He must have read my recent comments on OIB !!! Or Ron and Don got to him.
Knee jerk reactions by typical politicians who know the shit is hitting the fan. At least for a short while anyway.
Political correctness at its best. Other then “curfew”, not a lot was said. Stepped up patrols? That could mean go around the block Twice!!! Parents getting involved is I guess a revelation for some! Etc etc.
Now we can wait for R & D to add insight. No I don’t mean research & development.
Cheers.
Had to laugh at Joe stumbling over “doing it local’s” question. “ if most of the shootings happen before the curfew time, what good is it”?.. Joe was looking around for somebody else to answer that..
Also, why was Lydia Martinez front and center, in the way?.. She’s the city clerk,not chief of staff or anything.
The curfew was tried under Chief Sweeney along with the implement of Community Policing. There were far more shootings and homicides in the early 90’s. What are the solutions when the next shooting or shootings takes place during the day? You know there is going be some kid that mouths off to a cop when they are stopped about being out during curfew without supervision. Be prepared if the encounter goes sideways.
With the call volume on the afternoon and evening shifts, how effective is this going to be?
How long is this going to last and what are the plans for the summertime?
Sad, sad, sad, sad, the only reason that this press conference was held because the shooting happen outside of the court house, now everybody wants to get some photo time. There was nothing new except a warm over of the old City curfew ordinance, which won’t go far after the ACLU takes the City to court. Here’s what the City is going to do, they will parked those large police trucks on Stratford Ave., Trumbull Ave. and one in the Greens Apartment. Nothing was said about gangs and that’s who are doing most of these shooting but nothing was even mentioned about gangs. Where are all of these guys coming from? What policy does the Police Department have in placed concerning gangs? What is the State and Federal Housing doing for security for their property. Why would a mother or grandmother call the police when they see something that’s illegal happening right in front of where they reside? They call the police and report that drug dealing is going on in front of where they stay or on their block, the police show up the drug dealers stash their drugs and move on and the police find nothing going on. Those gang members know that somebody who stays in that house or somewhere near had called the cops and they are going to say something to those that they think said something to the cops, well who’s going to protect these citizens? Again, what does Charles Ramsey study of the Bridgeport Police Department say about gangs and random shootings?
Well,I feel a little better that the state police are helping for awhile.I would feel alot better if the state police took charge.I have very little faith that Chief Perez has a handle on this.He is overmatched here.
But don’t open any Boys and Girls Club or support the one on the East End that will never work!
Just the same old over-staged performance by this Mayor, while he holds back money from Jerome Orcutt Boys and Girls Club.
The city to small to open a Police Precincts System to make the people feel safe.
How about the Bridgeport dads get together and reestablish the little league system that once existed in Bridgeport?
How about the Bridgeport moms volunteer to be cub scout mothers?
Oh, how silly. That’s what white people do.
Instead, the ‘reverends’ will likely organize a march to protest violence with Joe Ganim and the city council nit-wits, declaring that black youth are mistreated in this racist society.
When does the victimization stop.
By the way; there is already an ordinance on the book allowing a curfew for minors.
Ron, your first post here is correct. Every conment by everyone above is correct including Toms. Sorry to say but your last post to Tom is wrong.
That attitude is part of the problem. I realize that you responded to him because of his comment that starts “how silly” but he was just getting ahead of what he knew your critique would be. So ………
Coach you’re absolutely right, that WAS terrible. They’re not even good at trying to bullshit anymore and yes A.J. looks and sounds lost. Denise Taylor Moye and Ernie had some comments that were plausible but fall on deaf ears and won’t go anywhere anyway.
Money and manpower is the only answer along with a strong commitment to clean up the streets.
Rich, what the hell are you talking about, my attitude is part of the problem? Tom White and now you can’t accept when a black man makes stand and speaks out.
Park city little league is gone. When was the last time there was a little league in the east end????? they didn’t have one when I lived there in the 70’s so I played with the Christian brotherhood , which is still running I believe.
Park City Little League had a team called the Firebirds, during time of George Bryant, James Cook, Donald Day and myself as President of the Firebird Society of Bridgeport CT we donated $500 every year to Park City Little League because we as a organization of blacks firefighters have a responsible to give back to the community that is paying our salary and that was just one of the many donations we would make to the community.
Rich, what did you and Tom do besides complaining?
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I remember the firebirds but they played at park city little league below fields. When I was 10-12 I lived on Wilmont ave park city would never let me sign up saying I was out of the district. so I went to the Christian brotherhood all the way at seaside park. Now how did that make sense? Did the east end ever have a little league with their own fields??? I don’t remember, but their was park city for the east siders, the north end little league and I believe little league at Elsworth park
Coach T, I experience something similar back when I was in high school, I was going to Frank Scott Bunnell High School but my moved back to Bridgeport on DeForest Ave. on the East End and I was trying out for the East End P.A.L. baseball team. I wanted to graduate with my senior class at the end of June but the tryouts were in April and I did make the roster to play but someone reported that I was going to school in Stratford, so a decision was made to stop me from playing with the East End P.A.L. and that I could play with the Beardsley Park P.A.L. team but I didn’t want to because lived on DeForest Ave. Well my friend Tommy Flynn who was a really good baseball player and a former Bridgeport Police Officer who is white, told the coach that he was quitting the team if I couldn’t play on the East End team, well I talked to Tommy and told him not to that but he told me no. It took about two days and Tommy agreed that he would stay on the team.
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Coach T
Yes we had Buckley field on seaview ave next to bill’s bait house.We had many great teams.
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I saved a few lives and did some problem solving for people that didn’t know how to solve their own problems. Many of those people used a few of the same excuses that I read from ‘some” on this very blog to explain why they were or are downtrodden, misunderstood, and in many ways miserable.
But that was “what I was paid for”!! Get it?
Cheers!!
That’s right, you were doing the job that you were being paid by the taxpayers and that’s what we need. The Firebird Society was making a donation from their own money, we did the same $500 donation to Longfellow School’s “Toys for Tots Program” every year plus we would be there in person helping to give out toys, books and food, our efforts were to be a part of the solution by giving our money, time and support, that’s just some of things we did with out fanfare, we just did it. As firefighters we would encounter gangs in putting out fires in certain section of the City because fires would take police cars away from certain areas to allow gangs to operate. But what has the Police department and the City done about gangs in the past, nothing but an outdated curfew that didn’t work then and it wouldn’t work now, in fact a curfew has serious side problems that will make things worse. That’s Bridgeport looking for the goose that lays the Golden Egg, one step shopping to solve a problem, a curfew for gun violence and a casino for solving it’s financial problems, that’s not happening.
Ron, it was nice of you and Don to help sponsor a Little Leauge team.
I did my share, along with other dads, and I will continue with grandchildren. I suppose that is what white people do.
