Political People in Allentown PA

Hey everyone,

It’s strange to have a father in politics.  It’s an odd thing to know that one’s family member is out attempting to do good things as they see fit, and it’s weird to know that they are listened to on a fairly high level.  My father (Michael Donovan) is a democratic city councilman in Allentown, PA, which is something I couldn’t be prouder of.  He is a recent politician, specifically he always had interest in politics and took strong sides on political issues, but was never a politician.  He is a new face in Allentown, and a new voice, and that is something that scares many people, and excites even more.  Being the kind of politician that he is, my father wants to make sure that he hears as many people’s ideas an opinions as possible.  He wants to stay honest with the public, and he wants people to see what he is all about.  He does so by keeping a blog.  A blog, I might say, which is ranked #10 on a list of most influential political blogs in Pennsylvania.  (www.blognetnews.com)

This blog is a place where my father can tell people about what he is doing, as well as keep them updated on City Council matters and issues he is working through.  It is also an open forum for those who wish to post.  He openly asks people to be honest, and critique his work.  He asks people to grade him on how he’s doing, and was honest in saying that he gave himself a B- and pledged himself to working harder now that he has more experience.  (“This is a Test…” March 25th 2009)  He has been placed on many committees within the city, and from what I’ve seen has been doing what he feels is right, and has been listening to people while he does it.

His blog is the perfect example of the problem with the politically minded people today.  As my father’s blog is an open forum, people are allowed to post comments on his new material.  He is trusting enough to allow Anonymous posting as well, and these are the people who take the potshots.  It seems to have started with a man named Bernie O’Hare.  He was upset that a man had not been allowed to speak at a city meeting because he was running for council in the next election.  Apparently there is a rule that people who are running for office can not speak at these functions because it is free advertising for them.  (I am not 100% informed on this story, so if I am wrong people are more then welcome to comment and tell me as such.)  Mr. O’Hare was offended that someone’s voice has been silenced, because Mr. O’Hare’s belief seems to be that the 1st amendment freedom of speech is unbelievably important; incidentally this is something I agree wholeheartedly with Mr. O’Hare on.  The voicing of this opinion was exactly what my father had asked people to do.  Yes it was in opposition to my father’s stance.  Yes it attacked the stance my father took.  Yes it expressed outrage at the things my father has said.  It was relatively respectful, and well phrased, and anyone who says otherwise should look at it again without the glasses of being someone who hates Mr. O’Hare.  (Which I may add, many people on my father’s blog seem to.)  The problem with Mr. O’Hare’s post, had nothing to do with Mr. O’Hare at all.  It was the hacks who came next.  Democrats came out of the woodwork to protect my father and attack Mr. O’Hare on his opinion.  Most of these people are anonymous, something which is more offensive to the interchange of ideas than the insults that are thrown.  If you have something to say, do not hide behind an anonymous shield, make yourself heard.  One person responded with a name and a face, however.  “Chris Casey” responded first by asking people to “…not counter attack with snide assaults” but rather respond in a respectful manner.  Two posts down Mr. Casey called Mr. O’Hare a “stubborn mule.”  It gets worse from there.

At the beginning of this argument my father came out against Mr. O’Hare, something I think he should not have done, but it was done and he has learned from the experience.  Mr. Casey’s comment spurred a war, and my father’s blog became the wargrounds.  Fights were no longer waged about my father’s policies (which I may add, are probably not going to change, and arguing with someone probably won’t change their mind either, so people should just state their opinion so that it is recognized AND LEAVE IT ALONE) but rather were fought at each other.  Comments such as “ignore O’Hare, he is a cuckoo” and how my father has “attracted the O’Hare ‘Lynch Mob’ (Oh I’m half-kidding).”  This is not politics.  It is an attack on a man for voicing a belief.  I think Mr. O’Hare was in every right to proclaim opposition to my father, and I think under the current attack he is, he has been provoked into fighting back to defend himself.  I don’t agree with his manner, and he has adopted the name “Michael ‘Muzzles’ Donovan” to describe him on his own website. (Allentown City Council Votes to… April 2 2009)  This being said, I don’t believe he did this on his own accord.  The numerous hate messages posted in his direction on my father’s blog is in my opinion the main cause of this.  Mr. O’Hare did not single out my father because my father was the sole supporter in this incident.  He singled out my father because he was “the sole Allentown City Council member within easy reach…”  I think that alone speaks for my father as a politician, and even Mr. O’Hare would have to agree, the fact that my father was available to be berated speaks to my father as a politician for the people.  To do the same to other politicians would have involved secretary’s and minions.  My O’Hare was able to get directly to my father.  I would like it to be known that I agree with Mr. O’Hare on the decision to let the council nominee speak.  Open government is the way these councils are meant to meet, and Mr. O’Hare supported that.  I will note that when brought to a vote, my father sided with letting the council nominee speak as long as it was on old issues and not campaigning.  As Mr. O’Hare says, “When Lou got his three minutes at the podium, I’m pretty sure he was campaigning.  But it was a victory for open government.”  

But wait, there’s more.  Although I wanted this to be a post about my father as a politician, I wanted it to be about politics in general.  It is a great world, when my father can run a blog to collect ideas.  It is a great world when he can respond to them personally himself.  That is also a power which can not be abused.  Mr. O’Hare did his civic duty in voicing his opinion.  The people who came after Mr. O’Hare are political knee-breakers plain and simple, and Mr. O’Hare’s response, though childish and unprofessional, was not unwarranted under the circumstances.  My father called for an end to this hack show which was taking place, but that doesn’t stop the fact that it happened.  It is my firm belief that a blog of this kind should be held like a city council meeting is held in Allentown Pennsylvania.  Someone comes up to the podium, gets their 3 minutes of say, and then sits back down.  They don’t take questions, defend their thoughts, and attack the opposition.  If you are going to post on a political blog, make your voice heard and then stop talking.  It’s someone else’s turn at that point.

If you find it necessary to berate someone based on their beliefs.  The most important thing to remember is don’t.  No one will take you seriously later.  I think both my father and Mr. O’Hare can agree on that one.

~Ned Donovan