Saturday, April 3, 2010

Christian School balloting to play role in Lancaster, CA election?

At Trinity Christian Academy in Jax, Fl, it was a common practice for students to write letters to congressmen concerning various bills that would tax the schools. Those who did not want to write the letters could do an assignment from the textbook that would involve a long essay. All voluntary of course!

Considering the letter was pre-written for students on the board, what do you think most Christian high schoolers would do?

I thought of that while reading this blog posted by Matt Keitner at blogav.org, which I reproduced below. His blog was deleted at one page. I don't think it will be deleted at blogav, but just to err on the safe side, I will publish his blog here as a community service.

You might be interested in some of the replies to his post. The infamous Fighting Fundamentalist Forum is referenced in one of the replies. I can't seem to post an exact link to the blog, so if you want to read the replies, here's what you have to do:

Go to blogav.com.
Click 'The Antelope Valley Political Scene'.
Then, click 'Rumor: Did Parris & Chappell stuff the ballot box?'

Note to citizens of Lancaster, CA:

Don't underestimate the power of Lancaster Baptist, and its various schools, to overpower the election. It wouldn't surprise me if that institution didn't follow in the footsteps of TCA and engage in creative forms of electioneering. There is a relationship between TCA and LBC when you consider TCA is part of the same ministry, Trinity Baptist College, that deferred an honorary degree on Paul Chappell. Keep an eye out for funny business!

Matt's Post:

Rumor: Did Parris & Chappell stuff the ballot box?
by Matt_Keltner » April 1st, 2010, 9:19 pm

(Note: the following is a post that I put up in my blog section of Intheav.com that was promptly deleted, not even a full 24 hours later. I posed it as a question in a public forum. It is a question that I would ask Rex and Paul to their faces had I been able to attend a campaign meeting or debate. I posted it hoping that someone could clarify if this rumor was indeed true, or simply a rumor?)

RUMOR: Parris & Chappell stuffing the ballot boxes?

It was brought to my attention, from someone I would call a relatively reliable source, that (someone in authority in Lancaster city government) and (someone in authority) at Lancaster Baptist Church have been “stuffing ballot boxes” with absentee ballots ahead of the city election.

The absentee ballots in question were supposedly filled out by the college students at West Coast Baptist College — 200 or so, to be exact.

What is scandalous about this is that it is also being reported that many of the so-called West Coast Baptist “students” named in these absentee ballots have matriculated on to other places and can’t even be considered residents of Lancaster any longer.

Is this verifiable? Can the County of Los Angeles Registrars Office investigate and confirm this? Or someone else in a position of authority over elections? If this turns out to be true, it is sleazy at best. At worst, election tampering is a federal offence and (someone in authority in Lancaster city government) and (someone in authority at Lancaster Baptist Church) should both be brought in front of a federal magistrate if they did, indeed, resort to these tactics?

(Just before this was deleted, someone under the moniker of "AV Observer" threatened that I would be taken to court and sued by both Rex Parris and Paul Chappell for "defaming Rex's pastor". Since Paul Chappell was named "Citizen of the Year" by the city of Lancaster, he is viewed as a leading official in the so-called "War on Gangs" and his sermons are broadcast weekly via radio, I believe this qualifies him as a public figurehead and revokes him from immunity to criticism, just as Pope Benedict is not immune to public criticism regarding the ongoing scandals in the Catholic Church. Since we live in Lancaster and it happens to be election season, one way to stifle a legitimate question would be to threaten legal reprise for such an inquiry...However, apparently they didn't count on me consulting an attorney who notified me that if they, in any way, come after me, I will cross-complain against them in court for malicious prosecution and violating my First Amendment rights and they will be forced to pay my attorney fees. )

END OF MATT'S POST

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