Lehigh Valley Somebody: JFK

Sunday, November 23, 2008

JFK

Yesterday was the 45th Anniversary of the assassination of JFK.

44 comments:

Anonymous said...: That Friday in 1963, mid-afternoon at St. Peter's Elementary School, the last class on the last day of the week, was always art class. Jimmy the janitor (who a few years later would fall to his death cleaning gutters at the rectory) heard the news on the radio. Art class was interrupted while the entire school, prompted by the principal over the intercom, recited prayers at our desks, the same desks we used to hide beneath during Cold War "air raid" drills. The Catholic parish, led by our Irish-Monsignor John Fallon, mourned.
A few days later, on Sunday morning, the 7-year-old ran into the dining room where his parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles gathered during their weekly Italian-clan after-church social ritual. "Oswald's been shot" cried the boy, who had been watching the black & white TV in the family room. The adults looked up from their coffee cake and admonished the boy, who was known for making tasteless jokes. The boy, who had watched history, had to convince the grownups it wasn't a joke.; Mon Nov 24, 07:21:00 AM 2008
Bill Villa said...: The two best books on the Kennedy assassination, in my opinion, are "Oswald's Tale" by Norman Mailer, and "Case Closed" by Gerald Posner.

The worst and most deceptive account of the Kennedy assassination is the movie "JFK" by Oliver Stone.; Mon Nov 24, 07:59:00 AM 2008
Bill Villa said...: Bob Jr., our experiences and remembrances of November 22, 1963 sound very similar. I was at the Cathedral of St. Catherine of Sienna elementary school in Allentown when news came over the intercom that "President Kennedy was gravely ill." A few minutes later the report was amended: "President Kennedy is dead." The next few days are etched in my memory as if they happened last weekend, as I'm sure they are etched in your memory too.; Mon Nov 24, 08:20:00 AM 2008
Angie Villa said...: Bob Jr,

Thanks for sharing.

BV Thanks too.

I wasn't born yet so I don't have a story. My mother was pregnant with my brother at the time. But I agree that Oliver Stone's movie is the worst account.; Mon Nov 24, 12:34:00 PM 2008
Bill Villa said...: I believe Oliver Stone did a great disservice to our nation and to generations of Americans who will mistake the retroactively admitted "dramatic license" Stone took in "JFK" as historical fact.

Like the majority of the conspiracy theorist writers (and there are hundreds of conspiracy theory books on the Kennedy assassination and I've read all of them), Stone constructed his version of "history" on item after item that had been de-bunked and disproved years ago by credible assassination scholars and researchers-- like building a house using broken and crushed bricks.

What makes Oliver Stone's "JFK" unique is that Stone found a way to slam EVERY single conspiracy theory ever dreamt up by ANYONE into his movie-- no matter how outlandish it was, and no matter how many times it had been previously disproved.

For over 30 years, no one believed in a Kennedy assassination conspiracy more than I did.

Until I read Mailer's and Posner's books.

Gerald Posner's breathtakingly precise book, "Case Closed," so upset a Kennedy assassination conspiracy world I believed existed, I read Posner's book three times, and listened to it on "books on tape" two more times, and communicated with Posner via e-mail-- mostly to thank him for bringing such comprehensive clarity to every question nagging assassination researchers since 1963.

Oswald did it. All by himself.

Case Closed. By Gerald Posner.; Mon Nov 24, 12:57:00 PM 2008
Bill Villa said...: Speaking of conspiracy theories:

I see The Morning Call has again rewarded local blogger Bernie O'Hare for his attack-dogging of me and my grieving family at his "Troll Parade" blog [http://trollparade.blogspot.com] with yet another "Blogger Tuesday" appearance in today's Morning Call.

And who said The Morning Call was dumb?

Dumb like a dissent-quashing fox, that is.

