Over this past weekend, in what should have been a celebratory atmosphere, eight people were shot in three separate incidents in Allentown. Two are dead, including a one-year old boy.
Never one to waste a crisis, former drug dealer Hasshan Batts conducted what The Morning Call has dubbed a "rally" outside of his Promise Neighborhood's offices on Sunday, flanked by local elected officials who've regularly thrown public money at him to reduce gun violence. That's been a failure, pretty much like The Philadelphia Eagles.
Batts, who not long ago was chanting "Fuck the police!" from a bullhorn in center city Allentown, actually excused these homicides. "'We’re not here to have a conversation about bad apples,' Batts said Sunday. “When people are wrestling with poverty, they do what they need to survive.'”
I was unaware that murdering a baby is something poor people do to survive.
Amazingly, this demagogue is labeled a community leader. I call him what he is - a thug.
It is time to turn off his money faucet.
Apparently he doesn't bother to think before he speaks, or yells. I saw some footage on WFMZ of the puck drop, it looked like only a few people were there. Any way to confirm this. Maybe these murderers have frightened people to stay inside.
ReplyDeleteI’m tired of the no parks, rec center arguments. Everyone tiptoes around the issues — a lack of values and the breakdown of the family unit. It isn’t politically correct to point out that kids are being raised by grandparents, mothers have children with multiple partners, and social media is instilling the wrong values (um, Snoop Dogg is no longer a gang banger, rather a cool guy hanging with Martha Stewart and selling beer). Until there is done pushback on the people raising thugs, nothing will change.
ReplyDeleteI had to laugh at WFMZ the other night, giving this guy credibility as if he had anything meaningful or useful to say about the situation. I have to hand it to Wendy Davis and Rob Vaughan - I don't know how they manage to read this stuff with straight faces, as if it were real news.
ReplyDeleteDr. Batts is reformed and is making a real difference in the world. He is a nationally recognized leader and activist. You run a hate blog and troll people who actually are working to make a difference. His past is known while yours is not completely known and you of all people should not throw stones.
ReplyDeleteHe is making a real difference and did not justify any deaths. You help no one but yourself and your patrons while trying to destroy reputations of good people.
You've got to be one of the dumbest persons to comment on this post.
DeleteBatts is a transparent fraud.
DeleteBATTS,is a FRAUD,so is his "end gun violence",scam programs,He helps no one but himself,to our hard earned tax money!Got you brainwashed!!!!But then again,you probably don't work,& stand in his handout lines that others pay for.Stop being PATHETIC,& GLORIFYING CRIMINALS,he is NOT reformed,
DeleteWhat a jerk. At his rally he questioned what the local government is going to do. What is he going to do is my question? We gave him millions to get in front of these issues and his organization’s impact has been ZERO!
ReplyDeletePromise Neighborhoods, and organizations like it, is skilled in providing excuses. They describe problems that will be solved if the greater society makes more funding available to promote that message. The greater society (you and I) just need to do more. That is, keep throwing money at our group. But, their message is inadequate. It’s short-sighted and fails to identify the direct cause of crimes against others.
ReplyDeleteWe already know, in order to maintain a civilized society, certain RULES OF PERSONAL CONDUCT are in place that must be respected and adhered to. Stepping outside those boundaries is NOT acceptable. Violators WILL be punished.
But, are they punished in today’s declining America? I say, not nearly enough. Deterrence is lacking. We’re not tough on crime, so we continue to see more. Yeah . . . . F**K the police. Wrong!
12:53,
ReplyDeleteBINGO!!!!!! 10,000 thumbs up
"He is making a real difference and did not justify any deaths. You help no one but yourself and your patrons while trying to destroy reputations of good people."
ReplyDeleteHis words speak for themselves. He has taken the $ we've given him and has moved out of Allentown and into a nice home in the burbs. The only difference made has been for his personal benefit.
What a disgusting asshole. I wonder if someone was putting his life or the life of JPF in jeopardy if he would call the cops. Of course he would! what a disgraceful loser! I grew up in Allentown, was poor never used it as an excuse. I used it as motivation. Frankly, as a kid in Allentown in the 80s and 90s my observation was that your income was more indicative of your treatment by police than your skin color. I personally find it disgusting everything is boiled down to race by these clowns. They ARE the REAL racists!!!!
ReplyDeleteBernie, I thought the same thing when I read the article. I commented to my daughter exactly what you are saying. Just like AOC and the others, trying to justify shoplifting. What a clown this guy is. Its currently a cultural thing. It needs to be addressed. Stop with the SYSTEMIC racism. Now racism is even responsible for 80% percent off a persons obesity.
ReplyDeleteI'm pro 2nd Amendment. No ifs ands or buts. Go after the source!!!!
He fittingly represents the people in his community and their values. Why the hate?
