Hey, remember when the city gave the homeless encampment on the Parkway until July 17 to leave?
Seems like months ago.
It was months ago.
Today’s question is this: Is the standoff on the Parkway comedy turning into tragedy, or tragedy becoming comedy?
Mayor Jim Kenney is in the throes of a dilemma. After attending progressive re-education camp about a decade ago, he emerged with the idea that this is a racist nation, a racist city, a dreary patriarchy in which decisions made by white males are always wrong. He is a white male, which means his decisions are always wrong.
See the problem?
Somewhere deep in the tangle of contradictions in his frontal lobe, he hears these words: “Attention, MOVE. This is America. You have to abide by the laws of the United States.”
They were spoken by Philadelphia Police Commissioner Gregore Sambor to the self-styled revolutionaries who were constructing an illegal fortress on top of their West Philadelphia row home. This was after violating numerous health and safety rules.
They were ordered to obey the law. They didn’t. Somebody came up with a bright idea about an explosive charge.
Tragedy followed. That was the nightmare scenario.
No one is suggesting anything that extreme.
At the least, the city could starve out the lawbreakers by not allowing “helpers” to bring in provisions from the outside. Yes, they would cry that the city is “starving” them, but that’s a big lie.
The current lawbreakers could forcibly be removed by nonlethal means, such as tear gas, water hoses, smelly chemical agents, or the pressure of police behind shields, or on horseback. Standard crowd-dispersal measures.
But our spineless mayor has no stomach for that.
His chickens are coming home to roost.
He is the mainspring of the city’s refusal to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which enforce the laws of the United States.
He has actually said he will protect those here illegally against law enforcement, suggesting ICE is sent by a heartless fascist in Washington, D.C. (No, this was when Barack Obama was president.)
A couple of nights ago it was believed the police would arrive in the middle of the night, which was Kenney’s successful tactic to remove the Frank Rizzo statue from in front of the Municipal Services Building. The statue of Rizzo — Philly’s last Democratic “law and order” mayor is gone, while a Black Lives Matter mural has been added to the entrance of the building.
Anticipating the arrival of police, the Parkway urban homesteaders put out a call for allies, and who should arrive? Black-clad antifa social justice warriors.
Antifa stands for anti-fascist.
So who is the fascist now?
Jim Kenney.
See, when he decided to thumb his nose at immigration law, he set a precedent for any other group with a grievance to ignore the law.
And now it has.
Perhaps the people who live in sight of the encampments should organize and refuse to pay property taxes since they are not getting city services (like the right to walk in the encampments). They could sue the city and at least show the damage the city is doing to our properties since they are not protecting us….. hmmmmm
You know, there HAVE to be lawyers living there. Someone needs to hold the city liable for inaction. The damn mayor is more fearful of the woke than of taxpayers.
Dang, Stu, I don’t know how you manage to see through the fog and clutter, but you sure know how to push the obvious truth forward. An excellent x-ray of the current situation on the Parkway. I’m not a Philly Boy, per se, but I certainly do appreciate your posting what will never be found in the regular newspapers about Philly.
Thanks. The vision comes with experience.
Right on the button about our butthead mayor!! Good article Mr.Bykofsky.
In my opinion, making Philadelphia a sanctuary city was the starting point. If enough debate had been had those involved should have seen This was just the first part of the “Iceburg” (no pun intended).
They don’t want debate. They know how the public would vote. Same for bike lanes.
HAPPY FRIDAY !
Stu,
It’s pretty obvious to me. ( maybe because I’m short, and I get a better perspective down here )
Mayor Jimbo wants to be like the other dimocrat mayors. They are all following the same script . “How to ruin your city “.
We, the tax payers, continually fund hiz honors pranks. If the people would only sit up, take notice, and go picket outside of city hall. . . . . . . . . .
Kenney may not notice, but maybe, just maybe, the national news would pick it up !
Tony
If only….
Who coined the phrase “what goes around,comes around”?
Since you asked….. According to etymologist Barry Popik, the first documented appearance of “What goes around comes around” is in the 1962 book Burn, Killer, Burn! , a semi-autobiographical novel by the death row inmate Paul Crump
The Mayor and the COurt ignored the fact that there is taxpayer funded space conveniently located for the homeless in the Barnes or Comcast tower(s). Its a no-brainer.
