AM 770 KTTH Opinion | Seattle's Leader of Conservative Talk Radio https://mynorthwest.com/category/ktth/ktth-opinion/ Seattle news, sports, weather, traffic, talk and community. Tue, 28 May 2024 12:48:37 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.3 Rantz: Poll says Washington state is in play for Trump, bad news for Biden, Ferguson https://mynorthwest.com/3960788/rantz-poll-washington-state-trump-biden-ferguson-reichert/ Mon, 27 May 2024 23:00:23 +0000 https://mynorthwest.com/?p=3960788 A new Cascade PBS/Elway poll shows Washington state is in play for former president Donald Trump. Even worse news for Democrats is the limp support for President Joe Biden, gubernatorial hopeful Bob Ferguson and incumbent Democrat Senator Maria Cantwell.

Despite being a deep blue state, Biden only has 42% support (31% certain, 11% inclined to support the president but could change their minds). Trump has 34% support (25% certain, 9% inclined to support the former president but could change their minds). With media coverage so positively skewed towards Biden and against Trump, both poll results are surprising for Washington voters.

With 13% of Washington state voters undecided, Trump theoretically has a shot at taking the state. Helping his cause are the third-party candidates Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Jill Stein and Cornell West, which earn 6% amongst them.

Even with favorable polling, a Trump win in Washington is still unlikely. However, the poll portends Biden and Democrat troubles this election season. 

More from Jason Rantz: Exclusive – Secretary of State says AG Bob Ferguson demanded he break law in vulgar tirade

What do Washington state voters care about the most?

The Cascade PBS/Elway poll offers plenty of warning signs for Democrats. 

Nearly 80% of respondents pay attention to government and politics (44% say regularly follow and 32% say they pay attention most of the week, but not every day). Yet only 35% believe this is the “most important election of my lifetime,” which suggests that Democrats’ insistence that abortion access and democracy itself is on the ballot is being dismissed.

According to the poll, the most important issue on the minds of voters is the economy (28%) and immigration (a soft 18%). Only 14% are motivated by Democracy at risk and 11% by the Biden vs. Trump rematch, again signaling the main Democrat talking point about the dangers of Trump is falling flat.

Only 7% of respondents cited foreign affairs as important (and only 2% listed Israel’s war against Hamas). But in a tight race, this could matter. Young voters who have ideologically aligned with anti-Israel extremists and Hamas terrorists may back a third-party candidate over Biden or not be motivated to vote at all.

While the poll framed voter issues through the presidential election, it’s hard to imagine Washington Democrats escaping the blame and Republicans earning some support. 

In poll, economy and illegal immigration hurt Democrats, but help Trump, Republicans in Washington

Criticisms of either the economy or illegal immigration lay at the feet of Democrats, who have complete control in Olympia, and Biden, whose administration has dictated policy direction. Both issues have consistently polled well for Trump and Republicans nationally.

Washington’s economy has been struggling thanks to job losses hitting tech and construction the highest.

At 4.8% in April, the state’s unemployment rate is at its highest since September 2021, post-COVID (4.7%), and is nearly a point higher than the national average (3.9%). 

The impacts of illegal immigration have also caught Washingtonian’s attention. 

With an influx of migrants seeking asylum in the Seattle area, holding parks hostage until they’re given housing, area residents have grown annoyed and concerned. Meanwhile, high-profile crimes allegedly committed by illegal immigrants, including the death of Washington State Patrol Trooper Christopher Gadd highlight the crisis.

More from Jason RantzBob Ferguson using ‘fake’ name in his run for Governor, misstated law to threaten opponent

The impact of initiatives

A trio of popular, voter-backed initiatives are on the ballot, bringing more enthusiasm to the election.

If approved, I-2117 (41% support vs. 31% opposed) would nix the burdensome and costly gas tax from Governor Jay Inslee’s signature cap and trade program. I-2019 ends the state’s new capital gains tax (47% vs. 36%). I-2124 ends the state’s lackluster long-term care insurance mandate (47% vs. 25%). While the three initiatives still have high undecided voters, it’s in good shape, especially since big money hasn’t dropped to promote them yet. 

The three initiatives, if approved, would reverse Democrats’ main policy agendas from the last two legislative sessions. Three other initiatives, all killing Democrat policies like the ban of police vehicular pursuits, were already reversed by the state legislature under pressure from the public and positive polling in their favor.

More from Jason Rantz: Progressive candidate upset he isn’t running unopposed, makes up candidate

Bob Ferguson is in trouble, Dave Reichert angling for an upset

If fewer voters are excited about the presidential election, with Biden voters clearly less enthusiastic than Trump supporters, it’s easy to see how Democrats can suffer across the ticket.

Despite statewide name recognition (or perhaps because of it), Attorney General Bob Ferguson only secures 33% of the respondent’s certain or likely support. His main Republican challenger, former congressman and King County Sheriff Dave Reichert pulls in 28%, and he’s not particularly well-known on the east side of the state. 

Ferguson has struggled early in the campaign due to far-left views behind Washingtonian’s concerns with the state’s direction.

Ferguson pushed for drug decriminalization, which has been responsible for the state’s record high fatal overdoses and the related homelessness and crime crises. He may be trying to rewrite history now, but usually, politicians have more respect for voters than to do it this close to his previous publicly-held positions. 

Poll doesn’t look good for Maria Cantwell, Dr. Raul Garcia holds steady

Incumbent Senator Maria Cantwell only pulls in 39% support, despite being in office since 2000. But most voters can’t name a single issue to define Cantwell’s career and she’s been almost entirely absent from the state except for when she runs for re-election. She does so few media appearances and speeches that she’s easily forgettable.

Dr. Raul Garcia, her Republican challenger and a relative newcomer, pulls in 30% of the vote.

Focused on the economy, public safety (particularly around drug addiction), and his personal story of he and his mother escaping Fidel Castro’s communist regime to become refugees benefiting from gaining asylum in the United States, Garcia’s campaign has been gaining traction.

With 30% of the voters still undecided, the Senate race is up for grabs.

Washington is still a blue state, despite positive-looking poll for Trump

There is no doubt that Washington is still a deeply blue state and Democrats will start to coalesce closer to November, despite the poll showing better than expected (and potential) support for Trump. But the polling is unusually soft for Democrat candidates and their issues and it’s unclear how many Democrat voters will vote third party or sit this election out. Why is that?

When one party has total control of the state legislature and most of the city’s largest and mid-size cities, voters can better understand who is to blame for their worries. Democrats branded themselves around defunding police, legalizing drugs, targeting businesses and shutting down our economy during COVID. Residents are not pleased.

Biden is deeply unpopular with even diehard anti-Trumpers conceding their lives were better under the former president. Plus, there’s a looming threat of third-party candidates who can pick up younger, activist voters who otherwise would be knocking on doors for the Democrat nominee. If they sit the activism out this time around, it will undoubtedly hurt Democrats.

This is a recipe for upsets in 2024.

Trump can take advantage, not necessarily by winning (though it’s possible, even if improbable), but by motivating unlikely voters to mail in their ballot — supporting the initiatives and down ticket Republican candidates. It’s also easy to see how Trump haters could skip voting “MAGA” for president, but understand we’re feeling the pains of one-party rule, choosing to vote for Reichert or Garcia, and giving Republicans a chance.

Listen to the Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3-6 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason on X, formerly known as TwitterInstagram, and  Facebook.

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Photo: Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump throws a "MAGA" hat during a...
Rantz: Wing Luke Museum staff stage walkout over fight against antisemitism https://mynorthwest.com/3961119/rantz-wing-luke-museum-staff-stage-walkout-over-fight-against-antisemitism/ Sun, 26 May 2024 22:11:26 +0000 https://mynorthwest.com/?p=3961119 Half the staff of the Wing Luke Museum in Seattle walked off the job because of an exhibit on antisemitism and hate — an exhibit they desperately needed to attend. Now, the museum is shuttered with no reopening date, and given their attempts to appease their Jew-hating staff, it should remain closed permanently.

The group of staff explained their walkout in a social media post, complaining that the exhibit “Confronting Hate Together” calls out antisemites who hide behind “anti-Zionism” to justify their hate.

Ironically, the staff did exactly what the exhibit condemns, even accusing Jews of engaging in white supremacy, despite Jews not being white.

“On university campuses, pro-Palestinian groups have voiced support for Hamas (which is classified as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government) and a Palestinian state stretching ‘from the river to the sea,’ a phrase defined by the erasure of Israel,” says a passage at the exhibit the antisemites dislike.

More from Jason Rantz: UW Seattle embraced the Nazi Youth as a new generation of hate group has formed

Antisemitic staff walkout over antisemitism exhibit at Seattle museum

The antisemitic staffers claimed they raised concerns about this exhibit in May. Online, they accuse Israel of “violent colonization and imperialism” and declare, “Zionism has no place in our communities.” Translation: “Jews have no place in our communities.”

“We love the Wing Luke Museum and are consistently honored to steward the stories of our community members, many of whom have experienced the destructive harm of white supremacy, genocide and violence that parallels the experience of Palestinians today,” the group posted in a statement. “Our solidarity with Palestine should be reflected in our AA/NHPI institutions. It sets a dangerous precedent of platforming colonial, white supremacist perspectives and goes against the Museum’s mission as a community-based museum advancing racial and social equity.”

They don’t explain which “white supremacist perspectives” were platformed, though they believe Jews are white, so any pro-Israel platform is white supremacist to them. They whine about “Zionist language” in the exhibit. Zionism is the belief that Jews should live on our ancestral land, Israel. Anti-Zionists don’t believe Israel should exist, an antisemitic position.

The group closed comments on its Instagram page to avoid criticism. Like in Gaza with Hamas in charge, you do not question the Jew-haters who declared themselves in charge.

Cowardly museum leadership bows to antisemitism

The antisemitic staffers have demands before they return to work.

Rather than sugarcoat their demands, “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH will translate them: they want language critical of “Palestinian liberation” (including Hamas terrorism) and supportive of Zionism removed; an acknowledgment that the section on antisemitism doesn’t include voices of antisemites justifying terrorism against Israel; a community panel with antisemites to review and edit the exhibit; and more antisemitic voices posturing as pro-Palestinian and anti-racist.

The cowards running the Wing Luke Museum have made some changes due to criticism from their antisemitic staff. But that wasn’t enough. Steve McLean, director of communications for the museum, told the Seattle Times, “Certainly adding voices that may even stand in contrast to some of the voices used in this exhibit, that would be something we are interested in pursuing.”

