So my friends over at Free Republic are in a tizzy over my photo of Gerry Weiss’s chariot. Not so much for all the goofy late-60’s early-70’s bumper stickers but for my daring to mention (although I did do it in parenthesis, meaning the writer did so as an afterthought and didn’t really view it as all that important) the car was “foreign”. Funny, somebody called it so very 90’s (well at least I’m a couple decades ahead of Weiss). The poor women who posted it--one of the very few Freepers living in Amherst I bet--kept saying, “It’s not about the car!”
Free Republic: click if you dare!
UPDATE: 12:00 NOON (Daylight Savings time): Hey FREEPERS! While I have your attention, click on this other "Only In (Anti-American) Amherst" story:
Town threatens to steal 7/4 Parade
It is more than a little troubling that Weiss thinks it’s a good idea to substitute the uninformed judgment of Amherst town employees, who may or may not be well versed in state and federal law or the actual civil rights of illegal aliens, so as to encourage Amherst town employees, as a matter of bylaw, to obstruct State and Federal investigations, interrogations and arrests.
ReplyDeleteI guess Weiss wants to setup our own Republic, or at least the Amherst Supreme Court of Public Opinion & Social Justice with clear disregard for state and federal law passed by an elected legislature and signed by an elected chief executive.
Never before has Larry Kelly’s Internet pamphlet named “The Republic of Amherst” been so appropriately named. Weiss and Kelly... who could have guessed?
Yeah, and I suppose some folks would argue that since today's Springfield Sunday Republican points out some 60 other communities nationwide have similar "safe haven" legislation (including Cambridge naturally) this in not exactly an “Only in Amherst” thing.
ReplyDeleteBut I would counter argue that Amherst voted in 2000 to decriminalize pot (as did a few other communities nationwide) and now wants to join this exclusively small ‘safe haven crowd’.
Thus, it’s a safe bet that little old Amherst, Massachusetts is the ONLY community in the national to support preventing cops from enforcing Federal marijuana laws AND Immigration Laws.
As I say all too often: Only in the Republic of Amherst!
There is a significant difference between instructing the local police force to not prosecute marijuana possession laws and instructing town employess to OBSTRUCT state and federal law enforcement. Big difference.
ReplyDeleteIn the former, the state and federal government have recourse with the Select Board not individual cops. A policeman can simple look away and not see it. He or she is not puttimg himself in legal jeopardy.
In the latter, Weiss is advising town employees to OBSTRUCT state and federal law enforcement thereby putting themselves in legal jeopardy.
Weiss doesn't think things through too well, does he?
No, like most "true believer" liberals, Mr. Weiss does not think things through too well (and, unfortunately, neither does our Boss Hogg Town Manager)
ReplyDeleteThat 2000 vote was also when the "DARE" program was done away with. What a great message for our kids!
ReplyDeleteIf I recall correctly it was some sort of non-binding referendum and when the police chief was asked to put in his 2 cents before the vote he said they would still enforce the laws. Yep, I could be wrong though. I'm waiting to hear his comments on how they will deal with this one. If it is a "bylaw" does it mean it HAS to be followed?
Hey Mary,
ReplyDeleteYou remember correctly. Around that time Amherst also killed the Police Horse Patrol and I believe the Citizens Police Academy.
The Amherst Police Department WILL enforce the law of the land--local, state and Federal (not necessarily in that order). Period.
It would be like the town passing a bylaw saying the Fire Department should ignore a house fire if a Republican owns the abode.