Here comes the story of a city commiss- ioner who threatens to withhold city services from a community group because the mayor didn't like a sign that was held up by a protester at one of their rallies. Here is the letter in its entirety:
Get that? NYC citizens are now expected to censor each other so as not to piss off the dictator. God bless America.
The person who wrote the letter is the Commissioner of the Mayor's Community Affairs Unit, the Iranian born, Massachusetts bred, 30-year old Nazli Parvizi, whose views on free speech make me believe that the "L" in her first name may be a mistake... (Photo from Gothamist)
CAU is supposed to act as a liaison between the government and the community. Apparently, they aren't listening very carefully. Perhaps the response letter from their constituents will wake them up. My favorite part:"...[our] role is not to censor the free speech of private individuals who are expressing themselves on public property. Our role is not to shield the government from unwanted criticism. From your letter I get the impression that perhaps you need to brush up on your knowledge of the first amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Perhaps you also need to be reminded that every member of this administration has the duty to serve our interests; we do not have any obligation to serve your interests. You work for us, not the other way around."
180 comments:
I saw this letter posted on another blog, along with commentary that free speech should be censored. But the CC'd names were left off. Looks like Gallagher is up to his old tricks again.
would be interesting to see the controversial cartoon.
Gallagher also sent out the letter to the neighborhood by mail with a letter from a phony group called "The Sons and Daughters of Middle Village and Maspeth."
There was no return address on the envelope.
Another dirty trick by Gallagher. This guy doesn't get it. He still hasn't learned a lesson.
Well I hope CITY HALL can read this...GO FUCK YOUR SELF!
oh where are you Hillary?
out on the campaing trail while the machine suspends the Bill of Rights on your constituents back home. Who needs Guantonomo Bay?
And you complain about Bush?!!?
Is that an example of what will happen when you and the Democratic machine (that put you there) take over the White House?
Sent on official stationery.
My, oh my, someone is going to lose their job.
There IS a limit to free speech, and exhortations to violence may be over the line. Was the poster like that? Don't know. Probably not.
The bigger issue is that a NYC agency seems to be conditioning cooperation with a civic association on that association preventing its members (and the public) from making uncomfortable political statements. The civic has no such power. Sounds like your typical aristocratic Bloomberg approach.
An alternative: keep up the pressure and get as much press as you can. Government responds to political pain. If they think they look bad, they'll respond. If they think it's costing them votes, they'll respond. If they think you'll play nice, they'll ignore you.
Clueless mayor Mike is to blame for this. This kind of BS would never have happened when hizzdishonor was running for reelection. Now that he has better things to worry about, he and his buffoons can continue to look down upon the people they supposedly serve.
What the hell are this woman's qualifications? How do you get to be a commissioner of anything by age 30? Sounds like some blantant cronyism in Mayor Mike's playland.
Her lack of experience, communication skills, savy and good judgement are obvious and abhorrent.
If she doesn't like signs, maybe we should rent a billboard calling her and the administration out on their bullshit.
There's a bird depicted on the poster as the executioner, so I don't think the cartoon was meant to be taken seriously.
nazli's shirt collar resembles a bullseye.
What is this crap. . . "if you are willing to work with us under these conditions", issue a public apology, meet like mature adults etc..... not too bright.
Good job on Holden's response. I can't imagine this gal had anyone look at this letter before she sent it out - and if she did, this city is in more trouble than I thought.
And why the heck is Gallagher cc'd on this letter? What about him - has he issued an apology to HIS constiuents?
Dennis Gallagher took the CC'd names off of this letter and then had his staff mail it to the civic membership in envelopes with no return address along with a letter from yet another phony organization agreeing with the mayor's office. This fellow is going to court next week to answer to rape charges. Isn't he the most pathetic example of an elected official that Queens has ever seen? Even Donald Manes had more brains.
Mayor to Queens: SHUT UP! You're supposed to stay quiet as you're tweeded.
I think the Iranian broad is kinda cute
Is this really how elected officials write? How poorly worded and unprofessional can these people be? Jeez.
That photo is the Commissioner? What is this high school? Bloomberg must think we are all idiots!
Dennis Gallagher is soooooo desperate that he puts out more bogus letters from his bogus organizations. Keep trying Pinky.
The Juniper Berry cover with Gallagher in handcuffs is a classic. It's killing him.
If you think she is cute go to the page on nyc.gov that has her official photo, what a joke! Try saying that she's cute again. Yikes!
THIS COMMENT IS FOR THE BIRD(S)
I was at that rally and have photos of the poster and the guy carrying it- who at this point shall remain nameless.
Let's go to the videotape, I mean, cartoon.
The poster shows a tree with a big dominant noose dangling from it.
The EXACT wording of the poster:
"Reserved for
Gallagher [his name in red ink...the following names in black ink]
Bloomberg
Doctoroff
Parkside
Matt Gorton"
There are other demonstrators standing behind the hangman-tree cartoon carrying signs reading "Save these trees".
Trees were the issue at hand that day: July 14...BTW Crapper's right... there IS a very tiny bird on the branch of the tree...The bird as the executioner?...Hmmmn, maybe; maybe not...Crapper does have a good imagination and his interpretation is as good as anyone's...I think the key element is the demeanor of the bird...It appears to me that the bird is smiling [you do need a magnifying glass to see that though]...Ms Nazli Parvizi, what is your opinion of this bird? - a crucial character in the cartoon - is it a menacing bird? a happy bird?...Was the cartoon truly venemous or did it exhibit elements of satire?
nazli parvisi needs a good lesson in american history. wtf is wrong with bloomberg?
