Aug 4, 2012

The Sign Of Hypocrisy

Very early this morning I was amused by the article in The Morning Call speaking of something new coming to downtown Allentown, a electronic billboard. I thought I had put the soon to be demolished Monument Building to rest, but now it features in yet another story of Allentown's double standards. Before the Mayor forced the owner to lock the doors, he had installed the exact type of new billboard coming to Allentown. I apparently was not the only one shaking my head over this story. Before 7:00AM I received the following comment.
  In regards to the future digital billboards: The sad part is that a business man had this same idea and placed a beautiful sign on the side of the 645 Hamilton Street building only to have ut turned off due to City politics.. Everything that is being thought of as new and innovative was proposed and DONE by individuals 6-10 years ago who took it "upon themselves" to make Allentown a better City. Unfortunately, we received no support so many have left or became apathetic... SMH Alfonso Todd
There is actually a proud tradition of signs in center square.  For many years during the golden era a large illuminated Neuweiler Beer sign stood atop the Whelan Drugstore, on the northwest corner.  Back to the hapless Monument owner and his innovative sign.  The sign was up for a number of months and being tolerated by the city, until one faithful day.  As a favor to the coffee shop owner,  the sign company programmed an ad for Lou Hershman running for office, just as Mayor Pawlowski was walking down the street.  The Mayor blew his fuse, and the sign shortly thereafter, when the city threw every sign law on the book at the owner.

 The billboard is actually still mounted to the building, as a testament to this hypocrisy.   Is it the same billboard firm now hired by the city to place billboards on certain streets, including N. 7th? I'll leave some meat on the bone for the paper to discover, when they adopt this story.
photocredit:molovinsky

7 comments:

  1. Sad. The mayor fails to realize Allentown does not exist to entertain his irratic and impetus whims or that of his "friends" of convenience.

    Acts as if he never left middle school and therefore lacks the maturity and compassion to make genuinely measured, thoughtful and creative decisions to address the real issues in Allentown.

    Everything is reactionary and from the hip. Whatever seems good in the moment is what composes his creative, or better still totally un-creative vision.

    It is never about building anything with moral and economic sustenance, just about creating noise and entertaining the goombas.

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  2. It has been said, one could polish a terd all it wants in the end it is still a terd! Put any face you want to it the behavior of allentowns politics is in the crapper and the king is the flush handle.

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  3. i can assure everyone that the mayor doe not appreciate my criticism, but please understand that i was there, present my impressions, and sign my name. other people who wish to comment should limit their remarks to issues and not any person, such as the mayor, unless they're prepared to sign their name.

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  4. Thanks, MM, for publishing my comments and utilizing them for this article. I WAS THERE, "back in the day", and know exactly how it feels to get caught up and lose everything due to politics, even though it's through no fault of your own..

    Alfonso Todd

    www.alfonsotodd.com

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  5. Placing one of these new digital billboards at the corner of Lehigh and Vultee may be considered inappropriate. There is heavy pedestrian traffic at this corner and the Mack South Fire Station's front entrance is feet away. Shouldn't our city focus on the safety of our firefighters and residents before the temptation of a few dollars?

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  6. Imagine Allentown's mayor checked out state and federal digital message board regulations.

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  7. "...entertaing the 'goombas'"? I believe Anon 7:09 chose a word he didn't intend. Heck, all us 'goobas' have fled Allentown.

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