THE ALAMO: WRAPPING UP WITH DAVY AND THE GANG; LESSONS LEARNED AND UNLEARNED
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
Third of Three Parts
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION SEPT. 3-5, 2021) — THE PLANET concludes this week’s series with an opening observation.
We wrote these three columns as part of a field experiment we’ve been conducting. Our theory involves memory, remembrance, history, nostalgia, wistfulness, and anything to do with the shared past. Common experiences, the kind that bind societies and form cultures, get interpreted individually. As a default option, each imposes their world view upon the past. It takes awareness to do otherwise. Not many have it. What of those who claim not to have a world view? Well, that is their world view.
The Alamo has long fascinated THE PLANET. We owe that to Walt Disney. Our assessment of the battle has morphed over the decades from the romanticized play-acting of childhood to an independent verdict based on much reading and research. We have, admittedly, presented this week a “liberal” view of the events. Unlike what some think, we do it not out of ideological bias, certainly, but because it’s where we think the facts reliably take us.
Along the way, we’ve cautioned that just because we view the Alamo not as a heroic stance for liberty but as a senseless slaughter, you shouldn’t extrapolate 1836 into 2021. When we said revisionist interpretations of the Alamo run parallel to America’s present-day cultural wars, some got the point. Many missed it.
THE PLANET contends you can’t transplant 2021’s woke values into 1836, and liberals often do. Yes, many of the men at the Alamo were slave owners. Given the time (early 19th century) and the place (Texas, Deep South), that was no more a moral issue than saying public school children should be required to wear uniforms. It’s historical reality. It works the same way trying to bring 1836 into 2021, as the Neo-con right often attempts. It can’t be done.
We won’t take up any more space in applying this to today’s racial climate or to the fallout of America’s Afghanistan debacle. Rather, THE PLANET will pay you, our reader, the highest compliment by letting you work it out for yourselves. We’ve given you everything you need to solve the puzzle.
Now, to wrap up with Davy and the gang …
———- ooo ———-
Disney went to the Alamo to make money. His Fess Parker-Buddy Ebsen began the Crockett craze and made him a fortune in film and merchandising money. Wayne, with money from Texas oil billionaires Clint Murchison and the McCullough brothers plus the political muscle of then-Senate majority leader and future VP/President Lyndon Johnson, did it to support a cause. Both Disney and Wayne, though, were rabid jingoists who “keenly feared that the world, and Hollywood itself, was being overrun by Communists.” (Forget the Alamo!, 2021)
For Wayne, the Alamo myth symbolized 1950s Red Scare America. From the book: “[He] sensed a parable for uncertain times. In his eyes, Travis, Bowie, Crockett, and the rest embodied the best in American values. In Santa Anna and his soldiers, he saw the ideal villains, dark, swarthy foreigners fighting for a … dictatorship to wipe out God-fearing white Christain Americans; blink and they could have been Russian or Chinese Communists.”
John Wayne’s The Alamo premiered in late 1960. Wayne produced, directed, and starred in the film. He put his heart and soul into it as well as every cent he had. The authors note that Wayne’s “Superstardom had left him with a messiah complex, and The Alamo was his chance to use American folklore to change the direction of the country through cinema.”
———- ooo ———-
The book quotes from one of Duke’s pre-production press releases: “‘I want to remind the freedom-loving people of the world that not too long ago there were men and women who had the guts to stand up and fight for the things they believed in. The people of the Alamo realized that in order to live decently a man must be prepared to die decently. There were no namby-pamby pussyfoots, malingers or skedaddle in that brave band.'”
This kind of thinking pushed America into Korea, Vietnam, and the War on Terrorism.
Wayne accepts an award on The Alamo set.
This brings to mind a war spoof done by the writers for the great Carol Burnett in her CBS TV show in the 1970s. Burnett and her ensemble (Vicki Lawrence, Harvey Korman, and Lyel Waggoner) played out the typically silly WWII films of the era. As the opening credits rolled, we read these words: “This film is proudly dedicated to all those brave soldiers who in their small way helped John Wayne win World War II.”
Wayne himself never went to war. He used his pull to duck out of the fighting, justifying it by claiming he could do more good making movies to keep up morale on the Homefront. Yeah, maybe, but the same war drew heroes like James Stewart, Robert Montgomery, Rod Steiger, Eddie Arnold, Ted Williams, Bob Feller, Hank Bauer, Ralph Houk, Warren Spahn, and so many others, who refused to pull rank.
———- ooo ———-
Despite breathtaking cinematography, one of the most accurate movie sets ever built (an exact replica Wayne built in Bracketville, Texas, still standing though in ruins), and a rousing musical score by composer Dmitri Tiomkin (“The Green Leaves of Summer”), the movie flopped financially due to jumping way over time and budget. It did achieve its goal-of myth making.
Back to real life. Not long after wiping out the Alamo, Santa Anna’s army, led by Gen. Jose de Urrea, caught up with Col. Fannon at Goliad. Fannon, despite his West Point training, made a series of bad decisions, almost as many as Travis. First, he waited too long before attempting to retreat (March 19, 1936). Second, he failed to bring enough ammunition and food. Third, he retreated too slowly. Fourth, instead of directing his 400 or so troops into the woods, and had them form a square in the open prairie. Like, Travis and the men at the Alamo, he had no chance.
How the myth would have it. From poster art for John Wayne’s epic film.