Good point, George. Now why did CAU wait 2 months to become offended by this sign?
Erratum: "Venomous" [Sorry.]
Oh Come on.
Here is the point... Bob Holden, Christina and anyone else there from the JPCA Board should be more aware of what is going on and YES ask the person with a very offensive sign to please not display it.
You CAN do that and it is not censorship. It is called being adults and acting responsibly.
IF you want to be taken seriously, you have to act seriously and make sure that your rally is not misrepresented by a sign that should not have been there.
Yes, they can do that, and the gentleman with the sign can say no. So you have no point.
The person who needs to act like an adult seems to be the commissioner of community affairs.
Actually, the biggest ass in this whole mess is Dennis Gallagher. Here we have a councilman indicted on rape charges who is appearing in court next week, yet spends his time plotting against a civic organization instead of working on his defense. He has his staff making copies of this stupid letter, which he conveniently removed the "CC" field from, in his office and then mailing them out with no return address on the envelopes. He made up yet another phony organization and included a letter from them in the envelopes. He posted the altered letter on his attack blog and then e-mailed members of the media so they would pick up on the story. Wait til he sees the angle they use. It's gonna be a wonderful week for Judge Brown.
"..and YES ask the person with a very offensive sign to please not display it."
"Very offensive"? Some might see humor in it. The depiction of the bird, to me at least, does NOT seem ominous like The Raven in the Edgar Allan Poe poem. Why it's even chirping merrily, some might say, the line from "There is a tavern in the town": "I'll hang my heart on a weeping-willow tree."
[I'm sure there's even a Hitchcockian interpretation to Da Bird.]
BTW, let's go one step further out on the limb: Check out the characteristics of the cartoon's type face. It seem to have a sort of jocularity to it.
[Crapper, you do need to conjure up the photo.]
I posted a photo of it on this site previously and curiously, it didn't get any attention at that time. I still don't understand the CAU waiting 2 months to complain about it.
Folks, the photo in question with the sign can be found on the Crapper's July 15 Post: Residents Protest Rape of St. Saviours.
Crapper, two people did respond to the photo:
1) "Susan" publicly in her July 18 commentary
and
2) Me in my private emails to you of July 15 & 16
The "Offensive" cartoon in question is a POLITICAL CARTOON. It was used publicly at a POLITICAL PROTEST. The POLITICAL PROTEST is an inalienable right acknowledged by the First Amendment. The POLITICAL CARTOON is the inalienable right of the artist to express his/her opposition to a viciously stupid decision of the may to ignore the First Amendment rights of citizens to petitions the government to convert the land to a park.
This very stupid mayor has directed his very stupid CAU commissioner (who is more stupid is a great contest) to threaten citizens for using their First Amendment rights.
This very stupid mayor has never understood or cared to learn his limits under the US Constitution.
His limits are clearly set forth in the US Constitution. Also, his limits are obvious to all who observe him He is simply not very bright.
Bloomberg Mistakes:
#1: Not saving St. Savior's.
#2: Not saving 200 Trees
#3: Hiring Nazli Parvizi
(she shouldn't even be a staffer yet alone a commissioner)
#4: Not checking her letter first
#5: Not stopping this before it hits the fan
Nazli Parvizi is a bug-eyed Bloomberg ass-kisser. She worked on his campaign as a gopher girl. No way is she qualified to be a commissioner.
What a sham.
Wait until the mainstream press gets this.
Matt Gorton fucked us around in Astoria during the blackout. He is nothing but a pompous self-righteous ass. Moving him to Legislative Affairs is a step down.
That idiot Nazli Parvizi should go back to catering and leave government to people who have read the constitution and American History.
Are they all entirely stupid?
Turd Gallagher, in his Blog, demands that The JPCA - specifically Bob Holden and the Executive Board - be silenced.
Silenced. Have the Nazis taken over? Commissar Bloomberg the Stalinist wants absolute obedience to his rule.
And Drunken Pinky Brownshirt wants community volunteers to be silenced.
Or else what? You'll send the Gestapo out for your enemies?
Speak up, you cowardly stain.
Coward: why did you omit the cc list from your presentation of the letter.
Are you far too moronic to understand who the original recipient of the letter was?
The original letter - a copy of which you received - has the cc list.
Whose name on the cc list embarrasses you the most?
By the way, you miserable coward, OJ is warming the honeymoon Bubba sheets for you. Your dreams will come true!
Are you also too moronic to realize that you no longer represent any citizen in this city?
Just resign and go away!
thanks george for the description of the cartoon.
The bird (a cockatoo?) might've played a funnier role if it had sat on Gallagher's balding pate and been plucking out one of the few remaining strands of hair on it with it's beak, in the mistaken impression that it was a worm feasting on gray matter in the politician,s cranium.
"Susan" said in her comment that she liked the sign because it captured the hostile political climate perfectly.
Hey how is this any different than burning someone in effigy, a time honored "violent" tradition?
I'm the author/artist of this humble cartoon
that's causing the.....ha, ha, ha....
Department of Homeland Security
(aka Councilman Dennis Gallagher & Co. ???)
to get their knickers in a twist.
It represents the time honored form
of non threatening social protest/political satire .
Did not cartoonist Thomas Nast help break up
the William Marcy (boss) Tweed ring
with his outrageous and controversial cartoons ?
Was he ever questioned by the authorities of the day or arrested for his efforts ?
(I only wish that I possessed his superb skills
of draftsmanship).
I must further say
that I traveled all the way from Flushing
to attend the rally in Maspeth because
I was sympathetic to their righteous cause
of historic preservation (being a respected veteran
of the 20 year old fight to save the
landmark RKO Keith's Flushing Theater myself).
