Last week, after I told you the truth about Allentown's crime rate, blogger Damien Brown dropped his pom poms for a moment to email this request. "I am politely asking you to stop engaging in, and entertaining, the anti-Allentown rhetoric against my city and neighborhood that has appeared on your blog in recent hours. This kind of non-sense has proven to be more damaging to our city than any violent crime, fiscal policy, or lack of leadership that Allentown has experienced in the past."Looks like this "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" cheerleader is going to have to send an email to The Morning Call, too. That paper just published a letter to the editor from the House of Chen, one of the businesses that has suffered, thanks to the removal of Allentown bus stops along Hamilton.
Our livelihoods are threatened by the financial losses that to date have reached 15 percent to 30 percent, and it worsens with each passing day. Many of our patrons are non-white, and some have suggested that the route changes discriminate against both seller and buyer. We are cognizant of the city's apparent plans to gentrify its center. However, we await a routing adjustment that will restore convenience to all of us who are the lifeblood of the city.
28 comments:
an apologist for the administration claims the changes were decisions by Lanta and the consequences were unseen. the reality is the lanta terminal was conceived by the allentown parking authority to help finance the deck. its the same parking authority which sold the parking lots to Nic Z construction for new townhouses, a project promoted by pawlowski. its insulting to the public to deny that city hall was not part and parcel of this plan. let those who defend pawlowski demand an explanation. let chris casey call the mayors office and inquire into my latest accusation.
It was joint by both Lanta and Allentown, as I understand.
The 69 News recently covered the story about a petition being presented to LANTA about (I think) bringing back the bus stops.
The piece aired a few days ago, but I believe they had 1,800 signatures.
Anyone, please correct me if this is wrong - I haven't been following this too closely.
LANTA and Allentown both have some questions to answer. I don't buy any explanation that requires us to believe this was unforeseen.
where was the article by the morning call on the petitions? remember, the morning call sold the property to the parking authority to build the deck for close to a million dollars, they receive free parking for many years and no longer have to pay property taxes for that purpose, their publisher attended the three amigo press conference, and are part and parcel of this plan. today the city distributed posters for Octoberfeast, to pump the brewworks, what hypocrites!!!
the apologists for pawlowski are now commenting under ms. lim's letter on mcall that she doesn't even know the proper name of the street and that she doesn't live in allentown.(where have i heard that distraction before?)
michael molovinsky -
As I wrote, the petition piece was on the 69 News, not the M-Call. Unless they did write an article on it, in which case I'm clueless.
a,j. cordi, that was my point, they did not write an article
The MC had no account of Chen's petition presentation.
The MC, which sold the land upon which this new transpiration center is based, originally wrote a positive article on 9/5. In that article, the paper did note its own financial interest in the project. The headline claimed a "smooth start."
In a second article, on 9/12, about the grand opening, the article claims that the elimination of bus stops on Hamilton would ease traffic congestion.
On 9/18 and 9/19, the paper published articles detailing the complaints made by both riders and merchants.
On 9/22, the MC published Damien Brown's cheerleading, in which he huffed that adversely impacted businesses were nothing more than "growing pains."
Today, the MC published Joyce Chen's LTE, noting that businesses hurt just happen to be "Korean, Indian, Arab and Guyanese." She wonders, as do I, whether A-town is attempting a discriminatory gentrification.
Overall, I believe the paper has been balanced, presenting all points of view.
I haven't read my paper yet today, but it is no secret that I questioned a member of my own blog team about his own perceived elitism concerning the project.
At first glance, it appears to be economic discrimination. I can't find another word for it.
But on this issue, the Morning Call has been fair in its reporting. I want to hear what the Mayor has to say. Greg is serving a two week self imposed exile, and I have other issues I am working on. Bernie covered it well, why should I write about it?
I'd like to hear what the mayor says, too. I won't buy a "We never would have guessed" explanation.
Apparently I'm a glutton for punishment but my very young brain has done the following equation:
Gentrification = Lower crime rate
I'm in.
Flame away
Julian, Yes, you are a glutton for punishment.
Totalitarianism = lower crime rate
Ethnic cleansing = lower crime rate
Oligarchy = lower crime rate
Saddam = lower crime rate.
So if you're in, you should book a flight to North Korea immediately.
Incidentally, the gentrification occurring in Allentown actually is a form of ethnic cleansing.
chris casey writes ". I want to hear what the Mayor has to say.." he has not commented on it, and the first article appeared on sept. 18th. he must know about it, there has been two segments on channel 69 and 1800 signatures submitted. why don't you call him? you know the number! you own the lv political blog, you interviewed cunningham, at least call him. maybe you'll look into it AFTER the election? that might be safer.
michael molovinsky -
Sarcasm often goes disguised over the internet. My apologies.
Molovinsky, who the hell are you to tell me or anybody else what to write about? Who the bleep are you to judge us on our blog? Are you so mentally crippled you can't write your own opinion? You write about what you want, and we will write about what we want.
Free bleepin country ass----.
(I won't swear on Bo's blog)
You don't like our positions, and we don't care. Go write your own! Instead you write an ode to bakeries and chocolate chip cookies. I think you left the cannabis out of the recipe you posted. You are very vague on your own opinions, you are always critical, and when somebody calls you out, you take your ball and run back in the house (outside of Allentown) for a couple a weeks until you think we have forgotten what an imbecile you are.
I wouldn't want to have your opinions, they would require removing the part of my brain that processes rationale and reasonable thought. Now as Lehigh Valley Housewife suggested a few months ago, go back in the house and think up some more "open secrets".
Perhaps the next secret you put out will involve Ed Pawlowski running for Congress. Then you could run to finish his term!
