Local Government TV

Monday, January 11, 2010

I Once Picked on Dennis Pearson, Too

"What are you trying to do to him destroy his life for seeking to serve the public[?]"

"Leave the guy alone. He just wants to serve and represent the people of his district. He seems to be a little quirky and appears disheveled, who cares? He is generally a good guy."

Those are some of the responses I received when I slammed Dennis Pearson nearly two years ago. He had applied for a vacancy on Lehigh County's Board of Commissioners. When I saw Dennis pictured in his space suit on his web page (which incidentally plays the theme music from Masterpiece Theatre), I was unable to resist a few zingers.

Blogger Michael Molovinsky correctly took me to task.

Now it's Morning Call Columnist Bill White's turn. Miffed at Dennis' Facebook criticism that White regularly snubs East Allentown from his Christmas lights tour, Dennis is getting batted around like a piƱata. White likens himself to Popeye, who can't stands no more. Does this mean Dennis Pearson is Bluto?

That's sure a stretch.

More like Wimpy than Bluto, Dennis is actually a gentle soul, an easy target. He reminds me of the kid who gets bullied after class every day, mainly because he's different. Bill devotes an entire column to showcasing those oddities, so that we can all laugh and feel good about ourselves, knowing we're no hoofty like Dennis.

As upset as I've been at Bill White's recent criticism of Northampton County Council President Ron Angle, at least he's an elected public official. And like Bluto, the Bulldog can bite back. But Dennis, who certainly is no glib writer, is pretty much defenseless.

What I find most offensive about Bill's recent column is that its effect is to discourage any private citizen from taking an interest in local government. As newspapermen like Bill become less numerous, the Dennis Pearsons of this world will often be the only people left to keep an eye on local government excesses.

Ironically, it appears that Person's criticism may actually be somewhat accurate, although I admittedly have no interest in this holiday extravaganza. White concedes he did omit an East Allentown display from his Christmas Lights tour because "[i]t wasn't worth having people drive 15 minutes to see it." That's certainly no ringing endorsement of east side.

5 comments:

  1. I usually enjoy reading Bill White but his columns have been extremely mean spirited of late. I think he is reacting to the Morning Call's latest sales pitch -- "I like to keep things light...". Either that or the MC, in an effort to save $$$ has somehow managed to merge Bill White and Paul Carpenter.

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  2. Ohare I see you are really going to be the King pissant because White wrote the truth about Angle. You don't give two shits about Pearson and wouldn't have even written this if White had not printed a factual article about Angle.

    You continue to outdo your own hypocrsy. You and Angle are truely legends in your own mind's. You have disgustingly bashed some very good people over the past two years, yet you feel you are judge of decently and morality. Certianly not on this side of Hell.

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  3. What I like most about White is his ability to laugh at himself or at the venality of our supposed leaders, including Ron Angle. Going after Dennis Pearson makes him look petty.

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  4. Bill is doing a great job. Ohare never complained until he went after Angle. Hypocrite!

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