Statue of Saint Sebastian on grounds of St. Sebastian Church: John Brush Photo

A recent editorial cartoon by Bob Englehart of Hartford Courant has caused considerable consternation here in Middletown. Of course editorial cartoonists, as well as editorialists in general, always run the risk of offending some person or group and Mr. Englehart’s “McMahon as Martyr” piece, which appeared in The Courant on Oct 20, was no exception.

Some background: Acting (Police) Chief Patrick McMahon was demoted and suspended for cause by Mayor Sebastian Giuliano earlier this month. The immediate cause was stated to be the mayor’s loss of confidence in the chief whom he had previously supported for a permanent post as chief of the department. McMahon reportedly was seen imbibing an adult beverage  while armed and in uniform ( a no-no according to the mayor). Mayor Giuliano was not pleased with McMahon’s responses when questioned about the alleged drinking.

The mayor’s support for McMahon and the countervailing lack of such support by other city officials, principally Democrats on the Common Council,  has been a matter of controversy for many months. Finally, a citizen initiative was undertaken by local activist Ed McKeon who managed to secure enough valid signatures to place the issue of McMahon’s promotion on this year’s election ballot. (The ballot question has most likely been rendered moot by the demotion but this is still being investigated.)

Englehart’s cartoon caused distress on two counts.  Firstly, he sullied the reputation of the city with his comment about the cartoon; ” …Stay tuned for more soap opera from Middletown, a town just like yours but really screwed up”. Secondly, and here is where he really stepped into it, he suggested that viewers of his cartoon should check the box as to who was the  Middletown’s official martyr, Patrick McMahon or Saint Sebastian, whose namesake church is a prominent feature on Washington Street.

Well, this prompted a vigorous response from former Deputy Chief (Police) and present Common Council member Phil Pessina, a parishioner at St. Sebastian Church. Mr. Pessina’s objections were presented in great detail in letters that appeared in Middletown Patch and in The Middletown Eye. Excerpts from Mr. Pessina’s letters:

“To Bob Englhart…I am very upset and disappointed with your choice of cartoon characters concerning the recent developments involving our former Acting Police Chief and your lack of sensitivity towards our city’s Catholic residents and our beloved Patron Saint ‘Saint Sebastian’. Your pen has struck a direct insult to both our residents of Italian descent and our parishioners of Saint Sebastian Church…Your insinuation that our town is all “screwed up” is unfounded and based upon your personal feelings. Just because we have a challenge to deal with in our city government, it doesn’t give you the right to besmirch our community…Your reader poll comparing an individual and a saint, is very disturbing and a direct insult towards the parishioners of Saint Sebastian Church who have a deep, devote faith in their patron saint who was put to death because martyrdom for the Christian people.”

Mr. Pessina concludes with a request for an apology on behalf of the people of Middletown and particularly the parishioners of St.Sebastian Church. He also requests a retraction of the offending cartoon.

Phil Pessina Leads I Nuri Procession,Feast of St. Sebastian, May 16, 2011: Credit C. Day

Mr. Englehartt, who lives in Middletown and attends South Church, describes his political leanings as “progressive/moderate”, whatever that means; as for his religious beliefs he says; “Congregationalist-hell, we’ll marry anybody who’s in love!” 

Bob Englehart Self Portrait

P & Z Candidate Molly Salafia with Matt Scarrozzo, MRTC Chairman

The February 2011 special election that brought Len Suzio to the Connecticut Senate was an early sign of dissatisfaction with long term Democrat domination in Connecticut. In the case of the district (Senate District 13) won by Suzio it had endured Democrat control for 36 years according to the Hartford Courant’s calculations. At the time of Suzio’s win I wrote, in another venue:

“One can only hope that Suzio’s election is a harbinger of reform to come. Recent developments in other states suggest that a nationwide retreat from reckless spending, unfunded mandates, and impossible entitlements is in the offing. The turnout for this election was remarkable for a special election and I imagine that taxpayer concerns here and the news from other states spurred voter participation yesterday.”

The hope today among Middletown Republicans is that the movement away from Democrat domination in local politics can continue with the election of a full slate of able candidates on Nov. 8, 2011. The Republican slate for Middletown is headed by incumbent Mayor Seb Giuliano who has been in office for six years during which time he has been faced with a Democrat majority on the Common Council and Board of Education.

Middletown Mayor Sebastian Giuliano

The Wetmore-Starr House (1752) Washington St

The Kid City Childrens Museum; Washington Street

Graveyard scene; Vine Street

College Row Panorama; High Street

Note: You may click on the photos for more information and image sizes; you will be redirected to my Flickr page.

