It's happening in other communities, including McDonald Borough. Mayor Terry Bennett (no relation to Sam) ordered rims removed from a park, ostensibly because foul language was being used. He was unaware that one of these vulgar basketball players recorded him when he confronted them on the courts. "You're supposed to act like a decent, white kid," is what he said to one of them.
This story was reported by three news sources, but only WPXI published the Mayor's racist comment.
In Ohio, basketball rims have been removed in three communities, including one in which the police chief himself said there was no problem.
This type of municipal conduct caters to fear mongers, but is actually self-defeating. All Fed Ed has done is deprive kids and young adults of an opportunity to do something positive before it gets dark. Then, when they do get in trouble, it will be, "I told you so."
In Allentown's Andre Reed Park, where the rims have been removed, community activist Dennis Pearson has heard a less onerous solution. "The best suggestion I heard in regard to the resolution of Mayor Pawlowski's politically motivated over reaction to a problem existing at Andre Reed Park is place a rim lock on all basketball rims in Andre Reed Park at the hour the park officially closes for active activity for the evening and then take these locks off the next morning when the park officially opens."
Though that sounds reasonable, I doubt it will be implemented. Fed Ed has made a career in Allentown of pitting one group against another. In 2007, it was minority merchants along Hamilton Street, which were actually called a "cancer" during a Business Matters show. While offering lucrative county contracts to crony capitalists in exchange for campaign contributions, Fed Ed ignored the rest of the City. Firefighters have been hampered by ladder trucks and engines that constantly break down, forcing them to rely at times on pickup trucks. Cedar Beach Bool is still closed. And the rims were removed to placate his primary supporters, not because it is in the best interest of the city. Instead of removing basketball rims and screwing Allentown's youth, it is Fed Ed who must be removed.
Nine people have pleaded guilty to political corruption. All have directly implicated him. The US Attorney's office seems to be more interested in head hunting than in doing what is right for the people They are charging hapless defendants with depriving we the people of our right to honest services, but they themselves are doing far worse by allowing the focus of their investigation to go untouched.
Bernie what are they waiting for? Is it possible they have nothing on Pawlowski?
ReplyDeleteNot a chance.
ReplyDeleteIs it possible they are waiting for after the elections to indict him?
ReplyDeleteI have no idea.
ReplyDeleteThey don't have enough evidence. They may have some but not enough for an airtight case and Ed is popular enough to have his day in court and beat any charges or at least force a mistrial.
ReplyDeleteYou are one obsessed old man. You may need to see a shrink.
ReplyDeleteYou didn't like the phrase "Basketball is the sport of inner-city thugs". I remember that "Midnight Basketball" was a tool that was used by cities back in the 1990s to get inner-city teens and early 20-somethings off the street at night to reduce incidents of crime. The theory was to distract them with with basketball during the precise hours when they are most at risk of wandering into trouble. That in and itself proves the point that without basketball, the crime rate in an area goes up. It also gives them a skill they will take with them to the exercise yard later in life.
ReplyDeleteWhat this person really wants is a park free of blacks.
ReplyDeleteHey Bernie you in your suburb. How about you put up some basketball hoops and watch your neighborhood turn to shit ?
Wow. Yes, please. Pull down all the hoops except in white neighborhoods. Put the hoops in minority area far away from residential area. The kids can easily walk to the white parks on the west end. But place police there so they can keep close watch. You have to get those Hyman and O'Connell votes.
ReplyDeleteBernie, i love the story but you left out the unpermit pulled mancave remodel gift that now is covered by a altarnet by another remodeling gift as a form of gay love amongst these criminal types. There infection and tenticles spreed to all asspects of life throughout the city be it public or private sectors.
ReplyDeleteThis morning I redd you first instead of saveing the best for last!
Patience! With nine [9] co-conspirators, 100's of hours of tapes, and at least ten [10] active witnesses, this case is a massive entanglement of legal jousting. Because the mayor for life refuses to admit anything, is in self-denial and unremorseful, it will take awhile to launch this ship. But, you can take it to the bank, [and even his lead defense attorney the mobbed-up Jack McMahon], concedes he'll be indicted. This will not deter "fed Ed"! Because, he thinks he is bigger than Allentown, loved by their citizens and the city needs him!
ReplyDeleteIt's simply all speculation until indictments are issued, if they are at all.
ReplyDeleteMidnight basketball was at best a glossy PR piece, at worst a counterproductive failure.
ReplyDeleteYea, and the criminal consortium is supposidly going to be hiring its offspring that ran for counsil!
Delete"They don't have enough evidence. They may have some but not enough for an airtight case and Ed is popular enough to have his day in court and beat any charges or at least force a mistrial."
ReplyDeleteNine people who have pleaded guilty to political corruption can directly tie Fed Ed to this scheme,to saynothing of others who have not been charged, including at least one other who was wearing a wire. The FBI did its job. The US Att'y, on the other hand, is in shambles. The original prosecutor quit to run for DA in Philly. The case has been handed off to different prosecutors who simply are hunting for heads at this point instead of putting the case against Fed Ed and Vaughn Spence before the grand jury and getting an indictment. They are going to charge, but have had no regard for the people who have been victimized by this conduct. Their failure to move is preventing the city from moving forward. When they have charged, there has been no announcements. They have had sealed informations for no apparent reason. Their behavior has been appalling.
"Hey Bernie you in your suburb. How about you put up some basketball hoops and watch your neighborhood turn to shit ?"
ReplyDeleteI do not live in a 'burb. I live in an old decaying borough, and there are numerous basketball courts here. One of them is right in the middle of a neighborhood and is surrounded on all four sides by homes. Kids came from all over the LV to play there. If they were laying in the middle of the night, they'd be told to leave.
This is not complicated.
Hey bernie what thr city need to do is put the rims back up and let the kids play but you have to remember this we have a weak police chief and a criminal as a mayor both that are crooks if the chief of police is smart he should of never let the mayor take rims ofimagine you leet 300 youth on the streets an watch the crime rate go up but sorry i forgot the chief and mayor will lie and say crime rate is down
ReplyDeleteThere are 3 sides to a story.. yours.. thiers and the truth-
ReplyDeleteTry learning how to spell "their." There's only only one way to do that correctly, Fed Ed. And who are "theirs"? The bigots?
ReplyDeleteI agree Bernie, it is taking an awfully long time for an indictment. Did it take this long for you to be disbarred?
ReplyDeleteFed Ed and Lady McBeth, What does a personal attack against me have to do with the subject of this post? It just proves you have no argument.
ReplyDelete