Choosing to bring my own sign with me.....
which was in no way commisioned
by the Juniper Park Civic Association......
I thought that the graphic image of
a tree's demand for justice was appropriate
for the occasion of the wanton destruction
of over 100 old growth trees on the
St. Saviour's site.
As for the "little bird" as the "executioner" (???).....
perhaps it was a light hearted way
of giving those responsible for the arborcide....
"the bird" .
I leave the interpretation to those better suited
in matters such as these .
I rest my case on artistic license
and freedom of speech as guaranteed
by the 1st amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
P.S
I always prefer the use of the peaceful pen.
It is far mightier than any sword!
By the by.....my wife is a Quaker....
and would never permit me to engage
in any violent action (upon pain of divorce) .
Peace be to all of thee.
good point J. One might also observe that it is okay for SOB's to burn the American flag at protests. So how the f___ is it not okay to hold up political cartoon drawings?!
This doesn't sound to me like something Bloomberg or Doctoroff would complain about. This sounds like the pissed-off whining of a powerless underling like Matt Gorton, who probably bugged the heck out of this poor woman until she sent the letter. Why she waited until months after the boy was relived of his duties to write it is a mystery only she can answer.
Let's not forget that the former CAU commish left to work for PARKSIDE. That's how Nazi got where she is.
I publicly call upon city council to investigate her letter to the civic.
ATTENTION MAIN STREAM PRESS
(Especially the NY Times, the newspaper "of record")
Please note that the Queens Crap Blogsite SCOOPED everybody on this story.
Crapper posted the cartoon in question (and related story/pictures) FIRST on Sunday, July 15.)
The Queens Tribune did so 5 days LATER.
Kudos Crapper.
THE INTERNET RULES!!!
Funny how the community getting a raw deal with the community board and politicians and media gets a pass but wow, look at one of our minders with a furrowed brow and all hell brakes loose.
Nazli, honey, we had an American revolution that put a stop to this mentality.
Read up on our history.
The saddest thing is that the poor church is getting the shaft with regards to coverage while a sign gets all the attention. You know the story would have just faded away without the presence of the sign. Pathetic what draws the government's attention, isn't it? Destruction of nature and our history? Who cares? A sign depicting a noose with a bunch of names on it? Oh my God how terrible!
Idea - lets have another demonstration and have 50 people show up with the sign!!!
Then when we get media attention, TALK ABOUT THE CLUBHOUSE AND CHURCH!!!!!!
The most appropriate apology
to the Juniper Park Civic Association
that Mayor Bloomberg can convey
for the idiocy of his CAU Commissioner
would be the reclamation of the St. Saviour's site
for use as public parkland
and the church itself to be restored.
We are who we once were.
The razing of a community's treasured
and beloved historical sites
will not be attended to with polite behavior
towards the dictatorial powers
that we hold responsible for the destruction !
SAVE ST. SAVIOUR'S !
Queens has awakened from its long sleep.
More power to the blogs!
F.U. "Parkside" !
Gallagher had best start worrying a little more
about his rape case defense,
rather than attacking a respected civic association.
And Dennis the menace
perpetrated all of these amateur dirty tricks
on taxpayers' time ?
Even the Nixon era "plumbers"
managed a more "professional" job of it !
But in the end....they were caught and disgraced....
as will be Gallagher (and hopefully jailed)
for the obvious thug that he really is!
Forcing himself willfully upon his constituents
while ignoring their wishes and pleas
are, indeed, the qualities of a true rapist !
Maybe the city is going to get a price break
on gas and oil from a connected Iranian relative
by putting Natzli in a high paying patronage job ???
H-m-m-m-m !!!
NYC ought to negotiate a crude oil deal with Chavez.
Venezuela can undercut Persia.
Middle Village Idiots has the scoop!
Wow, you guys really are ruthless.
I only wish you had the balls to attach your name to the racist, ignorant comments some of you make...
Jerry, copyright the sign pronto or fair use?
We wish Dennis Gallagher would have the balls to attach his name to the letters he mails out and the blog posts he makes on taxpayer funded time.
thanks for stopping by jerry. Nice to hear from an artist, who's laboring for a good cause.
So...why don't we have a big rally and give EVERYONE a copy of the sign, and also, since the Bill of Rights is a FEDERAL issue, and since this is suspension of these rights by the MACHINE, I would suggest that at the rally we go after Hillary and ask why as senator, she has done nothing about her constituents losing their rights as American citizens, and what she intends to do about it.
Will get lots a attention, now!
Hmmm...sounds like a plan - how about others, what do you think?
I'm game.
"Wow, you guys really are ruthless.
I only wish you had the balls to attach your name to the racist, ignorant comments some of you make..."
I agree, you are acting like faceless hacks in some smokefilled room taking campaign donations and discussing how to take the honest pay of someone in the form of taxes and, not providing them services for it, but using to your advantage.
You bastards.
eh? what?
who is talking about the Nazi Party?
"Wow, you guys really are ruthless.
I only wish you had the balls to attach your name to the racist, ignorant comments some of you make..."
Speaking of ignorant comments this statement of yours is gramatically incorrect.
You can't qualify the pronoun "you" with the term "some of" after previously stating that "you" was in reference to "all" of us guys.
JPCA executive board: The community requests your immediate resignation.
The only thing you're effective in doing is to anger our elected and appointed public officials so that they choose other communities over ours.
You're a disgrace, arrogant, incompetent, and you need to go.
"They will hang Jeff Davis to a sour apple tree"...lyrics from the Union Army's marching song "John Brown's Body"
Ah, the imagery of the hangman's noose through the ages!
