Earlier today, the
Phoenix posted a letter on our website from James Carnell, the
racially insensitive editor of the Boston Police Patrolmen's
Association (BPPA) newsletter, the Pax Centurion. As expected,
Carnell has no apologies for anyone who he offended, nor does he
respond to the numerous charges of corruption that this publication
and others have leveled at his union.
First I'd like to
apologize to everyone who waited in anticipation for a day before we published this latest
screed. For what it's worth, I also had to wait a bit since Carnell
spelled my name wrong when emailing it to me on July 16. Fortunately,
he does know how to spell “letters@thephoenix.com,” so we were able to
dig the note out of our electronic mail bin days later. (For the
original version and all of its flaws, see the bottom of this post.)
I don't have much more to
say to Carnell personally. I've already put his racist rhetoric on
blast, and helped expose him as a total fraud who claims that editing
the Pax is a “thankless task,” yet collects more than
$6000 a year to vomit editorials. I'm used to engaging opponents who
can spin tighter arguments than “I'm rubber you're glue.” I've
had more enlightening exchanges with Barney Frank's dining room
table.
With all that said – if
it's true, I do find it regretful that people are harassing Carnell's
family. They've obviously suffered enough from having a bigoted moron
like him as a father. The whole thing reminds me of those “I
learned it by watching you” anti-drug commercials in the 1980s.
Only instead of weed, the intoxicant here is idiocy, which, judging
by Pax comments from his son, is in generous supply around the
Carnell household.
Finally, I'd like to
mention two stories that are getting way more attention than the BPPA
scandal. The first is Red Sox outfielder Carl Crawford's recent
run-in with a Leominster police officer, who allegedly fired a racial
slur at the ballplayer during a minor league game in New Hampshire.
Props to authorities for disciplining the cop, but shame on news
outlets that gawk over this while ignoring any number of other
stories that involve race.
The other happening of
note is Mayor Tom Menino's war on Chick-fil-A's unfortunate position
on same-sex relationships. Without picking sides, I'll just say that
I'm taken aback by Hizzoner's extraordinary outrage; while he's
scolding homophobic fast food restaurants, his police force is
serving up some seriously unsavory savagery. Menino has flamed the
Pax before, but not
nearly as angrily as he grilled Chick-fil-A on paper. Perhaps this
will get that pen moving . . .
To the Boston Phoenix:
“Enemies
of free speech?”
Take a
look in the mirror…
By James W.
Carnell, Editor, Pax Centurion
Recently,
in your July 6th
issue, the Phoenix made
a front-page attack against my union’s newspaper, Pax
Centurion (the publication of the Boston
Police Patrolmen’s Association), accusing us of baseless, false and
scurrilous charges of racism, sexism, and homophobia (“Sh*t Boston
Cops Say”). Then, in your very next issue, (July 13th),
the Phoenix runs a
front-page article about “Enemies of Free Speech : our 15th
annual “Muzzle Awards” highlight this year’s worst attacks on
the first amendment”. Please award yourself with the number one
“Muzzle Award”. You are the penultimate hypocrites.
Reporter
Chris Faraone, along with his consorts in the “Occupy Boston”
movement, have attempted to destroy a conservative publication
authored by police officers by attacking our contributors and
advertisers. These cyber-terrorists from what remains of the “Occupy”
movement, have even attacked my family and attempted to hack into my
bank account. Some advertisers have been intimidated into pulling
their support by these on-line thugs and assorted losers without
lives. These advertisers will soon have to decide who is more
important to have as their allies: police officers with families who
spend hundreds of dollars a week at their stores, or a few
cyber-bullies out there who purchase an occasional can of cat food ,
tofu or brown rice with their EBT card. We will send our membership
to those who support police officers in both word and deed, and
encourage our members to avoid those who do not. ( Goodbye Stop&Shop,
hello Hanniford’s , Shaw’s and Roche Brothers!)
There is,
and was, of course, nothing -repeat NOTHING- “racist, sexist or
homophobic” in the pages of the Pax
Centurion, this issue or any other. There
were strong conservative opinions, there was “cop-humor”, and
there was pointed criticism of some of our political opponents, but
there was nothing racist, sexist or homophobic. “Racist”,
“sexist” and “homophobic” are the modern-day terms used by
the radical left as a cudgel to cow anyone with a different opinion
into submission. In Salem, Mass., 1692, people with grudges against
their neighbors cried “witch”, and the whole town joined in the
insanity. The same is true today of those who wave the fickle-finger
of “racism”. Unfortunately, many cower in fear under their desks
when left-wing activists use these terms, refusing to speak up and
allowing the true “enemies of free speech” (the radical left, the
Phoenix, the “Occupy”
movement etc.) to win.
Our
critics have included the usual mouthpieces from the victim-nation,
“poor-me” advocate groups who need the crutch of racism to
perpetuate themselves and others such as “ neighborhood organizer”
Jamarhl Crawford. Ahmmm… Boston Phoenix,
you might want to do a little fact-checking before you quote
“community organizer” Jamarhl Crawford. He is, in fact, the
leader of the local chapter of the New Black Panther Party. If you
want to find examples of racism, sexism, homophobia, and
anti-semitism, go check out their website. But then again, birds of a
feather, flock together. (Oh, shit! Was that an anti-bird statement?)
Or better
yet, Boston Phoenix, take
a look in the mirror at your own publication: Ads for the sexual
services of “Latina girls”, “Asian massages” and “Kristy
Kreme: Black/Italian visiting”? And who are the “sexists/racists”,
again? Give yourself your own “Muzzle award”, along with a trophy
for high hypocrisy.
James W. Carnell
Editor, Pax
Cenutrion
Latest Slideshows
