The Pico Rivera City Council has asked for the resignation of Councilman Gregory Salcido amid a public backlash to his recent anti-military remarks at Rancho High School, where he teaches, but he said he would not do so, it was reported Wednesday.
"I'm not anti-military,'' said Salcido, who was making his first public appearance at City Hall last night since the audio of his comments was posted on social media Jan. 26, the Whittier Daily News reported. "I am pro-education.''
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's took the extra security precaution for the meeting of having people pass through metal detectors before entering City Hall. Accommodations were made for the overflow crowd, estimated by officials at about 300. Those who could not fit inside the council chambers were seated under a canopy outside City Hall and watched the proceedings on a large screen TV.
At times, the crowd could be heard cheering as they listened to speakers in the chambers, the Daily News reported. The resolution the council passed 3-1-1 seeking his resignation said Salcido's comments "have placed our city under a cloud of dishonor, disparagement, suspicion and criticism'' and that "taking such a drastic step is an effort to restore the positive image of our city.''
Mayor Gustavo Camacho and Councilmen Bob Archuleta, a veteran with two sons in the military, voted yes, along with and David Armenta, on the request for Salcido to resign. Councilman Brent Tercero abstained and Salcido voted no.
The council heard from those for and against Salcido at the public forum. Fifty-five people came to podium with 53 demanding he resign and two former students speaking in support of Salcido, according to the Daily News.
Salcido showed no emotion.
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During his January rant, which began with Salcido criticizing a student wearing a U.S. Marine Corps T-shirt, Salcido called members of the military the "lowest of our low."
"We've got a bunch of dumb s---s over there,'' he says in the recording. "Think about the people who you know who are over there -- your freaking stupid Uncle Louie or whatever -- they're dumb. They're not like high-level thinkers, they're not academic people, they're not intellectual people. They're the freaking lowest of our low."