Julie wrote: How is this different from burning someone in effigy, a time honored "violent" tradition" (They also hung people in effigy.)
Here's the difference: African-Americans (and of course others), due to the legacy of lynchings, are incensed by the display of the hangman's noose in any venue.
Can you imagine the ruckus that would have arisen had Jerry's listing of names included African-American politicoes?
Maybe Nazli sensed the change in the Zeitgeist?
"The community requests your immediate resignation.
The only thing you're effective in doing is to anger our elected and appointed public officials so that they choose other communities over ours.
You're a disgrace, arrogant, incompetent, and you need to go."
This should be sent to Dennis Gallagher, because he is the real disgrace here.
Anonymous, you're right! Deputy Mayor Dan Doctoroff told Tony Avella that he did not want to get involved with St. Saviour's because of Gallagher. Not because of JPCA. So thank you Dennis Gallagher for helping a foreign developer destroy a piece of American history. What a pig you are.
Please don't demean the fine animal that we call a pig by comparing the likes of Dennis Gallagher to one.
Nazli never would have sent this letter to Al Sharpton. She is trying to build on the feelings stirred up by Charles Barron over the Sonny Carson street renaming. Nice try, but it's hardly the same thing.
From the Daily News in May of this year:
In announcing Parvizi's appointment yesterday, Bloomberg said she has "worked with hundreds of non-profit groups in communities throughout the city."
"Now, as the leader of CAU, she will bring together those groups with the Community Boards and civic organizations to help us continue improving the quality of life for all New Yorkers," Bloomberg added. "A tireless worker and dynamic leader with superb people skills, I am confident that Nazli will excel in her new role."
Bloomberg also thanked Brennan for "all his hard work," and wished him luck in his "future endeavors," which Brennan has yet to announce.
Brennan went to work for Parkside. I wouldn't want to announce that either.
"A tireless worker and dynamic leader with superb people skills, I am confident that Nazli will excel in her new role."
HA HA HA yeah she's doing a bang up job!
Nazi took her coke-bottle glassess off for this one: Nazli Parvizi
I agree with the spirit, but WTF going after her Iranian heritage? Dood, uncool!
Who went after her Iranian heritage? She was born in Iran. She trampled on the Constitution. Being from Iran doesn't protect her from being called on the carpet for what she did.
"Commissioner of the Mayor's Community Affairs Unit, the Iranian born, Massachusetts bred, 30-year old Nazli Parvizi"
Why bring up the fact that she is Iranian, born in Massachusetts and 30 years old? It was clearly to imply her "un-American" background, her "elitist" upbringing and her "inexperience" due to age.
That's a triple hit - Racism, Classism and Ageism! Way to go Crapper - doing it with class!
The website I got her photo from mentioned it.
Nazli Parvizi, Exec. Director, Mayor's Volunteer Center NYC
I am a Queens born, Queens bred person in my 30s and don't see the big deal.
Why bring up the fact that she is Iranian, born in Massachusetts and 30 years old? It was clearly to imply her "un-American" background, her "elitist" upbringing and her "inexperience" due to age.
Damn that Gothamist!
Shame on you Crapper, for copying the style of what is perhaps the most popular blog in the city. They can get away with talking about people's backgrounds. If you're from Queens and do that, you're an Archie Bunker.
God, people are fucking sensitive.
Thanks for posting the link to that profile of Nazi, Crappy. forget about her age, sex and class accusations. She's a freakin' food anthropologist who ran a catering business! God help us.
I might be able to concede to the weak points made about age and race, but point me in the direction of the "classism."
ANONYMOUS SAID:
"JPCA executive board: The community requests your immediate resignation.
The only thing you're effective in doing is to anger our elected and appointed public officials so that they choose other communities over ours.
You're a disgrace, arrogant, incompetent, and you need to go."
So. Your competent advice? That we the people, the sovereign people, kiss the asses of these morons so they don't get angry?
How's this? We (the same sovereign people) demand educated, intelligent, mature, self controlled people in these positions. They take the pay without distinction. Let then take our demands without throwing tantrums. This includes the Commissar for starters.
It's his job to manage and supervise all the other municipal employees. None of them is a titled aristocrat.
Anonymous, you're a disgraceful moron. Are you Gallagher the rapist?
Did everyone see the use of tasers on the guy in Florida?
He asked a question that "offended" Kerry. (Is that free speech?)
The response? Electrocute him for asking embarrassing questions.
Coming soon to your own neighborhood!
yah, that taser incident on the news was pretty disgusting. Still, there was a part of me that thrilled at the spectacle. Some of these college students can be ever so obnoxious, thinking like they're king and queen shits just because they got themselves a bit of edjumacation at some snobby school.
When vigilantes such as
Gallagher, Bloomberg, Doctoroff, Parkside, Gorton, start behaving like intelligent adults
who are capable of exhibiting moderate behavior
instead of acting like a political lynch mob
intent on riding roughshod over communities....
and start responding in a respectful and positive demeanor towards the citizens of Maspeth....
who have patiently and gently
pursued all avenues of communication
over the course of time
with regards to the preservation
of the historically important St. Saviour's site......
they will continue
to get the degree of respect that they deserve
in both images and speech.......none!
It's not polite or wise for government to ignore intelligently proposed requests from its citizenry
and leave them hanging, so to speak.....
dangling in the breeze.....awaiting action !
Elected officials are supposed to hold office
in order to serve the electorate
and not to show favor to vested interests,
in this particular case the developers,
who have contributed
large sums of money towards their election
and re-election campaigns.
"She's a freakin' food anthropologist who ran a catering business! God help us."
This is a good point.