With nearly three of four black children born out-of-wedlock, American society has the burden of dealing with the behavior that is a by-product of the lack of family structure.
Eighteen year-olds being killed on city streets is the norm in urban black culture.
So, we have another press conference so the mayor can show he is in ‘in charge’ surrounded by city council members that are full of themselves.
More police patrols? Why not! (How is the overtime budget?)
Yep. Where dem daddies?
TOM
I can’t believe you would say something like that. Don thanks for what you wrote. Tom I understand Tom MCcarthy fired you from the city council but please tell me why you MAD!
Tom McCarthy was President of the City Council AND an attorney employed in Labor Relations, I believe, as well, at the time when Tom White served as the only Legislative Assistant to 20 Council persons. The City Council leader does not have hiring and firing power as far as I know. (Care to comment?)
However, when White asked to review the Stipend records, his position was eliminated from the budget then being studied. McCarthy called it a cost savings but that was not the truth because what he did was transfer the same position and compensation to the City Clerk office. White was written out and no one ever understood that he thought it was reasonable to see the Stipend records since he had been included in the multi-person process for approving stipend payments.
Does any taxpayer or Council member since that time wonder about McCarthy’s dishonest sleight of hand? Why does the Council allow itself to be less better served than it was a decade ago? Do you really blame it on Tom White, a former Council member himself, years before being MAD? What responsibility do Council members have for decisions they fail to address as well as those they affirm for City leaders? Time will tell.
John Marshall Lee
Yes a lot has changed since 1981-85 when i served as Council President. The city councils have given a lot of its power away. Many council people have never read the charter, many have just taken the word of the Past Council presidents and city Atty office. Since coming to the city council i’ve worked on with many other council people to begin looking at contracts as you know we have no input other then vote yes or no. My proposal is for all union contract 6 months before negotiations start for Labor relation to sit with the contracts committee so we could have some input into what we like and what we would like to change. Its a start
John; your letter to the ct post was on point. The reporters should zone in on and report how these votes take place and point out the obvious slant that comes from the Mario controlled council members which as we here know are almost ALL of them. The press would be of better service to its readers if they did that. Brian Lockhart did a really good job with the zoning and liquor issue and tieing in the collision between Defilippo, Willinger, OPED, certain members of the zoning board etc. , but the bottom line is that these creeps are allowed to continue their escapades and get voted in through a corrupt system etc etc. I have said it here many times that they need good, investigative reporters who want to get to the bottom of what the truth is. Then again, maybe they know it’s a lost cause as well. A few more Maria’s would help no matter what anyone says. !
Cheers! ………and bartender,,,,,,,,,well……
You know: N T F Y!!! Lol.
I assign responsibility to the Courts, if you broke the law back in the sixties, they gave you a choice, go to jail or go into the Army. Most took the Army and came away for the better.
Let me offer a different perspective to you Tom (being) White. In 2016, 28 percent of all births to non-Hispanic white women (i.e., white) occurred outside of marriage, a figure that is almost a 200% increase among this demographic since 1990. Where dem daddy’s?
America’s most notorious serial killers, turned out to be white, and gruesome beyond imagining. Where dem daddy’s? Tom (being) White, how dumb must you be to believe something so cravenly disgusting and untrue?
There is a growing trend among unwed, low-income white women, whose birthrate has been growing faster than that of any other racial group, according to data experts and sociologists. Where dem daddy’s?
The FBI says, White people leads the nation in Incest, child pornography, abduction of children, US terrorist attacks, insurance fraud, police brutality, hate crimes, mass murderers, insider trading convictions, malpractice suits and convicted politicians. Where dem daddy’s?
Whites are responsible for the vast majority of violent crimes. With respect to aggravated assault, whites led blacks 2-1 in arrests; in forcible-rape cases, whites led all racial and ethnic groups by more than 2-1. And in larceny theft, whites led blacks, again, more than 2-1.
Where dem daddy’s?
White American society in particular prefer to focus on crime perpetrated by African Americans because it serves as a way to absolve them from the violence, prejudice and institutionalized discrimination engendered for generations against blacks. Paging Tom (being) White.
The shootings that cause this press conference, Golden Hill Street courthouse, shortly after noon, then the killing at the Greene Homes, a curfew would not have prevented any of those shootings. Let me bring up two points about curfews, penalties for curfew violations and punishment of juvenile curfew violations, now what training will the police have in dealing teenagers? There are some many more questions and challenges about curfews have not been talked about plus the legal challenge from the ACLU.
Ron
The former Gov. Malloy changed the law dealing with Juveniles. If a police officer arrest a juvenile with a gun the only thing that the officer can do is issue them a summons and turn them over to their parents. we may amend this ordinance to have them do community service. I know this may not save all our Juveniles, if we save one life its a start.
P.S I just heard Lennie Ban Maria from OIB is that true Lennie. Please share?
Lennie? Really!!!??? Well then are you going to give her an editorial page?!!
With all the shit that’s said here, which actually helps some people stay interested, you’re not allowing her to post? I hope that I AM being facetious in asking did Mario tell you to ban her?!
I mean now that she’s in a position to expose the common council members for not doing their jobs in different ways!! There’s a lot I could keep saying but, it just doesn’t make sense.
I think alot of people would really want to know the reason(s).
If you don’t change your mind then how about giving her parameters in the way of space NOT CONTENT going forward- for awhile?????
Rich, Maria’s departure from the comments section is self-inflicted. That doesn’t mean she’s not welcome to submit comments, statements, observations to me for publication in the editorial section. I will continue to cover Maria as a member of the City Council and potential candidate for state legislature this cycle. Maria’s strengths and weaknesses have been been covered mightily on OIB. She’s doggedly well-researched and talented in her approach to casting a bright light on what she views as injustice in the city. But she’s also peculiarly petty in using the comments section to eviscerate anyone or anything that has violated her version of sensibility. She feels she’s beyond censorship, be it name calling, body shaming, race scorn. She seems most comfortable embracing enemies than friends. Most often those friends become enemies. It takes very little for her to transform minor events into mountainous acts of revenge. Her enemies list is around the corner, down the block, across neighborhoods with no border line immunity. She enjoys it. She’s turned on just about every candidate she has supported with a litmus test for everything, particularly her sense of control. She’s extraordinarily controlling. Don’t vote the way she expects you to vote and the political stiletto is poised for revenge. Compromise to Maria is a weakness blind to the larger picture. Rich, I dare say if you spent any time with Maria it wouldn’t take long for her to sharpen that stiletto. In the end, it’s really all about Maria.
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Ernie.
FYI. McCarthy orchestrated my exit as a layoff which my attorney demonstrated in court to be a sham.
No, Ernie, I am not mad, but I am a short-timer.
