I have to admit disappointment that Turtle Boy Sports had never heard of me. After all, I've been doing this -- whatever this is -- for almost eight years now, and some folks still think my sole reason for being is to hassle kids having fun.
The digital equivalent of "get off my lawn."
But I don't really live all that close to UMass/Amherst and I can honestly say I have never lost a night's sleep due to a party house next door.
Although I do lose a fair amount of sleep on warm weather weekends cruising around neighborhoods that do have problems with party houses.
Over the past 8 years I've published 3,474 posts, 161 of them "Nuisance House" posts (mainly involving male UMass students) and another 135 "War on Rowdyism" posts pushing Town & UMass officials in the right direction to deal with it. So all in all, less than 10% of what I do.
I've probably published as many if not more posts championing Amherst public safety departments and my neighbors at the DPW, or respect for country, aka my 9/11 commemorative flag odyssey -- something patriotic Turtle Boy would probably support.
So other than the grumpy-old-man-with-too-much-time-on-his-hands jokes, it will be interesting to see what Turtle Boy comes up with to "bury" me. Although he may be wondering how I managed to acquire his Twitter Direct Messages.
And if he is a high school history teacher he should know rule number #1 in war: "Never underestimate your opponent."
"I've probably published as many if not more posts championing Amherst public safety departments...
ReplyDeleteThis is the problem I have with the "failure to disperse" arrests -- you're doing exactly the same thing that kids they arrest are doing, except that (a) you provide positive rather than negative coverage and (b) you aren't arrested.
This is content-based censorship, which violates both the Federal and Massachusetts Constitution. It's actually worse than that -- jailing reporters who are critical of the authorities is the sort of thing that happens in Venezuela & Cuba.
Larry, it doesn't matter if you are providing accurate coverage and the other side isn't, the police can't let you do something they don't let everyone else do.
If that Boston lawyer is anywhere near competent, he's going to raise this in the suit against the APD, he's going to ask why you weren't arrested for failing to disperse and "because we like him" isn't gonna be enough.
The more I think about it, the video of the cop stomping on the camera is right up there with the 1976 picture of a Black man being beaten with a US flag.
ReplyDeleteAs I understand it, police officers are not indemnified in Section 1983 suits such as this, that the officers are personally liable and that the town isn't permitted to indemnify them.
Which raises the difficult situation the offices could find themselves in: Do they implead the town as third-party defendants and argue that they were "just following orders" or do they "fall on their swords" and accept personal disgrace and financial destitution?
What could these subliterates possibly say against you?
ReplyDeleteI suggest this could be settled with a padded ring and a whole bunch of jello....and that this would be far more enlightening.
ReplyDeleteNow I honestly suggest that if you, Larry, want to stem Blarney, that you could be more creative.
Your post shows you have a Blarney reputation among students, that you are "known", perhaps even a little famous.
If I were a student and I was given the option to:
1. Go to Blarney and see the same drunk people I always see getting arrested by APD.
or
2. Go to an organized event, with no booze, where there was a jello wrestling competition, one representative from each frat/sor fighting. Allow Larry to represent the "town" as a frat.
I would get stoned out of my mind and go to #2 and then go out to dinner.
You are famous enough to diffuse this on your own Larry, you just have to be more creative. Such an action could result in significantly less violence during Blarney.
How about one of those padded suits and let the students take turns beating up on you, but it wont hurt due to the suit. This also would diffuse things.
A couple of years ago CU in Colorado decided it was going to end the big smoke in on 4-20 on campus. This is a traditional and huge event. Read about this, no riots, no violence and a really great (if you like manipulating society, which is popular in Amherst) chess like strategy played out by police kept it that way. No conflict. It just showed that if a police force is smart, they don't end up face to face with students in riot gear. Just reading about this could have educated APD more than that silly expensive report...and the lesson is there free on youtube.
I find the threat to bury you with a verbal spat amusing though.
Again, a smart man or police force could end Blarney with Jello available on the shelf at stop and shop.
