Republican Club
By Brian Harmon
LW contributor
LWers joined other law enforcement supporters gathered at the base of the Seal Beach pier on Sept. 6. The rallies are held every Saturday at noon at the pier and everyone who supports the police is invited to participate.
Many carried signs saying “Support Our Police,” American flags and signs supporting Republican candidates, especially Board of Supervisors Chairwoman and Congressional candidate Michelle Steel.
LW resident Donald Horning carried a sign that said, “We increased our sales tax to hire more Seal Beach Police.” He said he was a member of the committee that suggested that Seal Beach raise the sales tax so that they could hire more police officers.
Seal Beach proposition BB was passed by voters in 2018. Signs throughout the city at that time said that the money would be used for public safety such as police or fire protection.
City Councilman Thomas Moore tried to get the City Council to take the money not needed for public safety and put it in the reserve account, for when it may be needed at some later time. He was unsuccessful in getting his motion passed by the City Council.
Moore said, “I certainly support what these people are doing here. I think the police throughout the country, and especially in Seal Beach, are doing a great job, with a very few exceptions. Those officers who break the law should be fired and or sent to prison, but that is no excuse for defunding the police.”
LW Republican Club president David Harlow said, “Anything we can do to support our police officers is terrific. They put their lives on the line to keep us safe.”
Bibi Mesmer,who spearheaded the event said, “It is so great to see all these wonderful people come out to support our police officers. They certainly deserve it.”
Cars driving by honked in support. When a police car would come by, the crowd responded with loud “hoorays,” as well as a lot of hooting and hollering.
Seal Beach resident Pete Amunson, who does social media publicity for the weekly rallies, voiced his support. “I think an overwhelming majority of Seal Beach residents, as well as other Americans, support the police. The job that they do for us is truly phenomenal,” he said.
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The Republican Club booth will continue to be open every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Flags, political campaign buttons, patriotic scarves, U.S. flag lapel pins, hats and other collectible items are available to purchase every Monday.
The booth is located in the parking lot in front of Clubhouse 6, to the left of the GRF administration building. Window signs and free face masks provided by OC Board of Supervisors Chairwoman and Congressional candidate Michelle Steel, and signs supporting Thomas Moore for City Council are available in 11x17 inches size as well as 2x4 inches.
A beautiful, large framed picture of the jailhouse in Bodie, California, is the first prize in the LW Republican Club’s first raffle on record. Raffle tickets sell for $3 each or 5 for $10.
Bodie is one of the few remaining “Ghost Towns” in California. The picture was donated to the club by club member Jim Yoshioka. He said the jailhouse represents “Law and Order,” a major theme in the Republican party’s platform this year.
Jim is also donating proceeds from his autobiography to the club. The book is titled “I am the Clay, He is the Potter, Autobiography of Jim Masao, First Born in the Japanese Internment Camp.”
