"I've been tossed out of better places than that," quipped Allentown Mayoral candidate Dick Nepon. Yesterday afternoon, he was ignominiously ejected from Muhlenberg College's campus. He had been standing outside the Student Union building, collecting signatures for his nomination petition, along with the phone numbers and email addresses of several students who agreed to be part of his grass roots effort.He was wearing no raincoat. But someone horrified by the notion of political activity at a college campus complained. We'll have no free speech here! An embarrassed security officer came by to ask Nepon to leave. "If it were up to me, I'd let you alone," said the lawman.
Last night, Nepon told his Facebook Group "You would think that Muhlenberg would support civic involvement, instead of shooing me off-campus." He was able to pick up about sixty extra signatures before being tossed.
Interestingly, as Nepon was being confronted by security, the very next person to walk out of the Student Union building just happened to be Adrian Shanker. Until last night, he was copresident of Muhlenberg College Democrats. Adrian denies anything to do with Nepon's ouster, but defended it. After all, Muhlenberg is private property.
So much for political speech on a college campus, where freedom of expression should be cultivated.
This ouster, incidentally, is illegal. In 1981, Pennsylvania's Supreme Court reversed trespassing convictions against an antiwar group distributing fliers at a private college. The Court reasoned that the college had made itself a public forum by permitting the public to "walk its campus freely and use many of its facilities" and by "encouraging the public to attend the symposium."
After defending this suppression of free speech, Shanker acknowledged his group does plan to make an endorsement in Allentown's mayoral race and will select someone who "best represents the voice of young voters." I asked whether he had offered Nepon an opportunity to present his views, and the Shankman conceded there had been no contact.
"You're going to endorse Pawlowski," I concluded. Shanker denied that, but his group has made no effort to contact the only other Democrat running for mayor. Seriously, who do you think they are going to endorse - Tinkerbell?
To cinch things, Shanker also acknowledged he's got a brand new job - field director for Ed Pawlowski. Sound impressive, doesn't it? He's resigning as co-president or whatever he is and someone else will take over. I'm sure his group will still give Nepon a fair shake. Muhlenberg was so fair in 2005 it excluded then mayoral candidate Michael Molovinsky from participating in a debate with the major party candidates.
While Muhlenberg tossed Nepon, city officials are expected to try to use their "ethics commission" to force him to choose between his candidacy and city job. But apparently, since everyone in Allentown government is so ethical, the terms of most commissioners have expired.
Oopsie!
Update: After making sure that Dick Nepon was safely ejected from Muhlenberg's campus, nonresident bluebloods who call themselves Democrats endorsed former Chicago resident Edwin Pawlowski for Allentown mayor. Shanker stepped down as president and walked right into the Pawlowski campaign as field director. Looks like this outfit is learning machine politics, pay to play and how to stomp all over the First Amendment.
45 comments:
Well, sounds crappy Bernie. But hey, Moravian's new policy is to make students register a protest and have it approved ahead of time, so nothing is shocking.
I remember about a year and a half back a protest was going on at Muhlenberg. I believe it was for union rights or something. Two men were sitting on the sidewalk with a huge inflatable prop (I don't know what it was) and they were actively protesting something. I drove past a few hours later and they were still there. This seems to be a selective ousting.
Looks like the Pawlowski dirty-tricks machine is up and running!
the decision to exclude me from the debate was made jointly by the college and newspaper, based on an inaccurate college polling. the real damage was the newspaper printing a quarter page ad every day for a week promoting the debate, showing the "two" candidates. muhlenberg college didn't defend their students' rights in regard to the "overlay student zoning" district, so why should i expect them to defend mine? btw, bob wood and other members of pawlowski's kitchen cabinet are on the college board ( college stadium named after wood senior).
Bernie,
From 1976 to July 14, 1981, I defended in court the rights of 5 protesters to hand out leaflets on the Muhlenberg College campus without being arrested for trespass (as they were). After defeats before a magistrate, county court, and Superior Court, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania ruled that Muhlenberg College has no right to exclude peaceful persons exercising their right of free speech on their private campus that is generally open to the public. The court held:
"[T]he college could not, consistent with the invaluable rights to freedom of speech, assembly, and petition constitutionally guaranteed by this Commonwealth to its citizens, exercise its right of property to invoke a standardless permit requirement and the state's defiant trespass law to prevent appellants from peacefully presenting their point of view to this indisputably relevant audience in an area of the college normally open to the public."
