By Jodie DeJonge • Managing Editor • 

McMinnville City Council: Ruiz challenges status quo in election bid

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Comments

Hibb

Is one's religious affiliation now the litmus test for candidates for Mac City Council; because if it is, then we've got bigger problems than I ever realized, as some of the current members need to resign immediately or renounce their belief system or those that don't have a religion or for that matter are adherents of a religion that we find socially acceptable had better get in line or resign just like the others!

So you contend that you don't think Scientology is a religion and you would prefer to think of it as a work of fiction and that you would be right, as L. Ron Hubbard first intended his novels to be just that - science fiction. Many people view various writings from over the course of man's recorded history as either holy and divine or profane and secular. It is not in good taste or for that matter politically expedient to call someone into account over their personal issues in this life like that of their religion. As long as Ruiz is not some criminal with a past, can't we at least entertain the idea of her being part of the City Council's future?

I wonder how a Muslim would be treated if they were running for City Council against Kellie Menke? Would we object to their monotheistic religion with a history of violence among some of its more radical adherents and deem them unsuitable for leadership in Mac? Or what of a Hindu? A Buddhist? Would we find their religion presented with preconceived ideas that would prevent them from serving effectively? I see a lot of people around the county waiving their US Constitution signs, but have we somehow failed to fully comprehend the historical relevance of such a document that presumes to grant each citizen the freedom of religion?

I think the NR readership would be better served if we could refrain from articles questioning one's religion unless we are prepared to give an adequate defense of our own. Thank you.

tagup

She promotes greater access & transparency but deleted her previous account on Twitter and doesn’t respond to questions regarding her education or business ties......interesting.

Flipflops

Religious affiliations shouldn’t impact ones ability to govern or do any job. But Unfortunately this isn’t a religious person seeking to do good, but instead a cult member who has been brainwashed to believe Ron Hubbard alone has all the workable mental health technology and everything else is wrong and evil. This cult stands for family separation. They know that if they let their members know the truth they would leave. It isn’t a religion. It is a cult. Fanatical devotion to a signal leader. The religious status Scientology has was illegally gotten.

Brittany can’t be a representative of the people, as she can’t talk to ex-Scientologists, per Scientology policy. This means she can’t represent all the people in the ward she is trying to win. I am a citizen of McMinville, and an ex-Scientologist, who lives in Ward 2. Brittany cannot speak to me or risk her status in Scientology. This makes her unfit to serve. Plain and simple.

Bill B

Makes one wonder about Yamhill First's vetting process on both Ruiz and Parker.

Rotwang

There shall be no religious test.

LML

You can't pick and choose which candidates backgrounds are scrutinized in regards to religion. If she was a Muslim no one would dare say anything. We are living today in the country called the United States of America because we didn't want to have to worship the way the king said we should. We wanted freedom to choose. Everyone has the freedom to choose because we have a thing called the Constitution. This discussion is not acceptable and I'm embarrassed that it's even up for discussion in the News Register.

Momohunt

https://tonyortega.org/2020/09/26/scientology-ex-sea-orger-with-ties-to-dark-secrets-running-for-city-council-in-oregon/

Hibb

Momohunt: Thanks for the link, but doesn't Tony Ortega's ongoing contribution in the field of researching and castigating Scientologists serve to promote the problem of religious discrimination in an election year? Granted that Tony is one of the experts on Scientology from outside of Scientology, but there again we are drawn back into religious profiling. I am just not comfortable with branding someone because they believe in a fashion that is contrary to my own set of beliefs and such.... Just saying.

MBert70

Say no to Ruiz and Parker! They are not what McMinnville needs for representation.

E.J. Farrar

When I evaluate a candidate for office I look carefully at their world view, values and beliefs to see if they align with my own. Isn't that fair game?

tagup

Absolutely....

Hibb

E.J. Farrar: It is commendable that you do so rather than blindly marking your ballot. My earlier point was that we should not just vote for Kellie Menke because she was running, but to engage the field for viable alternatives. Ruiz's candidacy offered a fair opportunity to do so. However, after scrutinizing her various actions in the community in the past, it is now apparent that we would be better off with Menke for one more term and then we will see if another viable candidate without a questionable past rises up from the sea of anonymity.

VOTE KELLIE MENKE FOR MAC'S WARD 2 COUNCIL POSITION!

Hibb

MBert70: Amen to that!

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