Democracy In Albany

Moving Forward

By DIA, Section News
Posted on Sun Sep 06, 2009 at 05:36:38 AM EST

"The only ones I want calling me 'Mister' are niggers and Jews." Dan O'Connell, architect of the Albany Democratic Machine (1963)

"This wasn't just some spook that was killed." Alleged remarks of Albany Police Chief James Tuffey. (2009)

"I'm moving forward" Mayor Jerry Jennings referring to his lack of investigation of Tuffey's remarks and his disinterest in investigating if they were true.

I'm not sure "moving forward" is the right term here.

We have a choice Albany. It is very clear. If you truly want to move forward, you vote for Corey Ellis for Mayor. If you want to embrace the legacy of Dan O'Connell and those who still long for the days of open racism, you vote for Jerry Jennings.

< Lebrun | Ellis Debate Video >

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Moving Forward | 13 comments (13 topical, 0 hidden)

"Squeal like a pig!!!" (none / 0) (#1)
by AlbanyCommonSense on Sun Sep 06, 2009 at 05:19:25 PM EST

This is an old story of the democrat party, a bunch of closet racists with good minded visible people up front. What kills me about the party is that they come together every four years at the convention and love each other. Ask Corey how West Virginia Dems "loved" Obama.

Assuming Tuffey did say it and that someone else didn't make it up to benefit Ellitist, that is nothing more than "good all fashion Jew hating talk" (From Schindler's List). Just replace Jew with Spook. Ahhhh, the machine you all loved!!!!

So what are good dems gonna do? What they always do, blame reps for their own sins and help these dueling banjos fuckheads get into power. Happy Dems holding hands!!!!

Seems that both you and Jerry are beginning... (none / 0) (#2)
by Jim Travers on Sun Sep 06, 2009 at 10:07:47 PM EST

to pucker-up both orfices of your alimentary canal, eh, ACS. The primary's a week away... all that clenching must be quite stressful.

"This is an old story of the democrat party, a bunch of closet racists with good minded visible people up front."

Hardly in the closet. As Tuffey's words and Jennings lack of action in 16 years proves.

"Spooks" are spectral, immaterial non- human 'things' and to be ignored if encountered.

Hard to improve a neighborhood when you believe its 'immaterial'.

"...A bunch of closet racists..." Yes, you Republicans do like your racism, and wear it proudly and openly for all to see.

But you've said you're African American, you poor confused fellow. Listen to Rush much?
Infatuated with Coulter, are you?

Yes, "good minded visable people up front." The truest comment you've made about Corey to date.

Message to America from the Racist Republican Regime: We Don't Really Care About Improving Race Relations

And for some more good ol' boy right- wing racism:

Return of the Militias

I think we both agree, sorta (none / 0) (#3)
by AlbanyCommonSense on Mon Sep 07, 2009 at 10:00:30 AM EST

First, if you are going to make a case please don't post links from two anti republican orgs. I am not defending reps, I have always said (even here) that the dems hate people of color and reps ignore us.

The dems was the pro slavery party, created the KKK after the civil war to prevent free black citizens(another accomplishment of the reps) from voting (another accomplishment of the reps). The civil rights bill of the 60's was opposed by dems (including Al Gore's dad) and passed by reps (fact not opinion) not to mention that great segregationist Strom Thurman ran for president as a Dem on a platform of segration. Who better to kick civil rights than a Donkey!!! Thats why the Dems logo always shows a donkey kicking something. But to be fair, the GOPs elephant is just standing there doing nothing.

Lets not forget the dem candidate in oklahoma who did an ad calling JC Watts a monkey (1994). Oh and Al Gore Jr saying in Harlem that he wants the civil right record of his dad, you know, the one that voted against the civil rights bill.

My beef with reps is that they make these liberties possible and then don't make sure those rights are protected. Also historical fact.

How can a KKK leader, Democrat Robert Byrd, still go to a dem convention and be welcomed by the same people who believe in Jesse Jackson and Ted Kennedy?