Ernie ,I wasn’t asking if you played. I was just wondering about Buckley Field. So they ran a little league out of it and when did they stop and was it because of a lack of interest for the east end kids? Just some history that I don’t know anything about.
Coach T
yes every child in the Eastend Played at Buckley field i don’t remember when it started it was in the 50- 60’s it was a place where children played. We had major League teams names Mets,Yankees, Indians, Red Sox etc.
Newfield ball park had many Little Leagues there all in the eastend
Tom White, do you have a problem with the truth or is it where it comes from? Tom, if you want to know more truth about blacks try reading the Bible, maybe you will believe the Bible instead of The Root.
Anyone who doesn’t take truth seriously in small matters cannot be trusted in large ones either.
Albert Einstein
Truth is universal and doesn’t come from one source so why would you rather call into question the route of the truth, rather than the validity of said truth. That’s mine too!
It’s clear that young people in BPT need activities to keep them busy and out of trouble. You hear many of the Pro athletes say that they stayed away from gangs, went to school and participated in sports, got out of the neighborhood and became sports stars. Problem is that is such a small percentage that actually can say that., Inner city youth need programs teaching them financial literacy , construction trades, skills that will help them start a business, or enter a trade, or start up a company . Instead they go to the gangs because many have nothing else to do after school except get into trouble and follow the wrong crowd. There are other successful programs that address inner city gangs and solutions, all you need to do is google it, I found some programs that are being undertaken in other cities. This is where all the politicians in the photos get a chance to come up with a few solutions. If I can find a few things simply by google, department heads could do this as well, and make some phone calls. I say no paid consultants, a group of private citizens and elected officials working side by side, including parents, teachers and law , along with youth could make a huge impact.
John, programs cost money and Mayor Ganim won’t fund the 21,000 plus school students and the City Council goes along with the mayor so where are they going to find the money for those programs? Again, the magic solution they think that will solve this problem of shooting is a curfew. John, the mayor, the police chief and the City Council never mentioned anything about gangs. People find a family type of structure in gangs and support, something that they might not have at home. Now the police are going to be babysitting, they are going to see a group of kids just hanging out and now the police will start questioning these kids and who knows what’s going to happen after that, they might tell the police it’s none of their business, now what? It will get worse in the summer with the heat and daylight lasting longer. Take a look at those who were involved with these recent shooting, a curfew would have done nothing to stop those crimes and I’m sure those guys would want to playing games.
Lennie, is there a way to display who likes a post like Facebook? I would love to see who is supporting Tom White’s disgusting, offensive and racist posts. While actual or perceived mistreatment at work might make one angry, it doesn’t make one racist. That’s a pre-existing condition. Those comments are beyond disgruntled employee.
Attorney Toms, I am not expressing feelings resulting from the sham that ended my city employment.
I have developed a strong intolerance for the excuses given for the status of the urban black community. This intolerance is quite common, but typically not expressed openly. There are enough politicians (Democrats) who pander for the urban votes and perpetuate the victim status.
Labeling someone a racist is the quick and easy way to dismiss this intolerance for excuses for bad behavior.
Tom White, I’ve never that you are a “racist” because you Tom White, don’t have the power to enforce your bigotry. Here is a clearer meaning of “racist” but Tom White you are a bigot with “racist” mindset.
“Racist” is “the systematic distribution of resources, power and opportunity in our society to the benefit of people who are White and the exclusion of people of color.” This distribution can be intentional or unintentional, and these systems are largely unconscious and invisible to White people. But they are real, and they have meaningful impacts on people’s lives.
Some say that, by these definitions, anyone can be a bigot, but only White people can be racists. However, if racism is about systems that inequitably confer resources, power and opportunity, then no individual person can be racist. Only systems like education, health care, housing, the political system, the legal system and the financial system can be racist.
Not only can these systems be racist, they are. Examples and studies abound that show how people of color, particularly African Americans, are consistently viewed and treated by these systems as less intelligent and capable than they are, and granted less access to quality housing, education, healthcare, legal rights, personal safety and jobs than White people. In fact, to not acknowledge this reality in the face of mounting evidence is evidence of racism. Also, to equate the effects of bigotry (hurt feelings and occasional one-on-one violence) with the effects of racism (mass poverty, chronic health problems, incarceration and untimely deaths over many decades) isn’t only ludicrous, it’s cruel.
While bigotry isn’t the same as racism, bigotry causes and reinforces racism, and racism causes and reinforces bigotry. For example, while most acknowledge inequities exist between Whites and people of color in the U.S., where we differ is the reasons we give for these inequities. An increasingly vocal minority still believes that people of color and Blacks are inherently inferior to Whites – lazier, weaker, less intelligent and more violent by nature. This is the essence of White supremacy – a belief system rooted in the notion that inequities exist because people of color earned it, deserved it, or can’t do better because they’re people of color. White supremacist beliefs produce bigoted speech and behaviors which justify and reinforce inequities, and inequities reinforce bigotry.
However, a growing majority (typically people of color themselves and some White people) believe that the challenges in communities of color aren’t due to their inherent inferiority, but to the lasting effects of 364 years of slavery and legal discrimination plus current policies, practices and systems that reinforce those 364 years of abuse or maintain inequities. They see that brilliant and destructive qualities exist in every group, and good character and ability aren’t determined by a person’s race. They believe that White people aren’t inherently superior, and that given the same circumstances people of color have faced, Whites would have fared the same.
For those who skip to the end of the blogs because they are checking for more stuff at a later time, please scroll up and look at Lennie’s post BANNING MARIA!!!
Ron, it wasn’t what she wrote about me. It was how she injected race inappropriately into the topic of Bloomberg’s local hiring for his presidential campaign, something I deleted from the post. Her scorn for Bloomberg’s embrace of charter schools is open season. Asserting they were hired solely to add color to his campaign devalues them as talented and decent people. I only deleted the sections about name calling and race. Everything else remained including the assertion she made against me in a follow up post because I deleted the over-the-top language. Maria freaked after I deleted the language.
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Ron: read below. Lennie says no but Ron do you think his reason/excuse is for real? I mean really, the shit that’s said here-and he bans her for “freaking out” on him. I don’t buy it. We don’t have to agree on things here all the time. Sometimes we do and sometimes we don’t and sometimes we get personal, mostly in a sarcastic or facetious way. But really!? As you say Ron:
C’mon Lennie!
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Rich, if I say something that Lennie feels that I crossed the line he will let me know and I’ve done the same to him, so I’m sure Lennie said something first to Maria.
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Ron Mackey, can you cite the source that you copied and pasted from? I am curious to see who authored it.