Fannon surrendered, and he and his men were held as prisoners of war. De Urrea recommended leniency but Santa Anna ordered the men killed as rebels. Santa Anna played for keeps. When it became clear that he would be executed, Fannon requested not to be shot in the face, that his body be returned to his family, and that his watch be sent to his wife. Santa Anna had Fannon shot in the face, body burned, and watch taken as a souvenir.
Goliad, not the Alamo, should have been the Texicans’ war cry. Goliad, though, didn’t possess the necessary ingredients for myth making. It lacked celebrities. The field of battle, an open plain, couldn’t compare with a former mission. The myth makers acted better than anyone in the Disney or Wayne films.
———- ooo ———-
Wayne off camera, pondering his next shot.
THE PLANET cautions against transposing the cultural values of 1836 and force-fitting them into today. Similarities are present, surely, but the differences outnumber them and intelligent discussion and calm debate has become impossible. We can thank the internet, social media, and 24/7 cable news, all of which, like mountain biking, weren’t around in 1836.
This concludes THE PLANET‘s exclusive series. We hope you enjoyed it. The Comment Line is now open. Have a great weekend, everybody.
“If Travis had brought along enough mountain bike, the Alamo’s defenders would have been good to go” — Sir Donald Turpentine, Knight of the Bath.
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
(c) 2021 By PLANET VALENTI & EUROPOLIS MANAGEMENT. The views and opinions expressed in the comment section or in the text other than those of PLANET VALENTI are not necessarily endorsed by the operators of this website. PLANET VALENTI assumes no responsibility for such views and opinions, and it reserves the right to remove or edit any comment, including but not limited to those that violate the website’s Rules of Conduct and its editorial policies. PLANET VALENTI shall not be held responsible for the consequences that may result from any posted comment or outside opinion or commentary as provided in Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and this website’s terms of service. All users of this website — including readers, commentators, contributors, or anyone else making use of its information — hereby agree to these conditions by virtue of this notice. When PLANET VALENTI ends with the words “The Usual Disclaimer,” that phrase shall be understood to refer to the full text of this disclaimer.
Hello Erin at Act on Mass,
Thank you for your open email about your organization’s work with the Massachusetts Democratic Party on proposed rules reform for Beacon Hill lawmakers. I support your work to open up Beacon Hill to the people and taxpayers of Massachusetts. I believe that Beacon Hill lawmakers only do DISSERVICES to the people and taxpayers of Massachusetts. They vote themselves huge legislative pay raises and perks. They only meet 3 days per week when they are in legislative session. They take months off at a time from so-called “work”. They don’t respond to people’s correspondences if the people don’t kiss their dirty behinds. They retire and go right back to Beacon Hill as greedy registered lobbyists. They aspire to either public sinecures or higher elected office. They get into ethics scandals, sexual harassment scandals, and other legal troubles. They rule by fear and retribution instead of democracy and public accountability. As for the Boston-based state Democratic Party, they don’t practice what they preach. They persecuted Alex Morse one year ago with a sleazy, homophobic and conspiratorial smear campaign in 2020 to favor PAC Man Richie Neal’s reelection to his “1,000th” term in the U.S. House of Representatives, and they are all still in power, and they never personally apologized to Alex Morse. All that being written, I hope your lofty proposed reforms will make a difference in Boston and beyond, but I won’t be holding my breath.
Best wishes,
Jonathan A. Melle
Turns out Wayne was right about the left taking over Hollywood. Not cold war commies but cultural Marxists.
So Disney was out to make money? Can you name Hollywood filmmakers who aren’t? They’re far left loons who make mega bucks to promote their brand of lunacy.
Come on back Jesus and pick up John Wayne on the way.
https://youtu.be/KXEwG6C0gYE
Very cool video
Great song.
Love the quote, “Life is hard, and life is harder if you’re stupid.” – John Wayne
Very cool song. THE PLANET is a big Duke fan. Actor, not Duke football or basketball.
I had a crush on Patty Duke back when.
Daisy Duke!
Fizz had a crush on Dukakis in his tank.
Duke Snider, Marmaduke, the Duke of Earl, Grand Duke Ferdinand.
Duke Ellington
Yeah, babe! And Count Basie. Count Dracula. Johnny Counts (return man for the football Lints of the Tittle era), Count Floyd (SCTV), Count Ciano (Mussolinis son-in-law).
I rather fancied her cousin, Kathy.
Fair points.
Rooster Cogburn should have backed up the wagon carrying the
nitroglycerin and left it in Hollywood on his way out.
Let’s not forget Moe Berg. And there was no Curly Berg or Shemp Berg in case you were wondering.
But what about Ice Berg, the dude who sank that “unsinkable” boat?
Alamo Howard should have been there.
What about Alamo Sitka?
One problem is to many fail to realize movies are entertainment not documentaries.
Documentaries are even more pernicious than the stuff of raw fun. Fiction masquerading as fact. And the actors performing in them reach the ultimate depths of their doubtful profession. It’s no wonder Plato had no use for them. People putting on costumes and running around like hooshes pretending and even believing that they are people they aren’t.
“To do Justice to this role, I had to gain 200 pounds and really put myself in the person’s [fictional] mind by running over cats every day” (Probably R. Dinero)
I’m on firm ground here – I have personal experience. Here’s what happened when I was trapped by a mob of them in an elevator in an art academy in NYC.
