His Lordship's Carriage

So is anyone surprised this is the billboard—I mean (foreign) car, that Amherst Select board Chair Gerry Weiss drives? Businesses in town center have to pay Amherst $350 annually for sandwich board sign permits.

But not Mr. Weiss for this rolling sign (click photo to enlarge).

No Harm, No Foul?

"No agent, officer or employee of the Town of Amherst, in the performance of official duties, shall assist or cooperate with the Immigration and Naturalization Service of the United States in the investigation or arrest of any persons for civil or criminal violations of the immigration and nationality laws of the United States."

"There's no need for local police to get involved in what is a federal issue, immigration," Weiss said at the routine Monday Comedy Night (Only In) Amherst Select Board meeting. The proposed bylaw would handcuff Amherst police from enforcing immigration laws. "It doesn't serve any good purpose, in my mind," Weiss said

Amherst already voted in 2000 to have the Police Department ignore Marijuana laws (although if you go to their blog the current post indicates one arrest for pot possession over the weekend). Mr. Weiss also on Monday directed the Town Manager not to charge rally organizers for extra police required to chaperone the Extravaganga pot festival next month.

Now His Lordship wants Amherst PD--state certified law enforcement professionals known for their honesty, integrity and dedication--to ignore Federal immigration law.

Of course other Federal jurisdictions include assassinating the President of the United States, kidnapping, arson and assault (didn’t we just allow our High School to perform “Vagina Monologues’ to reduce assaults against women?). How far will this go Mr. Weiss?

Seven of the 19 hijackers held fraudulent passports and three had overstayed their visas. If Mr. Weiss’s goofy, illegal by-law were in effect seven years ago and an Amherst Police officer stopped one of them for a routine traffic violation heading to Logan Airport on 9/11, they would be forced to allow them on their evil way.

Fine with Weiss--especially if it had been the one targeting the White House.


UPDATE: 4:30 PM (Wednesday). So I hope I did not get my fellow bloggers over at Amherst Police Department in trouble as I posted a comment on their blog pertaining to an arrest over the weekend for pot and linked it to Mr. Weiss's current idiotic idea not to enforce Federal Immigration Law.
Amherst Police Dept Blog

Live from Northampton!

A few of you asked if I was being “set up” by Bill Dwight during my appearance on his news radio talk show this morning (“Progressive” station WHMP) to discuss the July 4’th Parade policy of restricting political messages immediately after an earnest representative of the “Iraq Veterans Against The War’. Hmmm…

Well what the Hell am I, a warmonger?

Bill was sick so Chris Collins—wayyyyy closer to my brand of politics but also as misunderstood as yours truly—ran the show.

During my interview's first commercial break I mentioned how much I respected the previous guest, a man who stood in harms way to serve his country and now invokes his most cherished right as an American to question the policy of our government.

Yeah, and maybe if Mr. Dwight were controlling the microphone he would have directly challenged me as to why they, Iraq Veterans Against The War couldn’t march. Or Viet Nam Veterans Against The War, a group founded in 1967 and still active today.

After all the Parade mission is to honor public servants—police, fire and military.

Interestingly when I returned to my Athletic Club an hour later Kevin Joy, Parade chair was waiting for me. And we talked about it. This Friday the committee will discuss allowing any group to carry ONE sign identifying who they are. And if the name of the group happens to have the words “against the war” as part of their official name, so be it.

If, however, their name has the initials KKK, NAMBLA or reads “Citizens in favor of 9/11” they need not apply.

Gotta love their waiting room art.

Thanks for the great intro Chris!

Rally for Pot? Yes! Rally for America???

So naturally last night his Lordship Select board Chair Gerry Weiss took great pride announcing he had brow beat the (Only In) Amherst Town Manager--vacationing in the Barbados, so what the Hell does he care--into dropping the idea of charging the Umass Cannabis Reform Coalition for their added impact on public safety to chaperon the Pot Rally next month.

Where was Mr. Weiss when The Grinch of a Town Manager stubbornly refused to relent on charging the Boy Scouts a tax on a sixty-year Christmas tree sales tradition?

So now it will be interesting to see if Mr. Weiss champions the July 4’th Parade Committee when we ask for a fee waiver of extra police. After all, town officials seem to think the Parade is a “political statement.”

Ultimately Dead

So I can only hope this 'Night of the Living Dead' episode has come to its final conclusion--and the dead stay dead!

It s the old "supply and demand" routine and in this case, like the game of golf, too much supply and not enough demand. Coincidentally ˜Planet Fitness' in Hadley, the New Kids on the Block, just opened their doors (after signing people up for the last six months or so).

According to the Crusty Amherst Bulletin puff piece last October, they spent $1.1 million on renovations and equipment (no wonder it took them so long to finally open).

