For 3 long weeks, the Lakes Region has been immersed in an ugly controversy based on accusations of alleged deliberate bigoted inclinations, speech, and activity by Rep. Dawn Johnson. Many are adamant this is a humanitarian issue, not political. Based on the observations below, I strongly disagree.
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This menacing situation has definitely been made political.
Until December, Dawn Johnson was a respected upstanding citizen with a solid history of giving back to her home city. She has served as an elected official, first on Laconia School Board and more recently, Laconia Republican Representative to NH State Legislature, as well as the ongoing pursuit of many charitable volunteer activities.
Because she did not research the source, as was prudent especially for a public leader, on 12/9/2020 Rep. Johnson made the much-regretted error of poor judgment and unintentionally posted an article linked to a notorious Neo-Nazi website on social media. Subsequently, the anti-Semitic, racist image, which has understandably caused her Jewish and Afro-American constituents much pain and outrage, was somehow added to the post, not by her.
When friends made Rep. Johnson aware of the malicious source and odious implications of the image attached, she immediately removed her post and apologized, also on social media, stating clearly she does not agree in any way with that extremist organization.
This incident has been exploited by local and state Democrat organizations as an opportunity to discredit Trump supporters, common Conservative views, the NH Republican Party and its leadership, and particularly Rep. Johnson. A blatant example is a Daily Sun article on 12/12/2020, p. 9, starting at paragraph 7, solidly linking Rep. Johnson’s support of President Trump with Neo-Nazi Andrew Anglin, his beliefs, and actions. At the end NH Democratic Party Chair, Raymond Buckley states, “The Republican Party has become a place where people like Dawn Johnson can share hateful racist, and anti-Semitic posts without repercussion…”.
In addition, shortly after Rep. Johnson apologized and took her damaging post offline, Belknap County Democrats (BCD) sent out their current newsletter via email with a link to view online. The headline of the lead article read “Laconia Republican State Representative Posts Racist and Anti-Semitic Cartoon on Social Media.” Directly below they purposely republished a screenshot of that same “disgusting” post including a “hate speech” image, duplicating the offense for which they condemned Rep. Johnson, and are demanding her resignation from both elected offices.
Weeks after this initial circulation by BCD throughout our region, which includes Jewish and African-American residents, at the time of this writing that post is still accessible online from the newsletter browser link titled “URGENT! ACTIVISM ALERT!”.
BCD’s malicious actions, especially republishing the offensive post previously removed, triggered a firestorm of harsh discord across Lakes Region, NH, and other NE states.
Where directed at them, is the relentless demonization, public shaming, and violent threats they inappropriately instigated against Rep. Johnson, her family, and even her employer’s business?
Perpetuated in the name of Social Justice during a season with a traditional focus of “peace on earth and goodwill to all” no less…oh yes, this is dirty politics at its worst.
