely a case of death by self-inflicted wound.
Idaho’s Republican party has taken such a sharp right recently that it threatens to toss overboard the vast majority of its followers in the most Republican of Republican states.
To wit:
The local Republican Central Committee has a problem with this year’s Bonner County Fair theme: Fiesta!
The county fair, which usually limits its politics to a booth on the left of the entrance for the Democrats and the right for the GOP, has now become Idaho’s Ground Zero for … Arizona’s immigration reform push.
In a June 29 letter to Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, Bonner County Commission Chairman Cornel Rasor fashioned the GOP’s version of a Declaration of Independence that said the local Republicans will be at the fair but will not darken their booth with the term “fiesta!”
“At the June meeting of the Bonner County Republican Central Committee of Bonner County, Idaho, the membership voted to affirm your new law on illegal immigration and to make a statement at the Bonner County Fair by displaying evidence of our support,” he wrote.
“The theme of this year’s fair is the Spanish word for “celebration:” “fiesta.”
“The Republicans at the BCRCC want to make it very clear that English is our primary language, and call our booths “Celebrate!” and display some Arizona license plates if you have some to spare. Please let us know where we might obtain a few.”
The politicizing of the fair this way is wrong on so many levels.
A few people I have spoken with are planning on showing up at the GOP fair booth wearing sombreros.
County commissioner Lewie Rich, who is assigned to the Fair Board but is not a voting member, said there were no political overtones at the meeting when the Fair Board voted on the fiesta theme.
He also isn’t very happy that his GOP brethren decided to bring Arizona politics to a small North Idaho fair.
“It’s a crock,” he said. “I have used the term fiesta and Cinco de Mayo for years as has most people. There is no reason we should bring this kind of politics to our fair.”
While I don’t like politicizing the fair this way either, I am equally worried about what the GOP party leaders are really trying to say.
I get the part about not wanting illegal aliens — especially along border states. Once the border is more secure there needs to be a bipartisan approach for those living illegally in this country to either leave or earn citizenship.
Like it or not, Spanish is one of many languages spoken in the United States. Last time I checked, it is spoken by people who are here legally and illegally and it might even be taught in our high schools.
It is my hope that our local GOP party leaders aren’t as racist as this action makes them seem and will jump off this bandwagon before they are thrown off.
You might have thought that the GOP Central Committee would have been up in arms and looking out for our best interests in 1993 when the fair theme clearly advocated extra-marital activities when it was called “A blue ribbon affair.” I am pretty sure the theme “Summer Safari” in 1996 also had political overtones aimed at Africans and I really wonder how “Barnyard Jubilee” snuck through back in 1993 when one can only imagine what all of those animals were doing in a jubilee.
The statewide GOP hasn’t been a beacon of light lately either.
Starting this year, Idaho Republican candidates running in local, state and national races will have to sign a loyalty oath that certifies they will serve according to the principles of the party platform. If they disagree with any of the ideals of the platform, they must send the party chairman a list of which planks they disagree and why they feel that way.
The party chairman would then publish a list of candidates with a note about whether they agreed with the platform or not.
The loyalty pledge also forces candidates to disclose whether they are card-carrying members of another party or if they are associated with any other candidate.
Statewide, Republicans also don’t like the idea of the pesky 17th Amendment to the Constitution. At the recent state convention, these solons voted to support an effort to take away citizens’ rights to vote for their U.S. senators and move that right back to the state legislators instead.
The thought is that with state leaders electing our senators, the senators would be more accountable to the state legislators and that would stop runaway spending, etc.
I am not making this up. Unfortunately.
Ben Stein, the writer, actor and famous voice from “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” was reading the Daily Bee Tuesday through our rack in front of the office.
Our graphic designer, Stan, offered to buy our part-time resident a paper. Stein said he would throw down the 75 cents later.
Stein has a soft spot for Sandpoint and North Idaho and has written essays and had a CBS Sunday Morning commentary about the special place we all know and love. Welcome home.
E-mail of the week:
A True Southern Gal…
A woman from the most southern part of South Carolina goes into the local newspaper office to see that the obituary for her recently deceased husband is written. The obituary editor informs her that the fee for the obituary is a dollar per word. She pauses, reflects and then says, “Well, then, just let it read, ‘Billy Bob died.’ ”
Amused at the woman’s thrift, the editor says, “Sorry ma’am there is a seven word minimum on all obituaries.” A little flustered, she thinks things over and replies, “In that case, let it read,
‘Billy Bob died — red truck for sale’.
n David Keyes is publisher of the Daily Bee. His column runs weekly. He can be reached at dkeyes@bonnercountydailybee.com or by stopping by the Bee at 310 Church St.