If the museum adds voices that “stand in contrast” to those featured in the exhibit, it no longer confronts hate. It perpetuates it.

Local media’s pathetic whitewashing of antisemitism

Local media coverage has been predictably pathetic in its whitewashing of the staff hatred.

The Seattle Times offered a story intended to normalize and amplify the hate, even attempting to defend the use of the phrase “from the river to the sea.” KING 5, which has platformed anti-Israel and antisemitic voices since October 7, offered a bare-bones explanation of the protest without any voices condemning the hate.

“The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH, in contrast, will offer the truth: the staff members who walked out are Jew-hating bigots who should be shunned by society. But in Seattle, antisemites are embraced.

More from Jason RantzUW Seattle gave barriers to Antifa to keep Jews out of Liberated Zone

The double standard when it comes to antisemitism

The museum’s leadership should fire the hateful staff but instead chose to engage them in dialogue.

Would they engage staffers who walked out of an exhibit calling out transphobia? No, of course not. They would never tolerate hate against the transgender community.

But hate against Jews, even when inspired by an exhibit meant to call out antisemitism? Wing Luke Museum invites the new Nazis to the table for a dialogue that convinces them to return to work, rather than be fired like how any reasonable employer would respond.

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3-7 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason on X, formerly known as TwitterInstagram and Facebook.

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Photo: The Wing Luke Museum....
Rantz Exclusive: Secretary of State says AG Bob Ferguson demanded he break law in vulgar tirade https://mynorthwest.com/3960734/rantz-exclusive-secretary-of-state-ag-bob-ferguson-demanded-he-break-law-vulgar-tirade/ Thu, 23 May 2024 02:28:49 +0000 https://mynorthwest.com/?p=3960734 Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said Attorney General Bob Ferguson unleashed an angry tirade on him, demanding he break the law and change the order of the ballot. The illegal move would have benefitted his own campaign. Ferguson’s demand, made in a phone call, came as he publicly claimed he was championing election integrity.

Ferguson was upset when two other people with the exact same name legally filed to run for governor. One Ferguson is from Yakima, and the other from Graham. Both insist they were running because they think they’d be better than the Attorney General at running the state.

“It was so stressful with the three Bobs and (Attorney General) Bob Ferguson yelling at me. Oh man, I was so mad,” Hobbs said. “It’s like, I just took it because it’s like, I get it, he’s upset.”

But then Hobbs said he was asked to break the law.

“And then he wanted me to reorder the ballot. I was like, ‘I can’t do it,'” Hobbs said.

The secretary of state said Ferguson responded: “Bull***t! You could push the envelope!”

“No, actually, I can’t do that,” Hobbs said he told Ferguson.

Hobbs’ retelling of the phone call was caught on an open mic. “The Jason Rantz Show on KTTH” has reviewed the audio and Hobbs, through a spokesperson, did not deny the veracity of the quotes.

UPDATE (5/23/24, 10:40 a.m.): On May 23, a spokesperson indicated he did not agree with my characterization that he did not deny the veracity of the quotes, arguing I didn’t offer the full exchange. I then provided the quotes outlined above – three times – and asked if he denied them. He again did not deny their veracity.

More from Jason Rantz: Bob Ferguson using ‘fake’ name in his run for Governor, misstated law to threaten opponent

Why did Bob Ferguson think he could get the Secretary of State to break the law?

Under the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 29A.36.131, the order of candidates appearing on the ballot is determined randomly. The Attorney General Bob Ferguson was not slated to appear first. Concurrently, Ferguson threatened the two other Fergusons, saying if they didn’t drop out of the race, they would face jail time.

The Ferguson campaign, in a statement to the Washington Standard, claimed that Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 434-215-060 allows Hobbs to rearrange the ballot if it would address potential voter confusion. Ferguson claims he would have sued to rearrange the ballot order and that “a judge in Thurston County” would agree with him. He didn’t name the judge.

But Ferguson is wrong on the law, a troubling fact given he’s the Washington state Attorney General. His attorney also made this demand in a letter to Hobbs.

Washington RCW always supersedes the WAC. Hobbs, sniping at Ferguson in an interview with the Washington State Standard, said that “It doesn’t take a first-year law student to know that.”

Consistent with the law, Hobbs reached out to the Ferguson candidates to explain that he would list their occupations next to their names on the ballot in order to mitigate any voter confusion.

More from Jason Rantz: Drama! Governor Jay Inslee slams Bob Ferguson’s ‘brain dead’ ferry plan

Attorney General Bob Ferguson went too far

Ferguson’s angry response to the situation is understandable. But his aggression and willful disregard for the law, insisting a state agency knowingly violate the law, is a step too far. His Democrat opponent, State Senator Mark Mullet, said this incident revealed the Attorney General’s true character.

“I thought the two ‘fake’ Bobs should have withdrawn. I’m glad they did withdraw. I think anything that’s confusing voters isn’t helping in the process. And to me, that was really important. But I was also shocked. I mean, shocked that our Attorney General basically emailed and instructed the Secretary of State to break the law to rearrange the ballot because the law is very clear that the Secretary of State should have listed their professions had the other Bobs not withdrawn,” Mullet told “The Jason Rantz Show on KTTH.”

Mullet, a moderate and pro-business and law enforcement Democrat alternative to Ferguson, argued that “asking somebody to break the law for your political advantage was pretty aggressive.”

“But to me, this highlights Bob Ferguson’s character, which is he’s going to do whatever is best for him to get elected,” Mullet said. “And that’s going to be his number one compass. And I think it does speak to his character. And I think it is important for voters to understand that’s how he’s going to operate because he’s already operating that way in trying to get into the office. It’ll just be more of the same that he’s actually in the office. And I think we need to have someone in the governor’s office whose focus isn’t on getting reelected, but is focused on doing what is right. Clearly, it wasn’t right to ask the Secretary of State to rearrange the ballot.”

‘This guy has a long history of doing things like this to people’

Conservative activist Glen Morgan helped the two other Fergusons navigate the filing process to run for governor. He also condemned Ferguson’s unprofessional behavior.

Ferguson argued that the “immediate knee-jerk reaction” of threatening jail time is indicative of a power-hungry politician willing to do anything to get into power. And, he claimed, this is a trend with Ferguson.

“This guy has a long history of doing things like this to people, whether it’s small restaurant owners, or flower shops, or you know, anything else, state workers, state ferry workers. This abusive default, to attack people, particularly people who don’t have the resources to defend themselves. That’s who you’re looking at as the guy running for governor right now. The worst possible tendency of anybody running for office is somebody who has a desire to abuse their position to attack their political enemies, and people who they think are too small, or they don’t have the power to fight back. And that’s exactly what’s been illustrated and exposed in this case.”

Ferguson did not respond to a request for comment.

Listen to the Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3-6 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason on X, formerly known as TwitterInstagram, and  Facebook.

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Bob Ferguson...
Rantz: It’s time to pull the plug on Bumbershoot Seattle after latest disaster lineup https://mynorthwest.com/3960710/rantz-bumbershoot-seattle-lineup-dead/ Wed, 22 May 2024 00:56:15 +0000 https://mynorthwest.com/?p=3960710 If all good things must come to an end, then mediocre ones are bound to die too. Enter the 2024 edition of the Bumbershoot Arts & Music Festival, a perfect example of a festival clinging to life when it should’ve bowed out gracefully. So, we’re left with no choice but to pull the plug after this year’s horrible lineup.

The recently revealed lineup is an embarrassment of deficiency; a mirror image of a struggling Seattle.

The struggling summer festival revealed its 2024 lineup and it’s hard to understand what they’re trying to do. Festival organizers managed to find one of the least impressive and most forgettable rock bands of the mid-’90s, Pavement, to be the main headliner. The rest of the lineup is, obviously, no better.

Rounding out the supposedly top tier talent? Cypress Hill (amusing rap group you forgot existed), James Blake (the guy who performed that one song that you can’t remember but you kind of remember his name), Marc Rebillet (who?), and Courtney Barnett (also, who?).

What happened to Bumbershoot Seattle lineup?

Once the pride of Seattle, Bumbershoot has struggled with mismanagement, exorbitant costs, and a devastating pandemic hiatus. Attempts at revival—like slashing ticket prices and reducing event days—have failed miserably.

AEG took over from One Reel, providing big names but was ultimately too costly for average fans to attend. Coupled with mismanagement and sky-high high production costs, it could not survive the COVID-19 pandemic, even if it was a mostly outdoor festival.

Ultimately, Bumbershoot took a three year hiatus only to return in 2023 with cheaper ticket prices, one fewer day, and little fan interest in headliners Sleater-Kinney, Fatboy Slim, and the Dandy Warhols. The hiatus should have been permanent.

More from Jason Rantz: Progressive candidate upset he isn’t running unopposed, makes up candidate

It’s time to let this music festival come to an end

There’s nothing redeeming about the 2024 lineup. The $70 single day pass, which is even lower than 2023’s discount, still seems too high based on the lineup.

I understand that insufferable elitist music critics may enjoy the lineup. Michael Rietmulder from The Seattle Times even called it a “knockout.” People like this revel in claiming to appreciate things most people don’t, thinking it makes them seem evolved and cultured. It doesn’t. They’re just blowhards.

The glory days of Bumbershoot was when you’d pay whatever the price happened to be for a single day because you’d spend that much on one or two of the headliners alone (Bob Dylan, Mary J. Blige, Weezer, Hole, Ellie Goulding).

Bumbershoot was worth it even if you were forced to suffer through crummy, subpar acoustics of the then-Key Arena because you got to see M83 or Heart.

And rather than focus exclusively on local bands with no shot of ever growing but were cheap enough to book so you can say you have local flair, there was more booking discernment (Secret Weapons, Watsky, Børns, Saint Claire, and Noah Gunderson).

It’s okay to let traditions go. Some need to die. Bumbershoot 2024 is a disservice to its legacy. It’s time to let this once-great festival rest in peace. At this point, it’s cruel to watch it painfully become so irrelevant.

More from Jason Rantz: UW Seattle activists say their First Amendment rights threatened by speaker they don’t like

Listen to the Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3-6 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason on X, formerly known as TwitterInstagram, and  Facebook.

