Day: September 23, 2023

Council Candidate Calls Out Delco Virtue Signaling; Why Is County Supporting Transitioning Kids? — A camera crew came to Delaware County (Pa) Council’s Sept. 20 meeting which was kind of strange as there was nothing particularly controversial on the agenda.

Well, there was item 7A which was a resolution condemning all forms of hateful behavior based on race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, disability or religion.

But is that really controversial today?

Anyway, the weirdness increased when a crew member place their own microphone at the podium. The event was being recorded by the county but it seems this group wanted to make sure they got it for themselves.

Whatever could they have been expecting?

The first speaker was Joy Schwartz, a Republican who is running for County Council, Nov. 7.

Did they know she would speak? How could they?

And did they expect her to rant bile like, well, a Democrat?

“You are absolutely right to condemn racism and bigotry and I join you in condemnation of its various forms,” Joy began. “It is vile to divide people into artificial categories with different standards of privilege and treatment. That is the essence of bigotry.”

She said the county was doing just that. She noted that council happily provided a holiday and raised a flag for a trans-activist but rebuffed her request for the raising of the historic Appeal to Heaven flag.

“Is that fair treatment or is that bigotry?” she asked. “It is interesting that the resolution mentions religion last on its list of protected classes.”

She continued:

There is something else I am puzzled about. You need to define “hateful behavior.” Is that thought, word or deed? Is it on social media?

Did Moses commit hateful behavior when he recorded the story of Sodom and Gomorrah?

Did St. Paul commit hateful behavior when he said that certain actions would prevent people from entering heaven?

Is calling out evil hateful behavior?

Is condemning the grooming of children hateful behavior?

Is acknowledgement of biological facts hateful behavior?

And what d0 you do when you observe hateful behavior? Will you go after the haters? Maybe ban them from making public comments?

And how would you gather examples of hateful behavior in order to do that? Would you be doing that through ZenCity AI software?

I also have a comment about Item 10V. The Rosetree Center for Healthy Sexuality. This LLC is encouraging gender transitions for minors and other practices that some would consider immoral.

Oh my goodness!! Did I say something hateful? Did I just commit hateful behavior? Am I going to be banned from public comments? Is this going to ruin my social credit score? I certainly hope not, because then I would have to say goodbye to the First Amendment and hello to the People’s Republic of Delco!”

If the plot with the extra mike was to make Joy look bad, it fizzled.

Council comments at the end of the meeting were strangely reasonable, even informative.

Councilwoman  Christine A. Reuther discussed a Children and Youth Services caseworker’s five-page report for August.

“I’m not going to read the whole thing,” she said. “It’s heartbreaking.

She said he was assigned 11 immediate response cases — which are the highest priority ones. Seven cases involved physical abuse of a child and came from hospitals or other mandated reporters. There was a case of a child fatality. There was a case involving the trafficking of a teenage immigrant from Honduras.

She also said there were three cases of children in high-risk-living conditions involving drugs and violence.

She said August is usually considered a slow month.

Coucilman Kevin M. Madden addressed a comment by Carris Kocher who said the way the American flag was displayed in violation of the flag code. Madden conceded that she was right, and that it be fixed.

 Coucilwoman Elaine Paul Schaefer defended free speech and said the antidote to bad speech is good speech.

A liquid natural gas (LNG) terminal being discussed for construction in Chester had been brought up in public comments by a city resident opposed to it.

Madden noted that council is also opposed.

This opposition makes as much sense as a Jed Clampett opposing an oil well. The world needs Pennsylvania’s natural gas and is willing to pay for it. Build the thing and make sure the people of Chester — and the rest of Delco — get their cut.

And no, Kevin, the people of Chester have not been subject to a history of “environmental racism.” When those polluting shipyards and factories were booming in the 1940s it was a mostly white city. And, don’t be so sure it’s going to stay majority Black. Check out the migration trends.

Are residents of Marcus Hook victims of “environmental racism?” How about those of Tinicum with all those low flying jetliners?

And in another matter Council approved acquiring by eminent domain three properties from unknown owners for the extension of the Chester Creek Trail. The acquisition would be a little more than a tenth of an acre.

Council Candidate Calls Out Delco Virtue Signaling