>>SQUIDFRY

THANKS, MOM… Things were disquietingly congenial in PACIFIC GROVE politics for a few months there. So affable, in fact, Squid was beginning to worry that Squid would have to wait until November to see any real muck.

And so Squid has been pleased with longtime City Councilwoman SUSAN GOLDBECK’s frenzied attempts to wrench the mayoral throne from DAN CORT following Mayor JIM COSTELLO’s retirement. From Squid’s point of view, Cort seemed to be the logical choice and the City Council agreed, voting him to succeed Costello with a 5-1 vote.

But Goldbeck does have her supporters. As proof, MONTEREY COUNTY HERALD reporter ANDRE BRISCOE found one to quote in an article written a couple of weeks back, “War of Words Escalates.”

“Susan Goldbeck stands up for the public, it’s that simple,” said resident Gail Hall. “Her record has shown that she has done that for the last three and a half years.”

A resounding show of confidence and support. Of course, one would hope that the citizen quoted would have positive feelings toward her councilmember—Gail Hall is Susan Goldbeck’s mother. And oh yeah, her name is spelled GAYLE HALL.

LET FREEDOM RING… That’s it—Squid’s going underground. Now that anti-terrorism officials are going after peace-lovin’ grannies, there’s no hope for Squid.

Three days before Independence Day, Salinas peace activist MACGREGOR EDDY found out that the state government spied on a rally in support of her. On June 15, at a courthouse in Santa Barbara, Eddy was sentenced to two years probation, suspended jail time and a $2,500 fine for her arrest at VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE in 2005, where she was protesting the war in Iraq. While Eddy was inside the courthouse, urging the government to respect international law, state officials were reportedly outside the courthouse, spying on a WOMEN’S INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE FOR PEACE AND FREEDOM gathering—obviously a grave threat to national security.

On July 1, the LA Times published a story about the CALIFORNIA OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY tracking demonstrations staged by political and antiwar groups, including the gathering in front of the courthouse at Eddy’s sentencing hearing.  

According to the Times, a spokesman for California Atty. Gen. BILL LOCKYER condemned the monitoring activities, saying they violated the groups’ constitutional right of free speech.

“I don’t think I’m above the law, but I don’t think my government is, either,” Eddy said in an interview on Monday. “I’m just stunned by the silence of the vast majority. What the hell is going on? Tomorrow’s the Fourth of July. I want my country back.”