Dick Nepon could, if he chose, bring a nice civil suit against lawbreaking-Muhlenberg for its unconstitutional exclusion of him from their hallowed campus.
Some things never change . . .
Every Campaign needs a couple of loonies. Four years ago we ahead chicken Little molovinsky, This year we have Disgruntled Dick Nepon.
Nepon, Tony Phillips, and Ed Pawlowski.
man, The Voters are screwed!
Don,
Wow! I should have realized that if anyone would have expert knowledge of the First Amendment, that person would be you. Congrats on a well-earned victory that benefits the rights of us all.
What amazes and actually angers me is to hear a college student who supposedly is intersted in politics, defend the practice. Times have certainly changed.
Anon 7:57,
The voters are never screwed when they have an opportunity to hear multiple voices. The voters are always screwed when those "loonies" are squelched.
Did't Shanker receive a Human Relation's ommission Award this past year ... I seem to recall that he exercised free speech from the podium while receiving the award condemning those who protested on site the activities going on at the Women's Health Center on Union Boulevard in Allentown from the . Shanker serves as an escort for the young women coming to the center for services.
Dennis Pearson
Didn't Shanker receive a Human Relation's Commission Award this past year ... I seem to recall that he exercised free speech from the podium while receiving the award condemning those who protested on site the activities going on at the Women's Health Center on Union Boulevard in Allentown from the . Shanker serves as an escort for the young women coming to the center for services.
Dennis Pearson
This is the "change" that so many sheep craved in November.
It's Chicago-style suppression politics and it's exemplified at the top of the heap.
Your leaders will do what is good for you.
And if Bernie keeps exposing them, they'll "fairness" this blog into compliance with accepted doctrine.
i'll take an endorsement, lol.
Dennis,
I don't think the HR Comm'n gave Shanker that major award. I think it was a pro-choice outfit whose name escapes me. I have no problem with that, but do have a problem w/ his casual acceptance of the suppression of free speech. I also find it quite disturbing to learn his group plans on endorsing Pawlowski without even giving Nepon an opportunity to be heard. He's learning machine politics, but not so much about the Constitution or true democracy.
Tinkerbell, Maybe you should announce your candidacy.
Sounds like Shanker is just practicing up for the "Fairness Doctrine".
While I applaud anyone willing to run against King Ed, this guy Nepon is embarressing himself. Why not get some street sheets and go door to door, getting legitimate petition signatures from real Allentown voters. I'll bet half of those signatures are invalid. What a stupid waste of time.
As far as security on Muhlenberg's campus, I think they have thre right to kick him out. A lot of unstable people wind up on campus, and the college has to be accutely aware of campus safety.
Nuhlenberg has already lost one prosecution aimed at the exercise of free speech. I can't think of many things more fundamental thanm a person circulating a nomination petition. You have a right to turn up your nose at Nepon, but he has a right to be heard. There are ways to provide for campus security that do not involve the harassment of someone circulating a nomination petition.
okay, can you give me that picture you have of pawlowski in his peter pan costume? i can use it against him in my campaign
i find it ironic that you are bashing non-resident students on one hand and then failing to notice that nepon was glad to accept their signatures on his petition.
I echo the sentiments of the cast of characters running for this office: voters are screwed if these are our choices. we have multiple voices alright...
Do you? If I were Dick, I would not have wasted my time. But I'm not Dick. He had every right to solicit signatures, and it is increasingly obvious that his ejection was politically motivated.
As far as your objection to the cast of characters is concerned, would you prefer to have only one choice?
it's ironic that those bashing the choice of candidates don't even have gumption to use their name when commenting on a blog, much less the courage to run for office.
Didn't a lot of Muhlenberg kids register to vote for President Obama?
They're allowed to sign petitions.
For some insight into Dick Nepon's vision, go to www.lifestylesofthegss.piczo.com and follow the LINK entitled Prospective Mayoral Candidate Dick Nepon. We have a pretty decent one on one interview with him.
Alfonso Todd
MM, some of us choose to keep our name off of here b/c of political retribution in our community work. Piss off the incumbent mayor and our work goes down the crapper. Piss off a challenger in a part of the city that has a diversity of voters and you piss off your neighbors It's a sad fact but its reality. It's why community work shouldn't mix too closely with electoral politics. Some of us choose not to run b/c of our personal circumstances. Does that mean we forfeit the right to criticize our gov't? If that's the case, Bernie, stop blogging (obviously, it's bs). Kids, mortgage, family obligations, working multiple jobs. Is it possible to respect any of those matters or are we too cowardly b/c we honor our obligations and don't try to take on too much? Take on too much and your family AND your community suffer. Who wins there?
