CLEAN NEEDLE PROGRAM BAD IDEA FOR DRUG-INFESTED PITTSFIELD
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY OCT. 13, 2016) — Giving needles to junkies is like giving Camels to teens who “can’t” quit cigarettes. You might as well give heroin users their free fix. Oh wait. We already to do that at the methadone clinic on Summer Street.
Mayor Linda Tyer wants to set up a “free” needle exchange for junkies who continue choosing to use illegal drugs. Using is a choice, not an illness. In its addictive stages, it represents the insistence of a person to remain locked in perpetual immaturity.
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Let’s make sure THE PLANET gets this straight: Tyer wants to give law breakers help in continuing a scourge that continues to drag down this once-fair city of Pittsfield. What could go wrong? The mayor wants to hire Tapestry Health Systems to run the program. The Florence-MA-based Tapestry describes itself as providing “community-based care. … No judgment. No stigma.” You know, just another of those do-good outfits that deeply “care” — about the hefty fees they charge when they sign up a city.
Tapestry — a non-profit agency (how did you guess?) — began as Family Planning Council of Massachusetts in 1973. Seems that “Family Planning” was too descriptive and politically hot. “Tapestry,” however … who could object to that sweet, harmless, lazy-daisy name? It has a full-time staff of 95, with 25 part timers and four “contractors.” Tapestry proudly tells us that 107 of its staffers are female, vs. 19 men. More than that, 41%, it boasts, are Hispanic/Latino (37) or black (4).
Want more on Tapestry?
— The formal evaluation of Tapestry CEO Leslie Tarr Laurie is listed in company filings as “not available.” (Laurie resigned in February 2014)
— The “frequency evaluation” of the CEO is also “N/A.” Nothing to see there, folks.
— Does the organization have a fund raising plan? Answer: “No.”
— Does Tapestry have a strategic plan? Answer “No.”
— Does it have “Organization Policy and Procedures?” Answer “No.”
— Nowhere does the document list salaries of Tapestry’s executive staff. Usually for profitable “non-profits” they can be found in the low to mid “six figures” on Rug Row.
There’s Gold in Them Thar Hypodermics
Among the 13 board members, Tapestry lists Joyce Bernstein. The agency identifies her affiliation at “Spice Dragon Restaurant.” How many years has it been since Spice went under? Nice to know Tapestry keeps current records! By the by, all board members are white.
For FY14, Tapestry listed projected revenue of $6,500,000, the vast majority coming taxpayers. Miraculously, it projected the exact amount, to the penny, in expenses. That’s why it’s “non profit.”
THE PLANET includes this info because you need to realize what the advocates never tell you. Drug addiction is big busine$$. Cities are dying because junkies refuse to grow up, but that’s OK to the execs at the agencies and companies who feast on the suffering.
Back to the free needles: Why is it the taxpayers’ responsibility to enable illegal drug users to continue their repulsive fixes? No stigma, Tapestry boasts? Drug choose to use. They choose to risk their lives and bring incredible suffering to their family, friends, loved ones, and community. There should be a stigma and shame attached. Ah, friends, but these are the times when everything’s OK. It’s no one’s fault. They’re victims.
Needless to Say About Needles
Giving clean needles to addicts won’t address, let alone solve, Pittsfield’s heroin epidemic. A taxpayer-funded needle program, however, makes it look like our “leaders” are “doing something.” As such, it has great political currency. That’s why they love handing over the money to the “non-profits.”
Here’s why Pittsfield shouldn’t hand out needles to junkies (redorbit.com):
- Clean needles have no impact on reducing drug addiction. If anything, they encourage drug use by offering “the path of least resistance.”
- Clean needles will not prevent overdoses, collapsed veins, or the myriad of other (non-HIV) reasons addicts die.
- Clean needles will not address the violence, crime, gang-activity, and law-breaking associated with drugs.
- Clean needles do not address the underlying personal issues that junkies refuse to face.
- Drug-addicted pregnant women will still push out drug-addicted babies.
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Give drug addicts the chance for treatment. Give them counseling. Give them hope. Just don’t give them needles.
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“Truth is not for all men but only for those who seek it.” — Ayn Rand
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
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Is Tapestry connected to BHS? I thought no other “health care” business s were allowed in the county without affiliation.
So if I understand this paradox we are going to give people needles to shoot up their heroin with and then Naloxone once they overdose…?
Seems kind of ghoulish to help someone kill themselves and then bring them back to life but if there is a dollar to be made I guess the special interest folk will find a way to tap into it.
