SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
August 6, 2020
Sullivan’s Salvos 8/11/20
In this edition:
*No Salvos Next Week!
*Email Change
*Happy Birthday Melissa!
*Happy Birthday BJ!
*Thank You Terry Dahms!
*Posse Comitatus
*Did You Know?
*No Salvos Next Week!
There will be no Salvos next week. Expect your next edition (dated 8/25/20) around August 20. Enjoy your week off!
*Email Change
I am not happy about it, but my email address is changing. The old email (rodsullivan@mcshi.com) is the only personal email I have ever had, so yes, this is stressful!
If you need to email me, please use rodsullivan29@gmail.com. The old email should forward to the new one for a while, but please update your contacts. Thanks!
*Happy Birthday Melissa!
My wonderful wife Melissa Fath celebrates her birthday on August 17th. I have got to tell you – Melissa Fath is AMAZING! Her ability to balance cancer research with her roles as a wife, mother, and community member – I have no words to do it justice! I guess I’ll just stick to: Happy Birthday, Honey! I love you!
*Happy Birthday BJ!
My son BJ turns 24 on August 22. He has already had several adventures, and there are no doubt more to come. BJ recently moved to Florida to pursue his dreams.
BJ is funny compassionate, kind, and all around wonderful! I am very proud of him! Happy Birthday, BJ! I love you!
*Thank You Terry Dahms!
To celebrate our anniversary on August 1, Melissa and I decided to ride the Hoover Nature Trail from Solon to Ely and back. It is a beautiful trail, with many amenities, through gorgeous countryside. I am guessing that we saw at least 200 bikers other than ourselves; maybe more. All in all, it was a great ride!
So it was ironic when upon arriving in Ely, we ran into a couple of old friends, Terry and Laurie Dahms. It was then that it hit me… no one deserves more credit for our fantastic system of trails than Terry Dahms. I mean that sincerely.
There were all sorts of crazy machinations about this trail over the years. Hundreds of hours of speaking to property owners, the DOT, the DNR, and every other regulatory body. State and federal funding was there, then it wasn’t. Landowners passed away. Solon city leaders came and went. For a while, the Linn County Trails Association owned land in Johnson County. And finally, we passed the Conservation Bond! The whole process was 25 years. I’m not kidding – 25 years! And Terry Dahms was there every step of the way. He really, truly is the Godfather of our system of trails!
If you know Terry, he has done many good works over the years. In addition to being the County’s longest-tenured trails advocate and chairing several trails committees, he served a long time on Johnson County’s P&Z Commission, served as Chair of the Johnson County Democratic Party, is an active beekeeper, a beloved member of First Christian Church, and much more. Residents of Johnson County are truly lucky to have had him among us.
Terry – the trail is wonderful! Thanks for all of your work in making it happen!
*Posse Comitatus
I have been horrified by the recent events in Portland. Unidentified federal troops in unmarked vehicles have been attacking civilians, using tear gas and other weapons that are not allowed during times of war. This is illegal, and Republicans in Congress need to help stop Trump from this obviously unconstitutional action.
Why is it illegal? Posse Comitatus. This law, passed to stop federal troops from protecting African Americans, is now being ignored as federal troops attack African Americans.
A quick history from Wikipedia: Posse Comitatus was a response to, and subsequent prohibition of, the military occupation of the former Confederate states by the US Army during the twelve years of Reconstruction (1865–1877) following the Civil War.
The Constitution places primary responsibility for the holding of elections in the hands of the individual states. Maintenance of peace, conduct of orderly elections, and prosecution of unlawful actions are all state responsibilities. However, in the former Confederate States, a number of paramilitary groups sought to suppress, often through intimidation and violence, African American political power. Although African Americans were supported at first by the federal government, as Reconstruction went on, that support waned. Following the bitterly disputed 1876 Presidential Election, Congressmen from the former Confederate States returned to Washington and prioritized prohibiting the federal government from reimposing control over their states. After President Hayes used federal troops to end the Great Railroad Strike of 1877, there was sufficient bipartisan support to pass what became the Posse Comitatus Act.
In the mid-20th century, the administration of President Eisenhower used an exception to the Posse Comitatus Act to send federal troops into Little Rock during the school desegregation crisis. The Arkansas governor had opposed desegregation after the US Supreme Court ruled in 1954 in Brown v. Board of Education that segregated public schools were unconstitutional. The Enforcement Acts, among other powers, allowed the president to call up military forces when state authorities were either unable or unwilling to suppress violence that was in opposition to the citizens' constitutional rights.
In modern days, Posse Comitatus has become a favorite topic of the fringe Right. They accused Obama of numerous violations, though none ever made much sense. In fact, it was George W. Bush who tried to use federal troops during Hurricane Katrina over the objection of his Generals.
Posse Comitatus has been mentioned in all sorts of situations that seem to indicate a significant misunderstanding of the law. At least two Johnson County residents write to the Board regularly and bring up Posse Comitatus every time. The Sheriff’s Office is aware of an actual Posse Comitatus group in the County. What is unclear is A) what they actually want, and B) how what they want actually relates to the Act.
Look at any authoritarian regime, and you will find some type of secret police. In the police and military, your name and rank are out there for all to see. Not in Portland. With regular law enforcement, you have to tell a person why she is being arrested. Not in Portland. In civil society, you do not have to answer any questions without an attorney present. Not in Portland. Journalists are supposed to be left alone to report on conflicts. Not in Portland.
The fact that this is happening in Oregon sets up a particularly stark contrast for the right wing here. A group of far-right extremists led by Ammon Bundy occupied the Malhuer National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon for six weeks in 2016. At that time, the right was up in arms over Posse Comitatus. What is different this time?
I will tell you what is different. Laws are different depending on whether you are black or white. White people get to “stand their ground”; black people get killed. The use of federal troops is no different.
*DID YOU KNOW? Maps of Johnson County trails are available online
(https://www.iowa-city.org/weblink/0/doc/1525152/Electronic.aspx) and at many public buildings.
Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
"Sullivan’s Salvos" is sent once per week to any interested party. It will give a brief update on issues of interest to Johnson County residents.
These messages come solely from Rod Sullivan, and neither represents the viewpoints of the whole Board of Supervisors nor those of groups or individuals otherwise mentioned.
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As always, feel free to contact me at 354-7199 or rodsullivan29@gmail.com. I look forward to serving you!
---Rod
posted by Rod Sullivan @ 3:44 PM
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