Since the inception of "Blogger Tuesday at The Morning Call," our local blogosphere's previously informative and healthy criticism of The Morning Call has vanished ...

and my previously welcomed and even championed Morning Call dissent has been effectively muzzled and quashed, as a handful of influential and ego-aquiver local bloggers have willingly sold out their integrity and credibility for the promise of a few more readers in The Morning Call's Forum venue.

These "Blogger Tuesday" bloggers are so mainstream media star-struck, and so compliant, they provide their blog content to the content-starved Morning Call for free.

But give the "newspaper" some credit.

"Blogger Tuesday" translates into Less Dissent and More Profit for the Morning Call in one slick move.

Like a lazy but crafty trapped rat, The Morning Call always figures out a way to escape accountability and continue underachieving.; Tue Nov 25, 03:26:00 PM 2008
Anonymous said...: I don't believe in a Kennedy assassination plot but I do believe in a Morning Call and D.A. Martin cover-up conspiracy, definitely.; Tue Nov 25, 05:04:00 PM 2008
Bill Villa said...: Anon 5:04, you may be pleased to learn that this case is very much OPEN. And ACTIVE. In the files of the proper authority. Stay tuned ...; Wed Nov 26, 09:52:00 AM 2008
Anonymous said...: I hope you can tag that grassy knoll sniper from Nazareth as well.; Wed Nov 26, 11:09:00 AM 2008
Bill Villa said...: (foo foo) and them three shifty hobos, oh geez don't get me started on Kennedy assassination double-entendres ...; Wed Nov 26, 11:30:00 AM 2008
Bill Villa said...: "Since the inception of "Blogger Tuesday at The Morning Call," our local blogosphere's previously informative and healthy criticism of The Morning Call has vanished ..." -Me

I can't help but notice: no one is disputing or countering my claim ...; Wed Nov 26, 11:44:00 AM 2008
Anonymous said...: they can't and won't because it's true. they'll just ignore your claim and hope it goes away before it gets too much traction. kind of like how the morning call editorial board handles you. they ignore you in hopes you'll just go away. don't.; Wed Nov 26, 12:43:00 PM 2008
Bill Villa said...: I won't. Ever. I'm like that.

When/where can we meet?; Wed Nov 26, 01:54:00 PM 2008
Anonymous said...: I can't help but notice: no one is disputing or countering my claim ... -villa

i can't help but notice that chris casey has already buried your claim in his "older posts" from um 3 days ago....a glenn kranzley suggestion possibly? Or do these blogger tuesday sellouts do these things intuitively?; Wed Nov 26, 02:13:00 PM 2008
Anonymous said...: wow your right; Wed Nov 26, 02:52:00 PM 2008
Bill Villa said...: Worth Repeating Department:

"Blogger Tuesday" translates into Less Dissent and More Profit for the Morning Call in one slick move.; Wed Nov 26, 03:45:00 PM 2008
Anonymous said...: How D-U-M-B are these Blogging Tuesday bloggers who are squashing Morning Call criticism like exterminators and handing over their columns and providing both loyal doggie services absolutely FREE?!