Short video excerpt here from Fox TV CT: http://blip.tv/file/3188050

The walls at Middletown’s Kleen Energy power generating station were blown off in  a huge explosion earlier today. The 11 AM blast which hurled workers into the air was heard for miles around. The Kleen Energy plant is located on the Connecticut River in the southern part of Middleltown. The plant was being built by O & G Industries of Torrington CT and was scheduled to begin generating electricity in a few weeks. Kleen Energy was designed to use natural gas has its primary fuel and it’s

Kleen Energy Power Plant Explosion: Hartford Courant, Mick Bolduc

being reported that testing of the natural gas system was ongoing when the blast occurred. Hartford Courant reports:

- Early reports were that a natural gas leak could have caused a devastating explosion Sunday morning that killed two and injured as many as dozens more at a power plant being built south of the city on the Connecticut River.
Homeowners more than 10 miles away said the 11 a.m. explosion at the Kleen Energy Systems power plant on River Road created a shock wave so intense they mistakenly thought the central part of the state had experienced an earth quake.
Medical rescue personnel said two were dead at the site and, of the injured, four were in critical condition.

“There are bodies everywhere,” a witness said. Another witness said many victims may be buried in rubble.

We reported on the beginning of construction at the site in June 2008 here,  with other mentions here, and here.

Below is an artist’s rendering of the proposed plant:

Seattle, as one would expect, went bonkers after the Obama win. A frenzy of flag purchases, and displays thereof, followed an evening of street dancing and singing. My daughter who lives on Capitol Hill reports hearing a huge roaring sound emanating from downtown.

Reporters for the Seattle P.I. found self described flag virgin Rosemary Garner who exclaims, “The thing that’s kind of astounding to me is I never ever would have cared to own a flag…This is the first day in my life I actually feel this funny sense of pride about my country. It’s a very foreign feeling, but it’s a good one”. My daughter writes, “I am, for the first time, truly hopeful for the future of this great country”.

Another comment from the news article: “I’m finally proud to be an American again, after eight years of being ashamed,” says 66-year-old Mark Lowney. Another says: “It’s just a rare feeling to feel that type of, I don’t know, national connection,” said Noah Kriegsmann, a 33-year-old builder from West Seattle. He feels that Obama’s win will help America’s standing in the world, and he bought a flag to fly on his truck, though he admitted it felt strange to see the flag in his hand. “I have just historically felt shame for what the symbol of this country is internationally. Being in someplace like Morocco, and Canadians have their flag on their backpacks — I would never ever do that”.

Such confessions remind one, of course, of the “first time in my adult life” remark from Michelle Obama. My daughter in her report on the festivities writes:

It was a momentous evening here in Seattle, I’ve never witnessed anything like it. Everywhere you went throngs of people were cheering on sidewalks and from their cars, honking horns, dancing in the streets, hugging strangers, and waving American flags. From my apartment, you could hear this constant roar emanating from downtown that continued for several hours. The moment they called it for Obama, a huge crowd converged in the middle of the intersection at Broadway & Pine. Police blocked off the intersection from cars and allowed the crowd to celebrate peacefully, despite the fact that many people ran out into the streets with beers or champagne bottles in hand. A drag queen on the top of Neighbor’s (a club) led the crowd in singing God Bless America while people clutched their friends and loved ones and joyfully weeped. Truly moving and inspiring speeches from both Obama and McCain. I hope there is a place for McCain in Obama’s administration as I was impressed by his gracious concession and the sincerity of his words. It was like the old McCain was back, before he got worked over by the Republican party, when he was a true maverick.

I don’t think we’ll be seeing John McCain in an Obama administration! Meanwhile, here in Middletown at Wesleyan similar celebrations took place albeit on a smaller scale. Wes President Michael Roth had this to say:

In the euphoria the Election night victory, I watched our Wesleyan students celebrating the victory of a man whom they had embraced and in whom they had invested their hopes. Although all were aware of the polls predicting a victory, I don’t think many of them quite believed it would happen. They waved an American flag, chanted “O-bam-a, O-bam-a,” and felt a powerful sense of hope in our collective future. When somebody played “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” over the speakers, these young men and women danced with enthusiasm at a song they no longer associated with their parents but with our new president-elect.

For many of our students, Barack Obama is linked to alma mater because of his Commencement Address at Wesleyan in May 2008. In that speech he talked about how many young people assume that there are “two stories at work in their lives:”

Here’s a potpourri of recent photos from the election period:

Seattle P.I. photo, Paul Joseph Brown

zomblog photo

steadyjohn photo: Seattle 9/08

Wesleyan University, Middletown CT, 11/5/08, Wesleying blog,Mike Levin photo

Wesleying; Hannah Berkman photo

photo credit, Spazeboy video

JohnBrush video

h/t FreeRepublic
Tags:seattle celebrates obama,flag frenzy,new love of country,new love of flag,obama victory party, wesleying,middletown ct,wesleyan university middletown ct

Tags: why vote,

John McCain Owns the Issues!
Photo Source: http://resistcomfort.com/votetheissues/

Tags:john mccain,barack obama,election racism,racism,election not racial,vote issues,