Many moons ago, it happened and it did not happen….
It all became clear to young levitan the nature of his upstairs neighbors. The top floor of the academy had recently been rented to an acting school. Not one of the classicists of the academy could comprehend the decision. Given the loud, laughing, preposterous lot of odd shaped humanity it brought in, it was hard to imagine what sort of training goes on there. Nothing good and nothing that I would want to see.
Young classical painters and sculptors, intent on reeastablishing the Baroque and Renaissance as the Law of the Land, waited for the elevator now monopolized by out of shape charlatans. On this day, Levitan forgot his palette. John H. lent him his own spare. JH was fastidious and had fiercely glowing primary blue eyes, and his loaning-of-palette was more command than offer. His was a large thin mahogany palette….[skip some detail here]… The elevator door opened and levitan’s eyes looked into a solid squirming mass of actors “Come ON IN!!!! We have room!!!” I get in. John is grossed out and will wait for the next lift.
On entering, I am pressed forward, palette held like a cafeteria tray, and as the actor-compactor’s door closes, a tall-hair thing laughed and gave Levitan a push. John’s eyes exploded as the mahagony loaner became caught between the doors, held its own for a moment and then snapped crisply in two. The doors closed tight with the irate blue eyes disappearing into a fine vertical sliver and the wreck rose upstairs.
Plato had his thoughts about actors in his day, and they still apply. He is absolutely correct, and I hate them even more than their master, Satan.
Speech: “All the world’s a stage” By William Shakespeare
(from As You Like It, spoken by Jaques)
All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms;
And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress’ eyebrow. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon’s mouth. And then the justice,
In fair round belly with good capon lin’d,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slipper’d pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side;
His youthful hose, well sav’d, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion;
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.
Fine … remind me of this
Out out, brief candle.
Life’s but a walking shadow, A poor player
that frets and struts his hour upon the stage
and then is heard no more.
It is a tale told by an idiot
full of sound and fury signifying nothing.
I do like that
Who hasn’t felt that?
The flag of Massachusetts has the Goliad arm on it
If I may veer off topic for just a minute…
WHAT on Earth is Pittsfield trying to accomplish with the cement block furniture?
First, the Dewey Ave Riverway Park. This newly constructed mystery has made a splash on social media lately. The West Side residents asked for a dog park, or a splash pad, or something creative for the kids.
Instead they got cement stairs that lead to a river to launch their kayaks from (?) and a pavilion with a random assortment of cement blocks to sit on. No benches, no chairs, no checkers tables or picnic options. Just cement and river way access to the Housatonic which apparently is impassable with junk, trees and debris blocking the river 20 yards downstream.
Westsiders don’t own kayaks.
A response to a recent locally-viral post explained that there had been intention to clean up the river to make boating possible (DUH) but they ran out of money.
Must have spent too much on those cement blocks.
Turn then to the corner of Lincoln Street and Wellington Ave. A newly created lot is now the home to – you guessed it – more cement blocks. But the blocks here have spawned and multiplied to maximum capacity. Hard edged, concrete monstrosities covering the entire city lot. Are they furniture? Are they sculptures? Are they simply fricking ridiculous?
Is this what taxpayer money is paying for? A cement park? Cement art? There is no way this is designed for use. Any parent that allows their small child to play on rough cut cement structures should be reported.
Perhaps I’m mistaken and this is a private lot and someone decided to do whatever the hell they wanted with it. If I knew how to post pictures here, I would. It’s hard to understand how dumb it is without a full visual.
PHIL
I’m not familiar with these latest projects. Will check out. From your descriptions, it appears as if the Nothing on North insanity has swept into the West Side. Great point about the kayaks.
With $40 million to play with -who will be safe?
Find out what contractor poured the cement and you know part of the puzzle.
Milltown bought the house on lincoln and knocked it down for that cement park. Then the made it a memorial for the 2 kids that died in that trailer fire a few years back so they can sideswipe you with that if you criticize their blatant gentrification.
Hell they knocked down everything on the corner of winter st, eliminating 15 apartments long before plans to redevelop into eyesore ‘market rate:overpriced’ apartments like the ones on tyler. But that wont happen for 5+ years.
and the property is probably off the tax rolls
No memorial for the Carnute kid who was shot in the head a little bit further down Wellington? Does he at least still have those sneakers hanging from the telephone wires in memorandum?
MORE concrete in the Kellogg St park courtesy of Petricca and Milltown. I’m not Karnack, but the answer(s) are: civil suits for injuries, vandalism (as in breakage) and LOTS of graffiti.
This Goliad guy reminds me of Tyer. Never gave the city a chance.
And Tyer reminds me of Midas for reasons anyone who knows of Midas will understand.
They sell good Mufflers. Happy Friday !
FIZZ
A most unique comparison, Linda Tyer with Col. James Fannon…. and Midas!
Nice change of pace with this week’s blog Dan!! Always good to read and discuss different things every once in awhile! As I was reading your section on cinema and John Wayne tried to influence others towards the way they think. Kind of resembles our current state of the so called news. They don’t show what is happening but what they want you to see. Always being prejudicial in their reporting which makes them entertainment and not news and they should be treated as such.
Thanks, SHIRL. Twas a welcome change for THE PLANET as well. Nice connection you’ve made twixt Duke and attempts to influence thinking. I try to read as much from as many different sources as I can: NY Times, Wash Post and Examiner, Boston Globe and Herald, WSJ, NY Daily News and Post, National Review and Atlantic Monthly, and so on.
