The following is a written copy of a statement made during the public comment portion of the College of the Canyons board of trustees meeting on April 12:
Tonight, I’m committing what people call, “career suicide,” for what I’m about to say will only increase the size of the already large figurative target on my back. I’m a district safety officer here at COC and have been here for approximately six years. When I heard that COC invited Angela Davis to speak, I found out in a department email sent to me by my director at the behest of his boss, stating that all officers, regardless of having that day off, were expected to work to provide security for this event.
Working here as a former police officer, combat veteran, an outspoken conservative, I know that myself and people like me are not welcome here at COC. I’ve had several employees, even administrators, call me — behind my back, of course — a pig, baby killer, Nazi, fascist, skinhead and more. Yes, I’ve got friends that work in offices that relay all the fun stuff.
For the chancellor to proudly brag about the diversity of this institution and push the (diversity, equity and inclusion) narrative and policies, is pretty funny when you actually look at it. There is no diversity of thought here, no inclusivity, no equity, no tolerance, unless of course you’re a liberal. Then you’re welcomed with open arms.
COC says it fights racism by inviting a Black supremist, a former Black Panther, former but proud communist in Angela Davis to speak here. A person that in her adult life has, in one way or another, supported or condoned the killing or targeting of police officers, and white people. Automatic weapons that were registered to Davis somehow ended up being used by a Black Panther to kill a Superior Court judge and two prisoners in a botched escape attempt in 1970. She hates that I and people like myself exist, yet you demand that we protect her while she speaks.
To be clear, I fully support the First Amendment and her right to speak anywhere, any time, on her own dime. If she wanted to come here and pay to have an event, by all means. But to have COC invite her is a slap in the face to people like me. This institution would NEVER invite a conservative figure like Larry Elder, Thomas Sowell or Sen. Tim Scott, to name a few.
Inviting her here tells me that COC really does hate that people like me exist. They don’t respect or care about us or what we think. We are not included in that DEI they love to talk about. We are expressly forbidden. We are continually minimized with the full support of the chancellor and her administration, even some members of this board. And all of them disgust me.
Matt Funicello
Saugus