Ed, not sure where "the police can't let you do something they don't let everyone else do" comes from... what about "Cops"? They have Hollywood reality show morons riding with them. I'm pretty sure there is a way a journalist can be approved to cover a planned police action. As for Larry not being arrested, why not ask him if he was given an order to disperse, I'm guessing that would give you your answer.
ReplyDeleteAnon 10:12 might be on to something, but I'm pretty sure Larry wouldn't want the padded suit. Richard Marsh
I was not given an order to disperse.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I did manage to secure video shot by a UMPD officer standing next to me (and hit by flying debris) that provides proof such an order was given BEFORE the pepper balls started flying.
for the record, as a umass student who attending the "historic" blarney blowout last year, the kids that threw items (bottles, ice, etc) are the ones that ruined it and I fully support 'most' actions by the police. Were they sometimes over the top? Yes. But I can't blame them for getting bottles thrown at them and getting upset slash protecting themselves. When I was there, friends and I tried to stop people from throwing things because we knew that would lead to bad stuff. and it did.
ReplyDeleteIt's pretty simple, cause and effect. And the stupid ones that wanted to test the strength of the police, I bet most of them got burned. Because they're idiots. I was there, and when told to do so, I left. Pretty simple to walk back home (even after drinking) when the police want you to move out and 2000 other kids are walking back as well. So far, every video I've seen I blame the student for putting him or herself in harms way. Prove me otherwise if you want, ignorance is bliss, and stupidity must be even nicer.
I've said this before and will repeat it here, this generation is one that is inclusive to their own and exclusive to authority. They are children of 9/11 and work from fear and from unity. Denying them only makes them work harder as a group. For instance, the effect of denying outside visitors will only make outsiders mass even larger on the day of the event to counter what they look at as "the outside" telling them what they can and can't do. Local hotels will deal with some problems the night before as large groups rent rooms and party in preparation. The weather will certainly have an effect on the outside gathering, but The Blowout has now become a right-of-passage as is clear in the exchange you posted. A right-of-passage usually entails going against the grain and defying what is acceptable in this case. Get ready UMASS, I think you will be surprised at the results this year - whether you overpaid a former police Commissioner or asked Homeland Security for suggestions.
ReplyDelete"what about "Cops"? They have Hollywood reality show morons riding with them."
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't say they are morons exactly. If so, I have been one of those morons for a few episodes of COPS and can tell you our lives are in danger for the work. We treat it like any other professional job and know the risks. Recently a sound man was killed while doing his job for the program, shot in a police crossfire with a bad-boy.
COPS has been on over 20 years educating the public as to the things that police deal with every day. It was a precursor to the current "reality" programming but is more cinema-verite than like all of the scripted "reality" programs on TV today.
SPOILER ALERT! All Reality shows you see on TV today have writers to write scenarios and give participants lines to say and situations to be in.
It would seem that turtle boy's method of burying people is to get as much information on them as he can and use it as a means to shame, scare or intimidate. All while protecting his own anonymity in the process.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that you weren't told to disperse is blatant favoritism on behalf of the APD and shows how they mishandled their response last March. The only reason you were allowed to film was because your agenda suits APD.
ReplyDeleteTurtleBoySports: "Wish it was there back from 01-04"
ReplyDeleteAm I wrong in thinking that McMurphy's Kegs & Eggs began in '99? I thought that was the beginning of Blarney.
Yes, but it was a lower key.
ReplyDeleteIn fact I think the Select Boards at the time gave permission for early opening.
Again, 'asshole' is in the eye of the behlder. But that aside, the 'bury' comment reminds me of Khruschev at the UN and his shoe-banging tantrum. As far as I can see, the USSR never did bury the US as promised. Larry, too will survive.
DeleteWell he is, apparently, a history teacher.
ReplyDeleteI like Turtleboy, but he's writing from ignorance here. He doesn't know your blog and is just accepting at face value what some kid is telling him. I suspect he will back off once he realizes the quality of the work you do. Frankly, your blog does more for Amherst on more important topics than he does for Worcester.
ReplyDeleteThanks Tom!
ReplyDeleteComing from you, quite the compliment.
When does the media feud start?