High School re-education camps……..the “woke” agenda
https://www.projectveritas.com/news/breaking-pro-antifa-high-school-teacher-in-california-admits-communist/
https://www.projectveritas.com/news/breaking-california-teacher-gabriel-gipe-to-be-fired-as-a-result-of-veritas/
As usual, the teacher claiming to be a teacher, is claiming he’s the victim in all this. Go figure.
There is 3 more radicals “teaching” in the same school, think they will get booted too?
Too much of education had become political. The Rx, which THE PLANET has written and spoken about at length, is to get education out of the hands of ideologues, get back to basic curricula, get real about policies concerning drugs, bullying, and smart phones; and establish and enforce dress codes or better yet, go to uniforms.
Dan have you been following closely the absolute hysteria over children’s education? Because some people want masks and some do not, parents are punching other parents kids and school board members are threatening each other. Kids are fist fighting each other and PTA members are pulling each others hair. This shit is right out of a Rod Serling episode of the Twilight Zone.
But as the seemed, out of nowhere nastiness of people, teachers are quitting. School board members are quitting. Superintendents are quitting.
Also related, nurses and doctors are giving up their field. Many police are looking for another line of work. Stewardesses and pilots are sick of the nastiness. Grocery checkouts and so many other vocations that deal with the public now want to work in a basement with bars and locks on the doors.
Major societal changes are occurring just beneath the surface and it is going to be a whole different ball game going forward. The whole planet seems to be morphing into a mental institution.
People are stupid. Get vaccinated. Wear a mask. It’s not that difficult.
Incorrect. It is not a vaccine. Vaccines prevent you from getting something.
A vaccine prevents you from getting sick. This is not a vaccine
W R O N G
There is a irony to this one, BH
This pandemic has revealed how profoundly stupid and gullible many Americans truly are, NativeL. Hated Taxpayer is one of them.
No stupid is getting caught stealing which you were. https://www.berkshireeagle.com/news/local/judge-north-adams-attorney-who-stole-15k-had-anger-sense-of-entitlement/article_c11f6860-0387-5e04-8279-012054f9bcc3.html
Actually, the pandemic demonstrated how generous and cooperative most Americans are. The are billboards honoring the shop clerks who did not collect unemployment but reported to work keeping our fridges full.
The irony was your sharp-tongued response to the leading post. My comment got lost in the thread.
Well Joel, I grant you that people are generally cooperative. That said, the pandemic has demonstrated how gullible and idiotic a wide swath of this country truly is.
People who think they know better than medical professionals and take a horse dewormer because they heard about it on Facebook are morons. People who think Trump really won in 2020 are morons. And, there are a lot of those people.
Ivermectrin was pushed had by the CDC/FDA for years for other human ailments. The reason they won’t approve it, and chloroquin is beacuse the greedy big Pharma, in bed with Fauci/CDC/FDA, can’t make billions in loot off them. The stuff given horses is the same, it’s just re -badge and costs less. Same with most antibiotics.
So they push their ineffective jabs and reap the ill gotten booty.
Fauci has been in bed/funded the Chi-Coms who developed the K-flu
The opinion of ‘medical people’ are diverse. You have doctors who know relatively little regarding epidemiology or biochemistry; you have bio-chemists with little understanding of treatment outcomes, and you have medical experts who devote their energies to policy and shortchange the range of knowledge.
We see how this works out in agriculture: introduce a broadspectrum pesticide, wipe out the pests and quickly concentrate a stronger resistant variety. COVID mutates. Is it even geometric in mutation rate?, ie V1>>V1 + V2-V3>> V2-V4 + V3-V4 etc…
Perhaps there an opinion on the strategy of over vaccinating against an fast mutating virus?
And you are not a medical professional. You simply do not know what you’re talking about.
That’s the equivalent you thinking you were entitled to be made partner. Weak mind
Again, define ‘medical professional.’ You can’t argue the point you want to prior to defining terms.
Medical professionals crawl out of every floorboard. Some have opinions. Some have empirical information. Some have agendas. Some have limited but valid focus.
Meanwhile, the question asked by me is what happens if you effect a 100% immunization in short time against a mutating virus as opposed to select immunization and allowing the population to adapt to the virus?
It’s a valid question, and one to which I suspect you do not have an answer. Find me a med. professional who has an answer and I’ll take it (with a grain of salt.)
If you do not care to give me something to consider, then you are simply wasting my time.
Wearing a mask to stop a virus, is putting up a chain link fence to keep out mosquitoes.
Natural acquired immunity is 13X stronger than the jab.
People are stupid alright. Stupid enough to wear a mask in the woods, alone. While driving, alone. By the way, we used to have a constitution in this country.
The Constitution is not a suicide pact.
Stop using Facebook and Dr. Google to make medical decisions.
Stop using left wing nut jobs
You are a fool’s fool
Ignore BH house. He is a convicted felon https://www.berkshireeagle.com/news/local/judge-north-adams-attorney-who-stole-15k-had-anger-sense-of-entitlement/article_c11f6860-0387-5e04-8279-012054f9bcc3.html
All criminals have one thing in common: They feel entitled to their spoils. Grab an embezzler anywhere and he will say he was just taking what he earned.