Your place Lennie, you make the rules of course, but banning Maria seems a bit harsh. I realize she can be cantankerous at times, but she is part of the fabric of Bpt politics, her insight,to me at least,is one of the reasons I find this place so interesting. She will definitely be missed..But I’m sure Joe, Mario and the rest of the DTC feel like they scored a victory, another trouble maker silenced!.. #FREE MARIA!
Harvey, I agree totally with you about banning Maria being a bit too harsh. I mean really, as I said before, with all the shit that’s written here- myself included, I don’t believe that banning Maria is fair. Your statement about Maria being a part of the fabric of Bridgeport politics hits the nail on the head. Realistically if you want to look at how this blog is used then a lot of us should be banned-maybe! While I do understand Lennie’s answer I am still not in agreement with banning Maria or anyone else on this blog.
I guess we have to sit tight and see what happens going forward.
Maria Pereira says:
January 28, 2020 at 3:21 pm
Lennie,
Has Brett & Ruben promised you some Bloomberg campaign revenue for advertisements on your site?
Those who have had their comments edited, censored, and deleted want to know.
Hmmm…
1+
Reply
LennieGrimaldi says:
January 28, 2020 at 3:25 pm
Maria, no one has promised me anything. I think you’re the only one who wants to know because you think your postings are gospel. They are not. But if the Bloomberg campaign wants to advertise like so many other campaigns I’m happy to feature it.
Let’s get some things in order, NOBODY knew anything about Maria Pereira until she started posting on “Only In Bridgeport,” NOBODY, like Maria or not she had all the space she needed to make her points. Maria Pereira would have never gotten elected to the BBOE and the City Council without getting FREE space to campaign for those elected position that Lennie provided. As I stated earlier, when Lennie though that I cross his line he would email and tell me and when he wrote something on OIB and I didn’t like it I would email his and he would post, point taken Ron. I believe that Lennie did the same thing with Maria but I have no information to confirm my comment.
Ron,saying Maria only wins elections because of the “free space to campaign” here isn’t fair to Maria.She is a relentless campaigner,knocking on doors,walking her district,talking to those who ask questions,basically working 24/7 to get her platforms out. Now does this forum help her a bit?,maybe,but it’s not the reason she continually wins elections,she wins because she works hard on her own…Now in the same vein,how much did she HELP Lennie get this place some notoriety and national attention when she challenged Erin to a urine test?.I saw this place mentioned in numerous newspapers,and newscast,both local and national.It works both ways..#FREE MARIA!
Harvey, I would NOT take away that Maria is a relentless campaigner, knocking on doors, walking her district,talking to those who ask questions, basically working 24/7 to get her platforms out. Harvey, how many elections did Maria without her being on OIB or with her running with Joe Ganim and Dennis Bradley? Harvey, are you for real, you said, “notoriety and national attention when Maria challenged Ernie to a urine test,” that was joke on Bridgeport and Ernie had no business being involved with that joke because Ernie didn’t have to prove anything to Maria. Maria is a star in her district, 138th but Maria knew that she couldn’t win any Citywide election and that’s why she didn’t run for a Citywide position. Harvey, you don’t bite the hand that feeds you.
Just re-read this thread saw this explanation from Lennie..
“Ron, it wasn’t what she wrote about me. It was how she injected race inappropriately into the topic of Bloomberg’s local hiring for his presidential campaign, something I deleted from the post. Her scorn for Bloomberg’s embrace of charter schools is open season. Asserting they were hired solely to add color to his campaign devalues them as talented and decent people”
Lennie,I understand your reasoning here,Maria was saying they were only hired to because of their color.That isn’t right to assume and I agree it devalues the gentlemen…But for the sake of argument,RonDon make almost EVERY topic black and white,most times blaming any decision that they don’t like, a “white” thing…
Don’t mean to keep this up,once again,you place,your decison,I respect it.
Harvey, I had a conversation with Maria about her content. I politely asked her to tone it down. She overreacted, as she often does, and the accusations followed. She has called me countless times “outraged” by characterizations in the comments section demanding they be taken down. Sometimes I agree, sometimes I don’t. This was not done in isolation. My ask was reasonable. Her response was unreasonable. She feels OIB cannot survive without her, that she transcends all things OIB. This site has given her a nice platform that she has utilized for her benefit, sometimes as a cudgel in her self admission to destroy all her enemies. She has no self-awareness how she actually hurts herself in the process because she does not know how to turn down the temperature. Yes, she’s talented. Yes, she’s smart. And yes she blowtorches relationships because she’s incapable of making minor self-corrections when people push back. Maria banned herself.
Harvey you say, “Don’t mean to keep this up,once again,you place,your decison,I respect it. No you don’t because you are constantly bringing up this subject so you lack respect for Lennie running his blog how he sees fit.
To echo Ron’s post, Lennie have emailed me as well saying my post is out of line and to cut it out. I had the opportunity to cut it out or continue until I forced him to ban me. I don’t know for a fact, but I’m sure that Lennie told her to curb her enthusiasm and she chose not to, unlike me who said alright. The only reason we interject race into anything is because we still live in America where race matters, since it’s inception!
Studies, that come from everywhere, from major universities to private research institutions to civil rights organizations, all say the same thing: that race is still very much prevalent in American society, whether we talk about it or not.
Harvey, I’ve been following the impeachment of President 45 and guess what, not one his attorneys are black or Hispanics, I’m sure that you aren’t surprise but you wonder why race matters. Let me ask this, do you think that black voters believe that 45 cares about them as much as he cares about whites? Remember when he talked about those shit hole countries? Remember those brown babies being taken from their mother on the southern border. Harvey, you got so out of joint because of Don and myself bring up race but if you notice we get on black political leaders, black ministers the same for Hispanics bit you don’t see that. If you’re not looking out for what is best for the black voters then we will say something, that’s not being against whites it’s about loving blacks.
He must have read my recent comments on OIB !!! Or Ron and Don got to him.
Knee jerk reactions by typical politicians who know the shit is hitting the fan. At least for a short while anyway.
Political correctness at its best. Other then “curfew”, not a lot was said. Stepped up patrols? That could mean go around the block Twice!!! Parents getting involved is I guess a revelation for some! Etc etc.
Now we can wait for R & D to add insight. No I don’t mean research & development.
Cheers.
How about having youth pizza night at Mario’s……after the metal detectors are installed.
Had to laugh at Joe stumbling over “doing it local’s” question. “ if most of the shootings happen before the curfew time, what good is it”?.. Joe was looking around for somebody else to answer that..
Also, why was Lydia Martinez front and center, in the way?.. She’s the city clerk,not chief of staff or anything.
The curfew was tried under Chief Sweeney along with the implement of Community Policing. There were far more shootings and homicides in the early 90’s. What are the solutions when the next shooting or shootings takes place during the day? You know there is going be some kid that mouths off to a cop when they are stopped about being out during curfew without supervision. Be prepared if the encounter goes sideways.
