Harrison resigns from SLO County Planning Commission

January 3, 2020

Jim Harrison

By CCT STAFF

Shortly after declining a Nipomo Citizen of the Year award, Jim Harrison resigned from the San Luis Obispo County Planning Commission.

Community members have voiced outrage over a group of Facebook posts Harrison shared which were highly critical of Islam or linked Democrats to Nazis. Harrison, who served as Supervisor Lynn Compton’s planning commissioner, shared memes that included House Speaker Nancy Pelosi dressed up as a Nazi official and another Facebook post stating, “America needs to shut down all mosques and ban Islam.”

On Friday, Compton announced she was in the process of selecting a new planning commissioner.


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retiredpoliceofficer…

I’m glad you’re retired.


Nobody forced Harrison to resign from the Planning Commission.

Nobody forced Harrison to take down his Facebook posts.

If Harrison truly believed in his ideaologies he should have stood his ground.

Instead like a cockroach, he hid when the light was shown on his true colors.


This is typical Democrat suppression of freedom of speech. If you have a view that is not inline with their ideology they shout you down or in this case force you to give up parts of your life. We constantly see this on Facebook and their shouting down speakers at lectures. Their military arm, , Antifa is famous for intimidation of people expressing their right to speak,


Although, I don’t necessarily agree with Mr.Harrisons positions, unlike the Democrat speech police I defend his right to say it. He is free to say whatever he wants on Facebook within their terms of service. Only threats of harm to others or yelling “fire” is is contrary to the first amendment (with other narrow exceptions).


When I saw Pelosi’s picture in a Nazi uniform I made no connection to the Holocaust. Nazi uniforms are depicted in dozens of World War II movies that the Democrats have not yet burned.


Tens of thousands of Americans have died to defend the right of free speech which Dems want to sweep away.


His right to receive the Nipomo award was not conditional on speech. His position on the planning commission was not conditioned on giving up his right to free speech. If he had been advocating violence it would be different.


SLO residents should be addressing the corruption in their City.


I anticipate a flurry of discontent reacting to this post to stop me from exercising my right to free speech. Watch for the creative comments that are intended to get around my rights.


rpo – You are missing the entire point. Harrison had a right and the ability to express his opinions… Constitutional guarantee met. What the Constitution does not promise is immunity from criticism or consequences. If you hold a public office you serve at the will of the people. If you are a racist or religious bigot you might not want to express those opinions.


This isn’t a left or right issue. If your salary comes from the people, you should (at least publicly) be in service to all of the people.


I will agree with you that “SLO residents should be addressing the corruption in their City.” From public officials that assault the public to a police chief that loses a gun and then destroys the life of innocent citizens, our county is full of problems at the highest levels of government.


While I disagree with you, I believe the only remedy to hateful or misguided speech is more speech. You have the right to your opinion and the right to express it, I have a right to disagree.


Wow rpo, I agree with all that SCrow pointed out, so gently. I will point out the same a little stronger.

You are way off base, and your right wing political comments only denigrate your biased opinion. No one has said this bigoted foolish person cannot feel or state his opinions. The backlash to what he wrote was about his representing us as person of the year or making political decisions on the Planning Commission. Since by his own hand he created posts that indicate he would be better serving as a commissar in North Korea we have decided he should retreat from public life in our community. He might continue to do some of the good works he was credited as being involved in but his judgement was clearly fatally compromised by his ridiculous postings, showing his true colors.

I can only assume those in our community who support those attitudes are complicit in harming our democracy. Those posts were not jokes, he was not joking. He was serious about making his hateful feelings known far and wide. We heard him, and we acted. We do not want anyone like that in any position of authority around here.


I think alot of discussion here proves many of our neighbors and community members are racist, antisemitic and Islamophobic, hateful and simply bad misguided people who could use some compassion and education and help.


I think the discussion here shows people have various feelings on the subject at hand and your opinions are not the only opinions nor is there a right or wrong opinion.


Somebody help me here, please:


Just what is it that compels people to commit reputational suicide via Facebook?


I really just don’t get it.


And, while we’re at it here, a side note to Lynn Compton… As you consider replacements for “your” Planning Commission member, in addition to whatever other questions you may address, you may want to consider asking two more: 1) “Do you have a Facebook account?” and 2) “Do you use that Facebook account with regular postings?”


The Nazis murdered millions in cold blood. Just horrific. Don’t ever use that word, whoever you are.


If you have to explain it or qualify it as “sarcasm,” then it’s not sarcasm.


Knowing that the insecure and immature may adversely react to your comments because they are too self-absorbed to recognize the irony or humor in what you wrote, makes it all more worth the while. If you’re going to qualify sarcasm to prevent the already emotionally fragile from overreacting or being offended, then it’s not sarcasm, it’s political correctness.


But who knows, maybe I’m just being sarcastic.