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Image: The crowd cheers at the 2013 Bumbershoot Arts & Music Festival in Seattle....
Rantz: Asylum seeker says Seattle activists are taking advantage of migrants https://mynorthwest.com/3959980/rantz-migrants-asylum-seattle-activists-taking-advantage/ Tue, 21 May 2024 00:55:46 +0000 https://mynorthwest.com/?p=3959980 Some progressive activists are essentially tricking migrants seeking asylum into occupying parks, disrupting Seattle city council meetings and engaging in protests to pressure city, county and state leaders to pay for additional housing. One asylum seeker is warning that activists are putting their asylum claims at risk.

“We are totally new here in the country,” Daniel Vingo exclusively told “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH, explaining that many migrants seeking asylum neither understand why they’re protesting, nor the legal repercussions of doing so.

“I’m saying as an asylum seeker, you must know that we don’t know much here, how things work here, so I can’t go somewhere to protest, protest, protest. Before the protest, I must know my rights,” Vingo continued.

While Vingo said he wasn’t judging the organizations, and that he’s grateful for help and support, he believes they must do a better job explaining to the asylum seekers what they’re doing and why.

More from Jason Rantz: Washington Dems diverted $460M to illegal immigrants into 2023

Why does asylum seeker believe activists are taking advantage of them?

After funding ran out to house hundreds of migrants at a hotel in Kent, Seattle-area housing activists transported them to a Seattle park declaring they would not leave until they received more funding. This was the second stunt organized by activists on behalf of the migrants. Many of the activists keep their identity private, covering their faces during the stunts so they’re not recorded on video by local media outlets.

Vingo worries that many of the migrants “don’t know better” and simply agree to comply with activist plans.

“I have friends who are participating in those protests. And when I ask them, ‘Why are you going?’ they say, ‘We are just protesting because they (activists) say we must go.’ Okay, I’m not judging that,” Vingo said, adding that he’s worried someone could be deported for violating the law during one of the protests.

While Vingo said that everyone has a right to protest, he thinks activist organizers “must explain to people what they are doing because we are asylum seekers. We cannot just go and do some stuff like that. I’m afraid because it can affect my status here.” He said he doesn’t personally feel taken advantage of because he understands the process.

The latest park occupation was mostly successful. Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell agreed to fund the migrants’ hotel stay in Kent through June 30, despite previously saying the funds have run out. This likely means activists will convince vulnerable migrants to illegally occupy another park on July 1.

Why are migrants coming to the Seattle area?

Vingo is one of the hundreds of local migrants seeking asylum and he likely qualifies. He said he fled to the United States from the region of Cabinda, where his freedoms were at risk because of his political activism calling for independence from Angola. Political persecution is a qualifying determination for asylum seekers.

The political activist crossed the border between Mexico and California, leaving his family behind in Cabinda as they’ve not been subject to the consequences of his own activism. He said he spent only two days in detention and was released without turning over much information, including why he was crossing illegally. He said they just asked for basic biographical information, like his name and signed paperwork acknowledging the asylum-seeking process.

“For me, it was a surprise, not asking me questions,” Vingo said, noting he did eventually provide this information post-detention.

Vingo, like many others, made his way to Tukwila because he heard, via a friend, that the Riverton Park United Methodist Church was housing and assisting asylum seekers. Both King County and the state of Washington offer protections to people in this country illegally, regardless of whether or not they have legitimate claims of asylum.

More from Jason Rantz: Coming Clean About Illegal Immigration

Listen to the Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3-6 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason on X, formerly known as TwitterInstagram, and  Facebook.

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Rantz: UW Seattle embraced the Nazi Youth as a new generation of hate group has formed https://mynorthwest.com/3960573/rantz-uw-seattle-embraced-the-nazi-youth-as-a-new-generation-of-hate-group-has-formed/ Mon, 20 May 2024 00:55:22 +0000 https://mynorthwest.com/?p=3960573 The University of Washington (UW) is one of many college campuses across the country filled with protesting students, staff and outside agitators rallying against Israel’s right to exist. It’s serious and threatening enough that it demands we call these activists out for what they are: UW Nazi Youth. This new generation of Nazis are surrounded and egged on by like-minded staff and outside organizers and agitators.

The Nazi label is not hyperbolic; it is a sobering reflection of how history will repeat itself when hate is allowed to flourish unchecked. And at the UW and other campuses, hate is flourishing. The students’ single-minded fanaticism and refusal to engage with differing viewpoints mirror the indoctrination of the Nazi Youth, who were trained to follow a destructive ideology without question. It explains why you have imbeciles carrying “Gays for Palestine” signs. Today’s Nazis are ensnared in an echo chamber, where any dissenting opinion is met with hostility or outright violence.

This new generation of Nazi activists employs a dangerous combination of hateful rhetoric, intimidation, violence and fringe ideological purity reminiscent of the darkest chapters of history. Ironically, the threat comes from the very activists who claimed they were fighting a “literal fascist” in former president Donald Trump. But this rise of a new Nazi Youth is deeply alarming, especially for Jewish Seattleites and UW students.

Just because they’re not currently rounding up Jews for slaughter doesn’t mean they get to escape the moniker of Nazi. I can’t think of anything positive that can come from a group cheerleading Hamas.

More from Jason Rantz: UW Seattle gave barriers to Antifa to keep Jews out of Liberated Zone

Shouldn’t we call these UW student activists what they are? They’re a new generation of Nazi Youth

The demonization of an entire country of people is strikingly similar to the propaganda used by the original Nazis.

UW campus activists commonly crossed the line from what they pretend is “criticizing Israeli policies” to outright violent antisemitism. Their chants always include language that call for the end of Israel. “We don’t want two-state, we want 1948” and “from the river to the Sea, Palestine will be free” are unambiguous despite phony protestations otherwise. Maybe Seattle media members can follow up with a clarifying question or two? Perhaps they can find out if calling for a “global intifada” isn’t about violence against Israel, then what is it about?

Jews or Zionists, the codeword Nazi Youth use to avoid being explicitly antisemitic, are regularly demonized and dehumanized as genocidal baby killers and colonizers. Meanwhile, terrorists with Hamas are labeled “freedom fighters” and the “resistance.” That Hamas murdered actual babies, raped women, murdered innocent civilians and took scores of hostages doesn’t seem to matter to these new Nazis. They either ignore the inconvenient truth about the terrorists they’re rooting for, or they pretend it’s part of a Jewish media lie.

Rantz exclusiveUW professor assaulted at autonomous Liberated Zone as admin keeps cops away

Assault and vandalism at UW is driven by a hatred of Jews

The intimidation tactics employed by these students, staff, and outside agitators also draw a direct line to the UW Nazi Youth.

Just as the Nazi Youth were trained to suppress dissent violently, today’s UW Nazis sought to silence any opposition through aggressive disruption or stalking and assaulting. Jewish UW students reported feeling unsafe, not just because of the content of the protests, but because of the hostile environment created around them. But Cauce did nothing. She didn’t want to upset the Nazis, even though it would inevitably escalate.

And that’s what happened last week when UW Nazis vandalized the campus en masse. One of the messages? “Save a life. Kill your local colonizer.” The messages were so vile, even Cauce was finally forced into calling it antisemitic. But that’s all she did to condemn the UW Nazi Youth.

Rather than clear the UW Liberated Zone encampment, she again politely asked the Nazis to leave voluntarily. In Seattle, we don’t call police on Nazis. We just label police the Nazis and then wonder why no one wants to be a cop here.

Negotiating with UW Nazi Youth

We do, apparently, negotiate with Nazis. At least college presidents do.

Cauce’s recent decision to come to an agreement with activists occupying the quad is a particularly shameful episode in this saga. But given her track record and far-left views, we shouldn’t be shocked.

Rather than standing firm against the tactics of intimidation, Cauce chose to appease the protesters, effectively endorsing their hateful rhetoric. This capitulation undermines the university’s claim to being a place of learning and open debate. It sends a scary message that bullying and occupation are effective strategies to achieve political ends.

Cauce came to an agreement with the Nazi Youth so that they would agree to end the encampment. The United Front for Palestinian Liberation, a local chapter of a hate club of privileged college kids unhappy with their barista gigs and in search of meaning, earned five concessions from Cauce and the UW.

One of the concessions is that the UW will review changes to its study abroad program so that the college cuts ties with Israel. The Nazi Youth claim the new programs will “exclude participation from students from specific countries or communities, including Palestinian or other Arab students.” They think this covers Israel, though it doesn’t. Calling a country an “apartheid state” doesn’t mean it is one. But “apartheid” may be one of the words the Radical Left has redefined — like “woman.”

Another concession: UW waive tuition for at least 20 displaced Palestinian students from Gaza. This will definitely end well.

Thankfully, sometimes antisemitism is boring

Of course, the Nazi Youth aren’t happy with the concessions. United Front students released a press statement to say they “are under no illusions that this agreement is a win.”

“Many of our demands remain unfulfilled as the UW has shown clear reluctance to make even the smallest progress towards reducing our complicity in the ongoing genocide in Palestine,” according to the statement. In other words, they got a bit bored and didn’t want to keep pretending they were living in the encampment, especially since so many unvetted, creepy adults in the greater new Nazi movement moved in.

The activists claimed that they would never leave until there was a “Free Palestine.” But do you know how tiresome and expensive it was to drive to their parents’ homes in Kirkland, Edmonds and Sammamish after their Jew-hating meet-up sessions at the encampment? They never lived there. Many of the tents were empty; it was a part of their performative political expression. The only camping most of the student activists would do is glamping.

More from Jason Rantz: Seattle homeless man groped himself by ‘Free Gaza’ hacked sign

Are all these Nazis fueled by hate?

While there’s undoubtedly pure antisemitism within the movement of the new generation of Nazi, they’re not all driven by hate. Many of them just have no clue what they’re talking about, taken advantage of by bigots.

It’s hard to not consider some of the Nazi Youth activists victims of their own ignorance. Do you think they can define apartheid and then apply it to Israel? Can they explain what a genocide actually is? Could they truly defend their support of Hamas? Of course not.

It’s Gaza that is unwelcome to Jews, not Israel unwelcome to Palestinians. If Israel wanted to commit a “genocide,” they’d probably be less targeted in their strikes and they probably wouldn’t warn civilians of their military targets. Us Jews are usually pretty efficient; this would be uncharacteristically inefficient of us. And no, they have no good answer for why they support Hamas rapists and bigots who throw LGBT people from rooftops.

These activists don’t even have real Jews in their lives. Their bestie from Jewish Voices for Peace is representative of the majority of the group: they’re Gentiles, not Jews. Of the members who are actual Jews, most are self-loathing and grew up culturally Jewish but never even had a Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah. They represent a fraction of a fraction of the Jewish community, though you wouldn’t know that based on how much media time they’re given. (KING 5 is especially egregious at this; they’re the local news network for the new Nazis and they routinely focus the attention on Jewish voices that don’t come close to representing a Jewish viewpoint.)