Oh, lets not forget the leader of the Anti Gay movement DEMOCRATIC senator of Georgia Sam Nunn. Reps got a lot of crap for stuff Nunn said.

No party in this country is sqeaky clean but unlike most ignoramuses I place the blame where it should go, not just one side.

I was a dem and almost registered as a rep. i guess being a blank makes me a political spook?

When it comes to the party and Corey, I hope more coreys rise and drive the racists of the party into the sea. I want the whole country to do it.

[ Parent ]

ACS (none / 0) (#4)
by Albany Cit on Mon Sep 07, 2009 at 01:26:38 PM EST

I agree "No party in this country is squeaky clean", and I also agree with some of the examples you gave, but you can't use slavery as an example. Anyone who knows their political history knows that the Republicans of that time ended up evolving into roughly the Democrats of this time, and vice versa. Political parties evolve over time, so it's not fair to group the Democratic Party of Lincoln's time with the Democratic Party of our time.

Each party has had its run ins with racism, but people of either party should not be put into a category on issues with racism based on their party affiliation. It's the individuals, and not the party as a whole that produce the racist views that still exist today.

[ Parent ]

: Good points! (none / 0) (#12)
by AlbanyCommonSense on Wed Sep 09, 2009 at 11:19:41 AM EST

Except, I am not sure those rep evolved into the dems. Nevertheless, african americans were predominantly rep for about 100 years and changed because reps sat on their asses in the 60's.
When I spoke about the decent front face of the dem party I was talking about LBJ sending in troops to force fellow dems to grant the rights that african-american were entitiled to.
I am a huge believer in blaming all involved not just one side. But I heard this racist crap growing up in Brooklyn and I can't believe we are still blaming one party for the sins of both.
I believe that there is no place for racism in any party and that's all there is to it. But if you accept it in your own party and loudly blame the other, how are you helping? You are not!!!!

[ Parent ]

ACS (none / 0) (#5)
by albany layman on Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 06:39:02 AM EST

I see that you have decided to go full-on with the internet troll behavior.

Any time I see a reference on the internets to Senator Byrd and the KKK, I know that I'm reading a troll. And when I read a reference to Byrd on a blog about Albany politics, I know that I am reading an out-of-place troll.

Isn't there some other activity you could be doing? Have you pulled up all the Ellis signs that you can?

: Not this time. (none / 0) (#6)
by AlfredMoisiu on Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 09:36:23 AM EST

Normally, I'd agree with you that bringing up Sen. Byrd and his 1940's and 50's KKK affiliation is out of place trolling here. But since DIA sets the agenda here, and he/she chose to draw analogies to the present with 46 year old quotes from people who have been dead for 30+ years, I'd say what Robert Byrd did as late as 1952 is as relevant as what Dan O'Connell said in 1963.
If you study Senator Byrd's role in shaping many aspects of law pertaining to social services in the early 60's and contrast that with his personal feelings and affiliations around that time, it might illuminate the origins of some of our current social problems.

[ Parent ]
: Pricked my fingers (none / 0) (#11)
by AlbanyCommonSense on Wed Sep 09, 2009 at 11:09:05 AM EST

AL, I got the signs out but where should I put the little American Flags he placed around his signs? The Tanfather told me to ask you.

[ Parent ]

ACS, AM, you are both... (none / 0) (#7)
by Jim Travers on Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 10:50:58 AM EST

Byrd brains!

AM you are reaching to draw Byrd into a comparison with DIA's demonstration that here in Albany some things haven't changed all that much in 46 years, that racism as expressed in 1963 by Dan O'Connell was mirrored by that of Chief Tuffy in 2008.

Gosh, AM why don't you guys blame the slavers if you want to "illuminate the origins of some of our current social problems?" Or maybe you could go back a generation further and blame their parents for birthing them?

Who profited then and who profits now by keeping the status quo?