With the call volume on the afternoon and evening shifts, how effective is this going to be?
How long is this going to last and what are the plans for the summertime?
The police can be everywhere all the time.
That was terrible!!!
A curfew??????Another embarrassment! !!!!
Sad, sad, sad, sad, the only reason that this press conference was held because the shooting happen outside of the court house, now everybody wants to get some photo time. There was nothing new except a warm over of the old City curfew ordinance, which won’t go far after the ACLU takes the City to court. Here’s what the City is going to do, they will parked those large police trucks on Stratford Ave., Trumbull Ave. and one in the Greens Apartment. Nothing was said about gangs and that’s who are doing most of these shooting but nothing was even mentioned about gangs. Where are all of these guys coming from? What policy does the Police Department have in placed concerning gangs? What is the State and Federal Housing doing for security for their property. Why would a mother or grandmother call the police when they see something that’s illegal happening right in front of where they reside? They call the police and report that drug dealing is going on in front of where they stay or on their block, the police show up the drug dealers stash their drugs and move on and the police find nothing going on. Those gang members know that somebody who stays in that house or somewhere near had called the cops and they are going to say something to those that they think said something to the cops, well who’s going to protect these citizens? Again, what does Charles Ramsey study of the Bridgeport Police Department say about gangs and random shootings?
Increased patrols? so now you have the man power?
Well,I feel a little better that the state police are helping for awhile.I would feel alot better if the state police took charge.I have very little faith that Chief Perez has a handle on this.He is overmatched here.
I agree. He looks and sounds lost
Joe’s getting good at his Dog and Pony Show’s
But don’t open any Boys and Girls Club or support the one on the East End that will never work!
Just the same old over-staged performance by this Mayor, while he holds back money from Jerome Orcutt Boys and Girls Club.
The city to small to open a Police Precincts System to make the people feel safe.
Jimfox, thanks, I forgot those Police Precinct where there’s no one there.
How about the Bridgeport dads get together and reestablish the little league system that once existed in Bridgeport?
How about the Bridgeport moms volunteer to be cub scout mothers?
Oh, how silly. That’s what white people do.
Instead, the ‘reverends’ will likely organize a march to protest violence with Joe Ganim and the city council nit-wits, declaring that black youth are mistreated in this racist society.
When does the victimization stop.
By the way; there is already an ordinance on the book allowing a curfew for minors.
Tom White, true to form, White being white.
Ron, your first post here is correct. Every conment by everyone above is correct including Toms. Sorry to say but your last post to Tom is wrong.
That attitude is part of the problem. I realize that you responded to him because of his comment that starts “how silly” but he was just getting ahead of what he knew your critique would be. So ………
Coach you’re absolutely right, that WAS terrible. They’re not even good at trying to bullshit anymore and yes A.J. looks and sounds lost. Denise Taylor Moye and Ernie had some comments that were plausible but fall on deaf ears and won’t go anywhere anyway.
Money and manpower is the only answer along with a strong commitment to clean up the streets.
Rich, what the hell are you talking about, my attitude is part of the problem? Tom White and now you can’t accept when a black man makes stand and speaks out.
Ever try counseling?
Park city little league is gone. When was the last time there was a little league in the east end????? they didn’t have one when I lived there in the 70’s so I played with the Christian brotherhood , which is still running I believe.
Park City Little League had a team called the Firebirds, during time of George Bryant, James Cook, Donald Day and myself as President of the Firebird Society of Bridgeport CT we donated $500 every year to Park City Little League because we as a organization of blacks firefighters have a responsible to give back to the community that is paying our salary and that was just one of the many donations we would make to the community.
What happened to that then? You said “had a league”. Perhaps Toms suggestion was on point?
Rich, what did you and Tom do besides complaining?
I remember the firebirds but they played at park city little league below fields. When I was 10-12 I lived on Wilmont ave park city would never let me sign up saying I was out of the district. so I went to the Christian brotherhood all the way at seaside park. Now how did that make sense? Did the east end ever have a little league with their own fields??? I don’t remember, but their was park city for the east siders, the north end little league and I believe little league at Elsworth park
Coach T, I experience something similar back when I was in high school, I was going to Frank Scott Bunnell High School but my moved back to Bridgeport on DeForest Ave. on the East End and I was trying out for the East End P.A.L. baseball team. I wanted to graduate with my senior class at the end of June but the tryouts were in April and I did make the roster to play but someone reported that I was going to school in Stratford, so a decision was made to stop me from playing with the East End P.A.L. and that I could play with the Beardsley Park P.A.L. team but I didn’t want to because lived on DeForest Ave. Well my friend Tommy Flynn who was a really good baseball player and a former Bridgeport Police Officer who is white, told the coach that he was quitting the team if I couldn’t play on the East End team, well I talked to Tommy and told him not to that but he told me no. It took about two days and Tommy agreed that he would stay on the team.
Coach T
Yes we had Buckley field on seaview ave next to bill’s bait house.We had many great teams.
I saved a few lives and did some problem solving for people that didn’t know how to solve their own problems. Many of those people used a few of the same excuses that I read from ‘some” on this very blog to explain why they were or are downtrodden, misunderstood, and in many ways miserable.
But that was “what I was paid for”!! Get it?
Cheers!!
That’s right, you were doing the job that you were being paid by the taxpayers and that’s what we need. The Firebird Society was making a donation from their own money, we did the same $500 donation to Longfellow School’s “Toys for Tots Program” every year plus we would be there in person helping to give out toys, books and food, our efforts were to be a part of the solution by giving our money, time and support, that’s just some of things we did with out fanfare, we just did it. As firefighters we would encounter gangs in putting out fires in certain section of the City because fires would take police cars away from certain areas to allow gangs to operate. But what has the Police department and the City done about gangs in the past, nothing but an outdated curfew that didn’t work then and it wouldn’t work now, in fact a curfew has serious side problems that will make things worse. That’s Bridgeport looking for the goose that lays the Golden Egg, one step shopping to solve a problem, a curfew for gun violence and a casino for solving it’s financial problems, that’s not happening.
Ron, it was nice of you and Don to help sponsor a Little Leauge team.
I did my share, along with other dads, and I will continue with grandchildren. I suppose that is what white people do.
With nearly three of four black children born out-of-wedlock, American society has the burden of dealing with the behavior that is a by-product of the lack of family structure.
Eighteen year-olds being killed on city streets is the norm in urban black culture.
So, we have another press conference so the mayor can show he is in ‘in charge’ surrounded by city council members that are full of themselves.
More police patrols? Why not! (How is the overtime budget?)
Yep. Where dem daddies?
TOM
I can’t believe you would say something like that. Don thanks for what you wrote. Tom I understand Tom MCcarthy fired you from the city council but please tell me why you MAD!
