Rhetoric has no place in San Luis Obispo County politics

January 26, 2026

Tom Fulks

OPINION by ERIK GORHAM

As the national debate over immigration and customs enforcement intensifies, that tension has now spilled into San Luis Obispo County, this time fueled not by policy disagreements, but by reckless rhetoric from a local political leader.

Two weeks ago, local Democratic Party Chair Tom Fulks appeared on The Dave Congalton Show. Known for his provocative style and casual relationship with facts, Fulks did not disappoint. But during this segment, he crossed into new and troubling territory.

At several points, Fulks engaged in rhetoric that went well beyond political critique.

In one instance, he appeared to suggest that Second Amendment activists should take up arms against ICE officers. In another, he claimed, without evidence, that ICE may include members of the far-right group the Proud Boys among its ranks.

These are not minor exaggerations or heated metaphors; they are serious allegations and implications that, when broadcast publicly, risk inflaming tensions and encouraging dangerous misunderstandings.

This type of messaging fits what scholars describe as stochastic or scholastic terrorism: the use of inflammatory language by public figures that does not explicitly call for violence, but increases the likelihood that a small segment of listeners may feel justified in taking violent action.

While such rhetoric has unfortunately become common at the national level, it is deeply unsettling to see it emerge from a local party leader in SLO County.

The segment itself was riddled with misinformation and contradiction. At one point, Fulks stated that he does not believe President Trump won the election, only to quickly retreat from the claim, seemingly to avoid being labeled an election denier.

This kind of rhetorical whiplash underscores the larger problem: when facts become optional, public trust erodes.

The real question is not whether one agrees or disagrees with ICE, President Trump, or federal immigration policy. Reasonable people can, and should, debate those issues vigorously.

The real question is what has happened to our local political culture when leaders feel comfortable advancing unsubstantiated claims, demonizing law enforcement wholesale, and flirting with language that could inspire real-world harm.

Disagreement is healthy. Propaganda is not. Passion is necessary. Recklessness is not.

Local leaders should be held to a higher standard, because words spoken on the radio do not stay on the radio. They ripple outward, shaping perceptions, fueling anger, and, in the worst cases, putting lives at risk.

SLO County deserves better.

Erik Gorham is a fifth generation San Luis Obispo County resident and a voting member of the SLO County Republican Central Committee.