the day after
Wow. Just, wow.
I was real excited yesterday afternoon, watching Boston come to screeching halt. Not because I enjoy hysteria; no, I just kept telling myself ‘any minute now, they’ll figure it out and we’ll all have a good laugh’. Not so much, it seems. As Boston Mayor Tom Menino and AG Martha Coakley ramp up the state legal machine, it appears that nobody in the Boston or State Administrations, or even a fair number in the media have yet to realize THE ENTIRE COUNTRY IS LAUGHING AT US.
Even Mississippi.
What needs to happen and happen today, is for Governor Patrick to knuckle up, admit that podcasting aside his administration is really not that hip and start reeling in the Attorney General and Menino. With the possible exception of littering, no crime was committed in Boston when these signs were hung over two weeks ago. There was no “hoax”, there wasn’t even a “stunt”, just a real slick light-brite advertising campaign. Calling for Ted Turners head will not make the fact the city of Boston overreacted to the tune of half a million dollars go away. Neither will locking up a couple of local artists. The only thing that can fix this is a simple apology coming from the corner office and City Hall.
Being from Worcester, I’m supposed to be jealous of Boston; I believe it’s in Mass General Law that I be forever jealous of Boston, actually. Not today. Frankly I’m embarrassed to share the Commonwealth with the city. We’ve just watched the birthplace of the American revolution go from Orwellian, to Orson Wellsian, to straight up Cromwellian all within normal business hours and it’s not fun for this observer any more. A Mayor whining about not receiving a sympathy note hand delivered by Ted Turner himself, a Governor who doesn’t know the definition of “hoax” and local media outlets censoring a cartoon middle finger made of four LEDs. If ‘fire’ was indeed yelled in this crowded theater, it was yelled by city, state and federal employees. The only hoax, revolves around the Commonwealth trying it’s damnedest to convince me it’s capable of dealing with a real emergency. Clearly, it’s not. Hopefully, when the dust settles, all of us in-state will find that truth, much more disturbing than a poorly drawn cartoon alien recreated in LEDs.
With that, please take a minute to read the recently posted editorial at Bostons Weekly Dig. We’re moving into editor Joe Keohanes last week at the paper and more than a few of us consider yesterday to be the perfect parting gift to a guy who obviously loves Boston and has an uncanny ability to help us outsiders understand its short comings.
link
Comments
3 Responses to “the day after”
Leave a Reply
Dear Brendan:
It isn’t just Beantown that is overacting to everything. Remember all those ratcheting up of color codes prior to elections (and how they conveniently disappeared after the elections.) All of America seems to be busy being terrified of their shadows. As Karl knows (clearly pointed out by Goebbels in 1933) appealing to people’s insecurity and irrational fears is very profitable and powerful. Keep the natives scared and cowed and they can then be manipulated to your ends.
And as a former Worcesterite and as someone who lives in NYC, and was here on 9/11, I do admit that we here, are always amazed at the rest of the country and their reactions to a “Terra Threat.” We know what the reality is and in the face of the constant threat to our City we just keep on trucking. In 1993 and the attack on the WTC, and even on 9/11, we kept on trucking and the City did what it always does: Pull together! And I must say that we were not surprised when those in the “hinterlands” were amazed that we did.
Contrary to Karl’s theories, those of us in the “Messy Metropolis” are not as easily manipulated. Too much diversity of thought and too much of melting pot, I think.
Don’t be embarrassed, Beantown is just part of America.
Also, I want to say that Worcester has such a special place in my heart and should never be compared to Boston. I love the Mass General Law, what a hoot. As I have friends who work at the UM Medical Center, I take exception! How is Highland Street doing these days? Back in the day it was a hotbed of everything.
Thanks for your post and blog.
Tuli
i would like to say i SUSPECT that the marketing company in NYC had something to do with bomb hysteria.
Call it guerilla marketing.
I think that happened.
or, i should lay off the roaches.
where are all the articles on Niko