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Thursday, August 27, 2020

BLM LV Demands McClure to Veto "Offensive" Referendum Banning Discrimination

Last week, by a 7-1 vote, Northampton County Council agreed to ask voters to make a change to the county's Home Rule Charter. This is the county's constitution, and it does specifically ban discrimination in county employment. But the language used is antiquated and could be construed in a way that allows it to refuse employment on the basis of sexual orientation or identity. Council wants the Charter to reflect that we are a tolerant community and has faith that the voters will see it this way, too. There is a small minority of homophobes who will oppose this, but this is a country that recently had an openly gay Presidential candidate and a state that has numerous openly gay elected officials. Like Council, there is no doubt in my mind that a vast majority of NorCo voters will support this measure. It's time. Amazingly, this is opposed by Tara Zrinski, who distrusts the good will of the people of the Lehigh Valley. She has corralled two LGBTQ groups to pressure Executive Lamont McClure to veto what really is nothing more than a housekeeping measure. But what really takes the cake is the pressure brought by demagogue Justan Parker, who claims to lead Black Lives Matter Lehigh Valley.

Parker is the bullhorn-toting screamer who jumped to the wrong conclusion when Allentown police were forced to deal with a puking and staggering drug addict and drunk outside Sacred Heart St. Luke's in July. He had ingested seven bags of heroin along with some cocaine and was an immediate danger to himself and others. In the course of putting a spit mask on this fellow so he could be treated by medical personnel, an officer had his knee on this gentleman's head for a few seconds. There was no brutality. Officers were actually trying to help this guy. But a video shot by a passerby was blown out of proportion by Parker and other loudmouths. He organized a mob that has been banging on the doors and windows of Allentown City Council. He is at the front of the "Defund the Police" movement, and has participated in, if not led, chants of "Fuck the Police" and "Get Down or Lay Down."

In an August 26 letter to Executive Lamont McClure, Parker wants a veto.
Black Lives Matter Lehigh Valley is calling on you to veto the recently passed Voter referendum that would put LGBT civil rights on the ballot.

This issue is important to our organization as systemic racism and oppression negatively affect black and brown members of the LGBT community.

In this day and age, a majority population of non LGBT citizens should not have the opportunity to vote on protections and legal rights of a minority population of LGBT citizens.

In this current climate, we should be working together on ways to build our community with an emphasis around solidarity and love. Not a voter referendum that will only prove to LGBT residents that they are not supported by their neighbors.

Black Lives Matter is asking you to VETO this disturbing, offensive, and unnecessary voter referendum.
Do any of you think that Black Lives Matter LV had a meeting and actually voted on this matter? Of course not. I have to laugh when someone shouts "Fuck the Police" yet talks about "solidarity and love."

Parker is the mob. He is no different than a Maximilien de Robespierre, who led a Reign of Terror in the French Revolution.

McClure can follow the mob if he wants. Or he can trust the people who put him in office.

42 comments:

Anonymous said...

Watching various videos from Kenosha violent rioting. One of the rioters (a Molotov Cocktail thrower) is shot in the head. While onlookers try to provide temporary medical aid, someone shouts “Call the Police!” Whoops. That doesn’t sound very ‘defund-like.’ Should have shouted, “Call a Social Worker.”

Unfortunately, the misguided rioter did lose his life.

MYT1 said...

Doesn't council have power to correct antiquated language? We shouldn't be voting on something that is federally illegal!!!

Bernie O'Hare said...

"Doesn't council have power to correct antiquated language? We shouldn't be voting on something that is federally illegal!!!"

No. The only persons who can change the charter are the voters.

Anonymous said...

Defund the mob.

Anonymous said...

Voters saved Gracedale by referendum. That these county insiders are afraid of voter sentiment speaks volumes about them. Democracy has no safe space in NorCo. Wake me up the next time Cozzi or Lamont lecture about voter disenfranchisement.

Anonymous said...

i think the problem here is you will have a tally

25,000 people voted for the change
23,000 voted no

does this serve any purpose in our world to know that 23,000 fellow citizens think little of you? Lets have a vote on BLM if that should be in the charter, it is vague you know

Anonymous said...

No one in the LBGTQ+ community asked for this and every LBGTQ+ Organization in the Lehigh Valley is against this resolution. It puts the burden on members of an already marginalized group to affirm rights they already fought for and achieved in the highest court in the nation. Northampton County voters don't get to decide if its okay to discriminate against somebody because of who They love or how identify. Its already settled law.

Anonymous said...

The mob is the militant wing of the democrat party.

Democrat politicians answer to the mob, and will do their bidding.

Anonymous said...

