Steve Mayo: The American Constitution of Liberty - Envy of the World
Mayo contends that there is no basis for the assertions by Mayor Noam Bramson that the Gadsden Flag belongs to any private party or entity. The removal of the flag from the Armory is nothing more than the suppression of the First Amendment.
Steve Mayo is an attorney and businessman. He is the host of The Steve Mayo Show on WVOX. He was the Republican nominee for City Council District 6 in 2011.
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It is the Stars and Stripes, that among other things, symbolize the right for people in the USA to stand up for their rights and freedoms under the US Constitution.
The Gadsden Flag represents an insurrection against the UK Monarchy and Parliament, prior to the Declaration of Independence.
Our initially-unlawful 18th century civil war only justified itself as the American Revolution, via the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. By that time, the always-relatively obscure Gadsden Flag ceased to be used by the few small boats that had displayed it.
My father had a 90% VA Disability Pension from a landmine that blew up in his face in Germany, near Belgium, on Nov 22, 1944. I considered that a cursed day, even before JFK was assassinated on the same day 19 years later.
Although he greatly suffered throughout his life, Dad was lucky to have been injured a few weeks prior to the Battle of the Bulge, or perhaps he would have died in 1944.
Both his brothers also served in WW2, with his youngest brother Burt dying at 18, within months of his graduation from Albert Leonard HS, and within weeks of my Dad's injuries. My grandmother grieved that loss her whole life. I never met my Uncle Burt, but his name is on the plaque on NR City Hall's lawn.
I was available for the Draft, during Vietnam, but was lucky to get a good lottery number. But I've been friends with several Viet Vets, and every one of them was physically or mentally damaged by that fruitless war.
I probably have a lot more empathy for Vets than you are capable of.
I have no connection to any corruption in New Rochelle, and often complain about corruption, and poorly run government. I refuse to deal with the money side of politics, except for a small amount of money I sent to the Obama campaign and to the Democratic Congressional Caucus in 2008 and 2012.
My interests in politics is in issue advocacy and getting out the vote. I encourage all citizens to vote, as I believe in democracy.
Although I am very concerned about New Rochelle, NY State, and national issues, my main interests are in international relations, diplomacy, current events and history.
I tend to be ahead on the curve, regarding foreign policy, and believe most wars can and should be avoided.
There is nothing more empathetic to the military and Vets, than avoiding wars. Anyone advocating wars is a hypocrite if unwilling to fight in wars, which is one of the many reasons I have no respect for GW Bush and his puppetmaster, Dick Cheney.
As a long time (40 plus years) New Rochelle resident, I have waited patiently for this town to come back to what it should be. I am still waiting. Mayor Bramson, in my humble opinion has produced absolutely nothing of substance in his terms as Mayor, unless of course you consider bike lanes a major accomplishment.
More of the same from the prior administration, tax increases, cronyism and excuses.Zero meaningful development while towns around us are moving forward. Yonkers has Ridge Hill and an Apple Store, we have New Roc and Applebees. Let me say this, I am a life long democrat and I will not under any circumstance vote for Bramson for County Executive. He has produced nothing in New Rochelle and I have no reason to think that will change on the county level. Astorino has made a great effort to start moving this county in the right direction. Noam Bramson is not the answer to the problems the county faces, he is not even the answer to the problems that New Rochelle faces.
I am in no way employed by Noam Bramson or by Tim Idoni, nor by any public officer, nor by the government, nor by any politician.
It's obvious, that the Gadsden issue affects no more than 20 people in New Rochelle, and perhaps as many as 100 people in Westchester County.
So I don't know why you bother either. I assume that your idle ramblings are of a narcissist with little knowledge of the political perspectives of the vast majority of New Rochelle and Westchester voters.
Nor do you understand that the Gadsden Flag is meaningless to most of Westchester's Veterans.
The more you make of this absurd Gadsden Flag issue, the better it is for the Democrats.
nor have you ever been, or have any empathy for veterans.
You must be very, very, very close to the corruption in New Rochelle and work for Idoni II.
I guess you work for Idoni II and will benefit from him moving on up in corruption.
That figures.
Idoni I has now made sure that Idoni II will sit at his right hand, and Idoni II will make sure that the stupid citizens of New Rochelle vote in Idoni III.
So what's your point?
The shit sewer that is downtown New Rochelle will go on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on.........
