As a local pundit and former under-reported candidate myself, I found Robert York's editorial on the upcoming mayoral election promising. It's York's first editorial, and the first one the paper has printed in many years. I personally hope that he decides to make it a habit.
My first encounter with Mr. York occurred shortly after he assumed his new position at the Call. I appealed to him directly, after receiving resistance for my op-ed piece prior to the Wehr's Dam referendum. Although, he initially welcomed our dialogue, that hospitality ended abruptly, when he decided that some of my statements were disparaging towards his staff. From my side of the conversations, I never purported to be a diplomat, and consider my candor unique, even here in the blogosphere.
York's editorial stakes out what factors will be used by the paper in reporting the upcoming election. As the song says, I'm so vain, I like to think that my complaints about the 2005 coverage factored in his decision to go public.
My relationship with York and/or The Morning Call hasn't improved. He states in his piece that through print and digital that they reach more people than ever; I don't know about that, but I do know that this blog is on the Call's reading list.
Robert York is a jackass crony journalist...he canned the Eugene Ncduffie Bullying story.
ReplyDeleteI read the editorial, and it states they will be printing stories and ballots in Spanish.
ReplyDeleteIn order to vote in Pennsylvania you must be an American citizen. For citizenship there is an English and Civics test.
The Morning Call is addressing its self-importance as the designated town crier for all news in Allentown.
ReplyDeleteIt either fails or denies any other news sources for local news. And its opinions are presented also as facts.
This is why it's circulation has plummeted. It used to be a daily read, but I find it less and less relevant other than a headline service.
10:53 With regards to ballots in Spanish, clearly you don't realize that English-only is exclusive and racist ? We need to be an inclusive society and insure that no one is discriminated against due to a lack of English-language skills.
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Pawlowiski is from Chicago. The Democrats motto: Vote early, vote often. They have so much voter participation there that even entire cemeteries have been known to vote.
ReplyDeleteYes, the Naturalization exams are conducted in English, and the general rule is one must demonstrate an ability to read/write & speak English. However, as in all statues, the devil is in the details. There are age & residency duration exemptions, as well as other exemptions for illness/medications/yadda yada. And, the exams frequently only ask ten questions in each category, with six correct answers usually the passing grade.
ReplyDeleteA prominent feature of the "Reagan Amnesty" immigration era law was the desire to protect & provide access to citizenship to undocumented residents who had been here for a long time....hence age & domestic residency in the US was incorporated into the law. The same idea is part of the proposed "Dreamer" bills as the idea is that folks who have been here for years and become integrated into society (jobs/homes/education/family/military/etc., etc.) should be able to become citizens.
Hence, there are plenty of citizens whose English skills are marginal to virtually nonexistent and are eligible to vote in Penna. In fact, for certain exceptions, the exams can be conducted in the applicants native language.
Allentown is allowed by court degree to have translators in the voting booth. There supposedly is a segment of Puerto Ricans who are citizens, but cannot read English. Do these translators serve as coaches, encouraging such citizens how to vote?
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