1. How in the hell did someone with that resume get a job as liaison with Queens?!?!?!
2. Why was this acceptable from our political leadership who accepted this travesty without comment?!?!?
... unless the job is, like the community boards, is merely a façade for public involvement, essentially meaningless, and empty gesture that looks good on paper, but is little more than yet another layer of machine control.
As my brothers and sisters might say...."true dat" !
These thieving politicos can dish it out
but they certainly can't take it.
They've been trumped.....
and not by "The Donald"either !
It took an adroit artist/community activist
with a well placed controversial cartoon
to unmask these low life political renegades !
Art rules !
OK, lets do that protest. Tell us when and where I want to carry a sign asking Hillary why she finds the needs of Iowa more important than the suspension of her constituent's constitutional rights.
Just how different is her view of government from that other famous MIA that loves to ride roughshod over American rights, G W?
Believe me, you do something like this and all hell would break loose in Maspeth.
Let's bust the bastards headlock on our community open.
"Mayor: 1st amendment not applicable in Queens"
I publicly call upon an investigation from city council on this issue.
If they do nothing, then we can say "Mayor & City Council: 1st amendment not applicable in Queens."
Typical of how an elite band of rulers
tries to create a smokescreen
by trampling on an artist's first amendment rights
to political dissent in an obvious attempt
to push the real issue backstage.
I'm speaking of SAINT SAVIOUR'S.
Hello out there !
What are you going to do about its preservation....
Mayor Bloomberg and Mr. Doctoroff ?
(Forget Gallagher and Gorton....
they're too busy or gone).
Learned any lessons yet ?
I couldn't imagine there being a gang
of political rapists and hangmen in NYC......
who might deliberately attempt to blackmail
a community by threatening to withhold services
because they couldn't take the heat of criticism.
(Exceptions being, in the litterature of the wild west
or Capone's Chicago).
Chain sawing to death 200 trees
(many old growth) on the St. Saviour's site
and destroying the nests
(seasonal homes) of baby birds
properly deserves an appropriate metaphorical
"trees' revenge" image......
a surviving "eathered friend"
perched atop a hangman's noose
on one of the remaining trees!
From Gilbert & Sullivan's "Mikado"
(the lord high executioner).....
"Let the punishment fit the crime" !
(At least the graphic image should)!
Error....make that "feathered friends".
I'm by nature a gentle soul and dislike
having to resort to controversial images
in order to get the attention
of some of our indifferent elected officials.
However, now that you're looking this way
what are you going to do about creating
much needed park space in accordance with your
greening of New York policy..... Your Honor ?
Wouldn't St. Saviour's be a great place to start?
There are many thriftier methods of acquiring this piece of real estate available to the city.
A land swap has been suggested
and this sounds to me like a good idea.
Let me throw this on the table to sweeten the pot.
I'd be willing to publicly apologize
for the use of the "hangman's noose"image
(despite its appropriateness
and there being no need for any apologies)......
after St. Saviour's is delivered to Maspeth
(properly deeded....signed and sealed).
This is an extremely important historical site
and surely as the Mayor of a city
in which I've made my home since 1941
you are able to see that.
Enough of this idle talk.
Let do something about this public outrage!
Everyone on this blog has all of the answers. Everyone has elaborate ideas of how the government should work and how it should be run. You abuse politicians every chance that you get. Sometimes you are right because they do fail to provide for the communities as you see it. However, instead of sitting at a computer maybe you should run for office and see what you can do for the community. Maybe then some of you will see that it is impossible to please everyone. Just because 10 people on this blog are angry with the political world does not mean others are happy with what is going on.
Yes
Bullshit. The noose image was over the line. Nobody has the "free speech" right to threaten death.
If the people being threatened with the noose were black, there'd be HELL to pay.
"However, instead of sitting at a computer maybe you should run for office and see what you can do for the community"
Why should I? This is the right and priv. of an American citizen, who I assure you, compared to Europe and other parts of the world, are easy on you guys.
You are our servants. We pay for your salary. We tell you if you are hired. You don't like it no one is forcing you to stay in office.
Obviously, there is a strong undercurrent in this city (and my friend, you know as well as I that it is held fairly generally) that people are not satisfied with the status quo.
This board is a new medium not controlled. It is free. It is public. Why don't you open a proBloomberDeveloperCityCouncl blog and invite the public to say how wonderful you are?
'I feel the earth shift beneath my feet!'
Anyone who could feel threatened by a cartoon is not dealing with a full deck, plain and simple.
Just to throw some food for thought into this thread, though, what about that controversial religious work of art in the Brooklyn Museum a while back made up of elephant dung, which Guliani wanted removed.
I was really repulsed by the exhibition and sort of sided with Guliani even though I'm strongly in favor of free speach.
Some lines may need to be drawn at times though...
I am not an elected official nor do I work in the political arena. I said that people that think they know the answers should run for office. I agree that we pay their salaries and we vote them into office. Yet most of us overlook the fact that just because they are elected, they do not have unlimited power to do as they please. If this was the case, every elected official would allocate millions of dollars to improve the communities the represent. We all know that is not possible.
It is easy to make complaints, to rant and rave about how things should be run. Attacking groups of people in city council is not going to change things. They are not going to resign because a blog exists in a small area in one of the 5 boroughs.
If the JPCA was attacked by a group of people about how the board should be running the association, chances are the JPCA would overlook their requests. This is not the case of the squeaky wheels get the oil. People are going to laugh at our area of Queens and think that we are all crazy.
And about the creation of a blog. That will never happen.
In the eighteenth century
political cartoonists went
even further over the line
than depicted in this rather tame
(by comparison) noose image.
