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Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Emma Tropiana Remembered
In a blog entitled "The People's Candidate," blogger Michael Molovinsky remembers Emma Tropiano as a person, as opposed to the caricature. It's a good piece about a colorful person who served Allentown when it was still a representative democracy.
14 comments:
You own views are appreciated, especially if they differ from mine. But remember, commenting is a privilege, not a right. I will delete personal attacks or off-topic remarks at my discretion. Comments that play into the tribalism that has consumed this nation will be declined. So will comments alleging voter fraud unless backed up by concrete evidence. If you attack someone personally, I expect you to identify yourself. I will delete criticisms of my comment policy, vulgarities, cut-and-paste jobs from other sources and any suggestion of violence towards anyone. I will also delete sweeping generalizations about mainstream parties or ideologies, i.e. identity politics. My decisions on these matters are made on a case by case basis, and may be affected by my mood that day, my access to the blog at the time the comment was made or other information that isn’t readily apparent.
That was an era when the senior voters of Allentown if they went to public school whether they came from the East side or the west end went to the old Allentown High School.
ReplyDeleteThere was no doubt that Emma was well known and for the most part liked.
In my initial years of seeking public office I had to compete against Emma and the Democratic machine of Daddona and his cronies.
When you add the added factor of Lou Hershman and the division between him and Daddona
I fell through the cracks despite my competence because of my youth. Only Karen Ritter because of the influence of her dad broke through and the young demos she supported.
Now in this new era I fall between the cracks as the new Democratic machine caters more to the young, Latinas and other minorities.
Never given the chance to lead outside of my neighborhood except in a few special interest areas whose perspective is not in the City.
Emma like the blogger and unfortunately me is listed in Bill White's Hall of Fame ... As a candidate for Mayor , Emma set up a cot outside of Allentown's Kline's Island Wastewater Treatment to remind Daddona of what he said in an earlier campaign. But at that time a lot of the work at Kline's Island already had been done ... How many people remember the fact that Harry Forker and myself took the more intrusive approach by taking a sleeping bag to Daddona's office to remind people of his pledge many years before Tropiano's publicity stunt.
All in all I liked Tropiano. Tropiano attended the opening ceremony of my neighborhood's Project Haas Christmas Display a few days before she died.
Dennis Pearson
She was a racist and was proud of it.
ReplyDeleteI always viewed her as an exhibitionist and a publicity seeker whose weird behavior was designed to grab attention.
ReplyDeleteanonymous @7:54, i knew emma and she was not a racist. it's too easy to brand people with such ugly labels. fyi, such falsehoods were very painful to her.
ReplyDeleteI received a condolence/death threat greeting card from her that I turned over to the local magistrate just to get it on the record.
ReplyDeleteEmma was great to those who shared her opinion but brooked no disagreement and lashed out in an often ugly fashion to those who dared hold an opposing point of view.
Other than that I am sure she was a great person.
Scott Armstrong
scott, as you know, you created special questions which were specifically designed to embarrass her at a candidates night, which she volunteered to attend. she didn't volunteer to be ambushed. ironically, people accuse you of "lashing out in an ugly fashion at those who oppose your point of view" perhaps you should admire her for sharing your passion of conviction.
ReplyDeletethe anonymous comments deserve no reply
bernie will delete ralph's comment of 5:08, because it is from the cyberstalker that bernie calls The Blog Mentor. the comment is however a perfect example of how the racist label can be used was a weapon. recently, there was a symposium with three local successful black people, two of them are on the Blog Mentor's enemy list.
ReplyDeleteMike,
ReplyDeleteThose were the good old days, when people who lived in Allentown and knew the city were running city government. Politics can be rough, Emma could dish it out, I could take it, but it is all good fun to remember.
Scott Armstrong
Interesting article, but the reference to water fluoridation makes her and the author sound like a kook.
ReplyDeletekevin @8:05, with fluoride readily available in toothpaste and mouthwash, not to mention the dentist office, what sort of nanny state still wants it in the public water supply? it's actual detrimental effect to the growing elderly population is now being investigated.
ReplyDeleteGood ole days indeed,because of all the hateful bullshit we wound up with Afflerbach
ReplyDeleteThe irony is that most of the fluoride proponents are now drinking bottled water gotta love the far left and right
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteEmma may have said things that sounded racist, but I believe all in all she was not like that. Of course the Morning Call and jabronies like Bill White exaggerated and exploited her to make her out to be an Evil bigot. Truth is people in office now are more racist than she could ever be.
Totally sweet and kind. Totally.
ReplyDelete