ReplyDeleteAnon 4:57 am said:
ReplyDeleteHe (Batts) is making a real difference..."
4:57: To me, the city has had far too many homicides and shootings since Promise Neighborhoods has been involved to justify the continued diversion of funds from the actual police department.
The latest homicide involves a one-year-old child! So I guess I'm missing the difference that Batts and his organization are making, at least in the positive sense.
But I'm a fair person, and am open to any new information that you might have.
Please provide the readers of this blog the statistics that back up your claim that there is a positive difference being made by Batts/Promise Neighborhoods in Allentown.
I'm sure you'll be able to do that quickly, given the sense of certainty that was in your 4:57 post.
DR. Batts worked hard to earn that honorific and your deliberate elimination of it is a weaponization of white privilige an abomonation of class warfare, precisely while honorary brother Alan Jennings despises you who were it not for nepotism would also be classified as a returning citizen.
ReplyDeleteyou are an A**,BATTS has black privilege,raping tax payers for money for fraudulent programs,& then pocketing the money!!!Or is it fake community leader privilege!?
DeleteHi Justan at 9:29 am. My name is Punctuation and I don’t think we have met.
ReplyDeleteHahahahahaha!
DeleteJustan -
ReplyDeleteThe only person I refer to as "Doctor" is an actual medical doctor.
I have no time for those using the title of Doctor as a way to inflate their own sense of importance, no matter what their skin color.
My personal experience is that those who are most concerned about being addressed with that title are also the most likely to confuse an educational milestone with actual knowledge. They also tend to be lacking tremendously in common sense.
Again, that is not limited to any one skin color.
12:53 hit it on the head. The breakdown of the nuclear family. The expectation that the government and schools should raise your children. You don’t have to have money to be a good parent. This Batts clown is part of the problem, not the solution.
ReplyDeleteThe tragedy of a one-year-old child getting shot is profound enough as it is. But to suggest that poverty is to blame? That does kind of throw me for a loop. I say this, while looking back on my life and the battles with poverty I have conducted, and am still conducting.
ReplyDeleteWe need more police officers on the streets, not peering through computer monitors watching surveillance videos and monitoring license plates, or downloading pr0n on the city network. We need better education to teach our children that violence is not the answer to their problems. I give credit to Hassan Batts for his work with our youth so far. But it's an uphill battle against Hollywood and the Internet, and it's not enough. In a free society, we must teach the value of life and the power of guns to our young early and often by everyone, or our free society will teach violence to those youth who will listen and participate through their smartphones and other computing devices. We need to counter our violent cultures that preach otherwise. "With great power comes great responsibility".
I grew up in poverty. For the first 18 years of my life or so, I grew up without running water in Mt. Bethel. On August 1st 1988, my dad, while experiencing homelessness in Allentown, was stabbed to death in a homeless camp protecting my mother from a would be rapist. Even now, I am experiencing poverty again because it's such a low barrier for entry. JOB is an acronym that means Just Over Broke.
What am I doing about it? Did I go postal? No. After 60 years, I'm still working on it. I'm hosting an event this Saturday at 7th and Hamilton to protest against the orange man and why he is still free? What else am I doing about it? I'm running for congress to invoke real change upon the world while I still live and breathe. Will the local politicos show up for me? They have failed before,, despite being known as "that idiot" who streams Allentown city council meetings. Will the press show up on time for me? They too have failed before. To quote the late Bonnie Scott, " I'm gonna ride on ". http://www.shupeforcongress.com
Anonymous Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteDr. Batts is reformed and is making a real difference in the world. He is a nationally recognized leader and activist. You run a hate blog and troll people who actually are working to make a difference. His past is known while yours is not completely known and you of all people should not throw stones.
He is making a real difference and did not justify any deaths. You help no one but yourself and your patrons while trying to destroy reputations of good people.
But why did you have write anonymously to sat that ... If you believe it, own up to it
Lou Shoupe:
ReplyDeleteIt's Bon Scott, not Bonnie.
Anyway, back to Batts. I don't know him nor have ever met him. His criminal record is well-known and should always be mentioned in any stories about him or listed under his name in the occasional op-ed he writes. If he's earnest and righted himself and really cares about the community, he's got a funny way of showing it. But, "F--- the Police" makes for a good NWA rap song, not the stance of a self-proclaimed community leader. This latest statement is even more appalling. Bernie may be right; once a thug, always a thug, I guess.
Hassan Betts is on the board of the Lehigh Valley
ReplyDeleteJustice Institute. Criminal justice reform is badly needed and that's partly why the voters made changes. I suggest you get all the facts before sounding off. Or are you all perfect?
"Vladimir Ill-itch said...
ReplyDeleteLou Shoupe:
It's Bon Scott, not Bonnie."
You are correct, spellcheck was not and I missed it. I'm sorry.