Go get an education.
The point is that there
ARE NO AFRICAN-AMERICAN NAMES
mentioned anywhere on this sign.
I'm sure that the artist had the sensitivity
to be aware that this would have been inappropriate.
The bottom line is....
this was a great attention getter
which has apparently worked all too well
that's why you...h-m-m-m....Parkside folks
are posting to the contrary incognito!
I love the little bird.
Maybe Parkside can convince Jerry
to come over to the dark side of The Force.
They'd be dumb
not to make him an offer with his talents.
But, I suspect
he'd spit on their Gucci loafers
and tell 'em to shine their own shoes!
POLITICIANS CAN USE A LITTLE ABUSE!
It might make them humble
and, perhaps, a trifle less autocratic.
Will you please stop posting.
Go and count some pink elephants at Danny boy's !
I don't really think that everyone on this blog
claim to have all the answers.....
but unlike some crooked politicos
they don't deposit developers cash
into their bank accounts either !
Green and "Pink"....a "nice" color combo !
Somebody will be "taking the fall" soon !
Hey......Mr. Night-time talk show host.....
I guess I'd better press my suit
and get ready for an appearance !
Wow....we broke 100 comments !
"Will you please stop posting"
Uh oh, what about the 1st Amendment?
I'm amazed that no one here wants to say " We shouldn't have had the sign there". Case Closed. But instead you rant and rave.
You guys just don't get it. When you insult people they turn their backs on you. Which is why the only friend you have is Bob Avella, which doesn't say too much for you....
"Attacking groups of people in city council is not going to change things. They are not going to resign because a blog exists in a small area in one of the 5 boroughs."
Dream on, mister, dream on. The clubhouse has sailed to some great heights in their little balloon.
It only takes a little leak to send you back to earth.
The fact of the matter is people are having one grand time on blogs like this. The traditional news outlets that you boys control are getting increasingly ineffective.
Yes, you will have a tough time reconciling what the public wants, and the developers cashing in their IOUS.
Tough. You have no sympathy from anyone. You made your own bed. Now sleep in it.
I sleep very well at night. I forgot that this blog runs all of Queens, NYC, the State of New York and the United States. Again you continue to complain about how things ought to be. Run for office, win and then let us all know how you can fix everything.
" Again you continue to complain about how things ought to be "
Yup, we will again and again. That is not only a right, but an obligation of a healthy civic envirnment. Get use to it. You are going to see a lot more where this came from.
You can sleep that is your right. But the days when you expect the body politic to do the same is over, mister, oh is it over.
To all the people here defending and embracing the poster - regardless of the fact that the person had a right to display it, please explain how that poster would in any way help your cause in converting the St. Saviour's area into a park? Did you think city officials would get scared, or think: "oh, a noose, they really must be serious, let's do what they want?" Did you not think people would find it offensive?
" I forgot that this blog runs all of Queens, NYC, the State of New York and the United States."
Yes, like the big city democratic machine - about 60 years ago. But you know, you boys dropped the ball. The whole country is growing up in the sunbelt. Fifty years ago 1 in 17 live in the NY metro area, today its 1 in 36.
Guess who is the out of touch dinosaur? Just becuase you can take advantage of the elderly and a few immigrants to extend your rule, your days are numbered boys.
The clubhouse, although still powerful, is yesterdays news. They are tired. They are brain dead.
Have you ever tried to go to bed at night
and get a good sound sleep
with a mosquito buzzing in your ear ?
Do the math and multiply that
by thousands more nationwide !
Remember that next time you think that the blogs
are strictly small potatoes .
You're really out of touch with the possibilties
and capabilities of this new electronic medium
aren't you ?
And why should we run for office.....
we can kick your nuts just as easily
right here from our computer keyboards.
Eventually you dopes will come to realize
that you must bend to will of public opinion
and deliver the results that we want
not what your developer friends expect
or suffer the negative results !
Anonymous said... "However, instead of sitting at a computer maybe you should run for office and see what you can do for the community"
I don't know . . . seems to me that sitting at the computer actually did do something for the community in this case.
When a community and its most important issue,
St. Saviour's in this case, is completely blown off
and ignored by city governmental departments
and its monarch/mayor....
long after all methods of polite petitioning and cajoling have been tried .....
there is little to lose by attracting attention to this fact through whatever legal means are available .
The "offensive" poster was a stroke of genius
to that end.
It served to shine a light in a dark corner
of governmental abuse of power.
Now we can watch all those municipal cockroaches
run for cover as we aim our can of Raid!
"When in the course of human events
it becomes necessary......".
Take the time to re-read some of our country's founding documents that our wise forefathers had penned over 200 years ago.
NYC has deliberately red-lined Maspeth....
pure and simple.
Now they expect this community to quietly
roll over and die so that it can be inundated with
ill planned over development!
Maybe some NYC official
took a liking to Natzli's "potato puffs"
at one of her catering gigs
and "commissioned" her for
a high end CAU job.
...the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, as they say.
An open message for Hizzonor, Doctoroff etc.
Your boys started this fire.
The only way it can be quenched
is by attending to the wishes of the community......
namely..... SAVING ST. SAVIOUR'S !
This will not be swept under the rug.
Lip service will not blow out this blaze.
Your continuance in ignoring this request
will just lead to a larger conflagration
of political protest.
We've got nothing to lose.
On the other hand.....your "reputations"
are at stake the next time
that one of your candidates is listed on the ballot.
Do you really want to play dice
with a civic that boasts over 1,700 members ?
St. Saviour's is an issue
close to everyones' heart.
If you thrust a dagger into it....
you'll wind up with spatter
all over your Armani suits
come election day !