There are times the the answer to some question should show up here on the planet.Could Mayor Tyer try to just once think or have a press conference about how she can stop abusing the elderly senior citizen taxpayer…..Her advisor will steer her in another direction.
Mazzeo can be the financial pit bull this city needs….people respect people who know what they talk about….by the way if the department heads don’t show up can they be suspended for not going to work.
Whether or not anyone gets suspended for anything less than assault on a two hump camel is doubtful, especially if they are “friends of the family”. But, and nevertheless, that would be a personnel issue and that stuff is top secret, protected and heavily guarded data.
What has become clear is the contrast between Mazzeo and Tyer
The most impressive thing with Mazzeo is her ability to ask question.Pittsfield is not ready to answer questions but please don’t stop.Mazzeo ask questions to get answers…white and Kroll ask questions to make a point.
Really?
Mazzeo is a political hack. She didn’t ask one question of Dan Bianchi for 4 years. If The Empty Suit wanted it she delivered, not matter how bad the idea. Remember manager raises? 100 North St.? Health insurance switch in the middle of the night? $300,000 slippery city hall floors because Bianchi’s wife wanted them? “Accidental fire” at the city garage when Bianchi was trying to get a new one? Pete “I’m the brother of Bianchi’s campaign manager” Sondrini, who cost the City tons of money in the maintenance department? And my favorite, Kathy “man suit” Degnan? She went along with all these things without a peep.
It’s clear she is going to run for mayor in three years. She has been against everything Tyer has brought forward.
The way you have been talking, I wouldn’t be surprised if you are her.
This is absolutely true.
She would have fallen off a cliff for Bianchi, and is a thorn in the side of this Mayor. Never have a short memory… when she was putting it to the taxpayer over and over.
Mazzeo is BAD for the city of Pittsfield. I saw her behavior at a meeting for a Super Walmart. She asked irrelevant questions and had the attitude that the city does not want a Super Walmart. Nothing could be further from the truth. The majority of people in this city and especially in the Tyler Street area, do want a Super Walmart. Progressives do not want a super Walmart since they hate big box stores. They only want lots of little small businesses, honestly because I think they can more easily keep them under control. In today’s Berkshire Eagle, Mazzeo expressed frustration that Waterstone Realty doesn’t want to hold a public forum on October 19th on the Super Walmart project. Let’s hope she hasn’t scared them off with her progressive attitude.
As we all know, or at least most of us know, progressives want to control every aspect of our lives from who can go into our bathrooms with us to social engineering society so we end up the “perfect” people that THEY envision.
Pat, what if you found out at the last minute that the fireman who was going give aid to someone you love was a progressive? Would you pull this low life off and send him on his way? Wouldn’t you be afraid he would try to control every aspect of your life after he saves ya?
Pesky progressives. Pat’s on Walmart’s payroll.
Those critters whom you call ‘progressives’ generally are intellectual facists. Dare to disagree with them and they become instantly irate. You can identify them readily by their propensity to fill your facebook newsfeeds with incendia photos with embarrasing political statements. If, when you disagree, they secumb to irrational emotions and block you, you know you have located on of these I.F.’s, AKA progressives.
Totally agree. Progressives are fanatics.
Facist, actually. I choose that word as the famous originator of cognitive behavioral therapy, Albert Ellis, arhued that there are two classes of intellectual facists. Lower and higher order. Lower order are the rigidly bigot. Higher order are the Liberals. They use different language but are equally irrational.
I am familiar with Ellis’ work. Rightly cited here, LEV. Thanks for the input.
For reference, ‘The Myth of Self Esteem’ is Ellis’ work on the common fallacies of the ego. It here that he distinguishes between the higher and lower order facists.
From South Street to BMC the work done in this city has made a 100% positive impact.You just can’t be negative all the time an addiction in itself…The project looks fabulous from beginning to end…I can’t imagine how the could have done a better job….the laborers on this project can be proud.This all looks fantastic,well done.
……..but at what cost?
I agree. Drug addiction is big business. Far too many organizations are making lots of money from the addictions. If people actually beat their addictions a lot of these organizations would no longer need to exist. Where is the motivation to actually cure the drug addictions?