Israel
– The only country giving 3rd shot for everyone aged 12+
– Covid passports for 12+
– Multiple lockdowns
– Mask mandates
Sweden
– No boosters
– No Covid passports
– No lockdowns
– No masks
New confirmed cases of Covid-19 per 100K population, rolling 10 day average (Aug 1st 2021) :
Israel – 100
Sweden – 10
I guess you feel like you’re home.
It’s getting bad
I’m with you on this. Humans are too fallible to survive in close quarters together (Tower of Babel is first known documentation of this fact.) Dr. A Ellis: “All humans are fallible[screwed up] human beings.” An essential nature of fairness begins with being fair to oneself and then extends to stop dumping your irrational hatred on others.
Should be able to wrangle a decent limerick out of this….
A teacher of Political Matters
TOld his class to form Social Ladders
In his position
His words suggested sedition
So they lit torches and left the teacher in tatters.
Three car crash on Columbus near Dewey Tennessee plate, South Carolina plate,plate not valid, suspended on the other,the third a mass plate invalid? Lexus being towed. One of the parties threw a gun under a truck.According to the dispatcher by anonymous caller. Happier Labor Day!
Welcome to downtown Tyerland, home of Nothing on North, world famous as NON.
Do not be too surprised if Milltown builds new hugomoungous apartment buildings in that area. Tyer has the cash and is looking for such projects with friendly special interests. Plans are probably all drawn up and include central air.
Did the DA show up and give them backpacks? Cuz that policy works in Portugal ya know.
The DA wants to know if they will get absentee ballots if she can’t get them off on lesser charges and they have to serve time.
Disregard my last post. Forget, the DA’s current policies of:
As long as they got another good 10 or 15 major crimes left in them before the DA would consider actually having them locked up.!
Which is why if we have to deal with her she needs D cups
She’d tip over with D cups!
Yea but since she is a bubble head play the part. Tight white shirts partly open D cups
Unless of course they are a white male. Then the full power of the DA’s office comes down on them. A woman defrauds her company of $30k, no big deal. A POC rides on the hood of a car performing a drive by shooting into a house, the white man made him do it.
Our DA proposes to reduce crime by decriminalizing crime for select few, others not so much.
Or…Hickory dickering dock,Ruffer and Tyer sold Pittsfield block by block,Hess still stands and the blight fight remains bland,but the bikes have a place for there kick stands. North is widen for bikes and Biden types,while cars take a wide turn around the umbrella sticks that look like pipes.
good! Never seen a bike so wide as a church door and so finely decorated. Just one of those minitiature bike lanes that run either side of the central bike lane would be enough for any bike and leave the lanes intact. But they need three. Must have been the conclusion of a municipal survey conducted online.
The entire reconfiguration of the traffic lanes at Nothing on North have a theme song: “They’re Coming to Take Me Away.” Pure insanity. Then you add those ridiculous traffic markers (aka toilet plungers). It is killing North Street merchants. So many people we have heard from tell us they avoid North Street at all costs. Too scary at night. Too hassle-full by day. Not that the mayor or anyone on the council shows any sign of caring.
They do NOT care because their goal is too make the whole street residential. Mostly condos. Anything to do with the city and special interests that does NOT generate a pot of gold is back burner stuff.
Off topic. Just finished reading Peter Marchetti’s bundle of crapping lies on IBerkshires. How in the heck does he expect voters to believe a word he said in this article? He has done absolutely nothing in the past 5 years but kiss the Mayor’s butt! If she asks him to jump he says how high? He has done absolutely nothing for the taxpayers. He said he wants to fight crime in Pittsfield, what has he been waiting for…..election season. Why has he not done something about crime for the past five years! The whole article made we want to up chuck my dinner. It is lying politicians like him that are ruining this City. Also, why is it that every picture of him it looks like he is holding his crotch, like he has to go potty! If he isn’t aware of the fact he has to go potty, how can he be a City Councilor. Guess he is living up to his name PeePee Petie. Time to dump him off the Council!
MB,
Agree 100% with your take on the article. I noticed once again, he and other use these bs lines from the article every time a campaign is on, “I think the focus really needs to be on where Pittsfield is today, as a community, I think that we need to focus on infrastructure, we need to focus on crime and gun violence, and we need to make sure we’re doing all of that in a realistic environment,”
he said. These politicians never say what they are for or how to achieve it, just focus on it which in the end means some woke F’D idea. Hocus Focus crap!
A bunch of ripe diarrhea from someone who should have hung ’em up years ago.
Wealthy Ward 4 runs Pittsfield politics. They choose the Mayor, the 4 At Large City Councilors, the Ward 4 City Councilor, and the “Level 5” School Committee. Peter Marchetti campaigns for votes in Ward 3 and especially in Ward 4 because he knows that is where his bread is buttered every 2 years at municipal election time. He ran against Dan Bianchi for Mayor of Pittsfield years ago, and he lost to Dan Bianchi. He then got behind the Lovely Linda Tyer for Mayor of Pittsfield in 2015, and he dishes out retribution to anyone who opposes her failed leadership for over the past 5.5 years and counting. First, I think that it is wrong and undemocratic that one single wealthy Ward (Four) – among six other Wards in a city full of mostly working class and underclass mostly non-voting residents – has all of the clout in Pittsfield politics. Second, I believe that Peter Marchetti plays the same old tune at municipal election time to win over the mostly privileged voters who live in Ward 4. Peter Marchetti is a political operator who is Mayor Linda Tyer’s middleman who does nothing but greases the old and broken political machine in Pittsfield politics. Peter Marchetti will predictably win reelection in 2021, and the proverbial Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski family will continue to get screwed as they always do year in and year out. Pittsfield politics is totally predictable because the same incestuous group of political insiders pull the same crap year and year out, while everyone else in Pittsfield either doesn’t care and/or knows they will have to “Assume the position” with retribution if they speak out about City Hall’s systemic corruption. To be clear, Peter Marchetti knows full well what he is doing!