Anon 10:34 said:

"No one in the LBGTQ+ community asked for this and every LBGTQ+ Organization in the Lehigh Valley is against this resolution. It puts the burden on members of an already marginalized group to affirm rights they already fought for and achieved in the highest court in the nation. Northampton County voters don't get to decide if its okay to discriminate against somebody because of who They love or how identify. Its already settled law."


That's funny, because in the aftermath of the Supreme Court decision, activists like Zrinski and Adrian Shanker badgered every board in the valley to change their bylaws to include language to specifically name LBGQ rights as being protected, even though none of those boards could in any way supersede state or federal law.

They had hoards of their minions hound members of those boards until they got what they wanted. In the end, those changes amount to meaningless changes (because those boards can't operate in violation of state/federal law). But anyone who pointed that out and opposed including the language was branded as homophobic.

Now those same activists are trying to say those same words are meaningless in the case of the proposed HRC change. You can't have it both ways, but I guess it's easier to pressure a few board members than actually have faith in the people to whom government supposedly answers.

Trust the voters. I have a feeling they'll get it right.

Anonymous said...

Referendums are too dangerous, after all, same sex marriage was defeated in every referendum including California. If a referendum were held abortion would likely be illegal in some states. What will happen if the voters should say no? that the easy part, some judge will rule the referendum unconstitutional. It's all just another political soap opera.

Anonymous said...


and the Demo's want Zrinsk as the State Representative!!!!!!!! WHY, the damage she tries to do to the County will be worst at the State Level.

Anonymous said...

Voters are scary. They twice elected a guy who sued The Little Sisters Of The Poor for being Catholic. Courts came to the rescue, luckily. these tricky social issues can run both ways. I'm certain those hanging their hats on the SCOTUS decision are equally supportive of SCOTUS decisions regarding religious and Second Amendment rights.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"Referendums are too dangerous, after all, same sex marriage was defeated in every referendum including California. If a referendum were held abortion would likely be illegal in some states. What will happen if the voters should say no? that the easy part, some judge will rule the referendum unconstitutional. It's all just another political soap opera."

I do not share your condescending view of the voter. I am 69 yo and grew up with all kinds of bias and know I've evolved. I think most of us have. I view this as a win-win. If the voters say yes, as I believe they shall, it will show there is no place for hate here in the LV. If voters say no, the gay community is still protected by the Constitution and locaL LEADERS would know they have to do better. In my view, this is a wonderful opportunity to make us all aware that gay people and transgenders are human beings like everyone else. Don't be afraid. I am with you and so are many crotchety old bastards.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Bernie O'Hare said...

"No one in the LBGTQ+ community asked for this and every LBGTQ+ Organization in the Lehigh Valley is against this resolution."

I believe two are. So what? They do not really speak for gays or transgenders. They just think they do. Thee were perfectly willing to jam equally meaningless resolutions down the throats of local boards.

Instead of fearing this, embrace it. I am willing to do everything I can to make sure this passes. I will ask church leaders and the LWV to support this. I will ask all the local parties to support this. It would be a mandate.

Bernie O'Hare said...

12:26, Post your implied threats somewhere else.

Anonymous said...

In the woke hiearchy, LGBTQ falls below BLM. #metoo just learned this, as the discussion in Kenosha is about cops shooting a black guy going into his car for a knife (we know how going back to the car can end, given the staties who were shot on 33 a couple years ago), and not about the terrorized woman who called cops to have a violent offender removed from her domicile. In review: 1) BLM 2) LGBTQ 3) illegal immigrants 4) #metoo victims.

Bernie O'Hare said...

I'm sure you find the preaching and condescending attitude of these three groups a bit much. So do I. I'm also sure you'd agree no one should be discriminated against in employment bc of sexual orientation or identity.

Anonymous said...

Yes, I agree. But I love that woke nutz are afraid of me and my fellow voters. They should be because I want each and every one of them removed from office and their incompetent, radical, suspect appointees as far away from power as is possible. While they scramble to disenfranchise voters, I'll wait patiently to throw them out. Unlike them, I believe in elections. How did NorCo Ds descend to this level of contempt for voters?

Bernie O'Hare said...

Six Dems voted to put this on the ballot. Only one voted no.

Anonymous said...

Bernie no article about the making America Great RNC and the intellegeable speakers especially our first lady's speech?
Sticking to low energy local news.

Bernie O'Hare said...

I do not consider this “low energy.” And what the hell is “intelligeable”?

Anonymous said...

Between Wisconsin and Hurricane Laura, I don't think anyone is watching the RNC. Ratings for both conventions are way down this year. People already know who they're voting for in November and know the conventions are a bunch of grandstanding pre packaged circle jerks.

Will be interesting though to see a comparison of the 2 Thursday Night ratings; Biden vs Trump.

Anonymous said...

