Friday, April 15, 2016

Trump Night in Pittsburgh

  The Post- Gazette won't print an article, editorial, or letter with the word "Jagoff" in it. 
   David Schribman the editor in chief finds it offensive. Or possibly he finds it beneath his dignity. 
   A beloved term from our local dialect - a phrase possibly deriding someone as "a masturbator". (That word passes Schribman's muster I imagine.) Why give it the silent treatment? 
   I guess it would be similar to allowing the use of "intercourse" but not "fuck"? 
    Grandmothers might be upset. 
     Hell, mothers might be upset. 
     Someone please find me a mother or grandmother in the entire Greater Pittsburgh area who'd be upset by the word "jagoff".
   So it must be that the PG finds Jagoff beneath its dignity. 
     The same dignity that almost endorsed Donald Trump. 
    The same dignity that's pushed half of its veteran staff into early retirement. 
    The same dignity happy with the worst online homepage in the web's short history. 
    I'm kinda glad they told me they wouldn't print the piece below if I didn't excise my "jagoff". 
    When I looked up "letters@pg..." I shouldn't have pressed send. 
    And quite frankly folks, until the ownership of the paper leaves the hands of the blockish Blocks and the-where'd-responsible-journalism-go-Mr Robinson's none of us should press "spend" on the PGs pay site or elsewhere for its thinning content. 
   The time has come. 
    Let it and the Trib chase each other to the bottom. They deserve each other. The latter subsidized by a radical conservative billionaire and the former trying to sound like him. 
   Press delete. 
   I wrote this the night of the Trump rally in Pittsburgh and I should have printed it right then on this little blog. 
   Somehow I felt like Pittsburgh and its newspapers still co-habituated. 
   They don't folks. They don't. 
     Jagoffs. 
  There's been a lot said in the media about a new Pittsburgh. 
  How we're a cultural gem, a rust belt city reborn, a realtor's dirty secret, a foody Mecca, the best example of a new American Urbanism.
   What I saw last night, (a few nights ago) Trumps all of that. 
   Literally. 
   There was sound, there was fury, there were even a few punches thrown. But....
   I watched a number of people who should have been fighting shake hands. Take time. Reach out. 
   I watched a bearded college kid repeatedly approach the Trump supporters line along the convention center wall and ask,  "What matters most to you? Tell me." 
   He was never assaulted, he was never harassed. He talked to a massive guy in full Harley skins for quarter of an hour. 
   I watched three African American women talk for 20 minutes to a Persian CMU grad about what was missing from American government. He held
His hands up at one point and said, "Hey look I don't mean to offend you." They embraced when they parted.
  I watched a guy with half his head shaved carrying a "Dump Racost Sexist Trump" banner the size of a  flag for the 1st Air cavalry, speak to a man in a cowboy hat with the Virgin of Guadeloupe across his chest, quoting scripture - they never came to blows. 
  And I watched the city's police act with a kind of restraint and decency I can only say almost brought me to tears. 
   My point is: old or new, this is Pittsburgh. 
   We don't fit the national model of disdain, disharmony, and disunion. Thank God.
   We don't behave like jagoffs. Right or Left.
   We might get in fights but we don't hit each other without good reason. Usually. 
   So yes, there was anger,
 cruel words were thrown. But...
   I watched people, radical conservatives and radical democrats, both, who for good reason, believe they have been left behind by the powers that be, dispossessed. 
    Who believe their government has got to change.
   And I truly believe I saw them look at each other, across the divide under the David Lawrence Convention Center, and I think I saw them see themselves. 




24 comments:

  1. Ah,finally a more or less complimentary description of crowd behavior at a Trump rally!Refreshing!Kudos to the Pittsburghers and others who attended.I'm a mother from the other side of the world,never heard of the word jagoff,nor am I offended.Googling it,Pittsburgh and jagoff are quaintly tied at the hip.An equivalent word here comes to mind and I am still not offended. Blockish indeed!Good to see you back here.

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  2. As it should be! Leave it to the people of PA. Love it!

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  3. As it should be! Leave it to the people of PA. Love it!

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  4. Yep, freedom of speech is a huge issue these days (apparently not just in Germany). Personally, I sincerely hope, you'll continue to exercise your right to freedom of speech on this little blog.

