Mummers: Ban Democrats

In an exclusive (and satirical) response to Major Jim Kenney’s threat to ban the Mummers Parade, the Mummers have demanded an end to the Democratic Party in Philadelphia.

Mummers on Broad St. (Photo: Stu Bykofsky)

In a letter to the four Mummers divisions, Kenney specifically noted two men appearing in blackface, which is prohibited by parade rules.

“This selfish, hateful behavior,” the mayor wrote, while weeping into a hankie, “has no place in the Mummers, or the city itself.”

In response, the Mummers wrote, “There are more elected Democratic officials in jail on grounds of corruption than there have ever been Mummers in blackface. “This selfish, hateful behavior has no place in the city, yet it persists after many, many warnings.”

The Democratic Party has shown it can’t police itself and must be banned, said the Mummers, adding, “with homicide out of control and poverty levels beyond belief, you would think the mayor would have more important things to do.”

35 thoughts on “Mummers: Ban Democrats”

  1. That’s what I was thinking! The mayor took time away from campaigning in New Hampshire for Liz .001% Warren to slam the Mummers while our homicide rate goes through the roof!

  2. Kudos, Stu!
    Myself and every Mummer I am associated with know and understand there is no place for racism in the Mummers parade or tradition. Nor should there be in life itself. Unfortunately, society in many facets continues to prove this wrong.
    This city has too many significant problems at hand that the Mayor should be focused on instead of hiding behind the skirts of the Mummers. Two mummers in blackface are to many Mr. Mayor, and the Mummers leadership will continue to work diligently on our self imposed zero tolerance policy. Please focus your mayoral efforts on the real problems Philadelphians are face with today and the real problem isn’t two knuckleheads out of thousands of marchers looking to get their face on the news.

      1. He didn’t show up at the parade because he was too busy sipping mimosas at home.🙄He states while watching on tv, he spots the black face and it made him so “effin” mad!
        I guess all the killings and crimes in Philadelphia don’t make him so “effin” mad? How about Mr.Mayor focus all his energy on what’s really going on in the city!

  3. I’m just one person among many but the time has come to speak out against this mayor. He needs to leave the Mummers Association alone. They’re a wonderful group of ppl that bring joy to everyone one day a year. This century old tradition should never be tainted or taken away. I support them 100%. Thank you.

      1. There is a letter circulating on facebook that a woman wrote. It’s excellent. It’s about his (Kenney’shistory) with the mummers.

  4. Mayor Kenney won re-election by a big margin. The law of big numbers suggests that a vast majority of those who voted to re-elect him and now whaling and nashing their teeth. Too late. He ain’t going anywhere. He’s here for 4 more years. And don’t expect any sympathy from City Council. This city us getting what it elected. Elections have consequences.

  5. Copied from a shared Facebook post. Bravo to the author, I couldn’t have said it better than her.

    Dear Mayor Kenny,
    I guess times have changed. I remember a time you would be in your New Years club dancing and joking along with your friends and family after marching in the New Years parade. I remember a time when you would correct and try to embarrass teen age girls for taking a scoop of baked ziti because as you said “in this club we wait for the members to eat first”. While closing the lid on her. Even though you watched her grow up in that club, and she asked if the guys ate yet. I remember your smile and the laughter as you would celebrate and dance until the morning hours. But I guess you do not remember those days of making memories with your family. And your friends.

    The two gentlemen who wore black face were wrong. No questions asked they were wrong. They were corrected and banned from the mummers parade. The mummers association also made a public apology, and continue to make the mummers parade better.

    You should know that the action of two individuals do not represent the 1,000’s of mummers. You should also know that the mummers are so much more than just New Year’s Day. They help the community. When one mummer needs help you will find the hands of 100 mummers reaching out to help. They hold benefits for families in need. Even if they do not personally know the other. String bands will play weddings and funerals. Wench brigades have donated their suits to CHOP. The mummers walk down broad street taking pictures with children, the elderly and the handicap. They thank the police officers. Families create memories and traditions. There is love and laughter. Some of my best memories happened with my family on New Year’s Day up the jokers. The club you once danced with. But I guess you forgot about that as well.

    In my opinion you have way bigger fish to fry. Philadelphia county insurance requires you to have an assessment done prior to accessing substance abuse treatment. The city of Philadelphia has THREE assessment centers that are strictly for drug and alcohol. How many residents live in Philadelphia? The other 3 are crisis center where people who are in mental crisis are seen as well as someone just trying to access treatment, that’s a total of 6. The assessment centers are over crowded, understaffed, and in horrible condition. Accessing treatment for someone who lives in Philadelphia is long, stressful, and at times infuriating. After waiting hours or even days just
    To have an assessment people are denied by Philadelphia county insurance CBH. This leaves people feeling helpless, so they continue to use, or go with out their meds for mental conditions. But how are your safe injection sites coming along? I think easier access to treatment is needed. But I’m just a silly girl. What do I know?