In this day and age, a majority population of non LGBT citizens should not have the opportunity to vote on protections and legal rights of a minority population of LGBT citizens.

Having trouble putting my finger on it but this doesn't pass the smell test. So what is a democracy you might ask?

Anonymous said...

Does the Woke BLM leader with the bullhorn know that a co-sponsor of this Bill was an African-American man? Is he really going to lecture a man who has lived with discrimination.

Zirinski is another pampered middle-class white woman who pretends to be some sort of victim and advocate for others. The only thing she is really advocating for is herself and a fulltime job as A State rep. Do people not see that behind all the shouting and screaming she is a self-absorbed phony through and though. I pray for the voters in her state house race. She can't even work with eight other council members locally, how will she manage in Harrisburg. Will she be just as ineffectual. God forbid thy get this narcistic lunatic as their rep.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous 4:02 said...

"In this day and age, a majority population of non LGBT citizens should not have the opportunity to vote on protections and legal rights of a minority population of LGBT citizens."


So you're ok with the Home Rule Charter - the county's "Constitution" - expressly protecting some groups but not expressly having those protections for LGBT citizens?

You homophobic bigot!



Anonymous said...

Anon 10:33, It is called life deal with it. By closing your eyes and pretending the world loves you doesn't mean they do. There are and always will be people that don't like you if you are that fragile how will you make it through life?

Fact is most people believe in the inherent rights of all people. Northampton County voters would overwhelminly vote to change the Charter. Sad you will not get to see that. There will always be contrarians who will even vote against their own self-interest. If you fear your fellow citizens this democracy is in trouble.

Anonymous said...

Zrinkski's fingerprints all over this...

peterjcochran said...

First of all BLM pays no taxes to NorCar. It’s not an entity that has any brain ,gut, or character. Don’t pay any attention to this . If you do your surrendered your self to anarchy. My relative was the first legal help of the now NAACP . Darrow was in courtrooms smoking cigars,my grandmother was in to watch him. I personally was like “Black Jack” Pershing . “No commander was ever privileged to lead a finer force. ; no commander ever derived greater inspiration from the performance of his troops. “ Well , I did same thing , I was a Lieutenant of Black Troops in the National Guard. . You can’t tell me anything about how good they were. Screw her! Pay no attention. I sign my nam ,notice.? They want you all to be cowards,sheep.

Justan Parker said...

Sheesh. Well this is the first I'm hearing/seeing this blog. I had to Google what demagogue meant lol. Eff the police and get down or lay down have never been in my vocabulary (the quotes). Glad to see healthy dialogue alive and well. God bless...

Bernie O'Hare said...

Justan, If you want to know what a demagogue is, look in a mirror. If you want to know what honesty is, the mirror will not help you.

Anonymous said...

Tell BLM they can shove it where the sun doesn't shine.

Anonymous said...

Relax re Zrinski. She's going to get crushed in November. She's a sacrificial crash dummy in that district. Emphasis on dummy.

Anonymous said...

I see both sides and this one is no easy call as both sides have merit. If a state law already exists why is a vote by county residents needed? Their elected representatives have already spoken and passed the law. The county charter is superceded by state law anyway so just voice vote it in council and be done. Stop the posturing and drama. Tack it on to charter and move on.

Anonymous said...

4:14

We are not picking a jury you dolt.

Anonymous said...

Tara might actually be right on this one and the exec. A vote by the residents on this topic could and will probably be alarming in it's realism about this region and it's residents beliefs. If it ain't broke...

Anonymous said...

Anon 7:32 said:

"Tack it on to charter and move on."


That's the whole point. But the way to amend the Home Rule Charter (HRC) is by a vote of the people. That's the way to "tack it on".

And to Bernie's (and your) point, there really isn't any risk here. The county can't operate outside of state/federal law.

So what you have here is an opportunity to change the HRC language, without any real consequence if it fails.

Anonymous said...

A litmus test on the cultural temp of the county residents. The results could be helpful down the road for one party or the other depending on the results. My guess is it goes down to defeat. Unfortunately we are now a RED county.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Tell BLM they can shove it where the sun doesn't shine.

August 28, 2020 at 12:49 AM


Seattle?

Anonymous said...

Babble from the mouths of those Dems, and incoheriant babble at that slow Joe and Kamala.

Anonymous said...

McClure vetoed it. County council is taking a beating on Social Media. Dems rippling on Dems, got to love it. Trump 2020!!!!

Anonymous said...

That is so true. Council members are getting blasted by other Democrats. Republicans eat this up. I wonder if any of these "woke" progressives' have reached out to the council asking them to not put it on the ballot. The way McClure and one of their own, Zirinski is attacking them you would think they are reading the Republican playbook. A; this in the middle of a pandemic. Got their priorities in order.