In a report to Bethlehem City Council last night, Mayor Willie Reynolds reported that "several people reached out to me" about the annual reading of the Declaration of Independence by the Lehigh Valley Tea Party at Payrow Plaza. These complaints centered on supposed Confederate flags on display. He also noted that no permit was sought in advance for this reading.
Now how people reached out to Reynolds is unclear to me. His office refuses to accept calls from the unwashed masses. These must be special people on his safe list.
Reynolds did go on to note that confederate flags are protected speech under the first amendment. But were there any flags there?
I spoke to one person who was there and who videotaped the entire event. No confederate flag was observed.
I suspect what really bothers some people in a one-party town is that the tea party is reading the Declaration of Independence.
He is proud to not have people come in or take phone calls. He was heard joking about it with some past Bethlehem officials. I wish some intelligent decent common-sense republicans would run in the city. It is going down the tubes with the developers and carpetbagger Managers that don't care about the city since they d0n't live there.
ReplyDeleteAmen to the managers not caring about the city and only about their fat paychecks. Bernie should work some sources. From what I hear the investigation that started with Mr. Sivak opened up a flood of an investigation into quite a bit of money or materials missing.
DeleteReading of a Declaration of Independence or anything else by anyone in that plaza should not require a permit. This is itself is disturbing.
ReplyDeleteBethlehem voters blindly elected Donchez and Reynolds. They earned and deserve the results.
ReplyDeleteI was present for the entire event and saw not one single confederate flag. Not only did I fail to see any such flags, but I knew many of the elected officials and citizens at the event and feel safe saying that such displays would not have been a welcome addition.
ReplyDelete"Reading of a Declaration of Independence or anything else by anyone in that plaza should not require a permit. This is itself is disturbing."
ReplyDeleteI agree peter. I find it highly disturbing that Reynolds would say a permit is needed to read the frickin' Declaration of Independence. But he contradicted himself and called it protected speech as well. I am sure that very few permits are ever sought for political events at Payrow Plaza.
In the interest of clarity, it may be possible that a permit would technically be required for the sound amplification and not necessarily the demonstration itself. I am not particularly familiar with the local ordinances in part of Bethlehem so I cannot confirm at this time, but there are similar ordinances governing sound amplification in many localities.
DeleteI am very happy to say that I didn’t cast a vote — primary or general — for Willie and never will I. He has a holier than thou attitude and doesn’t have the temperament for city management (how he survived as a teacher is beyond me). He seemed to have a bit of a tantrum at Tuesday’s meeting when his LERTA fee recommendation was tabled. I imagine he thought it would be rubber-stamped. As an aside, it took me more than a week to receive a response to an email I sent to the mayor and that response came from one of his 72 assistants. Too bad Bethlehem will pay the price for Willie’s inflated ego, which will only get larger after eight years as mayor.
ReplyDeleteHow ironic (and emblematic of how far we have fallen from the Founder's Ideas) that anyone could say with a straight face that no permit was obtained to READ the Declaration of Independence OUT LOUD!
ReplyDeleteReynolds is an egomaniac. Probably just wanted to hear himself talk so he gave a report on what one person probably told him.
ReplyDeleteAs for the permits, I do not believe this is a fee for the permit for a rally or event like this, but they are needed to ensure that events are not doubled booked.
Willie is now safe from Americans for another year. He's so privileged and has so appropriated a culture that he's blind to the cynical ass he is and always has been. I wish racists like Willie would swallow something bad and leave us in peace to repair the world they destroyed.
ReplyDeleteThe mayor should say anything unless asked at a city council meeting. The city council is becoming mayor dominated.
ReplyDeleteThere was one person there with a 13 star flag & a small confederate flag below that flag on a pole. He was essentially ignored as he tried to get attention by moving around.
ReplyDeleteThis event has been held for 8-10 years & never required a permit & Donchez used to read one of the 17 grievances several of those years., Reynolds will likely not participate since he is part of remaking America n
2:04 you are point on! When you get to know him you will realize that he is a complete narcissist who has really thin skin.
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