FOR WHAT? So they can see their pictures in the paper?! Big Whup. Or should I say BIG SHOT-ITIS because that's what this is, delusions of grandeur, pure and simple. It's sad.; Wed Nov 26, 04:01:00 PM 2008
Anonymous said...: One of them thinks he's Hemingway, another one thinks he's Robert Shapiro, one of them wants to be Mayor, and the ringleader is Jesus of Nazareth. These guys define delusions of grandeur.; Wed Nov 26, 04:20:00 PM 2008
Anonymous said...: Don't forget the one who fancies himself a cross between King Solomon and Gandhi :) his favorite song must be "Stuck In The Middle With You."; Wed Nov 26, 06:12:00 PM 2008
Bill Villa said...: :) thank you for paying attention. Have a good Thanksgiving.; Wed Nov 26, 09:39:00 PM 2008
Bill Villa said...: Oh and watch for a desperate "CYA" wave of "faux dissent" against The Morning Call to come crawling out of the primordial ooze at certain "Blogger Tuesday" blogger's blogs. In fact, there's a really fishy smell emanating already over at Mike's Nostalgia Korner ;) have a whiff (and a laugh) when you can ...; Thu Nov 27, 06:06:00 AM 2008
Anonymous said...: Omigod, I read it, "2009 Municipal Election," HYSTERICAL! And soooo transparent. In addition to that stinky odor of faux Morning Call dissent a-coming, check out the faux in-fighting! As if this crew doesn't breakfast together on a regular basis (and blog about it!) with or without Glenn Kranzley and cook up ways to keep Kontrol of their local blog universe. Priceless. Thanks for pointing this out as I don't usually read that blog (who does?). But now I will because I want to see when the college kid pipes-in parroting BO! Better than watching football today!; Thu Nov 27, 07:25:00 AM 2008
Anonymous said...: "Sadly," some in our local blogosphere are not yet "on" to these phonies. Or people find them amusing and miss the significance of their cozy ties to The Morning Call. This is actually very serious business. It's "1984, Big Brother" stuff. It's spooky really.

Joe The Banker; Thu Nov 27, 07:50:00 AM 2008
Anonymous said...: Mr. & Mrs. Dottie, thought you and your readers should know....I tried posting this comment this morning at the local blog "Molovinski on Allentown" for his column titled "2009 Municipal Election." In it, Mike Molovinski is alleging that Mayor Ed Pawlowski is abusing his position and "campaigning" by having his photograph on the cover of a city map that was sent to property owners in Allentown. It's a nice piece. I got one in the mail.

Molivinski squashed my reasonable question by not publishing it. Here it is:

Mike, semi-valid point, but isn't your picture adorning the masthead of "Valley Blogosphere" at The Morning Call's web site equally offensive? Or, one could think of it as "equal time" (re: Pawlowski), depending on how you look at it. And actually, it's not equal at all; you have a big advantage, since your picture is up at The Morning Call's web site every day, and the Mayor is not pictured there daily.; Thu Nov 27, 11:25:00 AM 2008
Bill Villa said...: "Joe," looks like anon 7:25 (right before you) is one of those people who is very much "on" to the "Blogger Tuesday at The Morning Call" phonies.

And I couldn't agree more with you that it is serious and spooky business how "Blogger Tuesday" ... and The Morning Call dissent attack dogs it has created ... has so changed our local blogosphere. It's why we're litigating.

------

Joshua T ... unless you want a daily battle with 4 or 5 bloggers who will dedicate their entire beings to harassing you, my advice to you would be to just not comment at that "Nostalgia Korner" blog and its accomplice-allied blogs. Cuz here's what'll happen otherwise.

* First, when they don't like your positions, or your attitude, they'll ignore you-- either by outright blocking/rejecting your comment or allowing it but ignoring it ... and that's the phase you're in now.

* Next, they'll start ganging up on you and shouting you down. If this doesn't get rid of you ...

* Next, they'll start publicly attributing lunatic rant or distasteful comments (that they write and post themselves) to you, and tell you publicly that, "sadly, you've just marginalized yourself, you now have no credibility, best to get lost."

* Next, after you do, in fact, get lost, for their own amusement, they will again publicly attribute loony or distasteful anonymous comments to you.

* Next, when you show up to defend yourself, they will again gang-tackle you, and this time, go after your wife, kids, your occupation, and especially you, with a vile tirade of baiting and personal insults that will make you wanna spit.

* Next, they'll "Disable Comments" so you can't fight back or defend yourself. But they'll let each other in past "Comments Disabled," to sucker punch you.

* Next, if you refuse to go away, they'll launch a custom blog about you for the purpose of baiting, taunting, mocking, and harassing you.

* Mine is located here ...

> http://trollparade.blogspot.com

* Next, if you fight back, they'll file a Private Criminal Complaint against you that charges you with harassing them.