As it stands, none of these clowns will get my vote. I'll register my votes for city council but none of the men running for mayor have shown me why the deserve my vote.
Here's the newspaper article chronicling the victory of the MUHLENBERG FIVE.
(I've been trying to get in touch with Mike Schlosser over the years without success. I worked right next to him when he got the news about their eventual victory at the State level. He let out a WHOOP that could be heard across most of the 1st floor of the office building ;-)
This doesn't speak well for M'berg or the timber of its students.
They should be prepared and unafraid to defend their political positions. They should not, as Shanker, cower when confronted with debate.
You'd think Adrian, a member of two minority communities (Jews and Gays) and a member of a minority community within another minority community (Observant Orthodoxy) would understand the actions he has taken are exactly what he protests against.
So Adrian's a hypocrite.
Actually, that doesn't come as big surprise to me. He's kind of like the Mayor - cloaked in religion and yet able to lie. Especially to himself.
Cognitive Dissonance? In politics? WOW!
What's to be expected of immature children wearing Che shirts?
At least nobody tried to execute Nepon, which is what Che did to his detractors.
So sad that a campus that was orgasmic everytime Obama, Michelle, or Biden showed up last year can't handle a little-known candiate for mayor without employing Nazi tactics.
WHere is president bow-tie on this one?
"The first instinct of power is the retention of power, and under a Constitution that requires periodic elections, that is best achieved by the suppression of election-time speech."
Antonin Scalia
Bernie,
Great post, I really enjoyed the posted comments. Ed Pawlowski and his acolytes are nasty opponents and will employ many elements of intimidation in their quest for victory. They lowered the bar for acceptable electoral behavior four years ago and there is no reason to believe they will act any differently this time. Dick is on the receiving end now, but before he was part of the team that dished it out. Is he surprised? Was he disturbed by what occurred before or will he claim (perhaps legitimately) ignorance. Anyway, as Rush said to Jim Kramer “welcome to the club”.
Scott Armstrong
Bernie
Shanker was also heavily involved with the crazy we all know as Sam Bennet. In fact, he was one of those "actors" who was handling a circular saw in Bennett's Property of Merit commercial during the past election. You know the one where all the "property owners" - who we later found out were members of the Lehigh County Dem's - sawed and hammered air for 30 seconds. The kid is a wannbe prince Edwin. Scary!!!!
Scott,
I tried to run things above board, and in fact killed a few unsavory things which were attempted. But as soon as Ed was elected, he changed. He left his supporters behind with out so much as a thank you, and evolved into a closed door mayor, who rained vindictiveness on all who suggested that he at least talk to people. I was not a part of that. I did get a union position with the City, which had been vacant for a few years, and worked hard to benefit the city. I applied through regular channels and went to an interview. Yes, I was invited by the Punlic Works Director, but I had to perform in ordeer to get the job and keep it after the probationary period. EVeryone will tell you that I exceeded expectations on the job, which led to more responsibility given to me. But I had too many ideas, which seemed to scare Ed. Eventually, he did things which sealed my desire to oppose him. It is not an easy decision, and is sure to cost me much eventually, even, and especially,if I am successful.
I have vowed to accept no donations, and have suggested that those who wish to donate make a donation to one of many non-profits that directly effect the city, such as food bank, or health centers, or even to the city itself. That way, even if I lose, the City will have benefited. Perhaps you have a better plan, and I would be happy to sit down with you and hear it.
By the way, can you name any incident in which I was involved that was less than above-board? I was not a part of any nastiness. I was even cordial to MM, before, during and since the election, and believe he has many good ideas. He puts his ideas out for all to see, he doesn't snipe from the sidelines, and deserves everyone's respect even if you disagree with him. We will only bring the City back from the brink if we all work together. Only those who strive to tear down the City or endanger it are my opponents. I believe Ed has entered that group.
Dick,
Any enemy of Ed is a freind to Allentown. Good luck.
Scott Armstrong
If Dick Nepon was so disillusioned with Mayor Pawloski, why was he at Johnny Manana's for the kick off of Ed's re-election campaign a year ago? Why didn't he cut ties after realizing that Ed had "changed".
