Anderson council member Darin Hale posts AI-generated video depicting assault of teacher, sparking outrage
Anderson Council member Darin Hale is running for California Assembly in next week’s primary. In the lead up to the election, he posted an AI video depicting himself assaulting a “woke” teacher. He’s using the endorsement of violence as promotional material for his campaign.
As usual, Anderson City Council member Darin Hale has been active on Facebook lately, posting frequently about his candidacy in the upcoming race for the California State Assembly. Some of his recent posts include AI-generated content, and one in particular has upset local netizens and politicians alike.
On May 25, Hale posted an AI video depicting himself in a classroom. He’s shown picking up another, smaller, adult, who appears to be a teacher. The individual, who is shown with a dyed green buzzcut and a fearful expression, is seen only briefly before Hale hurls them out of an open window from the third or fourth story, possibly to their death. After this act of violence, Hale tears down three flags pinned to the classroom’s chalkboard: one that appears to be a cross between an Israeli and pride flag, one with the “circle a” or anarchy symbol, and one with the insignia of the United Nations. Students in the classroom then erupt in cheers, giving the man a high-five. The video ends with a graphic promoting Darin Hale for state assembly.
In the comments, he pinned this notice. “Disclaimer: No AI character was harmed in the making of this video. All AI characters also signed an NDA stating not to disclose stunt scenes with the public. Thank you for your attention to this matter. 😎.”
Hale confirmed for Shasta Scout that the video is intended to depict himself engaging in the act of violence, saying it represents his frustration with “woke ideology being forced on our kids in the classroom.” He has previously accused the California public school system of having a “Marxist-Leninist agenda.” He added that he wasn’t sure why the AI generator superimposed a Star of David onto the pride flag.
Comments under Hale’s video on Facebook show a polarized response. Many came to his support, while others condemned his use of violent imagery to boost his campaign. When challenged by a critical commenter who took issue with Hale’s “promotion of political violence,” the Anderson Council member wrote that the “best way to stop violence is to remove the woke political educators from the classrooms, who are teaching kids that they have been oppressed and they have a right to seek justice by any means necessary.”
This isn’t the first time Hale has come under fire for his social media posts. In March, the Anderson City Council adopted a new social media policy after Hale made numerous posts on his Facebook account criticizing a local flight school because it trains students from China. Hale claimed the students could be gathering intel for the purposes of Chinese espionage — something the flight school has soundly denied, noting the harm that’s been caused by such claims.
Hale is also not the only Californian politician to use AI to promote a political agenda during a campaign. Recently, Los Angeles mayoral candidate and reality TV star Spencer Pratt used AI-generated content in his campaign — and across the nation in New York City, disgraced former New York governor Andrew Cuomo was criticized for his use of AI in his bid for mayor against Zohran Mamdani.
In the days since the video was posted, the debate over the imagery has migrated from the comments of his own Facebook post to the profiles of other sitting politicians. Redding City Council member Erin Resner, who’s running for county supervisor, made her own post condemning Hale’s video which she framed as “political violence.” In a comment to Shasta Scout, she wrote “a society does not lose its character all at once. It happens slowly, every time we abandon integrity.”
Redding Mayor Mike Littau also weighed in online, calling Hale’s video “deeply disturbing,” and adding “if your politics are making you wish harm on people who think or look differently, you are on the wrong path.” In a phone call with a reporter, Littau suggested that Hale’s video could push an unstable person over the edge, inciting them to hurt themselves or others.
“We shouldn’t just be concerned about Charlie Kirk,” Littau cautioned, saying that violent rhetoric should be condemned on both the left and right.
Asked about Littau’s condemnation, Hale brushed it off as emotional distress.
“Mayor Littau’s response has not changed my course to defend our kids from this level of insanity. There is a War being waged on our kids. That is the fight I’m taking head on. I have no time and little energy to cater to Mayor Littau’s emotional damage. I’m sure there’s a local social-emotional program he can attend to assist him with his distress.”
He also responded to both Littau and Resner with a satirical follow-up AI video using both of their likenesses, along with that of his campaign opponent, incumbent Assembly member Heather Hadwick. The video doubled down on his earlier messaging, prompting a response from Hadwick.
“Campaigns are a reflection of character and priorities,” Hadwick said. “The people of this district deserve leaders who spend their time working for their communities, not fueling anger and division for attention.”
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Dumb as a rock.
First of all, violent political satire is just wrong in the current divided and dangerous climate we live in. I don’t care which side of the political aisle it is coming from, it should always be condemned.