You have a bad case of class envy.
No one is running against the incumbents. Some have drawn papers but are in some form of radio silence. The voters deserve to hear WHY we ought to vote for them. No websites, OP Ed’s, nothing. And even with their silence, Marchetti IS campaigning.
It’s just about too late for the atlarge contesters to make up for lost time, but we shall see in the end.
LEV
What about Ward 2. Is Kronick still running? The rest of the election might not even be held. Why bother?
Yes Dan he is still running. He has been going door to door speaking with Ward residents for at least three weeks now. Like what I am hearing from him, very similar to Kevin Morandi’s ideals, which is a positive. Heard from several folks though that the trio of Marchetti, Persip and White are pushing for the other candidate which is an automatic turn off at least for me. Don’t need anymore Tyer puppets on the CC.
Thanks, MERRY.
Your welcome. Mr. Kronick also had a good Letter to the Editor in the Beagle last week. He basically wrote about how unfair the survey was pertaining to the Biden/Tyer millions. How the survey was written for what Tyer wants. He feels the monies should be spent to benefit all of Pittsfield not just selected groups, which I totally agree with him.
In the real world a city council president s main job would be to make sure the residents are getting the best deal they can for their tax dollars. This guy has played dead since he was positioned at the head of the table. He does not advocate for the people. He is a special interest stooge. Let me capitalize that word please. STOOGE
He has joined in with those who use the unsuspecting people of Pittsfield for their personal gain. I find him disgusting as a representative of the people. Anyone who allows themselves to be used is a tool and I do not know who could really feel good about themsleves doing that.
Actually that descirbes much of the council. Tools being used as fools. Where is the self esteem in that?
The real world is what we make of it. History is theatre (nod to Shakespheare.)
Not fair to say “not running.” I mean to say the at large challengers have a steep challenge and need to work harder. Get their positions out there online, wherever they can. Am I missing anything?
No, that says it all. “Candidates” who get their name on the ballot then don’t campaign are not “candidates.” They are dabblers, not to be taken seriously. Plays right into the hands of the Status Quo. There’s only one way to win a local election in this rigged town: (a) Campaign furiously, actively, and publicly … (b) Raise and spend money … (c) Have an organization in place. Missing any one of these spells defeat.
He is a sad (very sad) representative of the people. And did that read like a campaign speech? Is he running for mayor early? While it seems like an eternity before Tyer will drag her sorry self away from the city at some point someone will need to take over the special interest mantle. Especially if she is not able to spend the whole 40 million on her own watch. No way they will let this bonanza fall into the hands of some budget conscious person who actually gives a shit about the city.
The city council is already being pre-stacked with special interest players.
Personal observation: He strikes me as a sad person at heart, uncomfortable with his past, uncomfortable with who he is. I wish it were not so. Somewhere buried deep inside is the person he would like to be and could be.
So where is that Covid millions now? Is it in a bank in Pittsfield and if so which one? And whose decision was it to go there?
Yes, and anytime the city gets a windfall of public money, how comfortable are you that there are proper safeguards in place, proper accountability, proper management, and proper oversight. For example, you get $32 million but report it was $2 million. Whence the other two? Kickbacks, bribes, and sweeteners, perhaps? Nah. Couldn’t be. Never happen. Not in Pittsfield.
There is sure to be a piranha like feeding frenzy for this money. Politicians and special interests will undoubtedly wind up with 95 percent of it in their back pockets. And along the way they may even wind up eating some of their own because for this kind of money they will trample each other to get at it.
In North Adams two councilors have resinged in the last couple of weeks. Is the covid jackpot behind it?
China Joe’s actions have directly benefitted China! Treason!
https://www.infowars.com/posts/did-biden-intentionally-screw-up-in-afghanistan-for-chinas-benefit/
Marine’s family didn’t want Joseph Stolen near their son.
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/09/update-father-wounded-marine-walter-reed-last-night-biden-audacity-try-visit-son-evening-not-welcomed/
You are dumb enough to get cooped by the Trump cult. Trump is a conman and and idiot who had no business being President. And yet here you are shilling and lying for him. You are part of a cult of personality and should be heartily ashamed.
Terrorists killed those Marines. Not Biden. Wake up.
The US had a a predator drone with a lock on the terrorist. Xiden’s White House told them to stand down.
The blood is on Xiden and Barry’s hands, you dolt.
Xiden? How gullible are you?
As gullible as your clients were
Not as gullible as these poor people. Did you used to steal the change at the cash register donation jar too? https://www.berkshireeagle.com/news/local/judge-north-adams-attorney-who-stole-15k-had-anger-sense-of-entitlement/article_c11f6860-0387-5e04-8279-012054f9bcc3.html
Xiden = Joseph Stolen = Traitor Joe
I love that name !