The good news is that education can change the ignorant members of the new Nazi Youth. But they can still do a lot of damage between now and their willingness to read a history book.

Breaking my rule

Throughout my entire radio career, I steadfastly avoided labeling anyone I disagreed with a “Nazi.” In fact, I consistently called out those who used such rhetoric to demonize their opponents.

This stance became a guiding principle for me. Using Holocaust imagery or calling someone a Nazi cheapens the horrific suffering Jews endured. It’s particularly off-putting to me as a Jew. My go-to response to such accusations was, “When you find people who genuinely want to genocide the Jewish people, I’ll join you.”

But now, I’m breaking that rule because it’s relevant and the most accurate descriptor of what these activists believe and promote. Disagreement on a political issue doesn’t make one a Nazi — unless the political issue becomes Israel’s right to exist and defend against terrorists.

I don’t take any pleasure in calling people Nazis. It still feels wrong. Yet, I know that if I don’t use my platform to call out this hate — and those like Cauce who legitimize it — I won’t enjoy what will happen to me as a Jew.

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3-7 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason on X, formerly known as TwitterInstagram and Facebook.

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Photo: The anti-Israel encampment at the University of Washington gave rise to a new hate group: UW...
Rantz: Progressive candidate upset he isn’t running unopposed, makes up candidate https://mynorthwest.com/3960244/rantz-progressive-candidate-shaun-scott-upset-he-isnt-running-unopposed/ Thu, 16 May 2024 00:55:40 +0000 https://mynorthwest.com/?p=3960244 Progressive candidate Shaun Scott is upset that he has to run a campaign against an opponent. He’s so upset that he effectively made up a non-existent Republican challenger. It’s all an odd display of hubris that’s even getting called out on the far left.

Scott, who is so fringe he lost a Seattle City Council race in a district that includes equally fringe college students, is running for the state legislature. He hopes to replace the retiring Frank Chopp in the 43rd Legislative District. The community activist hopes to use his name recognition amongst activists in the district to catapult him to a more influential role in an already far-left state legislature.

But the progressive activist apparently expected to run unopposed. Scott now faces three challengers.

More from Jason Rantz: Bob Ferguson using ‘fake’ name in his run for Governor, misstated law to threaten opponent

Why is Shaun Scott complaining in his campaign ad?

In a campaign video posted to social media, Scott complained about having to face the challengers.

“Under normal circumstances, a candidate that is running in a very progressive district with the endorsement of an outgoing 30-year incumbent and with significant in-district name recognition, and the fundraising and volunteer energy to show it, that candidate would normally be running unopposed,” he said in the video.

Scott’s message received a cold reception from some on the far left, including Ashley Nerbovig, a reporter for the Stranger.

“No one is entitled to a free seat, even if they have name recognition, institutional backing, and a progressive platform. That would actually be s****y!” Nerbovig wrote.

Criticism of Shaun Scott is spot on

Scott seems to think the seat should be his because he is a community activist who is farther to the left of Chopp. It very obviously shouldn’t be and his criticism reveals a deep insecurity of his far-left agenda. Why would he care if he’s challenged? He thinks he’s got “significant in-district name recognition and the fundraising and volunteer energy to show it.” So why feel threatened from his perspective?

Thankfully, his ideology is not as accepted as it once was and he should feel vulnerable. Seattle voters recently rejected extremist policies, understanding, for example, that the police defund movement and soft-on-crime policies created a crisis. Scott supports both defunding and soft-on-crime policies.

It’s abnormal to see an open seat in a large legislative district with just one candidate running unopposed. Even some of the most popular or secure incumbents get challengers. Indeed, Chopp has faced challengers.

The notion that he should run unopposed is part of a disturbing trend from younger left-wing activists. That they’re somehow entitled to get their way purely because they think they’re on the right side of issues is laughable, especially since their side is almost always to blame for chaos.

Shaun Scott makes up a challenger

The video’s introduction includes text indicating Scott is running “a Republican fundraiser.” He is not. Scott has three challengers, all of whom are Democrats.

The most notable challenger is Andrea Suarez, a homeless advocate who runs We Heart Seattle, one of the state’s most effective private groups addressing Seattle homelessness.

Suarez is very much a liberal, but she doesn’t subscribe to Scott’s extremist progressive position on homelessness. Suarez rejects “harm reduction” policies that enable homeless addicts to continue to use. Her approach to homelessness, which is appropriately apolitical, has certainly attracted the attention of Republicans.

She was briefly slated to be a keynote speaker at a King County Republican fundraiser but that offer to speak was rescinded when she announced her candidacy for office. The speech was not meant to be political or to express support for her campaign, since she’s a Democrat. To call Suarez a Republican fundraiser because of one speech booking that hadn’t even occurred is disingenuous, but likely helps Scott raise money amongst his activist base that views all Republicans as evil, while they complain about issues across the state that Republicans didn’t cause.

More from Jason Rantz: Glen Morgan says ‘no doubt’ duplicate Bob Fergusons would be ‘far better’ at running state

Shaun Scott once falsely implicated Republican college students in the death of a girl

It makes sense that Scott would overreact to a candidate who Republicans don’t loathe. He appears to be deeply triggered by Republicans.

When a 19-year-old college student tragically died at the University of Washington, Scott bizarrely blamed the campus College Republicans’ president. It was originally claimed that the student slipped on ice while on campus. Scott claimed she was the victim of “white masculinity,” and claimed that the then-president of the College Republicans was “credibly” accused of organizing “students to pour ice water on walkways.” At the time, Scott was running for Seattle city council.

“It isn’t the 1950s anymore, and you guys aren’t ‘Animal House.’ America is done suffering the ‘good clean fun’ of destructive White masculinity,” Scott tweeted at the time. “When I get elected, I will be your council member too. The community needs accountability from you.”

It’s not clear what “accountability” looked like, but Scott had to later walk back his irresponsible and dangerous claim. The student didn’t die as a result of slipping on ice. She died after collapsing from a blood clot in her lung. Scott wasn’t held accountable for his claims. In fact, he didn’t even offer an apology. Instead, he continued to attack innocent college students.

Scott did not respond to a request for comment.

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3-7 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason on X, formerly known as TwitterInstagram and Facebook.

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Photo: Progressive candidate Shaun Scott....
Rantz: Bob Ferguson using ‘fake’ name in his run for Governor, misstated law to threaten opponent https://mynorthwest.com/3960148/rantz-bob-fergusons-scandal-controversy-governor/ Wed, 15 May 2024 00:55:20 +0000 https://mynorthwest.com/?p=3960148 Gubernatorial hopeful Bob Ferguson claimed this week that democracy was under assault because he was legally challenged by two people with the same name. Ferguson repeatedly referenced his two would-be opponents as “Robert Ferguson,” to point out that “Bob” isn’t even their given name. That, in essence, proves they were breaking a law against using “similar” names in order to confuse voters.

There’s a problem with Ferguson’s logic. The “real” Bob Ferguson is doing exactly the same thing. Ferguson’s official campaign filings list his name as “Robert Ferguson,” which is different than what he goes by in his campaign.

This isn’t a big deal, as candidates do this all the time. There’s nothing illegal nor unethical about the move. But there’s something awfully fishy with the seemingly coordinated and carefully choreographed response to the Bob Ferguson candidates controversy. And it does more than reveal the hypocrisy of Ferguson’s talking points about democracy being under threat. It explains why his team knowingly misread the law they claimed the two other Bob Ferguson candidates broke.

More from Jason Rantz: After pushing to decriminalize, Bob Ferguson says he wants to tackle drug OD crisis

Did the two Bob Ferguson candidates actually break the law?

At a press conference this week, Ferguson used former King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg to explain why the two Bob Ferguson candidates were violating RCW 29A.84.320. It’s unclear why Ferguson thought it was politically wise to use a former prosecutor best known for refusing to enforce the law, which led to historic fatal overdoses in King County (though given Ferguson and Satterberg share an opinion around drug decriminalization, it’s not surprising).

Satterberg argued the move was unlawful, specifically citing section 4: “(Using) A surname similar to one who has already filed for the same office, and whose political reputation is widely known, with intent to confuse and mislead the electors by capitalizing on the public reputation of the candidate who had previously filed.”

Intent is a very high bar to prove, so Ferguson and Satterberg leaned on the first name being used. Except, they appear to be purposefully redefining the RCW.

Bob Ferguson 2 and 3 weren’t using “similar” names. They were using identical names. That the OG Bob Ferguson focuses on Robert versus Bob isn’t even relevant. The RCW only applies to surnames. It’s certainly common for Democrats to change the definition of basic words — just ask them to define “woman” and you’ll find out. But for this RCW to apply, they’d need to redefine “similar” and “surname.”

Is the Secretary of State in cahoots with the Bob Ferguson campaign?

Ferguson and Satterberg seem to be redefining the RCW with the help of the Washington Secretary of State (SOS), who is supposed to remain neutral. But he’s very clearly not.

In a press release, Secretary of State Steve Hobbs, a Democrat, rails against the two Bob Ferguson candidates. His office is supposed to remain neutral when it comes to candidates. Instead, he parroted Attorney General (AG) Ferguson’s complaint.

“Voters deserve good-faith candidates who are running on the strength of their ideas to make Washington a better place to live and work, not people who pay a filing fee just to manipulate elections,” Hobbs said. “Washington’s long history of free and fair elections must be protected and preserved in every year and campaign cycle.”

There haven’t even been complaints filed against Ferguson 1 or 2, let alone a legal judgement. Yet Hobbs is declaring, as a matter of fact, that the two candidates violated the RCW.

The SOS is parroting Bob Ferguson arguments

Hobbs even includes the RCW in his press release. But he gets it wrong.

“RCW 29A.84.320 makes it a felony to declare as a candidate for public office under the name of a fictitious person, a false name, or in using the name of an incumbent or candidate who has already filed ‘with intent to confuse and mislead’ the voting public,” said the press release. But no, there’s nothing in there about using an identical name.

It’s a curious choice to leave out “similar surname.” But in another quote, he makes reference to section 4 of the RCW.

“Instances of people filing for office with names similar to well-known officeholders go back nearly a century in Washington and other states,” said Hobbs. Now he uses “similar” in reference to first names, even though the law cites surnames. Why is that?