    In the last few weeks murder rates, robberies, and violence have been insanely high. People in your old neighborhood are actually afraid walking to their cars in the morning. I was never afraid to walk around in this neighborhood growing up. A young woman from your neighborhood was found in a basement. Her family had been searching for her for months. In a parking lot not far from where you once lived a man was found in the trunk of a car that was set on fire. But first they shot him, than slit his throat. A man that was released on murder chargers in October was walking the streets thanks to your DA, was on the streets again and guess what he killed someone else. Through out your city this is happening. A foster mother was killed by her foster son. A man was stabbed during a breaking and entering. Kids are jumped! Over doses continue to rise. Cars are continuously broken into. Public property continues to be vandalized. Drug paraphernalia is littering our streets. Our children are picking up dirty needles while playing. people are being held up at gun point. Your city is turning into the Wild West. Criminals no long fear law enforcement. No action will be taken against them.

    But I am very happy that you are taking action and holding 1,000’s of mummers accountable for the actions of two individuals.

    1. Joe, totally agree with you. This city has been run by Dems for over 50 years. There is no chance for any change. Mayors going back since Street have been trying to end the parade. First, with ending a finishing prize hoping this would deter the parade. Then changing the parade route many times, or was it the mummers themselves.
      Kenney won by a landslide in the last election, and Krasner won big time. What does every one think would happen? The voters deserves the outcome of their poor judgement. Cities goal is to eliminate the parade and it’s going to happen. If the Mummers can’t see this and act accordingly to save it, well so be it.
      I played in the bands for over 25 years and saw the decline of support from the city over the years. Keep voting Dems and live with it. Remember, their goal is to end the parade.
      Thanks, bless the mummers.

  6. HAPPY FRIDAY !!!
    Stu,
    I think you have a lot of nerve picking on poor old Mayor Jim Kenny. Give the kid a break. It’s not like he’s a rich man – YET ! He only makes a little over TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND plus perks. Heck, the city council barely gets by on their paltry salary ranging from about $115 to $150 THOUSAND +/- again plus perks AND, it’s only a part time job ! AND, it’s not like they get a pension or anything. WOOPSIE ! They get a great pension PLUS the famous DROP program. May I remind your readers that poor old Verna walked away with close to $700 thou ! John was second at about $500 THOU and right down the line .
    So boy and girls. How many more years of democrat control are you going to put up with ?!?
    Tony

  7. Mayor Kenney has lost touch with Philadelphia. He hides when anything bad happens in the city.

  8. Quite appropriate Stu. Mayor Kenney is a fool. I suggest the Mummers disregard Kenney and continue on as tey have for a century. If Kenney wants to cancel the parade, I say, “Try it, and see what you get”. Kenny makes Wilson Goode look like MLK Jr. and Abe Lincoln.

  9. Can we impeach Kenney and Krasner … the city would be a lot better off without them and by the way I haven’t heard one word from our new Chief of Police as the homicides keep happening … it’s disturbing

  10. Could we be experiencing, not just here in Philly with the social justice mania, but everywhere, the bitter fruits of liberation theology? Isn’t PC, also a factor, as well as diversification? Or maybe they are all the same things? Or part of the same thing? Just asking?

  11. I often write The Inquirer in response to opinions (which btw begin on page one….they call it analysis), on mostly political, that is; Trump. If social; Abortion.

    And on Jan 3rd I suggested, in gest, that the Mayor would respond by banding the club involved with the blackface issue next year, instead of the two involved…like, “throwing the baby out with the dish water.” How wrong I was!

    Knowing for sometime now my opinion will never fit the Inq’s criteria, I still write because each letter to them represents…who knows? Hundreds? Thousands? And I tell them that.

    Stu is right! Write them! In fact, deluge them with your opinion on what you think! If you follow their 150 word limit you are wasting your time. Don’t expect it to be published unless it leans to the left, or that it meets their minuscule quota of conservative opinion, If you’re lucky you will receive a form letter “acknowledgement of receipt.” That means diddly squat, except it will be read, therefore Objective Accomplished!

    Write your politicians with the same objective. They are all listening!!

  12. Love it Stu! We have been a Mummers Family since the mid 60’s. Now retired and still watch it here in S.C. That is some much B.S. There will always be a wild one of 2 in the parade of thousands. But the mayor better get his priorities straight! The murders in Philly overshadow a bit of a dust up with the parade. Miss you down here in Myrtle Beach Stu! Stay well and keep writing.

  13. Takes balls to stand up against the staus quo and create the policies needed to change
    . the citizens of this city need and deserve better leadership. Guess his got chopped off…….Stu…perhaps you can write an article about what happened to them

  14. let’s ban together and stand up and fight?
    We need to take back our city. Kenney has got to be impeached. The mummers ARE Philadelphia!! How dare he make it public that he may ban the mummers parade. That just takes the cake!! Let’s stand up and fight.

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