Wasilla City Councilman, Republican State House candidate (and former candidate for Alaska Lt. Governor in 2010), Mark Ewing keeps talking. And then trying to untalk. And then talking again. And it's just not good.
In a recent debate at the Greater Wasilla Chamber of Commerce candidates forum, Ewing squared off with his Republican primary opponent. All started predictably with both candidates in favor of a controversial coal mine, a controversial copper mine, and another boondoggle bridge to almost nowhere.
But soon Mr. Ewing distinguished himself in the Rock 'em Sock 'em robot battle of conservative Mat-Su Valley Republicans. After talking about cutting the operating budget, he cited education as one of the problems.
"We are spending millions and millions of dollars educating children that have a hard time making their wheelchair move and, I'm sorry, but you've got to say, 'no' somewhere. We need to educate our children, but there are certain individuals that are just not going to benefit from an education."
It's worth remembering that another Wasilla Republican whom you may have heard of happens to have a special needs child in the district. Trigg Palin is not in a wheelchair, so we don't know for certain if he is one of those whom Mr. Ewing feels isn't worth educating.
After his comment in the debate was published in The Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman, he received a lot of email. He doubled down on a local right wing radio show stating:
"Actually, you know, that was a response that isn't politically correct. But I'm going to use a quote from Jack Nicholson and that is, 'most people can't handle the truth.'"
That didn't work.
Then he went on to insinuate in Facebook posts (now deleted) that he'd been misquoted by The Frontiersman, prompting the paper to strike back with a scathing editorial entitled "Can You Handle the Truth?"
"Ewing, in comments he made Friday on talk radio, would have you believe that what he said was that the children 'can't even figure out how to make their wheelchair work.' Truth is, he did not say that. The audio of the debate proves our reporting was correct and Ewing is now backpedaling, trying to rewrite the record. How his revision makes the quote any better we will leave to Ewing to explain."
A comment on the op-ed, appearing to be from Ewing, stated that he'd "checked the Wasilla Chamber website and realized the words in the paper were mine and I should have made that point clear and apologized to the Frontiersman... and also to the public. It was a poor decision on my part to not remember what I said used to describe children with special needs. I know now that what I meant to say and what I said were completely different and after reading comments from a broad parental base that all children can learn regardless of their handicap I am not against teaching special needs children and clearly not trying to hurt any students or parents that have a child in that situation. This election is not worth my creditably or using a bone headed remarks that may hurt others..." (sic)
If he has come out of this with even some of his "creditably" intact, it would still seem that this mega-gaffe and backpedaling fits a continuing pattern of "gaffe and erase."
Since his "wheelchair moment," we've obtained screen captures of other tidbits from Mr. Ewing's Facebook wall that have since been removed.
He not only took a shot at the physically and/or developmentally disabled, but also undocumented immigrants, suggesting we "seal the border with our troops, and shoot to kill."
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And Muslims.
This one was copied and pasted from a viral right-wing email, debunked by Snopes as having been written by Jeff Foxworthy. Â The last item on the list, 11) "You find this offensive, or racist and you don't forward it... You may be a Muslim," was left off. There's no bigotry like plagiarized bigotry.
And finally, he also had some strong words for the Alaska Republican Party, its current Chair Randy Ruedrich, and his opponent in the primary, fellow Wasilla conservative Lynn Gattis whom he jabbed repeatedly, hitting part-time Wasilla resident Sarah Palin squarely in the eye -- and shooting himself in the foot.
Alaska's legislative primary will be held Tuesday, August 28 when we will find out if Mr. Ewing's penchant for calling it like he sees it, helps or hurts in his efforts to be elected to the State House.
Follow Jeanne Devon (AKMuckraker) on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Mudflats
We all appear simple at times but as a person who spent 20 years working in the public school system once again it is plain to me that the typical do-gooder is not likely to understand the truth.
The truth is that invariably those who do not know and often can't do it anyway (operate their wheelchair) are being babysited in the school system far too often at a tremendous cost to the taxpayer! Over the years time and again I noticed that MANY of these handicapped HUMAN BEINGS end up learning exactly the opposite of what they go to school for. They learn to swear, to talk dirty,to lie with impunity and to act out more than anything else.
Personally I don't know the man, but I have observed over the years that just because someone is not able to articulate with the English language very well does not necessarily mean that individual should be ignored, typically I have found there is at least a grain of truth in what they are trying to say and if we look carefully it comes out in their clumsy use of the language.
Anyway you could put that idea in less "clumsy language"?
The grain of truth my friend is that a great share of the money going into this program is being wasted on and in an impossible effort in way too many cases. There, now that wasn't rocket science, was it?
Your second question is not even alluded to in what I wrote, what I wrote had nothing to do with the value of a person, it only had to do with reality, there are some things which we can do and some things that we cannot do.
And my dear friend my mind is not twisted to the extent that any human should ever be discarded, that is diabolically heathen thinking!
Then finally you made some sense, we ought not to waste tax money on anything that is counterproductive. Some can learn and do theirs a couple of these children in my family.
Say what?
"Anyway you could put that idea in less "clumsy language"?
No! That is your question (I guess) they're your words. Who is clumsy?
I don't live in the Mat-Su Valley but I would advise voters there to support Lynn Gattis. Talk to her, throw some hardballs. She can handle them. Lynn is smart and I found her to be sincere and thoughtful. She is principled but not a white-eyed idealogue. The broad brush is the favored tool of the ignorant.
Mind baffling how much they hold tight to the constitution EXCEPT "All men are created equal" part of the constitution..
~~ Samuel Johnson 1709-1784