Tom McCarthy was President of the City Council AND an attorney employed in Labor Relations, I believe, as well, at the time when Tom White served as the only Legislative Assistant to 20 Council persons. The City Council leader does not have hiring and firing power as far as I know. (Care to comment?)
However, when White asked to review the Stipend records, his position was eliminated from the budget then being studied. McCarthy called it a cost savings but that was not the truth because what he did was transfer the same position and compensation to the City Clerk office. White was written out and no one ever understood that he thought it was reasonable to see the Stipend records since he had been included in the multi-person process for approving stipend payments.
Does any taxpayer or Council member since that time wonder about McCarthy’s dishonest sleight of hand? Why does the Council allow itself to be less better served than it was a decade ago? Do you really blame it on Tom White, a former Council member himself, years before being MAD? What responsibility do Council members have for decisions they fail to address as well as those they affirm for City leaders? Time will tell.
John Marshall Lee
Yes a lot has changed since 1981-85 when i served as Council President. The city councils have given a lot of its power away. Many council people have never read the charter, many have just taken the word of the Past Council presidents and city Atty office. Since coming to the city council i’ve worked on with many other council people to begin looking at contracts as you know we have no input other then vote yes or no. My proposal is for all union contract 6 months before negotiations start for Labor relation to sit with the contracts committee so we could have some input into what we like and what we would like to change. Its a start
John; your letter to the ct post was on point. The reporters should zone in on and report how these votes take place and point out the obvious slant that comes from the Mario controlled council members which as we here know are almost ALL of them. The press would be of better service to its readers if they did that. Brian Lockhart did a really good job with the zoning and liquor issue and tieing in the collision between Defilippo, Willinger, OPED, certain members of the zoning board etc. , but the bottom line is that these creeps are allowed to continue their escapades and get voted in through a corrupt system etc etc. I have said it here many times that they need good, investigative reporters who want to get to the bottom of what the truth is. Then again, maybe they know it’s a lost cause as well. A few more Maria’s would help no matter what anyone says. !
Cheers! ………and bartender,,,,,,,,,well……
You know: N T F Y!!! Lol.
WOW….
I assign responsibility to the Courts, if you broke the law back in the sixties, they gave you a choice, go to jail or go into the Army. Most took the Army and came away for the better.
Let me offer a different perspective to you Tom (being) White. In 2016, 28 percent of all births to non-Hispanic white women (i.e., white) occurred outside of marriage, a figure that is almost a 200% increase among this demographic since 1990. Where dem daddy’s?
America’s most notorious serial killers, turned out to be white, and gruesome beyond imagining. Where dem daddy’s? Tom (being) White, how dumb must you be to believe something so cravenly disgusting and untrue?
There is a growing trend among unwed, low-income white women, whose birthrate has been growing faster than that of any other racial group, according to data experts and sociologists. Where dem daddy’s?
The FBI says, White people leads the nation in Incest, child pornography, abduction of children, US terrorist attacks, insurance fraud, police brutality, hate crimes, mass murderers, insider trading convictions, malpractice suits and convicted politicians. Where dem daddy’s?
Whites are responsible for the vast majority of violent crimes. With respect to aggravated assault, whites led blacks 2-1 in arrests; in forcible-rape cases, whites led all racial and ethnic groups by more than 2-1. And in larceny theft, whites led blacks, again, more than 2-1.
Where dem daddy’s?
White American society in particular prefer to focus on crime perpetrated by African Americans because it serves as a way to absolve them from the violence, prejudice and institutionalized discrimination engendered for generations against blacks. Paging Tom (being) White.
The shootings that cause this press conference, Golden Hill Street courthouse, shortly after noon, then the killing at the Greene Homes, a curfew would not have prevented any of those shootings. Let me bring up two points about curfews, penalties for curfew violations and punishment of juvenile curfew violations, now what training will the police have in dealing teenagers? There are some many more questions and challenges about curfews have not been talked about plus the legal challenge from the ACLU.
Ron
The former Gov. Malloy changed the law dealing with Juveniles. If a police officer arrest a juvenile with a gun the only thing that the officer can do is issue them a summons and turn them over to their parents. we may amend this ordinance to have them do community service. I know this may not save all our Juveniles, if we save one life its a start.
P.S I just heard Lennie Ban Maria from OIB is that true Lennie. Please share?
Maria Pereira’s observations, due to a number of factors, will no longer appear in the comments section.
Lennie? Really!!!??? Well then are you going to give her an editorial page?!!
With all the shit that’s said here, which actually helps some people stay interested, you’re not allowing her to post? I hope that I AM being facetious in asking did Mario tell you to ban her?!
I mean now that she’s in a position to expose the common council members for not doing their jobs in different ways!! There’s a lot I could keep saying but, it just doesn’t make sense.
I think alot of people would really want to know the reason(s).
If you don’t change your mind then how about giving her parameters in the way of space NOT CONTENT going forward- for awhile?????
Rich, Maria’s departure from the comments section is self-inflicted. That doesn’t mean she’s not welcome to submit comments, statements, observations to me for publication in the editorial section. I will continue to cover Maria as a member of the City Council and potential candidate for state legislature this cycle. Maria’s strengths and weaknesses have been been covered mightily on OIB. She’s doggedly well-researched and talented in her approach to casting a bright light on what she views as injustice in the city. But she’s also peculiarly petty in using the comments section to eviscerate anyone or anything that has violated her version of sensibility. She feels she’s beyond censorship, be it name calling, body shaming, race scorn. She seems most comfortable embracing enemies than friends. Most often those friends become enemies. It takes very little for her to transform minor events into mountainous acts of revenge. Her enemies list is around the corner, down the block, across neighborhoods with no border line immunity. She enjoys it. She’s turned on just about every candidate she has supported with a litmus test for everything, particularly her sense of control. She’s extraordinarily controlling. Don’t vote the way she expects you to vote and the political stiletto is poised for revenge. Compromise to Maria is a weakness blind to the larger picture. Rich, I dare say if you spent any time with Maria it wouldn’t take long for her to sharpen that stiletto. In the end, it’s really all about Maria.
Ernie.
FYI. McCarthy orchestrated my exit as a layoff which my attorney demonstrated in court to be a sham.
No, Ernie, I am not mad, but I am a short-timer.
Ernie, Buckley field? Did they run a little league from there? When did it close down? I don’t recall it at all.
Coach T
I started in the minor League I had to be about 10 or 11 then I moved up to the major league. We had great team’s we played Monday Thur Sunday
Ernie ,I wasn’t asking if you played. I was just wondering about Buckley Field. So they ran a little league out of it and when did they stop and was it because of a lack of interest for the east end kids? Just some history that I don’t know anything about.