Also, check Dick's post above for the numerous typos (what is a Punlic Works Director?). If he can't spell or type, perhaps he can proofread before posting? It is a skill that might come in handy as a mayor. And while he is not mayor yet, at least he should raise the bar and try to act like he can be one, even if he will never be elected.
As for Nepon being booted off the Muhlenberg campus, in light of the spate of campus tragedies over the past few years in this country, the school has every right to be overly cautious when someone who doesn't belong there (and I am assuming didn't clear it with administration that he was going to be there). Frankly, Nepon has a certain reputation as being a bit loony among some of us in Allentown, although he seems to be trying to tone it down now that he is a mayoral candidtate. Not the kind of person that you want making a presence on campus. Just sayin'.
I don't know that Nepon was at JM a year ago bc he certainly gave no money to the mayor. As for typing, are you out of your mind? That's a petty complaint that could made against most of us. Finally, when you give up the first amendment for security, you end up losing both.
If you read my post, it wasn't the typing that I had objection to. We all make mistakes. It was that he didn't proof his post more carefully. It would benefit him to do so, as it would be more professional. Everything he does now is a matter of public record and subject to miniscule scrutiny. Running for mayor now elevates him above the rest of us. He should clean up his act in every detail. I understand that you think it sounds petty, but if he doesn't pay attention to these little things, it does and will invite petty ridicule from the community. We, as a people, can't help ourselves. We are in many ways a petty people. He is in a different league now; Mayoral Candidate. Different rules apply to everything he does as of filing his documents. He is no longer a private citizen. If you want to play with the big boys, do it right. Who knows, the guy could win and then be on to bigger and better things. And yeah, he was at JM a year ago 'cause my wife and I saw him there.
I don't believe that being a mayor or council member or Congressman elevates a person above us, as you say. It makes that person our representative. I would infinitely prefer a representative who takes the time to participate in discussions to one who ignores people, even if it involves a few typos. Your complaint is petty and will be regarded as such by most people who read it. If I slammed every person with typos, I'd soon have nobody commenting. And I am one of the worst offenders, having never learned to type.
As far as Nepon at JM, he can best explain why he is there. He does not shrink away from things like that. But don't expect an answer from him during working hours. I do know he gave no money to King Edwin.
bob said...
It is really interesting to see the EP slimming group up and running in the election. Dick had every right to be there. Interestingly Michael Molivinsky was only commenting and he gets beaten up.
I thought that kind of politics only existed in the coal regions. Guess I was wrong.
But, as a famous speed racer said, "Can't we all just get along?"
Bob Romancheck
Boy, if Republicans did this we'd be called Nazi facist thugs. Dems do it as a routine political manuever.
Allentown is so moving forward. Can't wait to be right up there with Philly, Chicago and Detroit!
Hey anon,
Regarding typos - what is a "candidtate"?
So your reasoning is that free speech and public access should be completely eliminated from all colleges because of possible safety concerns? I don't want to live in your America.
Public libraries, churches and malls can be pretty dangerous also. Better shut 'em down.
Isn't Muhlenberg a private college, therefore private property and they can do whatever they want in regards to asking someone who does not belong on campus to leave? Last time I checked, public access doesn't apply to private property. And obtaining signatures for a political agenda is not freedom of speech as far as I know. It is obtaining signatures.
David, Soliciting nomination signatures for a is very much part of the First Amendment. And contrary to what you think, it does have application in some prvate settings, especially a college that welcomes the public.
David,
Aren't bars and restaurants private property as well? So why can the government regulate smoking?
And can the government then regulate 'free speech' there as well?
Private colleges are public by their nature - they allow the public to enter and access facilities. They receive public money.
So which is it? Is all private property able to set their own rules free of the government? This includes bars, country clubs, factories, etc.
Or are they subject to the government and the Constitution?
If not, then colleges must allow free speech and public participation on their campus.
If you are willing to argue the opposite, I would tend to agree with you. But you eliminate a lot of liberal regulation of private businesses as well.
But you will make your argument out of convenience, not principle.
Just saw this, so am responding late. Johnny Manỹanas event was a political event that I attended for networking purposes. While there I talked with many people whose support I would later need for various projects within the City. My title with the City was Special Programs Manager. If I recall, there were people running for many offices gathering signatures, because I recall refusing to sign one for Bennett. I got a free ticket to attend offered to me based on my prior participation in Ed's campaign. My disappointment with Ed was only beginning to take the form of a run against him. Disillusion grows slowly before reaching the point at which one is willing to take action. I have never donated to his campaign, financially.
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