Same with Cancer Pat! And that’s a waaaay bigger business that actually costs taxpayers way more, especially in insurance costs, I get where you’re coming from with your conspiracy theory on Progressives; I disagree but I understand what you’re saying. However, if cancer were “cured” tomorrow, how many trillions of dollars would be lost by the GEs, Bayers, Westinghouses and etc. of the world who produce all that constantly updated diagnostic equipment? To say nothing of all the billions of dollars the Pharmaceuticals take in, through the government and tons of non-profits, for research. I too see conspiracy behind a lot of things, our ongoing war machine being another. Who makes more money, and has the largest investment in war? Well, the US government which spends vastly more on defense than any other country and most of it goes straight to defense contractors, Grumman, Raytheon, Halliburton, Lockheed-Martin, and of course General Dynamics;HUGE corporations all. I think the real conspiracies are corporate-level and that corporatization is the greatest risk we face. I’d imagine most progressives are against that. That said, I too think a Super Wal-Mart is a good idea for Tyler St.
Tyer is looking for the Junkie Vote.
Needle nose pliers will be the next freebie.
Pat explain transferring a walmart from ColtsVille to the PEDA business park is something that is needed by Pittsfield.White Kroll Marchetti Connell Bouvier Hinds Tyer want it….Caccamo wants it because he can walk to walmart….how many cities can say that
Tough problem. Unfortunately there are addicts using dirty needles having unprotected sex with non-addicts.
So we will big brother to protect the druggies from infecting themselves. Just bring the Chidren Card out, and it will be accepted in a New York minute.
Here we go again! Everybody is a victim. Kids who bring guns to school; their irresponsible parents….now the poor drug addicts.
This is a big mistake, Mayor Tyer!
At what point are we going to say that drug addicts ARE responsible for their actions and have to admit it and be held accountable? And stop calling it an illness, IT’S AN ADDICTION! Addictions that are (in most cases) willingly started.
You are right, Dan, this certainly encourages drug use. But not to worry, druggies, your family, friends and the ER all have Narcan to save your life…..over and over again.
We should stop publicly funded healthcare for old people. Enough with excuses. Old people are responsible for getting old and not saving for their own healthcare.
Torchy,
Do you ever add to the discussion or are you here just to add smart-ass comments? People offer their opinions, if you disagree with it, why don’t you state your position. Who knows, maybe you can inform the unenlightened?
Just step outside your apartment Torch, take a breath of fresh air, and share your opinion. It’s a pretty easy concept.
That isn’t a smart ass comment, that is my opinion correlated to a fact.
This “modest proposal” has too much immodesty, SHH.
Yes, SPIDEY. The needle exchange continues the VICTIM-ization of one’s immature choice to substance abuse. I don’t buy the “victim” logic in this case. We all are responsible for our choices. We own ourselves.
Dan,
I just read your piece today. I hadn’t heard the Mayor talk about the needle program, so I called her to see if your piece is accurate.
She told me that she is not the one proposing the program. She was approached by the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission and Tapestry Health Systems about setting up a program in Pittsfield. The Mayor hasn’t taken a positive or negative position as of yet.
She believes the community needs to learn more about the program and then make an informed decision about whether such a program is right for Pittsfield.
Not sure who your sources were on this one, but you might want to double back with them.
Barry
Can only hope she is telling you the truth. I’m thinking it’s a done deal already like everything else in this city tax payers have no choice
I highly doubt she would lie to me.
Barry
As mayor or other?
while I am not a fan of narcan, not a fan of all the resources used on these folks as they go to BMC daily, I am less inclined to oppose a needle exchange.
the addict that lives, is the addict who gets Hep C. That’s the addict that spreads it.
if it does not INCREASE the problem (and there is ample data suggesting that it does not), then this might at least keep some of the negative consequences at bay.
And Dan, just so you know – I know at least one heroin addict in Stockbridge. He ransacked the family home and stole a lot. the folks won’t go to the SPD, but I was there today fixing doors and replacing windows. I’ve been there before, but now that he has stolen all the valuables, they don’t leave cash or debit cards around – so I guess I am done working here until the next time he ransacks the place and destroys it because he doesn’t find anything.
According to his Mom, he is not a unique child of the town. He goes to Barrington or Lee every day for his fixes. He holds a job, and you may even know him – because for now, he still seems to function.
I’ve never met a long term recovered heroin addict – and maybe one exist – but I doubt it. if there is a real cure, I’d like to know what it is. but as with most addictions, I don’t think anyone starts off wanting to be one of the walking dead, and when the real death occurs, I imagine it’s a relief for some.
addiction strikes many families you would never suspect and is spread more evenly throughout the county than you would suspect.
I’d me more comfortable if instead of more concentration of services in Pittsfield, every city and town was required to provide needle exchanges. this should not be up to any one community to bear the burden of.
I find your post/story powerful.
Great contribution to this discussion, SE.
Thanks, BC, for these important clarifications.
