Sunshine is the best antiseptic

Ironically Middle School 'Interium Co-principals' (and only in Amherst would you find such a title) used the ‘West Side Story’ excuse to cave in to ACLU pressure and allow the ‘Chestnut Street Journal’ with an unflattering article about the system go to press.

Like the 1999 High School cancellation of one of the greatest musicals of all time the sorry saga had, indeed, taken on a life of its own—and, as usual, not very flattering to the venerable Amherst School system.

Besides, even the clueless administrators figured out the article was already distributed widely on the web by the crusty Gazette and hip cyberzine Local Buzz, both of whom covered extensively the recent ‘Vagina Monologues’ fiasco at the High School.

Of course administrators whine about the ACLU involvement (unfortunately less effective with ‘West Side Story’) because the kids and parents unleashed them without first going thru proper channels, as in faculty advisors or administrators.

But considering the Front Page article dealt with kids feeling the school Powers That Be don’t listen to them, is anyone surprised they brought in the heavy artillery before using peashooters?

Let’s hope the kids start their own blog.

NOT Only in Amherst

Colors of Spring

Gone in 60 seconds.

Dispatch described the perp as a middle-aged white male wanted on an outstanding warrant for something benign like ‘failure to appear.’ As I entered the elegant establishment he was seated at the bar with a classy looking woman in her late 30’s or early 40’s with shoulder long curly black hair and a fur coat draped over the adjacent bar-stool, not your typical Amherst fashion statement.

As I started to approach, eyes focused on him, she turned her head slowly and smoothly--without moving her upper torso--to casually glance over her right shoulder; her right arm, blocked from view by her body, also moved smoothly…revealing a handgun lining up directly on me.

Simultaneous shots ring out. We both die. Damn it!

The fatal encounter was part of a training exercise for the Amherst Citizens Police Academy, an eight-week program I took over a decade ago. The laserdisc (a predecessor to DVD) projected onto a large screen, and contained hundreds of interactive scenarios where you as a police officer make life or death split-second decisions.

I was so distraught over the incident (having aced the first two) that I called the training supervisor the next day to asked him “what the hell did I do wrong”? “Nothing,” he said. “There are a couple of scenarios specifically designed for you to die, because that, unfortunately, is the nature of our business.”

I thought about that a lot the other day when I first heard about the gunshot death of Officer Matthew Morelli in Norwalk, Connecticut.

Officer Morelli, an 11-year veteran of the force, former combat Marine, and volunteer firefighter out on “routine patrol” radioed that he was investigating “suspicious activity” and requested backup. When brother officers arrived only 60 seconds later they discovered every cops worst nightmare: officer down.

As my very limited training experience revealed: In law enforcement there’s no such thing as “routine.”

Petty small town politics

AMHERST BULLETIN
Letters
Published on March 21, 2008

Amused by signs o' the times ... or not

To the Bulletin: I find it amusing that Mrs. Greeney, who just last week was so taken by the "visual pollution" of campaign signs, has chosen to erect her bright red campaign signs on the pristine and public Wentworth Farm Conservation Land along Route 9.

I do feel that her position on campaign signs - critical of her opponents' blue signs on private land, while placing her red signs on public land - to be indicative of her voting record these past three years on the Select Board.

Oh, the throes of "sign-gate" continue.

Baer Tierkel
Amherst

Talkback: Opinion
Leave your comment: Larry Kelley Thurs, Mar 20, 2008 at 08:47 PM

So did Baer Tierkel actually observe Mrs. Greeney herself, in person erect her bright red campaign sign on the pristine and public Wentworth Farm Conservation Land?

If so, he probably has way too much time on his hands; if not he should consider the possibility it was an anonymous overzealous supporter.

And Hwei-Ling’s supporters seem to be nothing if not passionate--something Amherst Bulletin Columnist Tierkel’s endorsed candidates could use a bit more of.

##########################################################

Baer “The Turk” Tierkel pontificates about a Hwei-Ling Greeney sign sprouting on town public property, eh?

Of course a few weeks back Mr. Tierkel, a monthly Amherst Bulletin columnist, endorsed candidates O’Keefe and Stein--both of whom use blue lawn signs with white letters (what are the odds?)--in his cooperative column know as “Amherst Center”, aptly named since the thing you most often find in the center of the road is dead squirrels.