More from Jason Rantz: Seattle will waste federal funds tackling drug crisis it created

Is there any campaign coordination going on?

Why did both the Ferguson campaign and SOS use section four of the RCW to make their case when it very specifically says surname?

Ferguson kept citing “Robert” as a way to dismiss the Fergusons. He could have quoted section two, which prohibits someone from using “the name of any person, not his or her true name.”

“The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH asked a Hobbs spokesperson if the secretary consulted an attorney prior to his press release on the RCW. The spokesperson neither confirmed, nor denied, merely explaining that the office “is in regular contact with our attorneys at the AG’s office, but those communications are generally considered confidential.”

Should we all rest assured knowing that Hobbs went through Bob Ferguson’s office to get guidance on a law that Bob Ferguson is using to threaten his opponents?

The spokesperson acknowledges that the office was in contact with Ferguson’s campaign — all three of them — to “alleviate voter confusion.” But the way the misleading legal argument is being offered by both Ferguson and Hobbs makes me wonder if there was any campaign coordination or if this is just a Democrat helping out a friend.

More from Jason Rantz: Concern as Democrat director privately tested ballot tabulation server

Why does any of this matter?

I don’t particularly like the idea of two Bob Ferguson candidates running. I won’t lie and say I didn’t find it funny and amusing. But it certainly is reasonable to question the ethics of the decision to run.

But I also don’t like how Ferguson and Hobbs are handling this. We can — and should — criticize both.

Ferguson is right to be upset. But he repeatedly implied that if the candidates don’t drop out as he demands, they face jail time. He may be saying it as a candidate, but he’s still the state’s Attorney General, and with that title comes a lot of power. This was abusive.

Hobbs is, arguably, the even bigger threat to our elections. He explicitly called out two candidates for office and made it clear that he was on Ferguson’s side, echoing the very legal arguments made by the original Ferguson campaign. It’s not his role to judge the motives of candidates running for office. He’s not even the one who would bring legal action against the candidates who he thinks violated the RCW.

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3-7 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason on X, formerly known as TwitterInstagram and Facebook.

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Photo: There were, briefly, three Bob Fergusons running for Governor. There's a scandal here, but i...
Rantz: UW Seattle gave barriers to Antifa to keep Jews out of Liberated Zone https://mynorthwest.com/3960034/rantz-uw-seattle-gave-barriers-to-antifa-to-keep-jews-out-of-liberated-zone/ Tue, 14 May 2024 00:55:29 +0000 https://mynorthwest.com/?p=3960034 The University of Washington (UW) administration gave the autonomous Liberated Zone barricades to keep Jews and Zionists out of the encampment. The move is not merely illegal discrimination, it’s dangerous to cede security to untrained, antisemitic activists, many of whom do not even go to UW.

Over the weekend, roughly 500 people showed up for a pro-Israel rally on Red Square. The intent was to walk through the Jew-hating encampment to show that local Jews, Christian supporters, and other allies, are not scared of the antisemitic students and their outside agitator friends. But the UW administration erected physical barriers and offered antisemitic encampment activists police protection as if the peaceful pro-Israel crowd was dangerous.

UW Police, flanked by Washington State Patrol (WSP) troopers, stood by on Sunday as Antifa thugs, decked out in black bloc, put up their own fencing around the barricade to keep Jews out. They had previously stolen campus bicycle racks to use as barricades. The UW didn’t merely allow it, they tacitly encouraged it.

Jason Rantz Exclusive: UW professor assaulted at autonomous Liberated Zone as admin keeps cops away

UW administration mostly ceded security to Antifa and Liberated Zone antisemites

Ahead of the pro-Israel rally, the UW inexplicably decided to keep one entrance in and one entrance out of the illegal encampment. That would ensure that should the pro-Israel rally march through the encampment as intended, they would be flanked by Antifa thugs and other antisemites who have openly harassed and assaulted Jews and supporters of Israel.

A UW spokesperson would not explain the decision to have only one way in and one way out of the encampment, even though they knew the one way in was heavily “guarded” by encampment activists. UW Police have been instructed to stay out of the autonomous UW Liberated Zone.

As pro-Israel rallygoers walked by, they were called “Nazis” by some in the pro-Hamas crowd. The encampment activists chanted various anti-Israel, pro-genocide and violent messages, including, “Long live the intifada.” At one point, the pro-Hamas crowd hit pro-Israel rallygoers with what is believed to be pepper spray. UW Police reportedly did not intervene.

UW has become increasingly hostile toward Jews

The UW Liberated Zone has grown increasingly hostile and violent towards Jews and perceived Zionists (code for “Jews” or “supporters of Jews”). Last week, an activist assaulted UW professor Stuart Reges (on video) as other encampment antisemites stalked and harassed him. UW President Ana Marie Cauce would not provide a comment on the incident out of fear she’d upset the antisemites.

“It (the encampment) has now taken over the quad, and black-hooded and masked men carrying sticks have been seen marching menacingly across campus,” UW professor Carol Schiller reported.

Activists cosplaying as security stalk people they think are not on their side. They appear to be outsiders, not students. They coordinate with other faux-security guards as they follow “suspicious” Zionists around. At times, they block the visitors from filming signs calling for the end of Israel. At other times, they won’t allow entry to Zionists, which is a violation of the City of Seattle Title VI, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of political ideology and religion. (Anyone can file a complaint here.)

Cauce has remained mostly silent during the unrest and illegal encampment. And she’s done little to support Jewish students who feel terrorized on campus. Previously, when progressive students feigned outrage over a lawful College Republicans affirmative action bake sale, which called attention to the racism of affirmative action, Cauce was an outspoken critic of her student activists. She didn’t see a problem calling out a small group of conservative students.

While the UW comes down hard on fraternities that throw reasonable parties, the administration has allowed the encampment to govern itself and enforce strict border rules around who they allow inside the public space. The administration said it will only intervene when the situation becomes life-threatening.

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3-7 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason on X, formerly known as TwitterInstagram and Facebook.

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Photo: The UW autonomous Liberated Zone....
Rantz: Seattle homeless man groped himself by ‘Free Gaza’ hacked sign https://mynorthwest.com/3959985/rantz-seattle-homeless-man-groped-himself-by-free-gaza-hacked-sign/ Mon, 13 May 2024 13:01:49 +0000 https://mynorthwest.com/?p=3959985 A homeless man was pleasuring himself in a children’s park across the street from a hacked electronic sign, dangerously placed to say “Free Gaza.” This is why Seattle can’t have nice things.

It was a gorgeous Sunday afternoon: 70 degrees and sunny with a nice, light breeze. I took my dog D’Artagnan out for a long walk and found myself at a new children’s playground constructed in South Lake Union. When I previously saw the area under construction, it didn’t take me long to figure out how it would be used by the homeless who have frequented the spot since it opened a few weeks ago.

The homeless man was laying on the grass, pants unbuttoned. I saw his hand and arm making movements that was a not-so-subtle hint at what he was doing. As I walked by, it was clear: He was pleasuring himself out in the open.

More from Jason Rantz: Tacoma business owner has box truck stolen twice in under three days

Did anyone care about the homeless Seattle man?

I can’t even pee in a public restroom when I sense someone is about to walk in. But this guy is just having at it in the middle of the afternoon in full view.

Behind him, a child and her dad were using the concrete slide (yeah, I don’t really understand the appeal either). In front of him, various passers-by were with their friends, moms for Mother’s Day or walking their dogs. Feet away to his left, two men were eating lunch at a table.

I was concerned and disgusted. But no one else seemed to mind what the homeless man was doing to their Seattle park.

I called the non-emergency number and waited on hold for more than five minutes before a dispatch operator took the details. I don’t know if she sent police to handle the handsy homeless man.

Rantz exclusive: UW professor assaulted at autonomous Liberated Zone as admin keeps cops away

“Free Gaza”

Across the street, I saw another Seattle … quirk.

An electronic road sign was placed to warn people that the road ahead was closed to traffic because of President Joe Biden’s visit. He comes to Seattle once every other year to snatch big money donations from Washington’s elite. Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal took time out of her posting about how big money buys elections so that she could greet him at SeaTac airport, keeping people stuck in traffic longer than necessary.

The sign was inexplicably positioned to block the pedestrian signal, making it difficult for you to know when to safely walk across the street and not get hit by traffic coming from one of three separate directions. Seattle’s incompetence knows no bounds.

By Sunday, the president was gone and the electronic sign was hacked to read “Free Gaza.” Who could have seen this coming? If it said “MAGA Seattle” or “Jews lives matter,” it would have been taken down in a second and earned at least a press release condemning the electronic road sign crime!

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3-7 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason on X, formerly known as TwitterInstagram and Facebook.

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Seattle homeless...
Rantz: You’re not falling into a trap while watching the news on antisemitic campus protests https://mynorthwest.com/3959629/rantz-media-bias-campus-protests-antisemitism/ Sat, 11 May 2024 00:54:31 +0000 https://mynorthwest.com/?p=3959629 A colleague from KTTH sister station KIRO Newsradio argued in a recent column that news consumers might fall into a trap courtesy of the way some journalists cover the antisemitic encampments on college campuses. She’s right news consumers sometimes fall into traps because of shoddy journalism. But it’s the general media bias that’s the bigger problem.

Angela Poe Russell, a fill-in host at KIRO Newsradio and former KING 5 journalist, reacted to Joe Scarborough on MSNBC covering a Forbes report about employers vowing to hire fewer Ivy League college graduates. They’re rightly concerned with the quality of students coming out of these elite schools, given the surge of antisemitism and abject historical ignorance coming from students there. Her criticism was the generalization from the anchor.

“While criticizing a school’s handling of a situation is fair and so is student behavior, good journalists know better than to make blanket statements about a group or a place. Having worked for years as a reporter, I know that within crowds are many stories and journalists should share them and offer context and nuance,” she wrote. “Columbia University has more than 30,000 students, either undergraduate or graduate level. If you compare that population to the number of on-campus protesters, it becomes impossible to talk about any university as if the students and their motivations or methods for protesting are exactly the same.”

This is fair criticism, I mostly agree, and it’s worth a read. I also hope you’ll listen to my conversation with Poe Russell; I truly enjoyed it.

But here’s a reasonable question for those of you who agree with her criticism: Why is it that we need additional context and nuance when it comes to rising antisemitism after experiencing nothing but generalizations about police and Donald Trump supporters? And aren’t we already getting a ton of “nuance and context” — in the form of whitewashing the antisemitism and violence?

Where’s the nuance in downplaying antisemitism, as a result of media bias?