Special Note: the entire blogosphere will know exactly what these phonies are doing to you ...

but no one will "step up" and defend you in any meaningful, or committed, way.

Not other bloggers, not elected officials, nobody.

Just so you know ...; Fri Nov 28, 10:41:00 AM 2008
Angie Villa said...: Worth Repeating Department:

The M.O. of O'Hare and his buddies is to taunt and provoke and twist and lie, to the point where victims are forced to defend themselves, and then he accuses the victim of harassment when he/she tries to set the record straight. We are guilty only of the crime of standing up for ourselves.

I have been depicted as a "grant seeking Stepford wife" with a chip in my brain, a phony artist, a bad mother, having my head up my ass, and many more vile things said to me in e-mails and at the Troll Parade blog. It is hard to ignore constant taunting, not just from O'Hare but from other misinformed and hateful bloggers like Scott Armstrong and Mike Molovinsky who cross-polinate the twisted lies of O'Hare at their blogs.

You can look at my record, and my reputation in the community. I am a teacher, a dedicated wife and mother, and a community activist and volunteer.

Bernie O'Hare is a disbarred attorney.

I am doing positive things for Allentown.

And my husband has been gallantly fighting a crony crooked local justice/media system and beating the bastards but good.

Bernie O'Hare is a disgrace. If he continues to be allowed to make up lies about me and my family, how can any intelligent person believe him to have any credibility at all on any subject? He is a cruel and evil man, and he has fooled a lot of people, and that is truly sad for our local blogosphere.; Fri Nov 28, 11:11:00 AM 2008
Anonymous said...: Greetings, I still need more information.; Fri Nov 28, 12:09:00 PM 2008
Anonymous said...: Mr. Villa, may I contact you "back channel" email or phone?; Sat Nov 29, 09:04:00 AM 2008
Bill Villa said...: Sure "JT," see "Contact" at The Villas web site ...

www.villasongs.com

... and buy a Villas CD or two while you're up there, they make for a wonderful and thoughtful Holiday Gift.; Sat Nov 29, 09:19:00 AM 2008
Bill Villa said...: Wanna see Bernie O'Hare in real-time action?

Check out his "Happy Festivus" post from Saturday 11/29 and the comments-in-progress.

This is O'Hare's (and Molovinsky's) specialty: baiting provocation.

Show up and defend yourself and you'll be charged with harassment. Of them.

These evil blog monsters must be stopped.

And I, enthusiastically, volunteer for the assignment.

Regardless of the cost.

One can always make more money.

Rectifying all the time my grieving family and I have been tortured by O'Hare and his buddies ... priceless.; Mon Dec 01, 08:09:00 AM 2008
Bill Villa said...: I'd like to see a Morning Call feature entitled:

"The Christmas Trees of The 'Blogger Tuesday' Bloggers."

Think of the clever ornaments we'd see hanging from these trees.

* Molovinsky's tree would be adorned with photos of Mayor Pawlowski being dragged down Hamilton Street by rampaging reindeer with rabies

* O'Hare's tree would have those new Video Christmas Balls with Sam Bennett's "Meltdown" playing on a continuous loop

* Casey's tree would include an elaborate manger display with the real Glenn Kranzley playing the Son of God

* Donovan's tree would be just the tree stand (he couldn't decide which tree to put up)

* Attorney (for now) Dave Najarian's tree would be POOFED real soon after being launched

... and so forth ...; Mon Dec 01, 10:14:00 AM 2008
Anonymous said...: A-M-A-Z-I-N-G

that you can keep your excellent sense of humor intact through all this.; Mon Dec 01, 01:28:00 PM 2008
Bill Villa said...: Thanks foo foo, I owe it all to my spiritual advisor, "Father Alex" ...; Mon Dec 01, 04:07:00 PM 2008
Anonymous said...: I'm peeing myself, that Christmas tree list is so funny :); Mon Dec 01, 08:24:00 PM 2008
Anonymous said...: glenn kranzley would never settle for playing the son of god.; Mon Dec 01, 08:52:00 PM 2008
Bill Villa said...: Hello Dali! Stay dry!

mc judas, good one.