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  5. You just confirmed what I have always believed. Salt-of-the-earth people live in Pittsburgh. Good honest, caring people. Good article, and nice blog.

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  6. Nice blog, glad to see ur still writing

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  7. Nice blog, glad to see ur still writing

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  8. Very nice blog. Well said there. I really liked how well you've written this. I'm a writer myself.

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    1. I'm on wordpress. When you get a chance to read it, Here is one you might like it's called "Love Story." https://ifollowmyheart34.wordpress.com/2011/12/

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  9. It is only in times of great discourse is our true humanity tested. In listening to opposing opinion and not abandoning our communicative skills for fisticuffs does our civilized society grow and flourish. All this I know, though it doesn't stop me from wanting to punch some people in the face. I'll try to use Pittsburgh as my example of how to argue without fighting...no promises.

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  10. Great to hear your views again. It's also refreshing to hear there are still places that people can voice their opinions by not hurting others. By voicing your thoughts, it helps dilute the politically engineered rubbish you find in papers.

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  11. Please contact me about hiring you to write. Looking to have 2 books...
    Baronessdebeckendorff@hotmail.com
    Thx

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  12. Oh, sorry! :D I´ve written a text the last week and it haven´t worked... I tried to write again.. So, I´ve written that it is nice to read something you´ve wrote. I am a big fan of ghost whisperer! Currently I am living in Europe and like to watch "strange" movies or series.

    Best wishes to a very handsome and nice guy!!!

    Pat

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  13. Well I think it's great that you got up close and personal with the whole Trump BS, but your opinions about it crack me up. Not too mention the whole thing about using words that offend people. In suprised using the word but doesn't offend someone. Even though it's used in an entirely different context. There is always going to be someone who is offended by something. Its crap. (hope that word doesn't offend, lol) We have come a long way for the right of free speech or freedom of the press just to end up almost right back where we started.

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  14. Lol so glad to see there are some very smart people in Pennsylvania!!! TRUMP WINS! Take that you crazy jagoffs!! I'M Loving it! It's time for a change, and not the same old crap! Change is good for the Heart and Soul

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  15. Lol so glad to see there are some very smart people in Pennsylvania!!! TRUMP WINS! Take that you crazy jagoffs!! I'M Loving it! It's time for a change, and not the same old crap! Change is good for the Heart and Soul

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  16. David … I just read your blog for the first time, so I read several of your pieces and quite enjoyed them. I will be reading more.

    I am Lynn McClelland and I worked on PR for the Wounded Hills: Students Against Gun Violence March on Saturday … We had P-G, Valley Mirror, KDKA, and WPXI/WPGH in attendance. Don’t know what happened to WTAE … maybe they were covering Ted Cruze in Monroeville ….

    First, I want to thank you for your participation. I regret not coming over to introduce myself when you were with Kelley and Kevin, but it was a day of excitement. I was also sorry to see (after the fact) that you were not given a moment to speak about the march (maybe that was your choice).

    I’m also the facilitator of Facebook page Turtle Creek Community Pride…which is a forum of POSITIVE info for and about our community …NO NEGATIVITY allowed. I would like to ask you a favor…. Would you consider writing a paragraph on your thoughts about the march and the ‘cause’ they have taken on. I want to try and bolster them up and encourage them to continue the good fight.

    If you would be so kind to write a paragraph, it would be posted on the Facebook page and also that of the Woodland Hills Academy. If you wish, you may post directly to the page or send me an email at TurtleCCPride@aol.com. Thank you again for your time and support. I hope to hear from you.

    P.S. I keep a ‘journal’ also … as I tend to ramble … and need to be able to ‘pare down’ my thoughts

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  17. Thank you. I love following your blog.

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  18. Waiting for your next blog, David. Wish to see you soon on the screens too. Lots of love!

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  19. Refreshing for some and questioning for others. You have a way with words. I find myself compelled to read what you write. Thank you for keeping it real and not editing your thoughts.

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  20. Hey DC, hit me up sometime soon. I'd love to see you and catch up. Same number. Call me brother, it would be good to see you.

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  21. Politics never an easy world. However, we did get to watch the best show put forth by both candidates.

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