Reporters, especially on the local level, are going through great pains to cover-up antisemitism on and off campus. It’s transparent media bias.

KING 5’s Cornelius Hocker, who consistently downplays antisemitism while demonizing Israel due to a clear left-wing bias, reported on this week’s Charlie Kirk speech at the University of Washington (UW). Though there were plenty of assaults, threats, harassment and vandalism against the media, none of it was mentioned in the piece. Instead, he said “it didn’t get that serious.” There was also no mention that the student activists and outside agitators wanted to cancel Kirk’s speech. Actually, Kirk wasn’t mentioned at all in the produced piece.

Also oddly missing from KING 5’s anti-Israel report? Jewish, pro-Israel, pro-free speech voices. The only interview for a story about a UW protest was a radical organizer who isn’t even a student. He uncritically spread a verifiably false claim that Israel is purposefully starving Palestinians.

Meanwhile, The Seattle Times posted the link to its article about UW’s recent Board of Regents meeting on X, formerly known as Twitter, categorizing anti-Israel activists as “anti war.” They’re not anti war. They’re against Israel’s war on Hamas. One cannot be anti war while calling for a “global intifada,” and chanting for the destruction of Israel. The article itself doesn’t offer any descriptors for the protesters (including the dubiously claimed “pro-Palestine” label). The Seattle Times doesn’t seem to hesitate in calling out “conservative activists,” though, defining them by an ideology rather than a viewpoint like “anti war,” even if it’s a lie.

KOMO News’ Joel Moreno was caught fabricating details about a Seattle anti-Israel rally. He said the rallygoers were “calling for peace” and “humanitarian aid” in Gaza. But the rallygoers were chanting for the destruction of Israel and openly supported violence against Jews. I have a video of Moreno listening to the chants promoting violence. Why didn’t those chants and messaging make it into his piece? Where was the context and nuance?

More from Jason Rantz: UW professor assaulted at autonomous Liberated Zone as admin keeps cops away

Media is consistently biased in favor of progressives

When the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement soared nationwide, did you get nuanced conversations about policing? Or did the media lean into anti-cop narratives, amplifying extremists who wanted to abolish police? When was the last time you saw media approach a Trump supporter with context and nuance rather than generalizations? Media outlets, outside of conservative media, generalize tens of millions of Americans as “MAGA extremists.” After January 6, were there any attempts to draw a distinction between rioters and your average Trump supporter? Of course not.

Poe Russell is right to call for nuance. There should be room for it, when necessary, in media coverage. In this case, I don’t think it’s necessary because the media doesn’t seem capable.

There’s only so much nuance one can offer before it (inadvertently or not) justifies or whitewashes antisemitism. Poe Russell is very obviously right that generalizing all Ivy League students is absurd. (They’re clearly not all antisemitic — though I do wish we’d see more students calling out the hate rather than letting it go unchallenged on campus).

And if we’re going to demand nuance (Poe Russell and I agree on how some past coverage of progressive events has been lacking), we need to demand it on all stories. Poe Russell seems very willing to make these demands, regardless of the political implications or influences of a news story. I don’t hear many liberal media members call out the industry. But it’s clear we need more news consumers to make these demands, as well. The media bias is too obvious and too accepted.

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3-7 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason on X, formerly known as TwitterInstagram and Facebook.

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Image: The pro-Palestinian encampment on the UW campus in Seattle, seen here on May 2, 2024 is cont...
Rantz: Tacoma business owner has box truck stolen twice in under three days https://mynorthwest.com/3959686/jason-rantz-tacoma-business-owner-theft-box-truck-victim/ Fri, 10 May 2024 00:55:19 +0000 https://mynorthwest.com/?p=3959686 Thieves allegedly stole a Tacoma business owner’s box truck filled with his expensive tools and equipment. Police found the truck, though not the tools, after the theft. But the case isn’t over: The box truck was stolen again, just under three days later.

Ron Baker is a recovering alcoholic and addict. After going through recovery, he became clean and sober, deciding to start his life over with a gutter company and purpose. Work has been steady and he was starting to feel stability in his life. That made the theft of his box truck and thousands of dollars worth of tools and equipment last Friday, May 3, all the more painful.

“It’s been a rough road, but we’re just taking it one day at a time, waiting for the investigation,” Baker told “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH.

Was a suspect caught in the stolen box truck case?

Baker was relieved that the truck was recovered by police in Roy on May 6. The tools were taken, but some equipment survived the Tacoma theft.

The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office confirmed one suspect, Matthew Paul Snider, was arrested while sleeping in the truck. A resident saw the stolen box truck on her private property and called 911 to report it.

Snider “denied knowledge that the vehicle was stolen, despite the steering column and ignition being destroyed with exposed and stripped wiring hanging down,” according to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office incident report. He was found with brass knuckles and a fixed-blade knife, according to the report.

After booking, he pleaded not guilty to an unlawful possession of a stolen vehicle charge. Snider was released by Judge Barbara McInvaille on his own personal recognizance. His next hearing is on June 4.

More from Jason Rantz: Seattle mayor establishing emphasis area, will jail suspects in Issaquah, at SCORE

What happened after police found the Tacoma theft victim’s truck?

Baker went to retrieve the box truck, but he said it was too tall for the tow truck. He was able to get it to a nearby gas station where he left it overnight, in full view of a surveillance camera that he assumed would be the protection he needed. It wasn’t.

“It was stolen again by the same group, for whatever reasons, and now we’re back to square one,” he explained, citing surveillance footage that made identifying the suspects easier. The Roy Police Department are now handling the case.

“It’s almost like waking up out of a bad dream, right? Stolen twice in three-and-a-half days,” he said.

More from Jason Rantz: Anonymous donor who gave $50K to house migrants in Kent revealed

A tough road ahead

While he’s trying to maintain high spirits — hoping a GoFundMe campaign will help — it’s hard to not realize the bind this allegedly theft puts him in.

“Being in recovery and starting over in the first place, here’s the deal: I’m month to month. I rent. I don’t have a credit card limit of $10,000 – $20,000, I don’t. My credit … I’m building it, it’s getting better. But me and my girl, our circumstances are not great.”

One thing that’s helping him cope with this setback? His experiences getting sober.

“With my coping today, thanks to the program and my life today — my other half is more angry and upset than I am. People want to go do this and that and it’s just not me today. (Getting angry) doesn’t get us anywhere. I know that G*d knows my heart, things will be OK. It’s another day. Getting mad and angry is just not going to solve anything.”

Baker said he hopes to rebuild his business with a new name, Grit City Gutters. He also says the community support since his story has spread has been inspiring. As of Thursday, his GoFundMe raised just shy of $5,000.

“A lady called and pitched in five bucks. She’s a single mom of three kids. I’m going to start crying right now, but it’s that little gesture right there to make you make you a human, you know?”

Photos of the damage to the box truck. (Photos obtained by The Jason Rantz Show on KTTH)

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3-7 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason on X, formerly known as TwitterInstagram and Facebook.

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Rantz: Seattle homeless are about to disappear! https://mynorthwest.com/3959631/rantz-surprise-best-week-visit-seattle-homeless-encampments-will-disappear/ Thu, 09 May 2024 00:55:41 +0000 https://mynorthwest.com/?p=3959631 If you’re wondering when the best week to visit the city of Seattle (along certain routes), it’s right now. President Joe Biden will be in town on Friday and Saturday. Does this mean we’ll have crippling traffic (also known as more time to listen to “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.)? Yes. But it also means, suddenly, homeless encampments and corners filled with drug addicts the city is allowing to slowly die, will be swept.

The president is in town to raise money for his fledgling re-election campaign. He’ll be flying into SeaTac instead of Boeing Field to ensure maximum gridlock. If we’re lucky, we might get a half dozen gaffes to help fill our radio shows, while television news pretends they didn’t happen. But, better than a gaffe, when either President Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris comes to town, city (county and state) leadership is somehow able to act with urgency to tackle downtown’s blight.

While most every other week of the year the city refuses to tackle homelessness and open-air drug use with gusto, they’re somehow able to muster the energy to do its job when someone they care about impressing is here. Should city leadership aim to impress taxpayers and visitors fueling our economy? Of course. Do they? Nope. We’re the saps who keep paying taxes without a return on our investment while voting the same people into office most of the time.

More from Jason Rantz: UW Seattle professor assaulted at autonomous Liberated Zone as admin keeps cops away

Why is Seattle going to be suddenly cleaned up?

It’s always instructive to experience a presidential visit (or Major League Baseball All-Star game and soon the World Cup). It shows all of us what the city is capable of accomplishing when motivated.

The problem is that voters don’t motivate Democrats to clean the city up; voters merely inspire lawmakers to pass more taxes to fuel ineffective pet projects that make them feel good about their policy failures. That’s not their fault. It’s ours. Like children, politicians will act up and misbehave so long as we let them. When voters punish the bad behavior, the lawmaker corrects himself or herself. But without consistency, they turn back to the bad behavior. Seattle and area voters are consistently inconsistent.

The White House, however, demands the ideal visit is free of homelessness in the background of any photo of the president — from the motorcade to his hotel to his campaign stops. He doesn’t actually visit the city. He won’t see 99% of it. But the routes he takes in and out are highly trafficked and highly polluted with litter, graffiti and homeless encampments. Those will be cleaned up.

Jason Rantz Show Exclusive: Seattle mayor establishing emphasis area, will jail suspects in Issaquah, at SCORE

At least a weekend of a nice downtown Seattle. You should visit

In fact, we’ll get at least a weekend’s worth of a cleaned-up city.

Not that city leadership will admit what they’re doing. They drafted their media responses when they learned of the visit weeks ago: “(Insert encampment location) was scheduled to be cleaned up months ago!” or “We did not sweep any encampment at (insert location). I’m unfamiliar with what you previously observed.” We even already know the media outlets that will amplify the lie or completely ignore the suddenly cleaned-up city.

While it’ll be nearly impossible to cleanse downtown streets of the smell of urine so substantial you can feel it in the back of your throat, if Biden is planning to stay overnight at the Westin per usual, there will be fewer homeless addicts roaming the streets, scaring tourists and locals. We will, like during the All-Star Weekend, experience a city we deserve (at least a few block’s worth). It’s a great time for a visit (just be ready for traffic all day Friday).

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3-7 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason on X, formerly known as TwitterInstagram and Facebook.