If a single political protest sign can garner
this multitude of comments......
let's have some more of the same!
Have you sharpened up your pencil Jerry ?
I'm workin' on it !
Wanna publish some?
"Offensive" posters don't kill political careers.....
stupid candidates do !
Hello Dennis !
In the words of Clint Eastwood.....
"Hang 'em......hang 'em high" !
(Figuratively speaking....of course.
We don't want those Bloomie/bullies"
accusing us of "death threats"....now, do we) ? !!!
I love this blog.
Please keep this item held over
for an extended run !
Wow, I just remembered......
isn't July 14th is Bastille Day in France?
The anniversary of their glorious revolution?
Isn't that a coincidence!
Oh Lord......
you had to bring that up.
Now Bloomberg & Co. is going to think
that somebody is going to set up a Guillotine
on the steps of city hall.
You can't be too careful these days.
Do you want the NYPD knocking at your door
complaining that you're inciting
a new French Revolution !
Hannibal (George Preppard,
from the old "A Team"TV show)
would have said,
"I love it when a plan comes together".
Or is it......
when the city's plan begins to fall flat on its face !
Now the JPCA's obstinance has led the DEP to decide not to attend a JPCA meeting and to let the JPCA participate in a later DEP meeting with other civic groups. I can't blame them. Maybe the JPCA leadership should listen to the suggestions of others to act more professionally and conduct their dealings with others in a more reasonable manner. They would be more productive and effective community representatives if they conducted themselves in a more intelligent way.
France has demonstrated that she has no backbone when it comes to standing up against terrorists and also that she is not a friend of the USA's. So quit it with the french phrases and innuendo already. They're turning my stomach.
"Now the JPCA's obstinance has led the DEP to decide not to attend a JPCA meeting and to let the JPCA participate in a later DEP meeting with other civic groups. I can't blame them."
It doesn't matter if the civic group is "nice" to the CAU or not. The government has the obligation not to discriminate, and what they are doing is illegal.
Hey Crapper. It's time to check the Guiness Book of Records for all-time responses to a blog posting.
Absolutely amazing the interest stirred up here.
"Maybe the JPCA leadership should listen to the suggestions of others to act more professionally and conduct their dealings with others in a more reasonable manner. They would be more productive and effective community representatives if they conducted themselves in a more intelligent way."
Hey dingbat, I don't have a dog in this hunt but I cannot believe all the issues surrounding the controversial unqualified city official that in all likelihood, may have acted illegally and opened the city up to a potential lawsuit, and all you can say is that government underlings are are not treated properly?
Who in the hell are you kiddin? Are there any adults minding the store?
Without the sign, the group's cries to save the church would have just continued to be ignored. So the sign was actually a good thing. The idiot who drew fresh attention to it 2 months after the fact has only herself to blame. An employee, Nazli, wrote a nasty letter to her boss, the city taxpayers, and is now feeling the heat over it. Now CAU actually has to do work - damage control.
Anonymous said... Without the sign, the group's cries to save the church would have just continued to be ignored. So the sign was actually a good thing. The idiot who drew fresh attention to it 2 months after the fact has only herself to blame. An employee, Nazli, wrote a nasty letter to her boss, the city taxpayers, and is now feeling the heat over it. Now CAU actually has to do work - damage control.
WELL SAID!!!!!!!!!!
Colin Gustafson, Assistant Editor at the Queens Chronicle, writes in the 9/20 issue ("Mayor's Office Demands Apology for Noose Poster"):
"...the satirical poster, which FIRST [my emphasis] appeared on the cover of the July 20 issue of the Queens Tribune."
What did I tell you Crapper. (See my comment way above.) The press IS getting the facts wrong.
Colin Gustafson, the Queens Crap blog site was the FIRST to publish the poster in a photo which appeared on this site on July 15.
BTW, there is absolutely no mention of the role of Queens Crap blogsite in airing this issue in Gustafson's article.
Hey, Gustafson. THIS IS THE VENUE WHERE ALL "THE SHIT HIT THE FAN". Are you really a failure as a journalist?
[Let's see if Gustafson has the balls for a correction next week.]
Many times when i talk to the press I suggest they go to Crapper.
The acknowledge reading it, but as our fearless leaders put it on the proscribed list of forbidden books they cannot acknowlege its existance. Or God forbid draw the public's attention to it.
Thats ok, the mammals ate the dinosaur eggs and the clumsy creatures ignored them until it did not matter who acknowledged whom.
The mayor's new community rep used to do neat things on reporting, too. Check out her coverage of Sunnyside Gardens.
the Chronicle has a grand total of 4 Assistant Editors. Instead of giving employees raises at the paper I guess they hand out worthless titles.
Ah....go French kiss your own butt....
"French phrases and innuendo" buddy !
What is it with Colin Gustafson?
He's always the last johnny on the spot.....
scooped by all the others
with a writing "style" that assumes facts
are just tossed in like fruit into a jello mold
without any need to check and see
if their rotten first!
Carelessness makes for inaccurate reporting
and sloppy news gathering.
SAVE THE CHURCH>>>SAVE THE CHURCH>>>
SAVE THE CHURCH>>>SAVE THE CHURCH>>>
This mayoral administration will do anything to dodge this issue! Criticising the cartoon is just a smokescreen!
If a noose is so offensive, was city hall upset to see Saddam Hussein hanging from a noose? Do they boycott Westerns?
I looked up the sign in the QC archives. It's not what I envisioned at all. I pictured a sort of boorish, amateur poster. What that guy had was more in the nature of a political cartoon, and conveyed the message that the tree was acting as executioner on behalf of the other trees killed by the named parties. It probably needed a bit more work to convey that message, but was certainly in tune with the message of the rally, and not anything that was out of control or that could be
seen as a threat.