Thanks Barry for the info, don’t you just love how we are living in a post fact world now ? Needle exchange program, not under my watch that’s Tapestry and BCRP as the driving force. Syrian refugees not coming from us that is Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts. Question 2 , we’d have to blame the loss of revenue on the voters , so this is a tough decision.
Great point, RK.
Sleep with one eye open My friend.
Still wondering if Tapestry is connected somehow to BHS. Not expecting an answer.
HEH, I don’t know the answer to this. Perhaps a BHS spokesperson could enlighten us.
The source article the Planet calls out is over a decade old and offers zero factual support for its claims. It also is a political opinion piece written during election season. If there is a current evaluation of the exchange programs discussed for Northern New Jersey that supports the typical conservative claims the article espouses, then I’m all ears. RedOrbit.com is not a credible source, and the article is either a reprint or a complete rip-off of an original column written by Record Columnist Lawrence Aaron.
I know the professionals working to bring the exchange program to Pittsfield – they are dedicated and care about the community and the people, your neighbors and families that comprise it. This program is to keep addicts from contracting very serious (and more expensive to treat) health problems so that they can access the treatments the Planet promotes. Rehabilitation and Recovery.
so you are saying BHS is involved?
Let the addicts die
Torchy Torch is on fire tonight.
The counterpoint is welcome. There is plenty of data for the information cited in this article, incidentally, although the research cuts both ways. The case against needles is more convincing, from my analysis. At what point does someone’s personal choice to kill themselves (quickly or slowly) become the taxpayers’ worry? Help is already there should one wish to receive it WITHOUT the needle exchange. If a junkie refuses this help, it should be on him or her, not on society and good citizens.
I don’t think the main goal of the needle exchange is to protect the junkie. It’s to protect the public from the widened spread of disease…
As an alternative, please consider the linked article below. It describes the situation in Florida and is a good survey of the issues that Pittsfield should weigh in establishing, or refusing, and needle exchange program.
http://iog.fsu.edu/paj/documents/Needle%20Exchange%20Review%20April%2017%202013%20PAJ.pdf
What Pittsfield needs is not Narcan but Taxcan. Something the taxpayers could shoot up after trying to recover from an overdose of taxation .
Well done, VOYTEK! Your English is improving!
If the Mayor hasn’t told Mr. C. That she is for it, then she should be against it and tell everyone she’s against it, saying nothing usually means you’re for it, Mr. C.
Butler,
You are suggesting that if a person cannot make up their mind on an issue without knowing all the facts, they should just be against any proposal. I personally find that short sighted.
While I tend to make up my mind rather quickly, I don’t do it without trying to gather all the information first. I do keep an open mind to others opinions, and have been know to change my mind on occasion. With that said, I’m sure people know I’m an opinionated person, and usually hold my ground.
The Mayor has a more methodical approach to making decisions. Something I’ve come to respect. I wish I had her skills and approach in this area. I think Dan would agree with me here, even though he doesn’t always agree with the decisions she reaches.
That’s almost laughable.. maybe on this one, but 9 out of 10 she knows, especially when it involves taxpayer funding. The Name is Butter, it’s German, heir Clairmont.
I’d have much more respect for her if she stayed away from Ding Dong Doyle and Rotten Breath Ruberto.
I would agree with my good friend here, and as I did on the telly, I thank BC for his valuable participation on this board.
Let’s not forget the unpaid balance before we purchased the New Buses
RIP St. Joe, it was a hell of a run.
Was sorry to see this. It’s my alma mater.
This needle exchange program a very mature answer to a problem with old settled success.
Dan has no scholarship in this addiction area with the addicts over age 50 were addicted by their fn doctor.How ignorant can a blog be about addiction.Sometimes you feel like pittsfield ma has lost every bright student to some other location and the leftovers are incapable of doing things like simple math…..Mayor Tyer your taxpayers are dying broke….your job is to change that…do it.or resign …nobody wants to watch your slow motion to have opinions…the Catholic Church knows when to quit….close and consolidate schools…learn to add.
One of the Trump Tramps is lying to Anderson, already many inconsistencies.
I must admit the Covanta Company getting 500 thousand is almost criminal, as was Sabic getting money when Ruberto was Mayor, both of these mayors supported by Flairmont, one more than the other I’m sure. The Covanta money is akin to giving G E 500 g to buy some carpeting for instance. Isn’t Covanta a private Company, stockholders and such, this deal has been prearranged and smells of dirty laundry. Hasn’t Covanta received tax breaks.
The museum,shaker villsge,covanta….what would happen to these 3 if there was no ge fund….Nothing
happy Halloween!
Yes!