If you borrowed that amount your monthly payment would be around $10,000 so with those ridiculous $10/month memberships they need 1,000 clients just to cover that mortgage. Then there's rent for 15,000 square feet in a Mall (another 1,000-2,000 members required) salaries, utilities, advertising, insurance (easily another 2,000.) So yeah, if they draw 5,000 members--they got a shot.

Problem is of course ALL the remaining Health Clubs on this side of the river combined don't have a total membership adding up to that.

My original report

Follow Up clarrification

Bad Boys, Bad Boys: what ya going to do?

Damn, I love it when a Umass “Associate Vice Chancellor” gets all excited (non sexually of course)? And he even cites another Vice Chancellor Esther Terry (a “Dr.” no less--like those are rare in the People's Republic) who also seems pretty peeved about these damn sex posters. Furthermore, he even declares the “Chancellor of the institution” (whoever the hell that is) has directed the offending material “that has repeatedly appeared in the window of your shared office be removed permanently and immediately.”

Yikes! Can you imagine sharing an office with the Umass Radical Student Union? Lysol anyone???

UPDATE: Sunday, 3:00 pm. My man Tommy Devine is reporting on his gold standard Blog that the kiddies have once again caved and taken down the posters.
Now you see them now you don't. As I said before Milquetoast!

February 27, 2008
Radical Student Union
Members
Student Union Building

To the members of the Radical Student Union:

Please be advised that the Chancellor of the institution, as you have been duly informed, has directed that the Safe Sex Brochure that has repeatedly appeared in the window of your shared office be removed permanently and immediately.

I am open to discuss the ways in which opportunities exist for your group to promote its cause while removing the brochure from public view, particularly in a building that is often frequented by guests and particularly children and those who might be offended by its visual content. You can feel free to schedule an appointment with me through my Administrative Assistant, Ms. Barbara Paparazzo, in Room 416 of the Student Union Building at your earliest convenience.

Please note that I have been advised by the Vice Chancellor for Student Life, Dr. Esther Terry, that if the brochure continues to be posted in visible proximity of the public walkways of this building, that further disciplinary action may be taken collectively or individually against members of your organization. Furthermore, you stand to loose the privilege of occupying university space in the future if this action should continue.

Sincerely,
Byron Bullock
Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs & Campus Life

cc: Dr.Esther Terry
Shaun Jameson

Reactions

Hell, I think the comments are more interesting than Friday's Gazette story on the July 4 Parade disaster in the making. Look for the Springfield Republican to follow up the next day or two. Naturally the Town Manager got out of Dodge (hiding in the Barbados) for the next two weeks so the Springfield Republican probably will not be able to quote him. But I do have his cell phone number. Hmmm....


Cave Man's Girl [ Posted on: Friday - February 29, 2008 at 12:34 PM]
It is amazing what they will drag out to make their point. Like, yeah, OK, good thing we set up rules that will exclude the major KKK presence we have here in Amherst. Good Lord, get real.

Larry Kelley [ Posted on: Friday - February 29, 2008 at 02:47 PM]
There is also not a very high presence of KKK in South Boston Ms. Cave Man's Girl (I hope you're keeping Mr. Cave Man happy) but that did not stop them from requesting to march in the St. Patrick's Day Parade in the early 90's That was, of course DENIED, as was the Irish gay group that wanted to march (and I believe an abortion group either pro or anti I can't remember which). And the Supreme Court (you know who they are) ruled 9-0 that the Parade committee could do so because of THEIR First Amendment rights. And as for NAMBLA, you have to wonder if maybe FORMER Amherst Regional High School (you know, your alma mater) English teacher Ronald T. Garney was a member or not.

John [ Posted on: Friday - February 29, 2008 at 08:05 AM]
I can see the headlines now. Amherst Town Manager refuses to allow Firefighters and Police Officers to be honored on July 4th. Meanwhile towns people vote to reduce public safety in order to fund private agencies. This is how it will read outside of Amherst and the town which already is thought of as out of touch with reality will be made to look even more foolish. As for Larry Shaffer, it will just be another headline that he so craves.

Nancy Slator [ Posted on: Friday - February 29, 2008 at 08:22 AM]
How does it celebrate freedom to hold a parade that only allows people of one political view to particiapate?

Larry Kelley [ Posted on: Friday - February 29, 2008 at 09:06 AM]
That's precisely the point Nancy: the Parade doesn't have a "political view." Obviously you do.

Matthias [ Posted on: Friday - February 29, 2008 at 07:05 PM]
The people of Amherst clearly have way too much free time on their hands. Why can't they have a simple 4th of July parade without turning it into a circus. Fourth celebrations are intended to honor our country and the great men and women who serve. Can't protests take place the other 364 days of the year. Or are the anti-war crowd such incorrigible attention mongers.

BC [ Posted on: Friday - February 29, 2008 at 03:46 PM]
If they want "Everyone" then it'd be nice for Westboro Baptist to show up wouldn't it. That'd be exactly the type of participation the town wants, right? What they really mean is they want all the PC protesters to hijack the parade, and nothing else.