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| As told to GA, the above complaints followed yesterday's "National Walk Out Day" event at City Hall. Council crybabies blamed Mayor Bhalla and Councilwoman Jabbour for "excluding" them from the open, advertised public event because they were not "directly" nor "officially" invited. GIVE ME A BREAK! |
If Hoboken politics are a soap opera, Hoboken City Council is Ravi's adult daycare.
Mayor "Daddy" Bhalla must tend to the fragile egos of Baby Jen, Baby Peter, Baby Tiffanie, Baby Ruben, and Baby DeFusco, who need constant validation that they are important. And special.
As special as Daddy.
What happens when Daddy Bhalla does not (accidentally or on purpose) stroke those delicate egos? Like not putting their names on an invitation to a public, City Hall event? The Babies whine, wail, or email members of the Hoboken Democratic Committee.
Here's what happened yesterday.
So, yesterday was National Walk Out Day, a nationwide protest against gun violence in American schools, that's been publicized for weeks. Hoboken schools participated as well.
As you know, Councilwoman Emily Jabbour founded the Hudson County Chapter of Moms Demand Action (MDA). MDA is a non-partisan organization founded by one mom after the Sandy Hook tragedy, and now has 4 million members. MDA's mission all about keeping American families safe, no matter what your political affiliation or Second Amendment beliefs.
Emily is deeply involved in MDA advocacy for gun safety and working in many areas, including lobbying for gun-safe legislation. She keeps her Moms Demand Advocacy separate from her political life in Hoboken.
However, at the City Council meeting that followed the Parkland shooting, Emily invited all Council members to support Moms Demand Action and to come to the new member meeting.
None of them came. None have shown interest.
So... Monday night Emily organized an ad hoc National Walk Out Day "Vigil" on the steps of City Hall. On Tuesday, the Mayor's office sent out a media advisory, which also went to ALL Council members. Jabbour also posted the information on Facebook sites (Moms Demand Action and Hoboken Mommies ).
If a single member of the City Council had interested in MDA, they would have seen the information posted on Facebook.
Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2018 7:00 PM
Subject: MEDIA ADVISORY: MAYOR RAVI S. BHALLA TO HOST A VIGIL OUTSIDE OF CITY HALL IN SUPPORT OF STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN NATIONAL SCHOOL WALKOUT
Subject: MEDIA ADVISORY: MAYOR RAVI S. BHALLA TO HOST A VIGIL OUTSIDE OF CITY HALL IN SUPPORT OF STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN NATIONAL SCHOOL WALKOUT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 13, 2018
MEDIA ADVISORY: MAYOR RAVI S. BHALLA TO HOST A VIGIL OUTSIDE OF CITY HALL IN SUPPORT OF STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN NATIONAL SCHOOL WALKOUT AND ANNOUNCING SIGNING ON TO MAYORS AGAINST ILLEGAL GUNS
Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla, joined by local students, elected officials, the Hoboken Public Schools Superintendent, anti-gun advocates and Hoboken residents, will host a vigil at Hoboken City Hall in support of students participating in the National School Walkout. In addition, Mayor Bhalla will announce that he has joined the National Advocacy Group, Mayors Against Illegal Guns.
Hoboken students will march in solidarity with students from across the country in a 17 minute walkout to commemorate and honor the students and teachers killed in the school in Parkland, Florida.
“Today students take the lead in the fight for reasonable gun laws in our country and I stand with Hoboken students and those across the country as we remember those who perished in what is sadly the latest school shooting,” said Bhalla. “It is imperative that students, local advocates, and elected officials make their voices heard when it comes to keeping our communities safe from gun violence, and that is why I have signed on to become a Mayor Against Illegal Guns.”
WHO:
Ravi S. Bhalla, Hoboken Mayor
Councilwoman Emily Jabbour
Freeholder Anthony L. Romano
Assemblywoman Annette Chaparro
Hoboken Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Christine Johnson
WHERE: Hoboken City Hall, 94 Washington Street, Hoboken, NJ
WHEN: Wednesday, March 14, 2018 at 10:00 a.m.
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| Hoboken Students speak out! |
So what happened?
Council members were upset! Instead of talking about the day's student activism in Hoboken, praising them, or how the Council might be able to raise gun safety awareness, all these babies could talk about was why their names weren't on the invitation!
And so, they dragged their egos, dragged politics, into a non-political event about safety for American students. They made this remarkable national day of protest about them.
Well, it wasn't about them, it was about safe schools.
Let's see one of them show interest in the gun safe movement instead of "official invitations" or feeling "excluded." For G-d's sake.
Ravi has a lot of diaper-changing for the next two years. Though, I would let them wallow in their...
Can I shed more light on this story? At the MDA meeting on Monday night, a local Hoboken grandpa shared about how the Parkland incident affected his family. He wanted to stand in solidarity with our local kids but was discouraged from standing near a school for security reasons. So he decided he would stand by City Hall. He contacted Emily and also encouraged the rest of us to join him. So... as of Monday night, this was something coming together on the fly and I imagine that it really came together during the day on Tuesday. Some of the moms even shared how their schools were still developing their own plans for the walk-out.
ReplyDeleteIt's disappointing to read these mock complaints. It's become complaining for the sake of complaining at CC. This was a positive event and it was all about the kids. It's sad that CC has to cast their negative spin on a moment when the kids' voices should be the most important.
Oh, thank you very much Funny Momster! That is a wonderful story.
DeleteQuite honestly, whenever they complain my first reaction is "what now?". They are like little kids who turn on that fake cry when they don't get their way. You know, the one kids can turn off and on like a light switch. I am long past the point where I disregard just about everything they say.
ReplyDeleteIf Bhalla wanted them to stay away from something, he'd only have to appoint them to a board or commission and they'll miss most meetings.
ReplyDeleteApropos of the image: "Politicians, like diapers, need to be changed frequently, and for the same reason".
ReplyDeleteMark Twain
I've come to believe that elected officials whose main goal is ego gratification are as toxic as elected officials whose main goal is to line their pockets.
ReplyDeleteThese people are walking, talking and whining advertisements for term limits.
It feels a bit anti-democratic (if people vote you in, they vote you in), but if I had to choose, I’d support term limits. Hoboken and every town has enough talented people to help serve as elected officials. For example, look at the 5th Ward. If Peter runs again, he would be running to serve 16 years. 16 years! What the heck has Peter done to merit 16 years of being on the City Council? That’s goofy on it’s face, even if he was Superman, which he’s not. To your point @numberscruncher it seems that he instead has devolved down to Mike Defusco style politics. I was hoping for better but being in office too long has made him, and Jen, and Tiffanie worse by the day, not better.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I think all of them are like Gollum in Lord of the Rings, holding on desparately to their “precious” and becoming a shell of themselves in the process.