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Video: Changes at AM 770 KTTH https://mynorthwest.com/youtube_videos/video-changes-at-am-770-ktth/ Wed, 08 May 2024 01:02:16 +0000 https://mynorthwest.com/youtube_videos/video-changes-at-am-770-ktth/ Jason Rantz talks about how layoffs have impacted the morning show and KTTH.

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show weekdays from 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. on AM 770 KTTH or on-demand wherever you listen to podcasts.

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Rantz exclusive: UW professor assaulted at autonomous Liberated Zone as admin keeps cops away https://mynorthwest.com/3959533/rantz-exclusive-uw-professor-assaulted-at-autonomous-liberated-zone-as-admin-keep-cops-away/ Wed, 08 May 2024 00:50:09 +0000 https://mynorthwest.com/?p=3959533 A professor was assaulted at the autonomous University of Washington (UW) Liberated Zone. It was recorded on video.

Computer sciences professor Stuart Reges was touring the growing antisemitic encampment for “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH on Tuesday morning. Within minutes, as had been the case when he previously arrived, Reges was immediately swarmed by activists acting as security.

“Within a few minutes, I had three people surrounding me with umbrellas. That grew to five people surrounding me with umbrellas,” Reges exclusively told “The Jason Rantz Show.” “And they have some code, I guess, where they say, ‘Doctor, Doctor, there’s a doctor coming,’ which means somebody’s filming. So you’re supposed to mask up so they won’t see your face.”

Minutes later, the professor was hit in the back of the head by an unidentified male activist. The man fled after the assault.

“I suddenly got hit in the side of the head. Boom, really hard hit in the side of the head. People were shocked. You could kind of hear from the protesters, that they were like, ‘Whoa.’ And this guy runs off,” Reges explained.

More from Jason Rantz: UW Seattle activists say their First Amendment rights threatened by speaker they don’t like

What does the recording of the assault at the UW Liberated Zone show?

Reges was filming via his cell phone at the time of the assault. In the video, you hear a thud on his head, followed by an activist saying, “Hey! Back up, back up. Get out of here! Go on.” He dropped his phone from the force of the unexpected assault.

“I was just struck by someone, very hard, in the head,” Reges tells one of the protesters.

“Are you alright?” another masked activist asked. He then immediately said, “They are not affiliated with us. We’re not here to attack people. I don’t know where they came from. That’s why they ran off.”

Reges responded by noting there is Antifa symbols tagged around the encampment.

“Do you have Antifa folks here?” Reges asked.

“Uh, no comment on that,” the activist responded.

‘There’s some soreness … a little lightheaded’

Reges declined to see one of the encampment medics, before walking away. He was, again, surrounded by activists with umbrellas, harassed and stalked, until he left.

“There’s some soreness and you know, a little lightheaded, you know, but if it gets worse, I know that if I start experiencing dizziness, or something, that I should seek medical care. So I think I’m OK. It wasn’t that hard of a hit. It was more just kind of jolting, that book, I get hit from behind when I wasn’t expecting it,” Reges said.

When he returned to his office, Reges reported the assault to the UW Police (UWPD). Officers are not being allowed to proactively enter the zone because their presence would anger activists.

More from Jason Rantz: Watch an unhinged student yell ‘shame’ at pro-Israel man at UW encampment

UW administrators refuse to take action

UW administrators, including President Ana Marie Cauce, are aware of activists harassing and stalking Reges and anyone else they do not wish to be inside their encampment. But they refuse to act.

A UW spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment on the assault at the Liberated Zone.

Previously, an administrator indicated that the UW Police will not engage until there’s a life-threatening emergency.

“UWPD will monitor the event actively from the start and be prepared to respond if the event escalates and threatens life safety … The priorities are always safety for all and continuity of university operations,” Vice President for Campus Security and Safety Sally Clark said, according to a document obtained by “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH.

Reges isn’t surprised that he was assaulted. He fears the encampment will continue to escalate and there will be more violence.

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3-7 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason on X, formerly known as TwitterInstagram and Facebook.

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Photo: The UW Liberated Zone....
Rantz: UW Seattle activists say their First Amendment rights threatened by speaker they don’t like https://mynorthwest.com/3959396/rantz-university-of-washington-charlie-kirk-liberated-zone-first-amendment/ Tue, 07 May 2024 10:59:24 +0000 https://mynorthwest.com/?p=3959396 Activist students at the University of Washington’s (UW) Liberated Zone inexplicably argue that conservative commentator Charlie Kirk should not be allowed to speak on campus because it jeopardizes their First Amendment rights.

Kirk’s Tuesday event, part of his Live Free Tour, is generating concern from some activists. In a digital flyer, flagged by The Stranger, some students argue that Kirk’s speech puts them at risk.

“The University of Washington is endangering students,” according to the flyer, complaining UW is “hosting him without yards of the Liberated Zone that was set up by students in support of a free Palestine.”

The flyer asks people to “tell the administration to cancel this event and keep students who are practicing their 1st Amendment rights safe.” It provides contact information for UW president Ana Marie Cauce, her chief of staff and her assistant.

Is Charlie Kirk event at University of Washington a threat to the UW Liberated Zone?

The Charlie Kirk event poses no threat to the illegal UW Liberated Zone. Ironically, it’s far-left activists that traditionally create threats to First Amendment rights on college campuses, including the UW.

Progressive and anarcho-socialist students typically attempt to block students from attending on-campus events that feature conservative speakers. They don’t seem to understand that First Amendment rights apply to everyone. It’s also not protected speech to utilize the so-called “heckler’s veto,” where they shout down and interrupt events in order to stop the guest from speaking. The reason these students are masked is because they intend to break the law when disrupting events. They do not want to make it easy for police to find out who is responsible.

There’s also irony that UW Liberated Zone activists might get agitated by Kirk’s appearance, as reported by The Stranger. The entire existence of the encampment agitates Jews.

As the Liberated Zone has grown to over 150 tents, student activists have upped their aggression toward those they label Zionists. They harass and stalk people they think do not agree with them. Prof. Stuart Reges recorded a handful of activists cosplaying as security at the UW Liberated Zone as they tried to stop him from documenting what was happening at the encampment.

That the student activists feign victimhood by the mere notion that Kirk will speak nearby says more about their tolerance than it does about Kirk or the students who invited him.

Concerns over Charlie Kirk and bathroom access

Sofia Schwarzwalder is an editor of the school’s newspaper The Daily. She reports members of the autonomous UW Liberated Zone have expressed “concerns” about Kirk’s appearance. She did not elaborate.

But she also reported that the UW administration is involved in negotiations with the antisemitic encampment activists. They are represented by UW United Front for Palestinian Liberation. They’ve had at least three separate conversations since Friday on a number of issues. United Front is demanding that UW cut financial ties with Boeing, but the administration rejected the students.

The Daily reports the student activists have had extensive conversations about gaining access to portable toilets and hand washing stations. But the talks broke down. Organizers reportedly walked out, after the administration declined to offer them 24-hour access to buildings so that they can use bathrooms.

Online, United Front hasn’t complained about bathroom access. They focus their complaints to Israel, posting propaganda from Al Mayadeen news, a pro-Hezbollah outlet called “Iran-aligned.”

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3-7 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason on X, formerly known as TwitterInstagram and Facebook.

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Image: University of Washington activist students argue conservative commentator Charlie Kirk shoul...
Rantz Exclusive: UW Professor stalked and harassed at Seattle autonomous ‘Liberated Zone’ https://mynorthwest.com/3959215/rantz-exclusive-uw-professor-stalked-harassed-seattle-autonomous-liberated-zone/ Mon, 06 May 2024 00:55:22 +0000 https://mynorthwest.com/?p=3959215 A computer science professor at the University of Washington (UW) was stalked and harassed at the Seattle autonomous “Liberated Zone” by activists cosplaying as security. UW President Ana Marie Cauce refuses to clear the encampment, even though it’s a clear threat to safety and discriminatory to Jewish students. And despite claims, it appears that UW Police are not allowed to enter without cause.

Professor Stuart Reges was touring the autonomous encampment on Thursday for The Jason Rantz Show on KTTH. He did not get a hospitable welcome.

Almost immediately, because he was filming, he was surrounded by activists with umbrellas, a tool favored by Antifa because they can be used as weapons and can block cameras effectively.

“Guys, mask up, mask up,” a female activist warned her antisemitic comrades as they paint signs, including “Queers for Palestine.” A male activist said, “cover up!”

The group, which is later joined by an unmasked “de-escalation” activist in a yellow vest, then surrounds Reges for just shy of 10 minutes before he stopped recording. They didn’t merely block his view, they also got so uncomfortably close that he might bump into them. This is a common tactic taken by Antifa and other left-wing radicals. When you bump into them, they claim assault, which they think justifies them to get more aggressive with you. They also try to egg their victims into a physical altercation for the same reason.

Did activists continue to stalk professors at the autonomous UW Liberated Zone?

On Friday, Reges returned to the UW Liberated Zone to film. It grew larger overnight, with more than 100 tents by Sunday night and more white students and adults in keffiyehs. There are also more faux-security and professional activists who claim they are “trained” to talk to the media. That means they memorized a handful of talking points so that they’re not caught saying something overtly antisemitic.

Within a few minutes, the professor was again confronted by extremist activists. One asked, “What’s your deal here?” while a second one opened an umbrella. They didn’t respond when Reges asked if they were students at UW.

The activist with the umbrella briefly attempted to block Reges while he filmed an expanded portion of the UW Liberated Zone. But Reges walked away and they didn’t initially follow.

He recorded a number of tents and new signs, including “Never again means never again for anyone” (with a star of David), “Cops r cringe” (with an image of a pig) and “Support Palestinian resistance,” a nod to the Hamas terrorists these students and outsiders are rooting for. There was another section for “gay nail painting” with a sign that reads, “Nonbinaries for a Free Palestine” (though they would never be welcome).

The medic tent was well staffed and stocked with eye-washing solution, based on their fear they’ll face police pepper spray or tear gas. Nearby, there was a painted flyer with Antifa and anarchist insignia declaring, “Death to fascists.” Reges also made a brief stop at the “Liberation Library.”

Reges captured images of wooden pallets that will be used by the open-border Progressive activists to unironically create a border around the encampment.

What are antisemitic activists told to do when talking to police?

Reges stopped by an unmanned safety booth. It offered a look at the advice students and their outside activist friends are told to do to keep each other safe and conceal their identities for when they break the law.

“At an action … Don’t talk to cops ever! Cover up. Hide as much of your identifying features (face, hair, tattoos) as possible. Wear neutral clothing. Don’t call people by their name. Don’t refer to anyone as an ‘organizer/lead.’