ReplyDelete"The fact that you weren't told to disperse is blatant favoritism on behalf of the APD..."
ReplyDeleteSaid in a more neutral manner Larry, it really doesn't matter if the APD ignored the fact you were p;resent after their order to disperse or if they decided to ignore it. Once they decided to order all civilians to disperse, that includes you...
"In other words, I was not being an asshole."
It doesn't matter.
Here's what the statute actually says: "...if ten or more person...ARE... assembled" -- once there are less than ten people in the group, the law does not apply!
Hence the definition of "assembled" has to include the entire town, at which point Larry should have been arrested, or it doesn't which means that the arrest of the other kid was unlawful.
And as to COPS, that's a different situation -- random bystanders, doing nothing else, aren't arrested for merely being there.
Larry, if this kid has a competent attorney, he's the Yvvone Henry of the new Millennia...
Fact matter, Ed.
ReplyDeleteI am a duly registered "news media individual not employed by a news organization" under S.J.C. Rule 1:19 Part B to cover the Courts in Massachusetts.
In other words a "reporter" whose job it is to report. Which I did.
Without being an asshole.
So say you.
ReplyDeleteWith my God given name no less.
ReplyDelete(Well, actually, my Mother gave it to me.)
Larry,
ReplyDeleteI often disagree with you, but you do report as best as you can with no financial support. You have always let debate foster in the comments, so what is this guys problem with letting you cover a court case when you're a registered person? Unless he may be the person discussed...
When is someone gonna bring it? My popcorn is getting old.
ReplyDeleteI am a duly registered "news media individual not employed by a news organization" under S.J.C. Rule 1:19 Part B to cover the Courts in Massachusetts.
ReplyDeleteWonderful,.
Where does this permit you to ignore orders to disperse and remain in p;laces where members of the public (i.e non-cops) are ordered not to be?
The press should be given special permission to stick around and record events Ed, what other avenue will keep officers in check in the moment? I trust the police, but having another layer of security is never a problem, provided the reporter is not putting the officers at risk or impeding in the moment. I gather, due to lack of charges, Larry did neither.
ReplyDeleteI kind of wish the police did let Mr. Donovan continue filming.
ReplyDeleteIt only seemed to strengthen their case of what they were up against that day.
And I notice the kid they were arresting in the first place, never filed a lawsuit over police brutality.
You know I lean a bit against you on the police brutality Larry, the film to me looks a bit rough though and I haven't really spent much time looking at the case. Either way, you were doing something which we need more of in the US, which is local, legitimate investigative reporting. Whether or not your film and reporting would support the police or the student is not what I am confused about; it is why people are against you being there. Why would someone say your presence is a negative and you shouldn't be there when you clearly should and can be.
ReplyDeleteYeahm it's a pretty simple rule: If you don't want a picture of you doing something bad to appear on my blog then don't do anything bad.
ReplyDeleteIt's not like I know how to use Photoshop to fake a picture.
Ed, why are you not getting this?
ReplyDeleteThe police were ordering the Blarney participants to disperse, not those who were not participating in the revery. I'm sure there were many other members of the public who were not participating in the violence, all over the place, homeowners, residents, restaurant patrons, etc.
This wasn't Marshall Law, the police were not ordering everyone away. Apparently you have a problem with that, but they have that discretion. Somehow you got it into your head that it HAS to be all or none, but you are wrong. Richard Marsh
Richard, a good question to ask yourself is "what have I gotten into my head that is just plain wrong?"
ReplyDeleteTurd boy Sports is nothing more than click bait. They love to post people’s pictures and even their facebook profiles, phone numbers, and possibly people’s home adress. I’m not sure of the legitimacy of their stories. Many times, their stories link to already reported stories and they give you a poor and misguided rundown of the events. They seem to attract a cesspool of followers that you’d find on 4Chan. They also like to harass certain towns in Massachusetts namely the town of Colrain. Turtle Boy is just in it to gain controversy and notoriety. They are no better than the Enquirer. Perhaps, their legacy will be a Massachusetts gossip/tabloid gutter blog.
ReplyDelete