Bethlehem City Council only wants to hear themselves. In case you doubt me, watch the video (1:43:00) of their June 4 meeting. They refused the common courtesy of allowing Bethlehem resident Steve Antalics to respond to a 12-minute diatribe from Council member Bryan Callahan. While Callahan was catching his breath, Council Prez Adam Waldron stopped Antalics. No member of Council would even make a motion to be fair and allow him to respond. This is because they are afraid of what he might say.
You see, Ed Gallagher may call himself The Bethlehem Gadfly, and has a great blog, but the real bastard is Antalics. He bites. Gallagher is very gentile and talks about things like the meaning of the word "implore." Antalics, on the other hand, is the reason why ethically conflicted City Council member Karen Dolan is former City Council member Karen Dolan.
She even changed her name to K. Dierdre Dolan after he was done with her.
So when a member of Council uses his unlimited time to take pot shots at someone, basic fairness dictates that the sullied resident should have a corresponding right to respond.
Instead, City Council is considering a new law that essentially prohibits the right of assembly and free speech, unless you're getting drunk or high at Musikfest.
32 comments:
This is an abomination!
Suppose, for example, Person A or Group B receives a permit for - you name it - a political rally, protest, anything controversial. Suppose the assembly starts out peaceful, but agitators arrive and a scuffle ensues. Suppose it is not clear who started the scuffle, or, even suppose it is clear an agitator or agitators started the scuffle. Could the city then deny a subsequent permit request from Person A or Group B on the basis that it is likely to result in a similar scuffle?
Does the City want to face litigation over such a denial?
As a taxpayer in Bethlehem, I am very troubled by our "betters" deciding whom may be deemed "worthy" of receiving a permit.
Banana Republic
Good, let them enforce such actions , then hit them with many lawsuits that will cost the city lots of money and them their jobs. Let them go for it.
But Bernie don't we all feel "safer" and just a little self-righteous when only "politically correct" views are espoused? Baa, baa, baa.
This is why one party towns look pretty on the outside, but are a rotting banana republic on the inside. Bethlehem is a shithole with a pretty paint job.
This is disgusting. When did citizens allow government officials to dictate five people and more. So if a Hollywood movie star comes to town and stays at a particular historic hotel and five fans or more wish to gather to express their pleasure, they'll need a permit?
F¥€k these pinheads.
It started when citizens allow councils to dictate "public comment." How many Valley governments forbid taxpayers to speak more than three minutes? Is that what Founding Fathers had in mind?
Gotta laugh. Clean House.
DA John Morganelli is about as close as a prosecutor gets to being a First Amendment purist. I doubt any prosecution brought under this ordinance would get past him. This needs work.
Just in time for Drag Queen Reading Hour
You must mean the gay pornographic acts committed in libraries across the world playing out upon and in front of the world's innocent minds. This being many actors have been charged with sex crimes and sex crime against children?
WHAT THE HELL are officials thinking allowing this sick shit to go on!
A dog (husky) on a leash being held by its owner, attacked and bit a man yesterday on main Street yesterday in downtown Bethlehem. It was a horrific site to see with a lot of blood but not a mention on any local news media?
What the hell does you “dog bite man” story have to do with this? And by the way, a dog bites man is not a story. A man bites dog is.
Your blog is the only local news source and you actually listen and have an audience. Dogs are out of control on main Street Bethlehem!
There's never controversy in a Bethlehem election. The scoreboard indicates voters are quite pleased with their home team. You're attempting to complain to the folks who put your betters in their positions. There's nothing to see here, and this post seems silly. The people have spoken through their apparently very popular leaders.
ArtsQuest/Musikfest is the real push behind this. They have been trying to suppress free speech for years. They hid behind some phony baloney deed restriction on Steel Stacks for years, then the City told them it was unenforceable. Now they hired Florio Perrucci and the Arts Quest CEO's girlfriend to write this Ordinance. I hope Council votes this thing down.
I for one support the husky's right to free expression.
Perrrucci's own John Callahan and Bryan Callahan supports this. Karner was part of the Callahan clan when he ran for executive. They supported Wi8lkie over Bib but life goes on. They got Boscola to push Donchez for her job. Be fair. They have a plan. The betters have always ruled Bethlehem like the plantation town it is.
By the way Karner was always a mean and arrogant person. How she got support from some of these folks is amazing as others have always done the heavy lifting. She has some powerful and intersetign friends including a soon to be ex-con.
"A soon to be ex-con"
Ooooooo.
Sounds ominous
I for one support the right of the dog AND the "soon to be excon" to free expression
Well, I for one support the dog and karner and their rights to free expression but only as stipulated under the new Bethlehem proposal. But not the ex-con's. The Exxon can slag off
Clearly anon 506 is an annoying wee gobshite who has no appreciation of the first amendment
This is why we cannot have nice things-
And ants....this is why we get ants. Dogs and cons. I blame the Pope
3:40,this story has nothing to do with Karner or ugly ex-cons. I also blame the Pope.
Can we take a moment to discuss the Pope's right to free expression in Bethlehem?
A key question regarding this ordinance must be asked. Who authored it and what event or events make it necessary ? It is well beyond a normal municipal ordinance for a demonstration or public assembly permit. The appeal process reads like something out of Joseph Heller's Catch 22. Nothing surprises me anymore where the City of Bethlehem is involved. A few months ago the wife of the City Business Administrator ( the chief appointed official of the City ) was hired as the head of the Parks Department. In some states you ( the chief appointed official) go to jail for that open act of Nepotism. The "nice guy" mayor issued a press release stating that it was not "Nepotism" "she was the best qualified applicant"....... Corruption followed by bullshit is the more likely scenario . Where is the FBI or at least the PA Attorney General. I think Bethlehem is worse than the City of Allentown. Bethlehem residents are either intrinsic idiots or just don't care about their city anymore and take this crap as the norm for a one party city. I was born and raised here and I am pissed that this fascist behavior is occurring . I am going to convince 4 other pissed of residents to demonstrate outside City Hall...... Wonder if my permit for assembly will be approved ?
Is physical turdance still a crime in Bethlehem?
So another government money grab? And the permit is a zillion dollars?
"So another government money grab? And the permit is a zillion dollars?"
Can you read? There is no fee! This is just a muzzle ordinance, not a money grab.
Bethlehem Council domination by the Reynolds mafia needs to be challenged in each & every election cycle. This last election showed that people are starting to get it as Van Wirt outpolled Reynolds. Van Wort asks the tough questions & the good old boys including Callahan, Waldron & Martell don’t like that challenge. Negron frustrates them as well as she doesn’t roll over easily. Colon is a fence sitter but typically will side with residents for support of neighborhood preservation.
Absent the Tea Party challenge this ordinance with Donchez endorsement would have likely slid through 5-2 through in the typical voting pattern in Bethlehem.
Change is needed & the Donchez/Reynolds pact made before the last election needs exposed before the next election cycle. Reynolds must be defeated & Grubb is the best alternative to break the good old boy stranglehold in City Hall.
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