In response to a piece published in E-City Beat last month detailing her many calls to defund the police, Great Falls mayoral candidate Jasmine Taylor posted a video on her candidate Facebook page claiming she was only doing what Black Lives Matter told her to do.
Here’s what Taylor said in her video about our criticism:
“What these folks are talking about actually occurred about five years ago. I did help organize a lot of Black Lives Matter protests here in Great Falls, and we did indeed use some messaging that the Black Lives Matter Community used…because it’s not our job to tone police black people.”
Taylor blaming BLM for her own words and opinions about law enforcement is cowardly and dishonest. Especially so since she assured the public, when she attempted to justify her refusal to stand and say the Pledge of Allegiance, that she would never say anything she doesn’t believe.
Let’s review Taylor’s own words:
“Everything about our country’s policing system is shameful…I will say again, defund the police.” – Jasmine Taylor in a 2022 FB post. Not 5 years ago, her own words, not a BLM quote.
“There is no profession where any number of murderers can be tolerated. Police in America continue to brutalize, terrorize, and murder. It doesn’t matter if there are “good” police. A “good” officer does not negate a single murder. Ever. The good in no way outweighs the danger that police pose to all of us. The system of policing has continually shown us that it cannot be trusted. It is dangerous. It is deadly. We need protection FROM the police.” – Jasmine Taylor in a January 2023 post. Not 5 years ago, her own words, not a BLM quote.
“Defund the police. They don’t make us safer, and if you’re anything but White and Cis they make you even less safe. Defund the police. Defund the police.” – Jasmine Taylor in a 2021 post. Not 5 years ago, her own words, not a BLM quote.
“We MUST completely rebuild law enforcement in this country. You cannot reform a system this entombed in racism and white supremacy…Defund the police.” – Jasmine Taylor in a 2021 post. Not 5 years ago, her own words, not a BLM quote.
I wonder if the thousands of local law enforcement folks, their families, friends, and supporters are buying Taylors lame attempt during election season to blame BLM for her own despicable words and beliefs.
Certainly not.
Jasmine has her own Agenda and it is not our best one. We cannot change her outlook or statements but we can Vote for Cory Reeves. I will do so, I hope that others will join in on election Day. I will vote for Reeves not out of negativity from Taylor but because he is and will continue to do a great job for Great Falls.
Actually, seeing the warrantless arrests all over the country, seeing constitutional violations by ICE, seeing the Trump administration pursue a police state, seeing the fear, witnessing tanks on American Streets, seeing masked people kidnapping, seeing a concentration camp in the middle of a miserable swamp……Jasmine Taylor was a visionary, policing does need significant changes, and what is happening now needs to stop. Our representatives and senators need to defund ICE at the bare minimum.