Coach T
yes every child in the Eastend Played at Buckley field i don’t remember when it started it was in the 50- 60’s it was a place where children played. We had major League teams names Mets,Yankees, Indians, Red Sox etc.
Newfield ball park had many Little Leagues there all in the eastend
Donald Day makes good use of his subscription to ‘The Root’ , ‘the source for all things black.’
Tom White, do you have a problem with the truth or is it where it comes from? Tom, if you want to know more truth about blacks try reading the Bible, maybe you will believe the Bible instead of The Root.
Anyone who doesn’t take truth seriously in small matters cannot be trusted in large ones either.
Albert Einstein
Truth is universal and doesn’t come from one source so why would you rather call into question the route of the truth, rather than the validity of said truth. That’s mine too!
It’s clear that young people in BPT need activities to keep them busy and out of trouble. You hear many of the Pro athletes say that they stayed away from gangs, went to school and participated in sports, got out of the neighborhood and became sports stars. Problem is that is such a small percentage that actually can say that., Inner city youth need programs teaching them financial literacy , construction trades, skills that will help them start a business, or enter a trade, or start up a company . Instead they go to the gangs because many have nothing else to do after school except get into trouble and follow the wrong crowd. There are other successful programs that address inner city gangs and solutions, all you need to do is google it, I found some programs that are being undertaken in other cities. This is where all the politicians in the photos get a chance to come up with a few solutions. If I can find a few things simply by google, department heads could do this as well, and make some phone calls. I say no paid consultants, a group of private citizens and elected officials working side by side, including parents, teachers and law , along with youth could make a huge impact.
John, programs cost money and Mayor Ganim won’t fund the 21,000 plus school students and the City Council goes along with the mayor so where are they going to find the money for those programs? Again, the magic solution they think that will solve this problem of shooting is a curfew. John, the mayor, the police chief and the City Council never mentioned anything about gangs. People find a family type of structure in gangs and support, something that they might not have at home. Now the police are going to be babysitting, they are going to see a group of kids just hanging out and now the police will start questioning these kids and who knows what’s going to happen after that, they might tell the police it’s none of their business, now what? It will get worse in the summer with the heat and daylight lasting longer. Take a look at those who were involved with these recent shooting, a curfew would have done nothing to stop those crimes and I’m sure those guys would want to playing games.
Lennie, is there a way to display who likes a post like Facebook? I would love to see who is supporting Tom White’s disgusting, offensive and racist posts. While actual or perceived mistreatment at work might make one angry, it doesn’t make one racist. That’s a pre-existing condition. Those comments are beyond disgruntled employee.
A like button is available below every comment.
Attorney Toms, I am not expressing feelings resulting from the sham that ended my city employment.
I have developed a strong intolerance for the excuses given for the status of the urban black community. This intolerance is quite common, but typically not expressed openly. There are enough politicians (Democrats) who pander for the urban votes and perpetuate the victim status.
Labeling someone a racist is the quick and easy way to dismiss this intolerance for excuses for bad behavior.
Tom White, I’ve never that you are a “racist” because you Tom White, don’t have the power to enforce your bigotry. Here is a clearer meaning of “racist” but Tom White you are a bigot with “racist” mindset.
“Racist” is “the systematic distribution of resources, power and opportunity in our society to the benefit of people who are White and the exclusion of people of color.” This distribution can be intentional or unintentional, and these systems are largely unconscious and invisible to White people. But they are real, and they have meaningful impacts on people’s lives.
Some say that, by these definitions, anyone can be a bigot, but only White people can be racists. However, if racism is about systems that inequitably confer resources, power and opportunity, then no individual person can be racist. Only systems like education, health care, housing, the political system, the legal system and the financial system can be racist.
Not only can these systems be racist, they are. Examples and studies abound that show how people of color, particularly African Americans, are consistently viewed and treated by these systems as less intelligent and capable than they are, and granted less access to quality housing, education, healthcare, legal rights, personal safety and jobs than White people. In fact, to not acknowledge this reality in the face of mounting evidence is evidence of racism. Also, to equate the effects of bigotry (hurt feelings and occasional one-on-one violence) with the effects of racism (mass poverty, chronic health problems, incarceration and untimely deaths over many decades) isn’t only ludicrous, it’s cruel.
While bigotry isn’t the same as racism, bigotry causes and reinforces racism, and racism causes and reinforces bigotry. For example, while most acknowledge inequities exist between Whites and people of color in the U.S., where we differ is the reasons we give for these inequities. An increasingly vocal minority still believes that people of color and Blacks are inherently inferior to Whites – lazier, weaker, less intelligent and more violent by nature. This is the essence of White supremacy – a belief system rooted in the notion that inequities exist because people of color earned it, deserved it, or can’t do better because they’re people of color. White supremacist beliefs produce bigoted speech and behaviors which justify and reinforce inequities, and inequities reinforce bigotry.
However, a growing majority (typically people of color themselves and some White people) believe that the challenges in communities of color aren’t due to their inherent inferiority, but to the lasting effects of 364 years of slavery and legal discrimination plus current policies, practices and systems that reinforce those 364 years of abuse or maintain inequities. They see that brilliant and destructive qualities exist in every group, and good character and ability aren’t determined by a person’s race. They believe that White people aren’t inherently superior, and that given the same circumstances people of color have faced, Whites would have fared the same.
For those who skip to the end of the blogs because they are checking for more stuff at a later time, please scroll up and look at Lennie’s post BANNING MARIA!!!
Rich, Lennie made a reply to Maria on the topic of Mike Bloomberg where Maria made a statement against Lennie about being honest.
Ron, it wasn’t what she wrote about me. It was how she injected race inappropriately into the topic of Bloomberg’s local hiring for his presidential campaign, something I deleted from the post. Her scorn for Bloomberg’s embrace of charter schools is open season. Asserting they were hired solely to add color to his campaign devalues them as talented and decent people. I only deleted the sections about name calling and race. Everything else remained including the assertion she made against me in a follow up post because I deleted the over-the-top language. Maria freaked after I deleted the language.
Ron: read below. Lennie says no but Ron do you think his reason/excuse is for real? I mean really, the shit that’s said here-and he bans her for “freaking out” on him. I don’t buy it. We don’t have to agree on things here all the time. Sometimes we do and sometimes we don’t and sometimes we get personal, mostly in a sarcastic or facetious way. But really!? As you say Ron:
C’mon Lennie!
Rich, if I say something that Lennie feels that I crossed the line he will let me know and I’ve done the same to him, so I’m sure Lennie said something first to Maria.
Ron Mackey, can you cite the source that you copied and pasted from? I am curious to see who authored it.
Tom White, Google “racist.”
Ron Mackey, I am interested in reading more about what you consider to be ‘the truth’.
What article or website did you copy and paste it from?
Tom White, do your own research like I did and then post what you find.