I kind of looked at it like the noose was there for them to hang themselves, which is exactly what the Bloomberg administration is doing by continuing to defend their action.
There are still 2 states in this country that execute people by hanging - Washington and New Hampshire. It's also one of the most popular methods of suicide. The noose will never only symbolize lynching, as much as Nazli and company would like it to in order to support their position.
Thank you for appreciating my intent.
I agree....the cartoon could have used
a little more work.....but it was drawn hastily....
only just about 1 & 1/2 hours before the rally.
But it's message, I humbly do admit,
must have been inspired.
It did the job.
Now let NYC pick up the ball.....
SAVE ST. SAVIOUR'S !
Where is the Village Voice - oh I get it, running ads for yuppie buildings in SOHO.
In the city that fancies itself the media capital of the world, is there not one brave publication that will cover this?
Spineless bastards.
Jerry, your illustration flushed out the many incompetent people in the Bloomberg administration. You are to be commended for your commitment to the cause of preservation.
The Bloomberg Administration broke the law in their reaction to the poster. It may ultimately be the catalyst that saves the 160-year old church. Well done! Can't wait for the next one.
ANONYMOUS SAID:
"What is it with Colin Gustafson?
He's always the last johnny on the spot.....
scooped by all the others
with a writing "style" that assumes facts
are just tossed in like fruit into a jello mold
without any need to check and see
if their rotten first!
Carelessness makes for inaccurate reporting
and sloppy news gathering."
He's the last johnny on the spot because his "reporting" is full of shit.
But, it's an easy job why fact checking is not required or done.
Keep up the great work, Colin. You make written assignments by 11-year olds look like professional journalism.
If a picture is worth a thousand words....
that cartoon was worth a million!
Thanks "Glendale".
The good ghosts of St. Saviour's
guided my hand that day.
I hope that those same "good ghosts"
guide Dumb-berg and his henchmen to hell!
P.S.
Oops....that last comment wasn't meant
as a death threat.
Please forgive me your honor!
On this solemn day of atonement....Yom Kippur....
one might give some thought to the Biblical story
of little David who stood up against Goliath.
Mayor Bloomberg....
as you quietly sit and ask G-d's forgiveness
for your sins against Him this day, as we all do....
the sins of man against his fellow man
(as you know according to Jewish law)
are not written off
by merely praying to our Creator.
Restitution to the one (or ones)
that you have transgressed upon
during the past year has to be made
to that individual (or individuals)
before you can recieve G-d's
full forgiveness.
I'm sorry to have to say that you have broken faith with the Maspeth community
by allowing their most heartfelt site
(St. Saviour's church) to be pulled asunder.
Making amends by reversing
this grave situation put's you back to
OK in G-d's book. Please consider this.
Bless you and forgive you.
Amen.
God "exists"?
Existence exists.
god exists but existence assuredly does not.
Can you believe this? Existence, according to the genius here, does not exist. Therefore, the Queens Crap blogsite does not exist.
Man's task is to perceive reality not to invent or create it.
By your statement, you admit that you are nothing, a zero. You, following your "logic", do not exist.
[Where's the bar? I gotta get outta here.]
don't forget to close the door on your way out mr know-it-all.
Enough with the "Existentialism".
Jean Paul Satre might have said (if he actually didn't)
"le monde e merde"! ("The world is shit") !
I guess that's what the Bloomberg Development Corp.
thinks of Queens!
So....when is the next rally in front of
Commissar Bloomberg's town house to be held?
Maybe he should have to write
100 times on the blackboard:
"I'LL SAVE ST. SAVIOUR'S".
I agree.
Now is not the time
to rest on our laurels.
Time to turn up the heat!
No justice.....no peace!
Maybe if Givenchy had designed
a raw pink silk one size fits all noose
for any particular politician
to place his own head into
by ignoring his constituency.....
this all would have all been OK !
Don't ya luv it !
"...close the door on your way out.."
I can't, according to you, it doesn't exist.
...neither do the pearly gates, according to you.
Wow.....170 comments.
I'm getting vertigo scrolling down the list!
Do you think that Natzli the caterer
can arrange for some gourmet prison food for Pinky?
knowing nazli she might send gallagher a cake with a file in it.
This is how much respect Bloomberg has for the communities of NYC. He hires a 30-year old caterer who has already made some major mistakes in her new role.
Believe it or not the real reason Bloomberg promoted Nazli is she often dresses inappropriately for the office. She likes to wear low cut blouses. Bloomberg sometimes is caught staring at her... if you know what I mean. Sorry Diana.
lets go for 200....anyone have anymore Pinky info?
Clearly Natzli is somebody's bimbo.
I love her off the shoulder look!
Hey girl.....wanna join my stable ?
Maybe Natzli can help the Iranian president
lay a wreath at the WTC site.
If Bloomberg thought that the post
of Commissioner of CAU
was at all important in the first place....
he would have chosen somebody more capable.
The unit is no more than
an expensive insulting joke
upon NYC residents in an attempt
to lull them to sleep with the illusion
that the city is listening to them!
Who in hell picked Jennifer Manley
as Matt Gorton's replacement......
another sock puppet with a dumb smile ? !!!
What's up with the Pink Pansy?
Maybe he'll get reassigned to the CAU
in the interim .
Nazli Parvisi was raised under the Iranian rule of freedom...which means you must not criticize your government leaders or else.
Someone should tell this airhead that this is America. Her constant Bloomberg butt-kissing is nauseating.
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