Wilson and the Court of Public Opinion

In the ever-entertaining world of Humboldt County politics, we find ourselves once again at the center of a controversy that could rival even the juiciest reality TV drama. Charles Wilson, the protagonist of this peculiar saga, found himself in the limelight with an “imagined” hate crime that has the county buzzing. Join me, as we delve into the insidious absurdity of it all. 

September 12th B.O.S. 

On September 12th, I, like any self-respecting journalist, couldn’t resist the temptation to tune in to the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors meeting. Charles Wilson was there, in the flesh, ready to set the record straight and demand an apology for what he believed to be a grave injustice.  

Watch and read what Mr. Wilson had to say (below), he spoke passionately, elaborating on why he deserved an apology and the need to clarify the truth amidst the web of imagination spun by county staff.  

 “My name is Charles Wilson. Uh, at the August 21st, I think it’s the maybe the August 22nd board meeting uh Public comments. Board Chairman Madrone cut me off and declared that what I had was about to say, but which he hadn’t even heard yet was crossing over into hate speech and is inappropriate and not allowed. I demand the right to complete what I was going to say and which you are fantasizing that I was going to say. If you had not shut me up, the county and media would, wouldn’t have been spreading its vicious misinformation and hate campaign designed to elicit a violent response against me and my wife. 

“The Last Coast Outpost amplified this fantasy. It calls me incoherent and rambling, but it then misquotes me by using the single word and (AND), instead of (of, and, it’s, er) big pause, as I stumbled before beginning, my next thought. I said when I volunteered for the army, I was told by government that I had to shoot people government did not like. Government.  

“Madrone cut me off there, note that I said government twice. Government said government and all that kind of stuff. I did not say that I wanted to shoot people or any group. Madrone should listen to the recording, not to your imagination there.  

“I would have continued. I was 18. It would be three years before I could be allowed to vote. To even vote on the Pete Dumb government that told me that I had to shoot people. I didn’t like the idea, just like now, with the government promoting child mutilation, eliminating women’s right of privacy and security, enforcing dangerous government medication in order to make money for pharmaceuticals.  

“County Administrative Officer Elisha, and spelled that way in one place. Elisha Hayes apparently did not listen to the recording or at the meeting. I don’t know. Before making herself or comments, she cited my name specifically, and said I talked favorably about being able to shoot people who were not disliked by the majority. I did not say I wanted to shoot people or any group, I said what government said. And she changed its twists and apparently hysterically said that I said it. I did not say it, she changed government to the more sinister political majority. I did not say majority, I said government, she emailed all the… 

“Many people have seen it, including sick, violent people and probably the sheriff, FBI, CIA. And at the fair, my wife was assaulted twice. Friends urged me not to protest at the courthouse, which we’ve been doing for three years. And I demand a written apology from the county, Madrone and Hayes. As well as actions taken publicly to correct the county’s false Mis / Mal information which defamed the character of me and my wife and which has put us in peril. Thank you.”  

(May not be word for word accurate due to interpretation of spoken words) 

The Elusive Apology 

Now, let’s talk about Supervisor and Chair Madrone. Credit where credit’s due, folks. To the surprise of many, Madrone extended an apology during the meeting, as you can see in the video, additionally Wilson was given extra time to finish his comment.  

But hold your horses; it was just a spoken apology, not the formal written one that Wilson had the audacity to request. We’ll keep an eye out for that formal apology, but let’s not hold our breath. After all, in politics, promises can be as empty as a politician’s campaign slogans. 

Genevieve Wilson 

Genevieve, Mrs. Wilson herself, came forward with a plea to council members and the community at large. She implored them to do something quite radical: talk to people before forming opinions about them. Watch for yourself in the video below. Imagine that, actually getting to know someone before passing judgment! It’s a novel concept, but in today’s world of snap judgments and cancel culture, it seems like an impossible task. 

My 2 Cents 

Naturally, I couldn’t resist chiming in, as well. I, too, expressed my support for the Wilsons and their quest for justice. I raised an important point: the double standards within the local legacy media, especially Lost Coast Outpost. Some individuals seem to enjoy a Get Out of Jail Free card, while others get thrown under the proverbial bus. 

Take, for example, the Sister of Perpetual Indulgence who was arrested for indecent exposure in public at the Table Bluff overlook. Did you see that in the local legacy media headlines? Neither did I, aside from a brief mention in the bookings section. But Charles Wilson? Oh, he’s not just in the headlines; he’s been labeled a bigot and subjected to a smear campaign, resulting in his wife being assaulted multiple times at the fair. We all heard about the other incident that happened at the fair though, didn’t we? Isn’t it fascinating how some folks seem to get a pass while others become media punching bags? 

Hypocrisy Within Humboldt’s Legacy Media 

It’s becoming quite clear that Humboldt’s legacy media has a selective approach to what’s newsworthy. It’s not about the truth or justice; it’s about what fits the politically convenient narrative of the moment. 

Case in point: the Gilmore arrest. Lost Coast Populist and John Chiv were the only ones with the courage to touch this hot potato. As for the rest? Crickets. Lost Coast Outpost? Nope. Redheaded Black Belt? Nope. North Coast Journal? Nope. The Times Standard? Nope. 

Could it be that the story simply wasn’t newsworthy? Well, we decided to share it with The Daily Wire, a national news organization with a bit more perspective. They thought it was newsworthy enough to run a story, and they even gave us a nod for our work. Within 24 hours, The Daily Mail, an international publication, also jumped on the story. Following that it went viral, now you can’t figuratively throw a stick on Google without hitting a newsgroup covering the story. So maybe it is newsworthy, but just not politically convenient for Humboldt’s legacy media. 

Given that Wilson’s wife was assaulted multiple times at the Humboldt County Fair following the character assassination within the Lost Coast Outposts article which painted him as a bigot, one might think that they would also offer up an apology.

“A public commenter made some outrageous and bigoted comments during Tuesday’s meeting of the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors.”

Sadly this is not the case, in their article covering Madrone’s apology, LocoOpo maintain Wilson’s guilt in the court of public opinion once more referring to his comments as bigoted, this time within the title of the article.

“TODAY in SUPES: Board Chair Steve Madrone Apologizes for Cutting Off Public Commenter for Making Bigoted Statements During Last Month’s Meeting, and More!”

And there you have it, folks: a day in the life of Humboldt County politics, where apologies are elusive, judgments are swift, and the media plays its own peculiar games. Is it still 1984 behind the Redwood Curtain?