Those who then felt and those today who feel certain humans different than themselves exist solely for their exploitation. And when those being exploited begin to get "uppity', they felt and still feel it was, is their job to put them in their place to remind them who's in control.

The situation in Albany today has nothing at all in common with Byrd other than the racism he and Dan O'Connell's expoused is still prevalent in Albany today, as demonstrated by our late chief of police.

Blaming social service policies for our current situation is a distraction from the issue. And the issue is racism in Albany is alive and thriving in 2009.

: Not a distraction at all (none / 0) (#9)
by AlfredMoisiu on Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 03:11:21 PM EST

I wouldn't use the slavers as an example, because the effects of poorly conceived policy extended to all of the poor, especially the working poor.
Scumbags like Byrd don't like "uppity" poor people, whether those people are white coal miners or the sons and daughters of slaves and sharecroppers pushed out of the south by Jim Crow. So they changed the social service systems from the "safety net" mechanisms of FDR's day to the tools of dependency that we are left with today.
These kids who are shooting and beating each other in the streets are nearly universally from households without a father present. That particular cultural phenomenon DID NOT EXIST in 1959 -- but was encouraged by the changes in the social services system starting in the late 60's.
"Reformed" racists like Sen. Byrd, Sen. Russell and Sen. Thurmond got their wish -- the "uppity" poor, especially blacks, face a nearly insurmountable odds to better themselves. How is a 22-year old mother supposed to educate herself and get a good, steady job with kids at home, no car, no little opportunity in walking distance?
Ignoring social issues and pinning blame on a police chief is politically expedient, but is a profound display of ignorance. The "rising crime" in Albany is displacement. Concentration of police resources pushed crime into white neighborhoods, so your progressive friends up in Albany are up in arms. After all, they live in good neighborhoods.
Albany is no different than a dozen other upstate cities. The real issue is that our state and national governments have made strategic choices that turned booming industrial powerhouses like New York and Ohio and Michigan into vast tracts of decay and blight.

[ Parent ]

Sen. Byrd? (none / 0) (#8)
by champlain on Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 11:11:14 AM EST

People here blatherin' on about super-old Sen. Byrd from West f-ing Virgina...meanwhile with the Albany Dem. primary only a week away ACS and AlfredM are super-busy completely ignorin' APD Chiefy Lil'Jimmy Tuffey's alleged racial epithet, and that Jerry Jennings hasn't answered any questions about Tuffey's reported racial remarks.

You'll note Tuffey isn't answering questions either. I wonder why.....

Many cities in the northern U.S. don't have the best reputation regarding racial tolerance, but Albany is one of the worst I've every lived in.

Blows my mind.

People in Albany aren't ignoring Jerry's crap anymore. They are pissed.

Time for new blood - New Mayor - New APD Chief.

One down, one to go.

Remember to vote in the Democratic Primary on Tuesday, September 15th.

It is more that WHAT was said (none / 0) (#10)
by albany guy on Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 05:21:31 PM EST

Everybody is fixated on what the jackass Tuffey was alleged to say. Who cares about what was said. I care about the message that was said.

Tuffey never called anybody a "spook" but he said something worse. He essentially told Asst Chief Bruno that this particular murder needed to be solved because the victim was not black. This tells me that Tuffey put less emphasis on crimes against spooks, opps I mean of color.

That means that white victims get to sit at the front of the crime fighting bus while the blacks have to sit in the back. I guess this is why there is a box for race on those reports that patrolman fill out, otherwise how would those detectives know which cases were important (non-spooks).

I pity the next community that gets Tuffey. He should just stay retired. His time has come and gone, just like the steam engine except the steam engine was useful.

: Right ON! (none / 0) (#13)
by AlbanyCommonSense on Mon Sep 14, 2009 at 02:26:51 PM EST

AG, perfectly put!!!!

[ Parent ]

Moving Forward | 13 comments (13 topical, 0 hidden)

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