Letter: Intimidation and defacing campaign signage have no place in city politics

Posted: 5:32 am, October 7, 2022 by Letter To The Editor

To the editor,

– The recent attack on campaign signage against a candidate for Paso Robles school board is just the latest on people and institutions in our community who have a point of view that some people find “unacceptable.” These same people believe they can continue this behavior without consequence. The lack of leadership and silence of our current mayor is disturbing.

I have publicly outlined how the attack on the Tree of Life was an attack on all of us in Paso Robles. Now with this recent attack on a candidate for school board’s signage by defiling it with a swastika, we will soon learn if there will be any pushback from the current mayor. This was indeed an attack not just on this individual candidate but an attack on our elections process and all of the electorate.

The current mayor ignored the attack on the Tree of Life and was at the least “misleading” in an email exchange with me. He wrote that he had spoken to the Tree of Life after the incident, but would make no comment on the situation. In fact, I independently confirmed that he had never reached out to the Tree of Life. If we look at the actions, or lack thereof, by the current mayor on a whole host of issues it’s very apparent we have weak and feckless leadership.

My wife and I have witnessed this firsthand with an attempt to intimidate me. At the recent Candidate forum at the Elks Lodge, we were approached by a local activist who said, in my wife’s presence, that she did not like what I had to say and that she was just trying to “help” me. She also asked what “kind” of Hispanic I was. I responded, “I am an American.” She (the activist) told me “she was a nice person but she knew not-so-nice people.” This veiled threat is just one of many examples of intimidation that has occurred in our community over the last several years.

Paso Roblans cannot tolerate these assaults on institutions and individual candidates, and people who participate in these assaults and intimidation tactics must be held accountable.

This cancer is growing in our city and must be stopped. The tactics of the Stasi (the official state security service of the German Democratic Republic from 1950 to 1990) used similar tactics to silence their political opponents both in Germany and a similar group in the then Soviet Union. I am not overstating this. The pattern is clear and must be stopped dead in its tracks.

The citizens of Paso Robles have an opportunity to beat back this metastasis of Cancer by using the best Vaccine available and that’s the “Light of day” which is why I am making this statement. We also have an opportunity in just over thirty days to elect people to office who will stand against these assaults and stand up for our city and Roblans. It’s up to you, the voters. I have taken my stand. My Name is Michael Rivera and I am running to be your mayor.

-Michael Rivera
Candidate for Paso Robles Mayor