It’s hard to fathom how deeply we’ve sunk into a quagmire of negligence and incompetence, and yet here we are. Yesterday, my wife and I stood frozen and slack jawed as we watched parts of beautiful California apocalyptically burn to the ground. We both listened angrily to the elected leaders’ absurd responses to questions, and empty platitudes, as to why their cities lie in ruins.
As a legislator in my community, I’ve been accused of being overly political at times, but never dishonest with my constituency. I base everything I write and opine publicly on evidence rooted in facts. The cataclysmic and continued failures taking place with California’s leadership is something that can no longer be ignored.
California, a state synonymous with breathtaking landscapes, endless natural resources, and glorious sunshine, has also become a tragic emblem of incompetence and gross negligence in leadership. The recent fires raging through this once pristine land are not merely natural disasters, they are a consequence of inept leadership and atrocious land management policies that have been implemented by those who claim to represent the people.
Let’s get one thing straight; these fires are not merely a force of nature that we must contend with every year. They are a direct result of years of land and forest mismanagement, budget cuts to vital firefighting services, and implementation of woke-climate change ideology. Full stop!
How many times must we bear witness to the same pattern play out? Instead of investing in preventative measures and robust firefighting resources, they’ve chosen to cut budgets, hire inept DEI employees, and appoint people to positions they are clearly not qualified for, or capable of doing; based solely on skin color or gender ideology.
Most people won’t touch the subject, but I am going to rip the scab off the woke and infectious wound they’ve inflicted on the innocent. These progressive leaders possess a shocking level of stupidity and arrogance; and a degree of privilege reserved for kings of third world countries. It’s simply astonishing how they can pontificate about climate change and sustainability, while creating red tape to choke out any effective response to the crisis at hand.
It's not just mother nature wreaking havoc here; it’s the woke DEI leaders fanning the flames and calling for more accelerant. Lives have been lost, homes have been lost, businesses destroyed, families displaced, and a complete collapse of the ecosystem; all thanks to political leaders that are more interested in political ideology than tangible solutions.
DEI leadership claims to champion equity and inclusion, but what does that mean when entire communities are left defenseless due to their negligence? Instead of prioritizing effective strategies rooted in science and experience, they obsess over tokenism and performance policies that change nothing. This perverse fixation on optics instead of outcomes has just caused another major humanitarian disaster.
Let’s be clear about one thing, these fires will not cease until we eradicate the ignorance and negligence that foster them. We need capable leaders that have a real-time understanding of the issues and are willing to roll up their sleeves and engage in problem-solving. The great state of California deserves leaders who prioritize action over rhetoric. The blood of our charred earth is on their hands, and we will no longer remain silent to the politicization that lit the match.
If Californians wish to escape their collision course with the abyss, they must engage in fierce advocacy, demand accountability, mobilize their community, and then ferociously challenge the status quo. Anything short of that is merely lip service. There is a school of thought that believes “you get what you vote for.” Sometimes a mirror creates the best vantage point.
Editorial comments expressed in this column are the sole opinion of the writer.