A flyer offers resources on how to be bailed out of jail once arrested for unlawful actions passed as activism. But given the lack of UW Police at the autonomous UW Liberated Zone, these students don’t yet have much to worry about.

UW activists — and adults who aren’t students — plot tactics against police

But when the professor went deeper into the encampment, the umbrella-wielding activist returned to harass him, along with another male activist who repeatedly said, “I’ll stand right here” while attempting to block the camera.

Reges stopped by a session where activists, hiding behind masks and umbrellas, discussed “tactics” to take to “keep each other safe.” The leader also mentioned good tips: Wear sunscreen and stay hydrated during an upcoming march! Activists again stood in front of Reges to try to block him from filming.

When Reges went to a pro-Israel table that was staged elsewhere on the life-threatening quad. They were friendly, answered questions and welcomed Reges filming them.

More from Jason Rantz: Some anti-Israel extremists privately plotting violence against Seattle cops

Are police allowed to enter the autonomous UW Liberated Zone? Not until a Jew is attacked

A UW spokesperson would not directly answer specific questions about whether or not UW Police can enter into the autonomous UW Liberated Zone. It appears that officers have been told to stay away unless there’s physical violence.

Though administrators know that Reges — and others — have been harassed, spokesperson Victor Balta said, “We do not condone any harassment or criminal activity. We encourage anyone experiencing or witnessing any such action to report it to UWPD.”

Except they do condone harassment and criminal activity. It’s why they won’t allow UW Police to enter.

Instead, if a victim calls for help, they’re not offered to meet with an officer on-site and are forced to provide a statement over the phone. It’s what happened to a student who was assaulted when his Israeli flag was stolen during an illegal occupation of the UW student center that resulted in thousands of dollars in vandalism.

There is no proactive policing, despite the threat

When asked if UW Police have permission to proactively enter the autonomous UW Liberated Zone without being called to an emergency, Balta dodged the question.

“UWPD is doing its job as appropriate,” Balta said. This too is false.

Doing the bare minimum in a way they think will allow them to escape legal liability for the hate encampment, UW administrators placed sandwich boards around the quad. The boards noted it’s illegal to camp out on the property. But the antisemitic student activists vandalized and stole the boards.

If the “UWPD is doing its job as appropriate,” there wouldn’t be an encampment. One has to wonder why someone would become a UW police officer if they’re ordered to stand by as Jews and Jewish allies are illegally targeted. Perhaps they’re waiting for the victims to be black or transgender? Then they’d be able to do their jobs.

More from Jason Rantz: Watch an unhinged student yell ‘shame’ at pro-Israel man at UW encampment

On the plus side…

There is one positive with the encampment. These students are siding with antisemitism and trafficking in hate. But, those visiting the UW Liberated Zone aren’t there for Palestinians. These are lonely children (and adults) looking for something to do. They found their fellow social outcasts; vegans and part-time baristas to enjoy an afternoon on the quad with.

The group sessions talking about how to keep one another safe are little more than dramatics. They like the idea that they’re unsafe, fighting against invisible Zionist forces and Jewish conspiracies to attack in the night. One student said she saw her martial arts professor patrolling at night, implying the professor was keeping them safe.

This illegal direct action is performative. They’ve done literally nothing to impact Israel’s war against Hamas terrorists. They just give themselves the delusion of giving back, filling that void in what’s left of their soul before going back to their parents’ homes in Kirkland and Sammamish to do laundry for the week.

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3-7 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason on X, formerly known as TwitterInstagram and Facebook.

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Video: Students Are Making Life Hard For Jews https://mynorthwest.com/youtube_videos/video-students-are-making-life-hard-for-jews/ Sat, 04 May 2024 00:00:34 +0000 https://mynorthwest.com/youtube_videos/video-students-are-making-life-hard-for-jews/ UW’s antisemitic hippies and anti-capitalists are making life hard for Jews on campus. Administrators don’t seem to care.

Listen to The Bryan Suits Show weekdays from 6 a.m. – 9 a.m. on AM 770 KTTH or on-demand wherever you listen to podcasts.

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show weekdays from 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. on AM 770 KTTH or on-demand wherever you listen to podcasts.

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Video: What is Governor Jay Inslee even saying?!?! https://mynorthwest.com/youtube_videos/video-what-is-governor-jay-inslee-even-saying/ Fri, 03 May 2024 01:38:27 +0000 https://mynorthwest.com/youtube_videos/video-what-is-governor-jay-inslee-even-saying/ Governor Jay Inslee speaks a bunch of gibberish and nonsense about EVs, and we’re supposed to take him seriously?

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show weekdays from 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. on AM 770 KTTH or on-demand wherever you listen to podcasts.

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Rantz: UW Seattle students create autonomous ‘Liberated Zone’ with library, medic tent, no free speech rights https://mynorthwest.com/3959096/rantz-uw-seattle-students-create-autonomous-liberated-zone-with-library-medic-tent-no-free-speech-rights/ Thu, 02 May 2024 21:03:08 +0000 https://mynorthwest.com/?p=3959096 Student activists at the University of Washington (UW) in Seattle have set up an autonomous Liberated Zone on campus, also known as the University of Gaza. It features a medic and library according to a professor, but no free speech rights. And it’s growing.

This is the second anti-Israel encampment as the movement continues to grow unimpeded since the first one was erected earlier this week. It started at around six tents, but there are now upwards of 50 tents. They also have stacks of wooden pallets they will use to fortify the encampment. According to a police source, they believe they’re making shields, as well.

It’s currently occupied by activists who appear to be students. There are, however, others who appear older than student-age. They wear COVID-era face masks to obscure their identities.

There are technically two encampments now, one called the Liberated Zone. It’s meant to mirror the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ) from 2020 during the Black Lives Matter/Antifa riots. It’s maintained by extremist members of the UW United Front for Palestinian Liberation. They did not want anything to do with the UW Progressive Student Union because its membership is too white.

More from Jason Rantz: Watch an unhinged student yell ‘shame’ at pro-Israel man at UW encampment

What does the autonomous UW Liberated Zone stand for?

The radicals behind the UW Liberated Zone are circulating a flyer that offers “community guidelines” for visitors to their autonomous zone. The flyer is filled with anti-Israel propaganda and student delusions.

The flyer falsely claims that Israel has committed a 76-year-long genocide of Palestinians. An important note: Jews are really bad at genocide given the Palestinian population has surged during the assault on innocent life.

The radicals include an unironic land acknowledgment as they illegally occupy land they claim was illegally occupied. It may only be accessed to “all who support a Free Palestine.”

Much like CHAZ, there are no free speech rights in the Liberated Zone. Organizers said supporters may “not speak to any authorities — police officers, administrators, or press — without first consulting a designated liaison.” They vow not to photograph or video record supporters “without their affirmative consent” and ask people to “conceal your identity.”

They say they will refuse “to comply with any demands if the University of Washington Police Department, Seattle Police Department, private investigators, or UW admin try to force us to disclose the identities of any of our fellow students.”

Photo: The radicals behind the UW Liberated Zone are circulating a flyer that offers "community guidelines" for visitors to their autonomous zone.

The radicals behind the UW Liberated Zone are circulating a flyer that offers “community guidelines” for visitors to their autonomous zone. (Photo: Jason Rantz, KTTH)

UW professor stalked and blocked when filming

When UW Professor Stuart Reges visited the new autonomous zone, it was not hospitable. He exclusively told “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH that after he attempted to film the encampment, activists tried blocking his view with an umbrella (a tool of choice for Antifa) and started to follow him.

“I decided to do some filming and they kind of freaked out,” Reges explained. “They were they were saying, ‘Cover your face, cover your face. This man is filming! Oh my God.’ And then they said ‘You’re not allowed to do this.’ And I said, ‘What do you mean, this is a public space?’ (They responded) ‘No, it’s not. It’s a private space. You’re not allowed to do this here.’

Reges said in addition to using the umbrella, they were following him as he was walking around. And he calls out the lack of leadership from UW president Ana Marie Cauce.

“I think that she has shown herself to be feckless in this,” he said.

UW Liberated Zone earns institutional support

In an internal email sent to the American Association of University Professors UW listserv (AAUP-UW), the new autonomous zone is being celebrated.

Professor James Pfeiffer, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (Dept of Global Health), sent a glowing email marveling at the Liberated Zone’s “medic tent, supply depot, and a small library.”

“It is remarkable how committed these students are given the possible risk to themselves and their futures. The students will not let us turn away from the appalling war crimes the U.S. is funding, and they deserve faculty support and protection,” Pfeiffer said.

Pfeiffer ignored the violence and vandalism by activists around the country, claiming they have “come from outside agitators, counter-protestors (eg UCLA), and the police themselves.”

“Much like the dozens of other Gaza protest encampments at universities around the country, the student encampment at UW is multi-religious (Muslim, Jewish, Christian, Hindu), multiracial, multiethnic and totally peaceful. What a contrast to the other political culture that has engulfed the country,” he wrote.

Read this ‘script’

Jason Groves, an Associate Professor in the Department of German Studies, passed along a note from the UW Liberated Zone leadership via the AAUP-UW listserv.

The students have invited faculty, staff, and other community members to take action “by emailing and calling the university administration, urging them to protect the student liberated zone and stand on the right side of history.”

They have suggested this script and particular recipients: “As a member of the broader Seattle community, I am watching the UW’s treatment of our student protesters. I urge your office to protect students, their liberated zone, and their rights to advocate for justice.”

He included contact information for UW President Cauce, the Vice Provost and Dean Ed Taylor, and Vice President for Minority Affairs & Diversity Rickey Hall.

But they may not have to press Cauce too hard for support.

Tacit approval that will end poorly

In a show of her cowardly leadership, Cauce is doing the absolute bare minimum to address the encampments.

She had sandwich boards placed around campus reminding students it’s illegal to camp on their grounds. But why would student activists care? Laws rarely apply to left-wing radicals. It’s why they immediately removed the signs, vandalizing some.

Cauce is also offering her tacit approval by not intervening. Her office did not respond to a request for comment.

This will not end well for the UW — or its Jewish students. CHAZ ended after daily violence and vandalism. But it was the murders of black boys that undid the autonomous zone. What bar must the autonomous zone reach before Cauce acts?

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3-7 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason on X, formerly known as TwitterInstagram and Facebook.

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Photo: UW Seattle students set up an autonomous Liberated Zone for a "Free Palestine." It features ...