Posts Tagged ‘fitchburg’

Maybe I should miss these city counsel meetings more often…

Posted: March 17, 2010 by datechguy in internet/free speech, local stuff, opinion/news
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Because this time the zoning petition that was offered was passed onto the proper board rather than simply tabled:

Members of the Planning Board will have a turn to hear from those who oppose Planned Parenthood opening an office on Main Street, after the City Council referred a petition banning medical offices downtown to the Planning Board Tuesday night.

Several people, most of whom mentioned Planned Parenthood as the impetus for the petition, spoke in favor of such an amendment to the city’s zoning laws.

Normal procedure for any kind of zoning petition is to send such things to a planning board, in fact the general laws of the state demand it. The last time we were before the counsel the matter was tabled and not sent forward, this time armed with a lawyer’s letter stating what the law is, the counsel relented and the item was passed.

Joan Conroy said it best:

“The last time, most of you councilors knew we were green … so you withdrew the petition,” said Conroy, who added that city councilors should not cut off what she has to say.

“Whether you agree with me or not, you represent me and have a responsibility to listen to me,” Conroy said.

Of course this isn’t a final victory in the fight, but it was the first real win in what Stacy McCain called the Battle of Fitchburg so we are going to enjoy it for a day before preparing for the next fight.

Update: Much more info at the new Greater Fitchburg For Life Blog. Good idea starting a blog. I wonder what put that thought into their heads?

When One Protest is not enough

Posted: March 16, 2010 by datechguy in catholic, internet/free speech, opinion/news, short films/interviews
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It is rare enough for Fitchburg to have protests, It is even rarer for a group to have two protests in one day, but it is totally unheard of for Two different groups to be protesting two separate issues within a block of each other at the same time here.

The first of the two was the daily protest against Planned Parenthood’s attempt to open a clinic in Fitchburg. Ted Turner and his hearty band were once again standing tall. Every time I come down I see new faces but the message remains the same:

I’ve known Lorraine and her sister and her son for decades. I was surprised to see her.

Therese Cross comes down weekly to protest. she has no intention of giving up.

Ted spoke about the regular protests that have gone on since Feb 8th. He said it was a good experience and allowed him to meet a lot of good people. A new zoning resolution is going up before the city counsel tonight and he is hoping that regular order will be followed allowing the petition to pass to the zoning board without being blocked by the city counsel.

As for the tea party protesters down the block Turner and the rest of the regular group of protesters to a person expressed their support for their goals. When they left they expressed that support with a symphony of car horns.

Down the block I saw some familiar faces from the morning. Anne Andrews was there as was Michael Wertz. A local reporter showed up and asked a few questions, unfortunately for the group he left before the crowd reached its height.

I started my interviews with Kate Wirtz:

I never thought to ask if they were related. Joyce Jacobs talked to me as well.

Clark Straight had a perspective that most of the other people I talked to did not. Unlike everyone else I had met he was a long time activist who was active in Republican Political circles.

The big question is why now? We had smaller movements like Porkbusters during the Bush years but what has made the difference is? Ted Turner had one interesting thing to say. He suggested that the policies of President Obama lit a fire among the electorate. It motivated folks to get involved and an involved electorate is an informed one. You can’t have a healthy republic without one.

From what I’ve seen today, the republic is healthy indeed.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words…

Posted: March 16, 2010 by datechguy in internet/free speech, short films/interviews
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…well I think this comment left on my morning Tea Party post says a whole lot more about the gentleman who wrote it, (who I’ve met on a couple of occasions and I like actually) then about the people who he is asking it about.

Next time, please ask:
Is President Obama a secret Muslim?
Is President Obama a natural-born citizen?
Are you a fan of Sarah Palin?
How often do you watch Glenn Beck?
Who is your personal hero?

I think the answers to these questions would be more revealing.

After all you can’t oppose obamacare or be willing to protest without either being some kind of conspiracy theorist or supporting a pol or talk show host on the not approved list.

In case you are curious my own answers to those questions are available here.

You should check out his blog and podcast anyway so you can see where he is coming from.

Fitchburg AM tea party protest first report and pictures

Posted: March 16, 2010 by datechguy in internet/free speech, local stuff, opinion/news, short films/interviews
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Here are some quick images from the first of two tea party protests scheduled for today at Congressman John Olver’s office on Main Street

The people assembled were holding their signs and getting a fair amount of response from the drivers passing by. I only noticed one person giving a thumbs down while horn after horn was beeped in their favor.

I talked to people both on camera and off. Justin Brooks got involved in the movement in January mostly to find out for himself what was actually going on. He saw the negative spin in the media and the constant use of the …ism card, “race”-ism, “sex”-ism etc…etc…etc.

What he saw instead was average working people who were not at all what the media claimed to be. I met those people today and as I’ve seen over and over again they are the working class folk that was once the mainstay of the democratic party but feel that they are now being ignored.

Phillip Porter was first

His wife Arlene was very hesitant to go on camera, but she agreed in the end:

The Police asked the protesters to stay to the sidewalk and to be sure not to block parking spaces in front of Congressman Olver’s office, another officer swung by later. He said he had see the occasional protest maybe two a year in the 17 years he had been on the force. This was was no trouble, their main concern was to make sure that egress was not blocked for local businesses.

Jeff Wilson supported Scott Brown and he supports the tea party movement.

Michael Wertz had never protested before but he was protesting today

Some people passed by asking questions and some were interested. One man who worked at a local business had never seen any kind of protest like this (excepting the planned parenthood ones) in Fitchburg before. He also agreed that the health care bill was poor and if he was in congress would vote against it. Unlike the protesters he objected to the lack of a public option. He believed that house democrats should have the courage of their convictions.

When you are dealing with the most liberal congressman in the house it is unlikely that the protesters were going to change his mind, but they wanted to be sure that even if he didn’t change his mind that he was aware of how they felt. Anne Andrews put it best:

“We are tired of an out of control congress.” she said, she was tired of being taken for granted. “We are not dust in the wind!”

Update: Michelle and Robert Stacy are on top of the national stuff.

Update 2: Another Instalanche thanks muchly Glenn. Thanks for stopping by. Learn why Roger Maris is superior to Mitt Romeny, See why the president’s “courage” argument is bogus, learn the wisdom of the Barber Shop, and remember if you want your story told anywhere in the country I’ll do it for $1k plus expenses, “Have Fedora will Travel“

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