"Since the inception of "Blogger Tuesday at The Morning Call," our local blogosphere's previously informative and healthy criticism of The Morning Call has vanished ..." -Me

I can't help but notice: no one, and I mean no one, is disputing or countering my claim ...; Mon Dec 01, 09:02:00 PM 2008
Chris Casey said...: Bill, I would like to point out that I will never put a manger in my yard, under the tree. My family history precludes it. And I don't see Glenn as the son of God. maybe the angel gabriel, bringing the good news, but not the son of God!

Now Santa is watching, and please try and be nice, or it's coal in your stocking, young man!; Tue Dec 02, 09:48:00 AM 2008
Bill Villa said...: "I ... see Glenn [Kranzley] ... as the angel gabriel, bringing the good news ..." -Selected/Honored "Blogger Tuesday at The Morning Call" blogger, Chris Casey

Aw, Chris! That's so sweet!

I sure hope Morning Call Agenda Framer and Opinions Gatekeeper (and "Blogger Tuesday" creator) Glenn Kranzley reads this blog and sees your really touching praise of him.

Did you know that I'm still in almost daily "contact" with Mr. Kranzley and his Morning Call Editorial Board. Yep. But sadly, he never delivers me any "good news."

Coincidentally, I just e-mailed the "Angel Gabriel" a little while ago.

It went like this (for the 212th time) and who knows, maybe I'll get my "good news" this time ...

Subj: "Welcome Mat" Meeting Request #212

Dear Morning Call Editorial Board:

My name is Bill Villa.

I'm 54 years old, a lifelong resident of Allentown, and a 30+ year subscriber to The Morning Call.

I have reason to believe Lehigh County District Attorney James B. Martin is soft on select/connected drunk drivers who kill people.

Even more troubling, I have reason to believe The Morning Call news department facilitates Mr. Martin going easy on select/connected homicidal drunk drivers by way of the information it chooses to include--and not include--in its coverage of these criminal cases.

My only daughter Sheena was killed by a drunk driver on her 25th birthday, March 24, 2006.

Sheena's convicted killer is the son of a prominent local attorney whose law firm has represented The Morning Call for many years.

Numerous members of this law firm have been generous and regular contributors to the Committee to Elect Jim Martin, according to public records at Lehigh County Voter Registration.

During the criminal proceedings against Sheena's killer, I was disappointed and distressed by what I perceived to be a purposefully unenthusiastic prosecution by DA Jim Martin and news coverage by The Morning Call that was slanted in favor of the criminal defendant's family -- especially toward the conclusion of the criminal proceedings.

I respectfully request a meeting with The Morning Call Editorial Board to discuss my concerns regarding the newspaper's coverage of my daughter Sheena's case.

I want to be heard by you on this topic.

And The Morning Call Editorial Board's "welcome mat always is out for those who want to be heard." -mcall.com

Additionally, I would like to discuss The Morning Call's coverage of a 2003 vehicular crash death and the soft outcome for the criminal defendant in this case.

And finally, I would like to discuss a September 2007 DUI homicide case, including ...

* the surprisingly soft outcome for a criminal defendant who had received a 2nd DUI after having committed vehicular homicide while DUI

* the relationship between DA Jim Martin and the criminal defendant's grandfather who was an invited guest at Mr. Martin's January 2008 swearing-in ceremony

* the "excellent questions that deserve to be answered" (your own Investigations Editor Tim Darragh's words) that I have raised regarding this DUI homicide case

Quoting from your web site ...

"... the [Morning Call Editorial] board intends to be as open with readers as possible. It meets regularly -- a few times every week -- with people and groups about topics of public interest. The Lehigh Valley area is blessed to have public-spirited citizens who recognize that the newspaper is a corporate citizen that strives to be engaged in the debate on such issues, and that tries to offer leadership. The welcome mat always is out for those who want to be heard." -www.mcall.com

This is my 212th request for a "Welcome Mat" meeting with The Morning Call Editorial Board.