Mr. Hale is not only showing his hatred and intolerance for those with whom he disagrees, he is also proving that he is clueless about what is actually happening in our local public schools. Despite his short tenure as an extremist and very vocal trustee on the dysfunctional AUHSD School Board, Mr. Hale is trying to create a problem where none exists. His feigned outrage is ludicrous and completely misplaced.
Public school teachers and other supportive credentialed staff are not forcing a “woke ideology” on students. In reality, the default message is quite the opposite. The predominant ideology within the local public-schools is still depicting, supporting, and referencing the traditional nuclear family, along with patriotism and respect for our community and country. Just because public school staff try to provide a welcoming, safe, and supportive environment where all students have the opportunity to learn, does mean anyone is pushing a “Marxist-Leninist agenda.”
I urge everyone who is eligible to vote in the upcoming election and send a strong message that we will no longer tolerate or support those pushing a personal ill-conceived political agenda. We need a return to sane and reasonable leadership that actually focuses on the needs of Shasta County residents, rather than an extreme partisan agenda of division, disrespect, retribution, and personal gain.
Please consider voting for:
Heather Hadwick-CA State Assembly District 1
Joanna Francescut-Shasta County Clerk & Elections Officer
Mike Gallager-District 5 Supervisor
Erin Resner-District 1 Supervisor
While I appreciate Mayor Littau’s original Facebook post, his response to this comment posted by EC Zapata is disappointing. Saying the video is “Just poor taste.” and “poor judgment” undermines his original message and implies he agrees with Zapata.
EC Zapata
I appreciate your response to the video – I had to go find it and watch it after reading your post. I think as a society, people are fed up, disgusted, frustrated. The Ai video depicting what seems to be a “woke” teacher being thrown out of a window does not seem like a call for violence, but a call to remove the ideology that poisons our children from classrooms. Maybe not the best depiction on how to do so, but I also wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s a call to violence. Grossly simple and cliche? Sure… not my style these days, but it gets a point across and rallies those who are fed up.
Mike Littau
EC Zapata Just poor taste. We’ll never know what goes on in the minds of those that committed hate crimes in the past. What caused them to go over the edge and think it was ok. A political candidate has a higher calling of leadership as people listen and pay attention. It put all teachers in a box, I hear ya… it was really poor judgement.
He has another AI-generated video on FB where he strangles a wolf with his bare hands. It’s like he’s desperate to outdo Trump’s self-worshiping megalomania, but he just comes off as a try-hard.
This is typical MAGA idiocy, yet it’s not surprising these days.
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The leader of MAGA, a court-adjudicated rapist who is also a convicted 34-count felon, has advocated violence for many years, and just about daily, he posts voilent AI generated video, many of them showing the sick criminal committing the violence himself. And when he’s not turning the White House into a cage-fighting arena (at taxpay cost), he’s threatening that “a whole civilization will die tonight” or saying he’s going to bomb a nation “back to the Stone Ages,” or posting graphics that make him look like a religious saint or something.
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Many in the MAGA far-right think the Hale and the adjudicated rapist’s tripe is funny, but the sickness could be seen as desensitizing and normalizing political or other violence.
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It’s good to see our community leaders stand up against this sickness!
I would personally like to see an AI generated video of the Anderson Cottonwood Militia getting their ass handed to them by a bunch of raging gun toting 400 pound Trannys in high heels as Militia interrupts their drag queen story hour at the local Anderson elementary school.
From the words of the great profit Aldo Nova…
“Life is just a fantasy can you live this fantasy life”
I would personally like to see an AI generated video of the Anderson Cottonwood Militia getting their ass handed to them by a bunch of raging gun toting 400 pound Trannys in high heels as Militia interrupts their drag queen story hour at the local Anderson elementary school.
Insanity and ignorance are alive and well obviously – comes from the top unfortunately.
Proudly stupid, aggressively ignorant. Shatanistan’s finest.
Selah
Stupid is as stupid does.
Vote moron, get moron…
Satire is a genre and literary device that uses humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize human stupidity, vices, or societal flaws. Its primary purpose is not just to entertain, but to provoke thought or inspire social and political reform by highlighting absurdities.
Satire punches up. Even George Carlin said that. This is not satire.
This ain’t satire, Skippy. But of course, we all kind of expected the “can’t take a joke” crowd to be well represented given the content (and level of discourse represented). Typical.
Awww…he cares about the kids.
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He cares so much, that he has to resort to imaginary violence to get his message across.
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What a great role model. I mean, truly exemplary.
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Mr Hale, I support your freedom of speech. I hope you keep it up and just keep talking to show everyone just how intelligent you really are.
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Truly a role model in disguise.