On my way to lunch recently, I passed a homeless guy with a sign that read “Vote Obama; I need the money.” I laughed. In a restaurant my server had on an “Obama 08″ tie. Again I laughed. Just imagine the coincidence. When the bill came, I decided not to tip the server and explained to him that I was exploring the Barack-Obama-redistribution-of-wealth concept. He stood there in disbelief while I told him that I was going to redistribute his tip to someone who I deemed more in need—the homeless guy outside. The server angrily stormed from my sight. I went outside, gave the homeless guy $10 and told him to thank the server inside as I’ve decided he could use the money more. The homeless guy was grateful. At the end of my rather unscientific redistribution experiment, I realized the homeless guy was grateful for the money he did not earn, but the waiter was pretty angry that I gave away the money he did earn even though the actual recipient deserved money more. I guess redistribution of wealth is an easier thing to swallow in concept than in practical application.

h/t James Taranto WSJ Best of the Web today

Tags: obama redistribution,spread wealth,socialism,

Also seen at Michelle Malkin

Tags: all hallows eve,redistribution,socialism,obama socialist,halloween, hallowe’en,trick or treat,porch pumpkins

My menacing porch pumpkin!

“We may be seeing the first woman president. As a Democrat, I am reeling,” said Camille Paglia, the cultural critic. “That was the best political speech I have ever seen delivered by an American woman politician. Palin is as tough as nails.”

Wesleying, the student run blog at Wesleyan University, is always an interesting read even for an outsider. They comment frequently on community and world events in addition to campus concerns and activities. I was pleasantly surprised to note the many favorable comments about, and in support of, Sarah Palin. I would say the favorables were nearly as numerous as the negatives. I of course had to add my two cents worth:

Wow! I am blown away by the number of pro-Palin comments here.I would not have expected it and believe it augers well for the Palin/McCain ticket. They’ve got my vote. For the first time in my adult lifetime..I am proud of the Republican Party. As a decades long unaffiliated voter I recently registered Republican to participate in the primary.

The following are excerpts from other commentators, mostly anonymous: (emphasis added)

….How can she be an embarrassment to women, 9:37!? She beat two men – a republican incumbent and a former 2 term democratic governor – to win the governorship of her state – which is a very male dominated good ol boy state when it comes to politics. She did this while managing a family with 4 kids.

And as the head of her state ethics commission she faced down the oil companies and has given her states residents a windfall oil profits rebate – something Obama has floated – instead of spending the excess revenue like most state government would. I may not agree with her anti choice stance but in no way is she an “embarrassment to women

…..

Ms. Palin has been a rising star on the right since she beat an incumbent governor in a Republican primary in 2006 and then a former Democratic governor in the general election. With an approval rating around 80 percent, she is among the most popular governors….

This is either a very desperate pick, or a very shrewd pick. As the Times points out (paraphrasing), if the pundits point to her and say, “She has negligible foreign policy and overall political experience! How you vote or her to be a heartbeat from the presidency”, the Republicans can turn around and say, “She’s only a heartbeat away; meanwhile you have a guy with virtually the same resume running for the top spot”….As for the size of her state – if the argument is made along the lines of, so she was governor of a small state, big deal – they’ll point out that Alaska has roughly the same population as Delaware, Biden’s state

….

Actually she has a reputation as someone who has gone toe to toe with the oil companies. She was also the state ethics commissioner who blew the whistle on the REPUBLICAN Senator from Alaska who has now been indicted….As far as foreign policy experience, she has little, but CNN said she did visit Iraq last year as a governor (Alaska has two large military bases and she was “interested in seeing first hand where the troops were going.” Remember, it took until the end of the primary season for Obama to go there

….

I think Biden is in trouble if he thinks he can roll over this one. I watched her speech on YouTube. Not only did she deliver it flawlessly and seemed very likable, she also projected a very strong personality

…

I don’t dislike her as much as I dislike many Republicans in office. I think she’s wrong on most of the most important issues, but there is something likable and honorable about her. Which scares me. Why couldn’t McCain have picked someone who’s a total tool like Romney or Pawlenty or even Lieberman?

….

To add a comment about the ‘experience’ factor — this could actually be a shrewd choice. Talk all you want about Biden having more experience, and Palin being a heart-beat away from the Presidency, but you end up comparing her lack of experience to Obama’s. So who’s to say that experience is the deciding factor?

… be careful to dismiss her out of hand. I can only point of that she is wildly popular in her home state even among Democrats who know of her very conservative stance on abortion….Palin is a very shrewd choice. As governor she actually turned back pork barrel spending earmarked for her state.

I conclude with an excerpt from the Mullings column today written by Reed Galen: (emphasis added)

Ultimately, campaigns are about Presidential candidates, not their running mates. But this year’s selection process illuminates how both men made their decisions. Barack Obama’s choice was one borne of fear: fear of being overshadowed by Hillary Clinton, fear of being painted as unready to be commander-in-chief and fear, ironically, of being too-different. Decisions made in that context are rarely good ones. Senator McCain’s choice of Governor Sarah Palin was borne of opportunity: the opportunity to change Washington, the opportunity to create a new political dynamic and the opportunity to make history.

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Tags: sarah palin,john mccain,barack obama,joe biden,u.s. vice president,v.p. picks,wesleyan university bloggers,wesleying blog,palin campus support,camille paglia

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