OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Retired Sheriff David Clarke is slamming the woke mobs after he was disinvited from presenting at an Oregon Law Enforcement Event.
“There are too many Americans sacrificing their principles for short-term comfort and convenience when threatened by a woke mob. To do so is only hoping that the alligator eats you last. Freedom of expression is a bedrock tenet of American Democracy,” Clarke said in a statement to Conservative Brief.
“Freedom and liberty will only survive if those with counter viewpoints stand their ground against the woke mob’s bullying tactic of speech suppression. It is time RISE UP and defeat this totalitarian enemy of free speech,” he added.
Clarke, who has decades of experience as a former police officer and Milwaukee County sheriff, was booked to speak for two hours about leadership and policing.
The association supports police agencies that assign officers to school districts, which is something Clarke would be well-qualified to speak on given his many years of service.
During an interview Wednesday on “The Joe Pags Show,” Clarke spoke about the nation’s growing crime wave and detailed a slew of reforms that will help protect the American people.
“Crime is out of control in this country. What would you do if you had your finger on the button?” Pags asked Clarke.
“You have to stand strong and you have to push back,” Clarke said. “People are the first line of their own defense. Be prepared. We agreed as a society to let the state handle it. That worked for a while but it’s falling apart.”
“The best thing that people can do is defend themselves if they have to,” he added. “Take some training, take some classes. People are sensing that it’s up to them. Seconds matter and the cops are minutes away.”
WATCH:
In an email to supporters, the Oregon School Resource Officers Association announced that Clarke has been disinvited from presenting at the conference.
“We are writing to you today to announce that one of our keynote speakers, Retired Sheriff David Clarke, will not be presenting at our 2022 School Safety Conference,” the email began.
“David was under contract to speak for two hours on leadership and law enforcement issues. The OSROA board voted in favor of bringing him in based on his popularity with his constituents, his success as a leader in law enforcement, and his unabashed support for police officers around the United States. He has been outspoken in recent years about cops dealing with post-traumatic stress and the unseen epidemic of police suicide,” the email continued.
“David is, of course, most famous for his political views. Those views, along with some of his past statements in the media, resounded strongly with people here in Oregon. While we never give our conference presenters a platform to talk about personal political views, David’s statements have caused a number of individuals and organizations within our state to reach out to OSROA and express their desire to not see us host David at our conference,” the email added.
The email — which listed signatures from OSROA President Mike Jackson and OSROA Vice President Rick Puente
— went on to suggest Clarke would “damage” the group’s mission.
“OSROA has never been, and will never be, a political organization. OSROA cares about two things – Safe Schools and Safe Kids in Oregon. If any presenter, in the eyes of some, is going to damage our ability to fulfill that mission, then we must and will make the necessary changes. After careful consideration of these factors, the OSROA board voted unanimously yesterday to cancel David Clarke’s presentation. A replacement will be named at a later date,” the email said.