Let's be clear. If you can't write a script for oxy, you are not a real doctor of any kind.
ReplyDelete@8:41 AM: what does "I'm pro 2nd Amendment" have to do with this conversation? Are you threatening someone with violence? How many MAGA hats did you buy? Donate monthly to a con-man with 91 felony charges?
ReplyDeleteJFC... You're in a cult...
12:18 pm: I am far from perfect, but I don’t walk around with droopy drawers and a pistol in my pocket. I respect the lives of others, despite being the victim of a crime. I have seen first-hand how the courts cater to the offender, rather than the offended and that needs to change. Stiff penalties — not necessarily jail time — like financial restitution, community service, and classes should be the norm. Who wants to pay high fines? Who wants to spend free time doing community service? Make the penalties painful and then, and only then, will things change. Wear a cute little ankle bracelet until you have satisfied any and all court orders.
ReplyDeleteHassan Betts is on the board of the Lehigh Valley
ReplyDeleteJustice Institute.
He's not listed on their website
He was a previous board member but not anymore. Don't know why.
DeleteAnonymous 12:18:
ReplyDeleteHe's not listed on their website as a board member. Is the site out of date?
Credible 9:29:
That's FELON DR. Batts to you.
Anonymous 10:34:
Anyone with a PhD, EdD, or ScD has earned the right to be addressed as "Doctor". Unless, of course, they plagiarized bodies of their work, like Claudine Gay did. If they are a convicted felon, they should be addressed as "Felon Dr." See prior example.
To Lou Shupe @ 11:16:
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you’re running for Congress. Susan Wild has been absolutely horrible. I look forward to voting for you in the upcoming democratic primary.
Ditto. Agreed. Time to send Wild packing.
Delete12:18 LOL. Criminal Justice reform has resulted in what we have going on now. The Lehigh Valley criminal justice institute has no credibility if it allows someone like this race baiting idiot to be on their board. The most disgraceful and disgusting behaviors are excused because of race or socio economic position in life these days. How about some accountability. Everybody is a victim today except the actual victims of these gang banging assholes. Lock them up!
ReplyDeleteThe vast majority of these shooters are either Black or Spanish. Usually in their late teens
ReplyDeleteor early twenties. You can question there upbringing but then you are labeled a racist.
Bernie there seems to be no mention of Susan Wildes giving $ to this farce? The spin that mayor powolski is teaching in the federal penitentiary is a slappZ in the publics face. Look at the shirts they are just left over unprinted phantoms shirts so who and what is paying for these thugs to mentor young lives and exactly what is being taught?
ReplyDeleteThere is absolutely data that this farce has saved let alone changed one life in a positive direction. This except for the carnival barker himself batts and his claims of change!
Honestly Bernie, how many of these replies are people talking to themselves?
ReplyDeleteBernie - It should also be noted again that Congresswoman Susan Wild is a big fan of Hassan Batts, as you previously highlighted on your blog 08/06/2020.
ReplyDeleteDomestic gun violence is primarily a cultural issue, you can’t buy compliance of firearms rules by sending tax dollars to “do gooders” ! Some people just can’t follow the rules or walk away from a confrontation, and if no gun available, “other common tools “ of physical harm are carving knives, hammers,baseball bats, 4 gallons of gasoline, piano wire.
ReplyDelete"Anyone with a PhD, EdD, or ScD has earned the right to be addressed as "Doctor"."
ReplyDeleteBullshit. A dear friend loves to remind me that his and other PhDs stand for Phony Doctor. Give me a Z-Pak or don't think of yourself as a doctor - or, God forbid, require that others address you as such. Please.
I totally agree 7:43- unless you graduated from Medical or Dental School!
ReplyDeleteBatts has a PhD from Nova Southeastern University. He also promotes himself as a "Community Epidemiologist" and a "Fulbright Scholar" (even though he was only a Fulbright Specialist, which is a 2 to 6 week program).
ReplyDeleteRight you are Anon 7:43 - Easton School District had a couple of “Internet Degrees EdD.
ReplyDeletenone sense Dr’s. One just passed away . Lived on 7 th street with his Mother in that period and had the 40 dollar haircut ,gold chains and BMW going . He got away with it! I sign my name because I care about the quality of life.
Not all of the doctorate degrees are equal but that's the case for bachelor's and master's degrees as well. Many of those EdD programs are dubious, at best. However, if your doctorate is in mathematics, science, engineering, et al, then yes, you've earned the entitlement to be called "Doctor" even by those who preach from their high horse claiming only medical doctors should be addressed as "Doctor". If you really believe people like Dr. Donald Knuth or Dr. Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin should not be addressed as such, you're totally incorrect.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.mcall.com/2023/05/19/what-will-happen-to-the-allentown-toy-factory-buildings-future-uncertain-after-infighting-on-city-redevelopment-authority-board/
ReplyDelete