Have to admit (taking the politics out) these are clever and funny.
You voted for Joseph Stolen, the the imbecile that has problems with reading a teleprompter, or answering scripted questions he’s been coached on with a crib sheet.
He’s made America untrustworthy to countries who used to be allies, but seems well allied with the Chi-Coms.
We don’t have borders anymore, and he just imported thousands of unvetted Afghans, while leaving Americans to fend for themselves.
In fact, he is involved in human traficing of underage girls, who were forced into marriage with the un-vetted old Afghan men he is distributing throughout America. Some have claimed to have been raped!!!!
“‘Child Brides’ Arrive in US Because of Joe Biden’s Chaotic Evacuation From Afghanistan“https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/09/child-brides-arrive-us-joe-bidens-chaotic-evacuation-afghanistan/
AP reported-
“Father of Wounded Marine at Walter Reed Last Night: “Biden had the audacity to try to visit my son this evening. He was not welcomed“‘https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/09/update-father-wounded-marine-walter-reed-last-night-biden-audacity-try-visit-son-evening-not-welcomed/
Gold Star Mother of Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui Will Leave Home After His Funeral for White House and Demand POS Biden Resign
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/08/breaking-gold-star-mother-lance-cpl-kareem-nikoui-will-leave-home-funeral-white-houe-demand-pos-biden-resign/
All you do is shill for RWNJ nut jobs all day. It’s pathetic.
Stealing from clients like you did us pathetic. https://www.berkshireeagle.com/news/local/judge-north-adams-attorney-who-stole-15k-had-anger-sense-of-entitlement/article_c11f6860-0387-5e04-8279-012054f9bcc3.html
W R O N. G
Biden is a joke and only a crook would vote for him
How many unvetted terrorists and pedophiles did Joseph Stolen fly in to the USA, while leaving vetted Afghans and US citizens behind Bleak?
“US Marine on the Ground in Kabul Says Biden Admin Filled Planes with Unvetted Afghans – Those with Papers were Left Behind — NY Times Confirms Afghans Were Unvetted”
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/09/us-marine-ground-kabul-says-biden-admin-filled-planes-unvetted-afghans-papers-left-behind-ny-times-confirms-no-one-vetted/
“Am I Going to End Up Dying Here?” – Pregnant American Woman Stranded in Afghanistan Says Taliban Hunting Americans Left Behind by Biden (VIDEO)https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/09/going-end-dying-pregnant-american-woman-stranded-afghanistan-says-taliban-hunting-americans-left-behind-biden-video/
“The Pineapple Express , a group of highly trained US military veterans who risked their lives conducting secret rescue missions behind the Biden State Department’s back, is going back to Afghanistan for the next phase of their mission — getting the hundreds of Americans left behind by Biden out, and bringing them back home.
During the first phase of their mission they were able to help almost 700 US citizens and allies get to their evacuation flights at the airport safely. The special operators used their contacts in and outside of Afghanistan to transport people safely and even worked with US troops on the ground who had to disobey orders to help the rogue rescue effort.”
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/09/pineapple-express-sequel-rogue-heroes-launch-phase-ii-rescue-americans-left-behind-biden-state-department-still-refuses-provide-assistance/
What about a piece on Custer’s Last Stand? You could tell how he invented the Arrow Shirt.
and Custards pie. Not too much of it is written about it in the history books but Custers wife made about thirty pies to be eaten afterwards during the victory celebration. And the Indians raved about them and then just for spite sold the recipe to Betty Crocker.
Or Betty Crockett
Croketts second wife was know as Betty. This is Orbit Award stuff.
Bet she was a great cook!
This series was a nice break from local politics.
I appreciate that, G. We all need a break from that.
Yes indeed Dan. Every once in awhile you need to go to the bullpen!
Yeah, and when I go, I want Dick Radatz, not Hal Griggs.
Dick had a couple of amazing stats as you know Dan. Sixteen wins as a reliever,and 181 stikrouts in 157 innings? Does that record still stand,it might? Lot of great relievers passed through for Boston,Eckand Sparky Lyle,Jeff Reardon.
Yes, Radatz is to the concept of “closer” what Tom Edison is to the lightbulb. From 1962 to 64, three years where “The Month” was unhittable, he defined dominant reliever. His 157 innings and 181 Ks, all in relief, still stand. A couple other Sox relievers in earlier times: Ellis Kinder and Mike Fornieles.
I saw Radatz at a charity game at wac park…..huge man.
Yup, The Month. Met him a bunch of times when I was covering the Sox. Great locker-room type of guy. From Detroit. He was a high school teacher in the off season. My favorite Radatz story: He relieves Earl Wilson against the Yankees at Fenway, ninth inning, Sox up 2-1. Wilson loaded the bases with none out. Call goes out to the bullpen to Radatz. As Wilson leaves, Radatz tells him to pop open two beers as soon as he gets in the clubhouse. He then strikes our Mantle, Maris, and Johnny Blanchard in about six seconds. Wilson gets the win, Radatz the save, and the two sip their beers.