You mean his pal Idoni made SURE he got the nomination?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
WHAT A SURPRISE!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey citizens of New Rochelle, don't forget to vote in Idoni III!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Noam Bramson is now one step closer to pushing his national sustainability plan which includes creating small, expensive apartments around transit hubs. His goal is to eliminate middle class America and kill the notion of single family home ownership. Only the upper class will be able to own homes and cars and live away from congested, noisy downtown areas.
His sustainability plan has done so much for New Rochelle and it bound to have similar effects on the County. It has driven up taxes, added fees, cut municipal services to the core, and broke the backs of middle class property owners who initially came to New Rochelle to enjoy a quiet suburban lifestyle. He is, and will continue to drive the middle class into the lower class and cause more and more people to depend on government services to survive. In short, he is looking to change America--this Agenda 21--the 21st century according to ICLEI
Lowey hasn't hired anyone who is anti-military, so there is no problem there.
It's obvious, that the Gadsden issue affects no more that 20 people in New Rochelle, and perhaps as many as 100 people in Westchester County.
So I don't know why you bother either, and assume that your idle ramblings are of a narcissist with little knowledge of the politics of the vast majority of New Rochelle and Westchester voters.
Nor do you understand that the Gadsden Flag is meaningless to most of Westchester's Veterans.
The more you make of this absurd Gadsden Flag issue, the better it is for the Democrats.
Instead of another term as Mayor, Noam will be elected County Executive this November, resulting in his resignation as Mayor.
So do expect a new Mayor in January 2014, with a special election following in November 2014, with a regular election in 2015, for the full City Council.
Congratulations, Noam Bramson, for receiving the Democratic nomination for Westchester County Executive.
I hope to see you elected to that position, in November.
but distracting the NR citizens who've allowed New Rochelle to become a sewer will do nicely until Idoni II has moved on and up to sit at the right hand of Idoni I and appointed Idoni III as his successor, courtesy of the NR citizens whom he will force to vote in, of course.
P.T. Barnum was SO right.
I'm so excited for this one, although it bugs me if I should join or not. Any theme will do right? Please let me know. I'm kinda interested. =)
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vote himself in?
Create a position of Uber Mayor aka Capo di tutti capi and vote himself in?
I'm sure if it's underhanded enough, he can do it............and the people of New Rochelle will sit by and let him.
Brian,
As Ken said, “The Flag is only a symptom not the issue”. If something isn’t done soon, the patient will not survive. We need to find the cure and that is to get back to following The City Charter as written. The City Charter like all prescriptions, the directions need to be followed to work properly. This is an illness that has developed over the years and needs to be treated first. So before we go trying to change our government, we need to correct the illness/problems first and get New Rochelle, The City Council and The City Staff a tonic of reality. Call out the National Guard, The Vets, The Governor and every person possible to fight this deadly disease of poor government before we have to bring out the paddles and it’s too late to bring The City of New Rochelle Back from the edges of death. Some have said we have already gone beyond that point, I don’t believe so. Let’s put the same effort into correcting the sickening ways of our current and past leadership, Mayors or City Managers. If this had been done sooner, some of the symptoms would not have gotten as bad. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Many of you have asked about Warren. He is not able to post any longer. The topic of The City Charter has been an ongoing conversation with us and others in the past. He recently sent this note to me and asked to send it out to you both, Brian and Ken.
A note from Warren:
I have been advocating returning to The City Charter for 2 years; demonstrating how a reading of Article 10 of the City Charter carefully set forth the roles, relationships and responsibilities of the ceremonial mayor, city council and city manager. clearly the city council has oversight (like a board of directors) and the ceremonial mayor can only exercise duties over and above those cited in the City Charter at the expressed will of the Council which would be a matter of record. No record exists.
It is important to note that (1) a strong mayor ballot initiative was voted down by the community on two separate occasions in the past two decades; a fact Brian well knows. And (2) the electorate has no power to elect a city manager. In addition, the payroll expenses for city exempt staff is enormous and this comes about through the high salaries paid Noam, chuck, Mr. BID, and others. In fairness, this did not originate with Noam, Idoni, probably others exercised non-Charter powers.
What amazes me to this day is that the minority never formally questioned this and I would venture that they have not given the proposition that they hoped to get elected and have the same powers. St Paul, who turned out to be a bluff, never brought this up.
The latest brouhaha over the Flag is a classic case of misplaced thinking. It is clearly not a first amendment case; it is one of property rights. The errors in judgment made by our elected officials is legion. Frankly, there should have been a scenario where the flag was taken down, returned to Parente, and I would have put up a Marine Corps and Naval flag(s) given what the Armory represented. I am amazed that a bright guy like Noam does not choose to think outside the box.