Maddy,
Actually, I like MM's nonpolitical posts. He's promised me a brownie recipe if I'm good. I'd agree he should not tell people what to write, but I give him credit for casting public light on the ethnic cleansing being attempted in A-town.
I decided to call the mayor's office myself, and had a very bizarre conversation with communications director Mike Moore. I'll tell you about that tomorrow.
bats, i could care less what you write. i know casey keeps saying he thinks your "freaking funny", i think your a case of arrested development in need of anger management.
No, that would be me.
Since Mr. O’Hare enjoys the art of paraphrasing so much I feel compelled to respond in keeping with my native east sider competitive spirit.
Responding to my comments posted above Bernie O’Hare replied “I tried to engage you about them in comments, but you blew me off. So I handled it on my own blog”. Bernie then wrote in an e-mail one minute latter “The best way to get me to stop is for you to recognize the human misery caused by the LANTA relocation”.
I think these comments clearly indicate a personal beef with me and his perception of my position on certain issues. In keeping with local tradition, Bernie has decided to bash Allentown and everything in it as soon as he discovered there is one thing he really doesn’t like that happens to be associated with Allentown, in this case it is me. Long story short, this whole thing may be more about someone’s ego than the well being of our city and/or its schools.
I’m disappointed.
Damien,
Now Damien, be honest. As I explained in our back channel emails, I like you. I just don't like the blinders you wear when it comes to Allentown.
You don't want the truth told. And when someone does start telling the truth, you do everything you can to change the subject. Even now, you're turning the ethnic cleansing in Allentown into an ad hominem attack. And yes, the best way to get me to stop complaining about this is for people like you to rip off your blinders and face the truth.
Instead of telling that portion of the truth that suits whatever argument you're making, it's time for you to put down your pom poms and tell the whole truth.
Now here's what I told you. "The best way to get me to stop is for you to recognize the human misery caused by the LANTA relocation and the folly of your remarks about feeding the poor. I believe those remarks are more destructive to A-town's image than anything I said."
You are an elitist who tries to bury the bad news instead of facing it. In fact, that seems to be soemthing you have in common with the Pawklowski admin. But you can't dictate what I may write, or what others may choose to read.
I'm certain that does disappoint you.
Please publish my comments in their entirety next time if you wish the same courtesy to be extended to you.
I would suggest you yield on the name calling. It makes your argument appear weak. As a former lawyer you should know this.
Finally, can you please name the bus stops that have been eliminated from Hamilton Street and/or the immediate area without e-mailing or calling someone else? Yes, it does matter.
Damien,
I called you an elitist. You are. If I felt that was an inaccurate slur, I wouldn't use it. But the shoe fits. You arrogantly tell people they should not feed the poor bc it just attracts more of them. You vainly attempt to justify the ethnic cleansing of A-town as nothing more than a "few growing pains." Like your mayor, you wear blinders when it comes to A-town. You even have the audacity to try to control what I post on my own blog.
And yes, I'm a former lawyer. Does that make you feel good?
Much as you'd like, you can't control what people say. You have created an artificial image of Allentown that ignores its very real problems. Not all of us are willing to go on that little tricycle ride.
And yes, I know the three bus stops eliminated between 7th & 10th Street. I emailed no one. I looked at the area this weekend. I do my homework. I was in Allentown on Saturday and Sunday. I'll be there again this week, too. Like I told you, I've decided to go a little west of Route 33 for this story. I have begun digging. And I'm learning all sorts of things. One of them is that the city is cash poor and uses the sewer fund to cook the books. I know that Allentown is hoping this goes away. I know that downtown merchants will be meeting this Thursday, and they aren't going away. And I intend to dig a bit more. When you're waving pom poms, you don't have to do that. But when you want the facts, you have to dig.
I agree. I does matter.
Damian, I agree Bernies back channel emails can be very offensive with 4,5,and 6 letter words.
Bernie said to Damien,,,
"Much as you'd like, you can't control what people say. You have created an artificial image of Allentown that ignores its very real problems. Not all of us are willing to go on that little tricycle ride. " Bernie, what is wrong with having a nice blog like Damien has? He has as much right to have it as you have to have yours. The only difference is that Damien has a constructive blog and you have a blog where 19 times out of 20 you are bashing people and things. LVR is very depressing and hatefull at times. Many people do not chose to read that kind of diatribe. If I lived in Allentown I would enjoy reading Damiens blog even more. Yes BO, all cities have problems...Allentown, Easton, Bethlehem, and yes BO... even Nazareth. But it seems to me ,and I think many others here, that you just seem to thrive on bashing Allentown and Damien Brown.
I've never trashed Damien's blog. He has the right to run whatever blog he wants. I've criticized some horrible comments he posted here and at LVPoliblog. When I reported the truth about Allentown's crime rate, vis a vis other LV cities, he actually tried to tell me what I may or may not write. And as far as the removal of bus stops and the deleterious effect that has on minority-owned businesses, Damien actually sent a LTE huffing that those are nothing more than a few bumps in the road.
This is untruthful. It is propaganda. Like I said, Allentown is no better or worse than similarly sized cities. But you can't fix what wrong until you recognize it in the first place. Damien, or whatever reason, chooses to act like a professional cheerleader. I understand his fierce loyalty to A-town, and as I said, I like Damien. But he does not help himself or his cause by hiding the truth or with insensitive statements about minorities.
I will continue to write about what I think is important in the LV, and right now those minority-owned businesses in A-town are very important to me. I detest what has happened. It is what is wrong with government, and A-town's reaction to my concern is even worse.
If it bothers you to read this blog, that's ok. Just stop reading it.
And this post is about Allentown's discriminatory gentrification, not Damien's bruised feelings.
I was commenting about you bashing damien .. thats part of this topic, you started it not me
Bernie said..."It is propaganda " Did you honestly mean that?
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