What about Bill Clinton being on Jeffrey Epstein’s private jet 26 times, Melinda Gates divorcing Bill Gates over Bill Gates questionable involvement with Jeffrey Epstein, the U.K.’s Prince Andrew’s highly questionable involvement with Jeffrey Epstein? Ghislaine Maxwell and her Attorneys say that have documented evidence on Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, the U.K.’s Prince Andrew and other rich and powerful men who are associated with Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking of minor girls. Bill Clinton is already a convicted Felon twice over for perjury and suborning perjury. Bill Clinton said he did nothing illegal with Jeffrey Epstein, but he has lied many times before about his sexual misconduct. Like Melinda Gates, does Hillary Clinton know anything about her husband, Bill Clinton? Did Hillary Clinton know about it when she ran for U.S. President in 2008 and 2016. If so, did Hillary Clinton coverup Bill Clinton’s 26 flight logs on Jeffrey Epstein’s private jet and alleged sex trafficking crimes? Did Hillary Clinton put her feminist ideals and political ambition to be elected U.S. President over the legal protections of minor girls that were allegedly sex trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein and the rich and powerful men – including Bill Clinton – who may have allegedly sexually exploited them? What does that say about Hillary Clinton? I am disgusted with politics!
It says people are right that they have been rejecting her for 30 years. She is evil
You voted for Clinton.
Fixed it Fritz!
You voted for the ClintonS
Right Trap!
The only ideals that lady had were ones that were self serving when needed. She went from shopping at the Five & Dime in to living a life of luxury off the taxpayers.
When you don’t have a choice the election always goes to the voters not the taxpayers. For instance, look at Ward six,is there really a choice?
Hilde-beast: I have blisters on my hands from the broom!
Willy: Take the car next time ROFL!!!!!
Those blisters on your hands are probably from fantasizing about her.
rofl
Fizzlehead
fixed it!!
“Those blisters on your hands are probably fantasizing about garroting her.”
ROFL!!!
Good one! Now if someone could get close enough to throw a bucket of water on her when she fly’s bye and crashes that broom.
How many inches in a quart ?
2 meters
Close, 57.75 cubic inches.
946-mL
Taliban Joe should be tried for treason!
https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2021/09/05/gop-rep-mast-biden-should-be-impeached-for-treason/
Very much agree
Great article on covid vaccines….
https://www.zerohedge.com/covid-19/vaccine-voodoo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-TgCxUnank&t=6s
More on Traitor Joseph Stolen and his merry band of incompetents….they are PROUD!
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/09/california-school-official-says-thousands-students-children-trapped-afghanistan-stories-will-start-unfold-coming-days/
Several Planes Filled with US Citizens, Afghan SIV Holders Stranded at Northern Afghanistan Airport – Biden State Dept. Refuses to Act
“The numbers of those known to be trapped are likely to grow, said David Miyashiro, the superintendent of Cajon Valley Union School District in San Diego County. He, along with a local congressman and a tactical team on the ground in Kabul, helped coordinate the extraction of nearly two-dozen students last month……………….
……………..Sacramento resident Huma, her husband, and her three Ethel I. Baker Elementary students are among those still in Kabul. Baker Elementary Principal Nate McGill connected The Sacramento Bee with the family this week. They went to the airport multiple times in hopes of getting on a flight home to Sacramento, where they have lived for four years, but to no avail.
Speaking to the Bee this week, Huma said shots were fired by both the Taliban and U.S. forces. Huma said she was shot at. She said families were tear gassed as the U.S. forces tried dispersing the crowds, as many people crouched over to cover their children………”
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/09/california-school-official-says-thousands-students-children-trapped-afghanistan-stories-will-start-unfold-coming-days/
“There are still dozens of California children trapped in Afghanistan after Joe Biden’s hasty exit from the country.
David Miyashiro, the superintendent of Cajon Valley Union School District in San Diego County, says the actual number may be in the thousands. And “it will start to unfold” in the coming days and weeks.
This is a catastrophe created entirely by Joe Biden and his woke generals.
To top it off, Biden armed the Taliban terrorists with nearly $85 billion in arms before leaving the country.”
Update on the treasonous “WOKE JOKE” State Department and Generals.
MSM is running cover for Traitor Joe on this
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/09/update-six-planes-northern-afghanistan-now-held-hostage-taliban-filled-americans-afghan-siv-holders-bideneffect/
“The Taliban is holding the planes filled with Americans HOSTAGE in Northern Afghanistan!As reported earlier, several retired Special Forces and US Veterans traveled to Afghanistan to rescue and bring the people Americans home that Joe Biden left stranded.
The American heroes reportedly have 6 chartered airplanes (four 737s and two others) on the Tarmac in northern Afghanistan with the people rescued and can’t get the administration’s help.
The planes cannot take off unless the Taliban clears them which can easily be handled with a telephone call. Our heroes and the people they rescued are sitting ducks, hostages of the Taliban, who operate the airport at Mazar-i-Sharif. It’s only a matter of time before they’re targeted. The Taliban want recognition from the US gov’t, in order to receive a lot of money.”
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/landonmion/2021/09/05/texas-rep-says-the-taliban-is-holding-americans-hostage-at-the-kabul-airport-n2595340
“Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) said Sunday that the Taliban is not allowing for the departure of six airplanes carrying Americans and Afghan allies, and affirmed that the terror group is “holding them hostage for demands.”
Just read about the squad who are squealing about a modern pipeline being built to replace an older one in Minnesota… just wondering if they rode their bike or walked to Minnesota?
I’m guessing they like the idea of using diesel to slowly transport fuel, dumping it along the way when the trains carrying the stuff go off the rails. ‘Green’ is a metaphor – another pernicious invention of propagandists.