Allentown's Propaganda Machine

I've been a vocal local government critic of Northampton County's plethora of dysfunctional governments over many years. In all that time, I can only recall one incident in which someone even came close to threatening me physically. Sure, former Northampton County Director of Administration Jim Hickey routinely threw me off the courthouse roof, but he did that to everybody. Most of my fall guys have actually treated me with respect. They recognize everyone's voice matters, especially in a representative democracy.

But in The People's Republic of Lehigh County, things are very different. Dissenters must be silenced. Chris Casey has regaled me with horror stories about things that have happened to him after he started complaining about things in Upper Macungie Township. It made no difference that he was right. Perhaps some day, he'll share the details with you.

I've also noticed there is little room for complaints about Allentown government, too. Those who do so are victimized and marginalized. Let me give you a recent example. On January 28, I told you about Allentown criminal mastermind Zee Weikel. She's that 75 year old miscreant who herself was mugged outside her apartment last year. When she dared conduct yard sales on the 1100 block of Allentown's Turner Street, Mayor Pawlowski unleashed his enforcement hounds to shut her down.

That post provoked a fairly heated reaction, as happens with nearly all of my Allentown posts. But most of us moved on the next day.

Not someone who calls himself "Ed."

Late last week, he exploded with a vicious diatribe against Lázaro Fuentes (with an á, damn it!), Michael Molovinsky, Scott Armstrong and yours truly. Instead of responding to the propriety of enforcing little known yard sale ordinances against a low income senior, this troll responded with personal attacks against each of us.

Those words will never hurt you.

Bernie: "is only known to his bellyaching companions and the leaders in business and commerce and government dont take him seriously as he is annoying and very small."

Molovinsky: "was ridiculed and trounced when he took himself seriously and made a run for mayor, the city has spoken loudly that no one knows how his mind works nor cares."

Armstrong: "is ever present at city council meetings bitching about stuff that no one else seems to care about. He is a case study for bad style and has a pit bull mind on a french poodle face and a voice that makes God cringe."

Funetes: "Lazaro's Hispanic Chamber may be down to 2 members soon, him and his wife , as he is a hispanic version of Scott. The chamber has no presence in the latino community or any where else, it has as much credibility as Lazaro's degree from Columbia University. What a joke the lot of you are.

Although "Ed" is obviously not Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski, his minions have done their best to shut down any dissent, particularly when it comes from Armstrong. Here are some of the love notes he's received:

I heard you on WAEB the other morning. You certainly have a big mouth. Instead of flapping your gums, why don't just keep sucking cocks? We in the neighborhood know exactly what you do, and to whom you do it. We are watching every move you make. We wonder what the members of Allentown City Council, would think of you, if they only knew. The next time you attend a Council Meeting, you are going to be exposed, for what you are. A cock sucker.

Have a great day,
From all us

Or this.

Hey,
Blow anyone today?
You know who we are!!
TaTa,
You, neighbor on the corner.

Words are one thing, but those sticks and stones will break your bones.

Words are one thing. But in addition to shouting down the voice of dissent in Allentown, physical intimidation is also used. Scott tells me "my car was vandalized with an M-80, and it was keyed countless times. The phone would ring when I entered the house and when I picked it up the caller would hang up; this happened routinely and was meant to send a message. My back door bell was rung in the middle of the night. My phone would ring at all hours with no one on the other end."

The Puff Blogs

If the threats and intimidation fails, there's always the puff blogs. And Allentown has plenty to tell you everything is wonderful. Allentown Good News, Seventh Street Now, Little Lehigh Manor and Our West End Neighborhood wave their pom poms, assuring you there's nothing to worry about. The puff bloggers? Joyce Marin, who is executive director of Allentown Economic Development Corporation, blogs at Good News. Jeff Chirico, the Little Lehigh blogger, is part of the puff news already produced at Team Tempo. Jeff Pooley one of the bloggers at the Seventh Street blog, is married to the Director of Allentown's Redevelopment Authority.

As for the anonymous blogger who has a particular disdain for Lázaro Fuentes (with an á, damn it!) and who is actually hiding behind a picture of a person he claims is his wife, he made the mistake of posting a comment late one night. Thanks to my trusty sitemeter, I have his identity nailed down to one of three possibilities, but will wait until I'm sure before outing him.

And I will out him.

I'm a miserable bastard ... from the boonies of Northampton County.