For your thinking process -- perhaps another referendum in the future might be called for regarding strong and weak mayor and if the results continue to reflect mayor, then this needs to be actualized in fact or the Charter has to be changed to reflect a new definition of weak mayor which I should think would call for the elimination of the position of city manager.
Good Luck to all,
Warren
So I say to Brian, Ken, all the other readers and poster, there is an urgent need to get the message across to The City Council and convince one brave soul on The City Council to bring forth The City Charter as a discussion item. The time is right to have the serious conversations necessary. The City of New Rochelle can’t carry on in its current state of poor and failing health for much longer. There is a cure, it’s not too late to get the help needed and bring back a stronger more vibrant New Rochelle for years to come.
“Common sense for the Common Good”
Noam Bramson will never get out of New Rochelle because of his strong ties to a corrupt developer and to a for profit college diploma mill Monroe College. It's nice to see Nita Lowey supporting him and telling everyone of Noam's ideals and strong beliefs. I guess he believes it's ok to use taxpayer money to rip off low income and immigrant first time college attendees. Under these auspices Noam believes in private for profit education where the institution's owners profit off of the public's tax coffers and the students get less of an education than they received in their high school. GIANT SCAM all for political donations. Where else could that happen besides New Rochelle, under Idoni and Bramson's watch? People go to jail for far less in this country.
You DO realize how long Idoni II has been in office?
And Idoni I before him?
Expect Idoni III to be voted in when Idoni II leaves.
Heed the warning.
You so funny.
"government authorities in charge of that governmental flag pole."
The same governmental flag pole that has not flow a flag for years, a flag pole that is on a property that has been neglected for years by the New Rochelle government!
"this is obviously a Property Rights issue"
The government authorities are also in charge of Armory
Bramson the puppeteer and his puppets all should go to jail for the crime of neglect of a Armory
One dollar was spent to buy it and now it's in such bad shape it will cost about a million to take it down and throw it away. The DA should take a look at the neglect and pack up the puppet show and throw them in jail.
Bramson will have to pay his boy Sherber on Grand Street a heap of money to clean up this avoidable mess.
actually there was a national interest in this story that was growing right until the tragedies in Boston you are right about one thing it was manufactured but by Bramson and co, thinking they could score points with democrats for silencing the evil tea party bogeyman of which does not exist in New Rochelle.
Secondly the Republican Party has had very little to do with this other than maybe a show of support here and there. lastly you may not have saw my other quote of Professor Quiggley the two party system you keep hyping is a lot of BS, it is precisely why our nation is in this mess and is what our founders hoped would never occur.
both parties are the same on anything important, the main differences are on social issues of little impact for the entire population, on war, monetary policy, civil rights they are both the same, they both favor expanding their own power at the expense of the liberty and wealth of the people. so you think the two party system is great huh? hows choosing the lesser of two evils been working out for ya?
I know you were made aware but the UVMPA-NR is chartered by New Rochelle City Council Resolution 92 to maintain all veterans Ceremonies, civic and patriotic duties that occur within the city of New Rochelle.
They have historically been given precedent to maintain various flags throughout the city including the Armory Flag pole. The Ceremony in which the Gadsden Flag was raised was an official and permitted ceremony.
As the pictures of last years memorial day prove, the UVMPA displayed the Gadsden Flag in the middle of the Band Shell, no one on the council or in the community Democrat or otherwise complained. it was impossible to miss as it was the center piece. Now they didn't ask for permission then, the Band Shell is public property. The Tea Part was well in existence.. Where were the Objections then?
Does the city council now want to micromanage everything the Vets are Chartered by law to do?
Don't you see that every day that goes by they and you look even more foolish and petty? Have you not noticed Democrats coming out and saying let the flag fly, its a flag of our nation and armed forces? Most recently Ken Jenkins and Phil Reisman?
As for your anyone can run up a flag even a confederate flag straw-man argument. no not anyone can, the UVMPA is a chartered organization that has historical precedent of maintaining that flag post, they were given permission to hold their ceremony, its not like they gathered out of no where and put up a flag and left.
Your argument is invalid because they are the only chartered group with that responsibility in the city, therefore they don't need , the council, the mayor , or your permission to hold their ceremony the way they see fit with a flag that they have precedent in using and that no one objected to as recently as a year ago. this is not the soviet republic of New Rochelle, you cannot manage every detail of people's lives, i know it drive your tolerant liberal mind crazy but sometimes you need to tolerate others too.