Anyone spewing the n-word, like John Osgood, has no place on Ceres City Council

When the Ceres City Council convenes Monday evening, the council must reverse its hasty and unwise decision from two weeks before. This time, Ceres leaders must flatly refuse to allow John Osgood — who has not yet taken the oath of office — to join them on the council.

As stated previously, no one as angry, condescending, bigoted, and foul-mouthed as Osgood has any business setting policy and making decisions affecting people’s lives. That Nov. 11 opinion of The Modesto Bee Editorial Board was formed upon reviewing Osgood’s remarks at a March council meeting, which were dismissive of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as incendiary, vulgar commentary on his Forgotten Liberty Radio podcast.

Further review of worse remarks Osgood made on other episodes and on his Facebook page without question render him unfit to serve. They include 20 minutes of Osgood repeatedly using the n-word in a Feb. 8 podcast, and deriding Black NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace in a Facebook post for “cultural appropriation” of what Osgood feels is a nickname that he apparently wants reserved for whites.

“I’m not calling anyone a name when I use the word `n-----’ to describe what that word is,” Osgood said in lengthy commentary on two celebrities — musician Morgan Wallen and racing driver Kyle Larson — in a show titled “You don’t have the right to be offended.” Both stars were condemned for saying the n-word in comments they didn’t realize were being recorded; Wallen’s neighbor provided video to TMZ captured by the neighbor’s porch camera.

“Use of the word n----- makes you the neighborhood n----- when you transport that video to TMZ,” Osgood said in one conclusion.

NASCAR famously banned Confederate flags after Wallace, who is Black, spoke out about racial injustice after George Floyd’s murder in 2020.

This appeared in a Nov. 7 post on Osgood’s Facebook page: “Bubba Wallace’s name is William Darrell Wallace jr not bubba and I feel that the use of bubba a nickname at the top level of nascar competition is CULTURAL APPROPRIATION!” Osgood further suggested that Wallace receive sensitivity training.

Anyone who willingly and blithely spews such slurs and race-based idiocy should not sit in any city’s elected office, regardless of whether that person arrived by appointment.

Don’t forget Osgood’s irresponsible, hate-filled comments unveiled in the Nov. 11 editorial, including calling Councilman Bret Silveira a “power-hungry penis” and a “f---ing idiot,” and Councilwoman Linda Ryno the mayor’s “b----”. Osgood also threatened Silveira with physical violence and referred to Ryno’s special education students as “the dumbest of the dumb.”

In June, close to the holiday commemorating the emancipation of Black slaves, Osgood posted this: “Does it appear fishy to anyone else that of all the times to push Juneteenth agenda this administration forces the issue on the eve of Father’s Day? Seriously the timing is not on accident!”

Do your job, Ceres Council

If Mayor Javier Lopez and council members Linda Ryno and Jim Casey were not aware of Osgood’s small-minded extremism when they voted to have him join them on the dais, shame on them. Proper vetting is their job.

It’s even worse if they did know and decided to overlook it.

A recent Sacramento Bee report outlined the threat posed by extremists co-opting public meetings to vomit repugnant commentary in the name of protected free speech.

Osgood has a constitutional right to reveal his true colors at the speaker’s rostrum, in social media and in podcasts.

He has no right to lead the people of Ceres at the city’s highest tier.

The agenda to Monday’s council meeting suggests that the mayor wants to revisit Osgood’s appointment. The wording would allow leaders, if they wish, to “proceed with direction from the Council on how to alternatively fill the vacancy” before a Dec. 10 deadline.

Seize that option, Ceres Council, and never look back.

This story was originally published November 19, 2021 at 4:00 PM.