As I thought, Ron Mackey just finds some nonsense on the internet that he is impressed with and portrays it as ‘the truth’.
Your place Lennie, you make the rules of course, but banning Maria seems a bit harsh. I realize she can be cantankerous at times, but she is part of the fabric of Bpt politics, her insight,to me at least,is one of the reasons I find this place so interesting. She will definitely be missed..But I’m sure Joe, Mario and the rest of the DTC feel like they scored a victory, another trouble maker silenced!.. #FREE MARIA!
Harvey, did you what Maria accused Lennie of doing?
Ron,it’s hard to follow each topic/comment with this format here,but didn’t Maria accuse Lennie of being racist or the other way around?
Harvey, I agree totally with you about banning Maria being a bit too harsh. I mean really, as I said before, with all the shit that’s written here- myself included, I don’t believe that banning Maria is fair. Your statement about Maria being a part of the fabric of Bridgeport politics hits the nail on the head. Realistically if you want to look at how this blog is used then a lot of us should be banned-maybe! While I do understand Lennie’s answer I am still not in agreement with banning Maria or anyone else on this blog.
I guess we have to sit tight and see what happens going forward.
Maria Pereira says:
January 28, 2020 at 3:21 pm
Lennie,
Has Brett & Ruben promised you some Bloomberg campaign revenue for advertisements on your site?
Those who have had their comments edited, censored, and deleted want to know.
Hmmm…
1+
Reply
LennieGrimaldi says:
January 28, 2020 at 3:25 pm
Maria, no one has promised me anything. I think you’re the only one who wants to know because you think your postings are gospel. They are not. But if the Bloomberg campaign wants to advertise like so many other campaigns I’m happy to feature it.
This is the reason?? Cause Maria accused Lennie of being on the take??..This can’t be right.after all the things said here.Lennie is this the reason??
Harvey, I don’t know, I don’t talk to Lennie and Ray about what they do to other people, I can only speak for myself.
I agree Rich….
Let’s get some things in order, NOBODY knew anything about Maria Pereira until she started posting on “Only In Bridgeport,” NOBODY, like Maria or not she had all the space she needed to make her points. Maria Pereira would have never gotten elected to the BBOE and the City Council without getting FREE space to campaign for those elected position that Lennie provided. As I stated earlier, when Lennie though that I cross his line he would email and tell me and when he wrote something on OIB and I didn’t like it I would email his and he would post, point taken Ron. I believe that Lennie did the same thing with Maria but I have no information to confirm my comment.
Ron,saying Maria only wins elections because of the “free space to campaign” here isn’t fair to Maria.She is a relentless campaigner,knocking on doors,walking her district,talking to those who ask questions,basically working 24/7 to get her platforms out. Now does this forum help her a bit?,maybe,but it’s not the reason she continually wins elections,she wins because she works hard on her own…Now in the same vein,how much did she HELP Lennie get this place some notoriety and national attention when she challenged Erin to a urine test?.I saw this place mentioned in numerous newspapers,and newscast,both local and national.It works both ways..#FREE MARIA!
Harvey, I would NOT take away that Maria is a relentless campaigner, knocking on doors, walking her district,talking to those who ask questions, basically working 24/7 to get her platforms out. Harvey, how many elections did Maria without her being on OIB or with her running with Joe Ganim and Dennis Bradley? Harvey, are you for real, you said, “notoriety and national attention when Maria challenged Ernie to a urine test,” that was joke on Bridgeport and Ernie had no business being involved with that joke because Ernie didn’t have to prove anything to Maria. Maria is a star in her district, 138th but Maria knew that she couldn’t win any Citywide election and that’s why she didn’t run for a Citywide position. Harvey, you don’t bite the hand that feeds you.
Just re-read this thread saw this explanation from Lennie..
“Ron, it wasn’t what she wrote about me. It was how she injected race inappropriately into the topic of Bloomberg’s local hiring for his presidential campaign, something I deleted from the post. Her scorn for Bloomberg’s embrace of charter schools is open season. Asserting they were hired solely to add color to his campaign devalues them as talented and decent people”
Lennie,I understand your reasoning here,Maria was saying they were only hired to because of their color.That isn’t right to assume and I agree it devalues the gentlemen…But for the sake of argument,RonDon make almost EVERY topic black and white,most times blaming any decision that they don’t like, a “white” thing…
Don’t mean to keep this up,once again,you place,your decison,I respect it.
Harvey, I had a conversation with Maria about her content. I politely asked her to tone it down. She overreacted, as she often does, and the accusations followed. She has called me countless times “outraged” by characterizations in the comments section demanding they be taken down. Sometimes I agree, sometimes I don’t. This was not done in isolation. My ask was reasonable. Her response was unreasonable. She feels OIB cannot survive without her, that she transcends all things OIB. This site has given her a nice platform that she has utilized for her benefit, sometimes as a cudgel in her self admission to destroy all her enemies. She has no self-awareness how she actually hurts herself in the process because she does not know how to turn down the temperature. Yes, she’s talented. Yes, she’s smart. And yes she blowtorches relationships because she’s incapable of making minor self-corrections when people push back. Maria banned herself.
I understand Lennie,gonna miss her though..
Harvey, OIB had another person who thought that he was the Star of OIB, the one and only Stevie A. Superstar.
Harvey you say, “Don’t mean to keep this up,once again,you place,your decison,I respect it. No you don’t because you are constantly bringing up this subject so you lack respect for Lennie running his blog how he sees fit.
To echo Ron’s post, Lennie have emailed me as well saying my post is out of line and to cut it out. I had the opportunity to cut it out or continue until I forced him to ban me. I don’t know for a fact, but I’m sure that Lennie told her to curb her enthusiasm and she chose not to, unlike me who said alright. The only reason we interject race into anything is because we still live in America where race matters, since it’s inception!
Studies, that come from everywhere, from major universities to private research institutions to civil rights organizations, all say the same thing: that race is still very much prevalent in American society, whether we talk about it or not.
Don, I posted 4 times in 4 hours about this, hardly “ constantly bringing it up” lol..
Harvey, I’ve been following the impeachment of President 45 and guess what, not one his attorneys are black or Hispanics, I’m sure that you aren’t surprise but you wonder why race matters. Let me ask this, do you think that black voters believe that 45 cares about them as much as he cares about whites? Remember when he talked about those shit hole countries? Remember those brown babies being taken from their mother on the southern border. Harvey, you got so out of joint because of Don and myself bring up race but if you notice we get on black political leaders, black ministers the same for Hispanics bit you don’t see that. If you’re not looking out for what is best for the black voters then we will say something, that’s not being against whites it’s about loving blacks.
Lol, Harvey it’s like when a person says, with all due respect, you know they’re going to say something disrespectful, Right?