I request that you honor it, and my daughter Sheena, by booking a meeting with me.

I look forward to hearing from you and scheduling a date and time to meet with the 5-member Morning Call Editorial Board.

Sheena's Dad
Bill Villa; Tue Dec 02, 11:43:00 AM 2008
Bill Villa said...: Worth Repeating Department:

99% of local blogosphere dissent against The Morning Call has disappeared since the inception of "Blogger Tuesday at The Morning Call."; Tue Dec 02, 04:28:00 PM 2008
Anonymous said...: "Blogger Tuesday" = Less Dissent + More Profit for the Morning Call in one slick move.; Wed Dec 03, 12:25:00 PM 2008
Chris Casey said...: Gee Bill, what can I say? Guess I'm a sellout. Would it really matter? I doubt it. I know what it is like to be antagonized, and I know what it is like to look at a situation and feel powerless.
But I also know what it is to use what power I do have to take control of what I can.
We always have a choice, and it's still not too late to change direction.; Wed Dec 03, 12:31:00 PM 2008
Bill Villa said...: "Gee Bill, what can I say? Guess I'm a sellout." -Chris Casey

Thank you, Chris, I respect your honesty.

"Would it really matter? I doubt it." -Chris Casey

I think it matters a lot. A local blogosphere could and should be an effective venue for exposing and ousting bad guys-- proven bad guys like Jim Martin and Glenn Kranzley. But when the blogosphere sells out and becomes a tool for the bad guys--and that tool is a hammer that's being used to hit me over the head with so I shut up--it's a really bad thing.

It matters to me very much what all this selling out means.

It means that people like me won't have a forum for exposing and ousting bad guys.

And it means that another proven bad guy, Morning Call Blogging Consultant Bernie O'Hare O'Mcall will be deciding, exclusively, who the bad guys are.

"I know what it is like to be antagonized, and I know what it is like to look at a situation and feel powerless." -Chris Casey

FYI, I don't feel powerless at all. I feel more powerful than ever. I am rested and ready for the legal fight of O'Hare's, Molovinsky's, and Najarian's pathetic lives.

"But I also know what it is to use what power I do have to take control of what I can. We always have a choice, and it's still not too late to change direction." -Chris Casey

Thanks for commenting here, Chris. That took some courage; courage the other 4 influential blogger sellouts don't have.

My course is set.; Wed Dec 03, 04:14:00 PM 2008
Bill Villa said...: Attention Bad Guys Jim Martin & Glenn Kranzley:

My main focus is still ousting you two off of your respective thrones and onto your ample derrieres where you both belong.

Sadly, your "Blogger Tuesday" hired guns have slowed me up only temporarily.

Run.; Wed Dec 03, 06:52:00 PM 2008
Bill Villa said...: "I know what it is like to be antagonized" -Chris Casey

To Whom It May Concern:

Bernie O'Hare O'Mcall continues to engage in the same deceitful tactics that started our 'blog war' in the first place back on August 1.

Namely, he's telling his readers that he has just deleted offensive anonymous comments posted by "Bill Villa who is not welcome here." He's doing it at his post on Jolly Joe Timmer.

I wasn't anywhere near his blog or that post.; Thu Dec 04, 07:41:00 AM 2008

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Read all about it. Intertwined Stories: Disbarred lawyer/blogger Bernie O'Hare gets his ass sued by The Villas. O'Hare and Wind Gap District Magistrate Adrianne L. Masut lose to Bill Villa (quickly) in Northampton County Court. Attorney (for now) David C. Najarian (Lynn Township Superviser), Slatington District Magistrate Rod Beck, DA Jim Martin, and PA State Attorney General Tom Corbett all lose to Bill Villa resoundingly in Lehigh County Magisterial District Court Complicit Local Media "Interest"