The REAL Coal Cracker Mentality (Bob Mellow style)

From the Facebooks, and the group "Remain Peckville's Community Park" (link to the group HERE):

As many of you know, Monday evening (January 21) is the Blakely Borough Council Meeting at the borough building at 1439 Main St., Peckville. It is at 6 PM. I will be there and ask to speak. Any support would be appreciated, however, I do not want this to relegate to a shouting match or confrontation. Quite honestly, I do not have high expectations, but right is on our side. If anyone else cares to speak, I ask that everyone be respectful of others. Our society has become too confrontational and letigious, this is a chance to show people change does not have to come about by legal wrangling or mob rule. Hope to see you there and show our elected officials people in this town still do care.

One of the responses infuriated me:
Hey.....Bob Mellow.....brought in billions of dollars to THIS area.....Billions......and now we hang him....it's a shame.....all the political clout we had.....gone......and for what......for what.....no wonder we're noted as coal cracker mentality......self righteous ignorance.....

My response:
Coal cracker mentality? Know what's the REAL coal cracker mentality? It's paying undue deference to someone in power in the blind hope that they will somehow throw a crumb your way. That's what keeps this area down folks. Bob Mellow used this position PRIMARILY...FIRST AND FOREMOST...for HIS OWN benefit. Bringing money to the area???? That was his JOB!!!! Besides, the money he brought to our areas was OUR MONEY to being with! Name the park after someone who gave their life fighting for our country...someone who acted SELFLESSLY, not someone who acted SELFISHLY.

Yes, one of the very real problems this area faces is this notion that corruption and graft should be tolerated as long as someone downstream benefits.  It's looking the other way in the hope that someone will do you a favor.  It's the "sucking up to the master so that they won't beat me" mentality at work.  The problem?  That kind of mentality breeds a culture of corruption, one where graft is the norm.

In government I think you get what you tolerate.  NEPA tolerated greed and graft...and surprise...we got in in spades.

Name the park after someone deserving.

Oh, and while I'm at it (and again), Lackawanna College should remain the "Mellow Theater" after someone who actually donated their own money to the college, not a greedy, corrupt politician.