This is probably the last post you'll ever see from me. Tonight, at 7 PM, I'll be facing the Grand Inquisition of the LV Tea Party at the Chrin Community Center and Star Chamber. I understand the gallows is already up, and the rack should be there in time for the festivities.Grand Inquisitor Joe Hilliard, aka King of the Tea party, aka Savior of Luzerne County, has already suggested a Trial by Fire. He wants to douse me in gasoline and light me up, right by one of their Route 22 billboards. If I'm innocent, the flames will go out, he claims. But I understand the Queen of the Tea Party, Kim Schmidtner, was unable to get a permit.
Palmer's zoning is very strict about burning people at the stake.
Back in March, I received a certified letter from the local tea party, informing me I've been removed by a vote of 2/3 of their Executive Committee, for a violation of article 2.05 of their by-laws, "acts that could harm the reputation of the Organization."
To be specific, they cite four offending blogs, which are characterized as an attempt to "smear, mock and divide the members of the Group in order to try to render our Organization ineffective, if not an attempt to destroy it."
March 9, 2010: "LV Tea Party Advocates Return to Old-Time Book Burnin'".
March 23, 2010: "LV's Tea Party: Democracy Too Dangerous To Be Left to the People";
April 6, 2010: "Joe Hilliard: Specter Slayer, Topples County Gov't with a Slice of Pizza"
February 26, 2011: "Benol Forced Out as Chair of LV Tea Party"
They missed a few.
Now, I had no idea I was even a member of the tea party. But just as I've demanded a full hearing on the local Democratic party's unsuccessful request to remove me as a Committeeman, I've exercised my right to a full hearing, not before the tea party's Executive Committee, but their entire rank-and-file membership.
Instead of scheduling this trial during their usual monthly meeting, they've answered with a "closed executive meeting of the membership" for tonight. I've been denied access to their by-laws, but don't recall seeing anything in them giving them the right to close a meeting to the public.
I sure hope they can produce a quorum, because if they don't, I'll be demanding that my Inquisition take place during their regular monthly meeting like it should have been scheduled in the first place..
Joe Hilliard will be playing the role of Chief Persecutor and Executioner, and has reputedly arranged cattle prods and waterboards in a neat little row. That suits me fine.
I might just have a few questions for him.
Can't wait to hear the outcome!
ReplyDeleteBernie -- you should be writing comedy.
ReplyDeleteYou are a funny guy.
And I don't mean that in a bad way. So don't go all Joe Pesci on me!
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ReplyDeletenot a fan of the Tea Party but if they, in their own way, can stop you from smearing, slandering, lieing and down right bad personal attacks against people I AM 100% WITH THEM!!!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeletedidn't Monty Python do a skit about this??
ReplyDeleteThis is similar to skits Monty Pythons did about the Spanish Inquisition. ... Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!
ReplyDeleteMaybe they'll drag your sorry butt to Bean Town and toss you in the Charles River.
ReplyDeleteThey should have just banned you from attending meetings and ignored you.
ReplyDeleteSo they regretting their decision and trying to work things out with you?
ReplyDeleteno.
ReplyDeleteYou're kidding, right, Bernie?
ReplyDeleteBTW, Anonymous 8:06 AM, the word is "lying." Tsk, tsk, such ignorance.
No. The Inquisition is tonight.
ReplyDeleteThey seem to be exercising their right to freely not associate with you. In this pursuit they have legions of company.
ReplyDeleteIf there's a trial by fire, can i bring the marshmellows? No need to let a good fire go to waste..
ReplyDeleteDon't hate me cuz' you can't be me.
ReplyDeleteAll you can do is be an anonymous little troll, afraid to even sign your name.
Bernie, there's a conflicting John Edwards "Restoring Integrity To Politics" Rally at the Easton Sewage Treatment Facility.
ReplyDeleteAs one of his ardent supporters, won't you attend this instead?
No. I'll be at the tea party tonight, whether you like it or not. But I'll go to the Easton Sewage Treatment facility first and take a dip to get acclimated to the star chamber.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteHow often do hilarity, ambiguity, and by-laws align? Forget the Spanish Inquisition. This is cutting edge comedy.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteBernie
ReplyDeleteSaturday morning
Thought for sure you'd write about
LVEDC vs. fired employee.
He's still crawling out from underneath a tea bag.
ReplyDeleteYour post sounds like a lot of drama. By the way, drama is not conducive to a rational discussion of valid issues.
ReplyDeleteBernie
ReplyDeletePermission to Post
Often Sat. morning enjoy a glimpse back at this week's entries. The following is so well written and accurate, ask if it can be re-posted with a huge thank you to its author.
Anonymous said...
With permission, I'm reposting what I posted the other day about this matter. It comes down to poor management. This young person never should have been given this level of responsibility:
"One thing you have going on here is that younger folks have been hired to "manage" the social media outlets for the LVEDC. They do so probably without much supervision simply because the 'adults' among the management don't consider these outlets that important.
The folks placed in charge of the Twitter and Facebook accounts, left to thier own devices, are hard pressed to produce useful posts since not that much is going on on a daily basis. So they become creative.
The venue being 'social,' the tendency is to 'chat' and the tone lapes into conversational banter thus, the "We're moving to summer hours, do you observe summer hours? What are yours like?" feels to the author like a useful exchange among peers.
The young 'professionals' placed 'in charge' have very little experience - in other words, they don't know what they are doing.
No one will be fired because the little darlings are just doing what they've been encouraged to do: make the LVEDC 'hip' and happening and, well, youthful."
8:18 AM
Bernie has cancelled my posts about the elitist, self-serving dolan. He obviously doesn't like it when someone says something negative about one of his chosen. I doubt very seriously that he would delete a negative post about callahan or barron.
ReplyDeleteThat was part of it. You also took shots at others and are completely OT as well as off balance. I don't really care for anonymous personal attacks, especially when they have nothing to do with my post. If you try to follow my posting rules, you'll be deleted less often.
ReplyDelete