And back when I was a professional columnist for the ultra-crusty Bulletin my editor advised me not to write “Letters to the Editor” between columns (reminding me I was paid for my columns but not letters).

But since the Amherst Center folks probably are unpaid I guess Mr. Tierkel needs that “added value” of free PR for his anointed candidate by throwing mud at the opponent.


(PS: Yeah, I staged the photo above, but for all we know so didn't somebody else with the Greeney sign at Wentworth Farm )

Hats off to Bill (all three of them)

Bill Dwight will probably choke on his coffee with this analogy but my appearance on his radio show this morning reminded me of my first appearance on the O’Reilly Factor TV show four years ago to discuss Amherst being the only High School in the nation to perform ‘Vagina Monologues.’

Bill O’Reilly obviously agreed with my stand (the show should not go on) so there was no verbal sparring. And the other Bill this morning agreed that the parade is a celebration not a protest, so we had nothing to fight about either (darn—I had even stretched out before heading to Hamp.)

Yeah, I am getting a tad spoiled by blogging as I did let slip the word “bitch”. WHMP has an eight second delay but allowed it on the air since context is everything and the FCC would not mind me calling Osama Bid Laden a son of a bitch.

Bill Dwight also said he would march in the Amherst July 4'th Parade, so maybe we can place him next to the Town Manger.

Yesterday a mole in the Amherst Town Democratic Committee gave us a draft letter they are still working on (since late February no less):


The Amherst Town Democratic Committee may be interested in participating in the 4’th of July Parade in downtown Amherst this year.

Please kindly regard this as our official application to participate. We anticipate that those parading may exercise the rights that the U.S. Constitution, including the 1’st Amendment, guarantees to all Americans.

Please let us know in writing whether this will be acceptable. We would appreciate a reply with the next month.

Sincerely Yours,

H Oldham Brooks
Chair of the Democratic Committee

Of course Mr. Brooks is no longer Chair having lost the election last week to more moderate Leo Maley and extremist Mary Wentworth also lost reelection as Vice Chair.

See what happens when you lead your organization into an ill-conceived war?

During the second 15 minute segment we mostly talked about the current “only in Amherst” episode splashed on the Front Page of today’s Gazette where the Middle School administrators censored an article in the school newspaper unflattering to the institution.

The kids polled 175 students and discovered as Bill Dwight so aptly put it “school sucks” (yes, I guess you can say that on the radio). The school spiked the story and ACLU spokesman Bill Newman has already gotten involved.

So the school system that allowed teen agers to use the C-word, and feign masturbation to orgasm on stage as part of the their First Amendment rights censor Middle Schoolers who express unflattering sentiments about the venerable school system.

As Bill Newman said in 1999 at a rally I organized in favor of ‘West Side Story,’ after the school cancelled it: “The way to counter bad speech is with good speech, not suppression.” Amen.
UPDATE: Friday 6:15 PM Besides the AP, the story was also picked up by these folks:
LawFolks
DC news blog
Crusty Gazette Comments
And the next day as well

Back from the Brink

The 20-minute meeting with the Town Manager went well. He confirmed that he would allow Police and Fire personnel to march in the Amherst July 4'th Parade (So I assume that means in their official town uniforms) and that he would march as well (as he did last year).

Mr. Shaffer wants to see in writing the new policy that the Gazette mistakenly headlined as “loosening”.” The policy to allow any group to carry ONE banner or sign designating the legal name of the group is not really relaxing anything--it is more of a “clarification.”

He also said he was not going to do anything—like pull police and fire equipment--due to “hypotheticals”. As in the last two years when we did this kind of meeting, he wants us to be as “inclusive” as possible.

So we will be, up to a point. An anti-war group can march as long as the legal name of the group contains that sentiment. Abortion groups—pro or con, Gay rights groups—pro or con, and Nuclear War groups—pro or con, probably will not gain entry.

And if the Amherst Town Democratic Committee wants to boycott as they did last year that’s fine. It did not seem to keep Congressman John Olver, State Senator Stan Rosenberg or State Representative Ellen Story from marching.

And the winners are...

Nope, not her. So much for the 'Power of the Blog.'