There are better spaces than the Barnes. https://stubykofsky.com/what-to-do-with-parkway-homeless/
I think the City should broadcast (at maximum volume and non-stop) Yanni, John Tesh, or Barry Manilow. The encampment would eventually beg for relief from the horror, and no one would be injured.
You are so correct! Thank you for this insightful article.
“After attending progressive re-education camp about a decade ago, he emerged with the idea that this is a racist nation, a racist city, a dreary patriarchy in which decisions made by white males are always wrong. He is a white male, which means his decisions are always wrong.” Yes, I see the problem…..you can Interchange Krasner with Kenney on some fronts. They both seem to have lost their critical thinking skills and their ability to lead, assuming they ever had the ability……Only their narrative Is what they hear and speak and our City is going to hell as a result of it.
If Washington succeeded in crossing the Deleware and we saved the world with the sudden and surprising landing at Normandy then a chubby, sancturared, hesitant politician can make a decision that just once supports the rule of law. We have lost our ability to stand up for the most basic rights of private property, walking on the first Amendment and allowing the few to dictate to the many who has the right of way and freedom of assembly on city land. If your purpose is confrontation and have broken off discussions that never should have reached this date then you should have been removed as intruders and illegal activists. It is the time for the Mayor to take another nightime soiree and remove each human statue to a location where we all can feel that three hots and a cot have been accepted by the sit-in leaders.
Well boys and girls,
here is, but another chapter in the book, “screw the public, stuff my pocket”. this has been going on for decades. it’s only getting more noticeable because of our President. People are on welfare, for example. A chosen few reap the rewards. Same here. Destroy a city. Wait and see who makes the money.
it is not, and has never been about the people. IT’S ABOUT THE BENJAMINS !
tONY
“Screw the public, stuff my pocket”..your gettin’ good with them catchy rhymes Tony. Wish I had thought of that one! Have a nice one!
Tom
100% correct.The anarchists are winning and most of the working class is asleep.When it is too late(maybe already) they will wish they had done more to stop this.There seems to be this attitude I don’t give a damn about the cities I don’t live there in the suburbs especially where I live.They don’t get the Marxist/anarchist playbook they are coming for you next next.They have already rioted in some suburban areas.They use race,gender,homeless and any other excuse they can find to destroy.They could care less about these issues.I do not understand why Kenney and all the Dems allow and agree with this destruction.They will turn on them also.
Wait until Biden wins the presidency, and the Dems control the House and Senate. You will look back on these days as a halcyon time.
The statute of Rizzo couldn’t fight back. It was easy for a spineless wimp to remove. These are real people who have no qualms about getting violent. Kenny doesn’t stand a chance and we all suffer because of it.
Stu keep up the good work on calling out the poor excuse of a mayor. I read in bigtrial.net that former State Senator Vince Fumo wants to fight Jim Kenney would make a great pay preview show lol. Regarding the illegal squatters on the parkway maybe that’s was a great location for them. The well to do liberal neighbors are the ones that voted these Progressive Socialist Politicans into power. Glad to see they are getting a first hand look at the Antifa and BLM hoodlums camping in their neighborhood .
Stu,
let’s mimic Philadelphia !
out here in Chester County, Republican John Emmons is challenging Chrissy Houlahan for her congressional seat. One big item is abolish the suburbs. In short, there has been an act, associated with HUD, that will give you money to aid the homeless, etc. This has been floating around Jersey since the ’90s. The problem; when you take the money, you have to follow the stringent guidelines that you forgot to read. You are required to mimic Philly with all of their problems and needs. In other words, the suburbs will become mini cities, because they took money that they thought would help, but in reality, will destroy the suburbs as we know them. Again, Socialism 101. It should be obvious that us Republicans don’t think very highly of this act. Another dimocratic ploy !
Tony
Great article, Stu, as always.
They removed the Rizzo statue because ‘they’ thought was racist? Then remove the mural of Mumia Abu-Jamal. He was a member of Black Panthers who is a racist group. He murdered Daniel Faulker. That mural offends me.