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January 2, 2009 11:30 AM
Comments: 52
By John Wingspread Howell
If you've read my previous columns, you know I've been gone
longer than I lived here, but that doesn't seem to matter. That's because
Buffalo isn't just a place, it's a state of mind, a religion, a cultural
overlay that works like ethnicity even though it isn't exactly. It isn't,
but it is. It's like being Jewish in a way (Buffalo-ish?). Even if
you're Buffalo Blueblood. Even if your grandparents actually owned one of
the mansions on Delaware when they were still single family homes. Being
Buffalonian in Buffalo is the great equalizer. But, the rest of the world isn't exactly Buffalo-friendly. Being
Buffalonian outside of Buffalo, is like being Jewish in Tehran. And therein lies the bulk of my experience. The ex-pat. The
Diaspora. If there is a Jewish bar in Tehran, I can imagine the comradery
there. Pretty much like what you'd find at the Buffalo Nickel in Tampa or
Buffalo bars in a hundred other cities that get less snow. It's instant
kinship. Run into someone wearing Bills or Sabres gear in the airport, on
the beach, in some other city's stadium when the Buffalo teams aren't even
playing, and it's like meeting the twin you never knew you had. All you
have to do is say, "Wide Right," or "In the Crease" and
you'll keep buying each other drinks until you both need a designated driver. One thing about Buffalo in general that's amplified among
ex-pat's, is sports. Team loyalties run deep. It's as if we wear
cattle-brands of the team logos on our chests. You can imagine how excited we
ex-pats get when the Bills are scheduled for Sunday night or Monday night. At
least we get to watch the games at home on our own TV sets and we don't need Sunday
Ticket. Sunday Ticket is the greatest invention since color TV. The
only problem is, I can't get Direct TV where I live. Fortunately, my son
can get it. I drive 75 minutes to watch at his house most Sundays. I wear
my throwback logo baseball cap because it reminds me of the Kemp-Dubenion era
when the Bills were the class of the AFL. But not just because of that. The old grazing buffalo is pure (as opposed to the flashy,
charging one with speed-lines). I wish they'd go back to the old uni's
permanently, like the Jets did. That retro look fits Buffalo, in the way
Buffalo is eternally retro, always was retro before retro was retro, sort of
iconic in a way that's both quaint and a little musty. Of course the speeding
Buffalo reminds us of the K-gun. Like I said, I like the retro look. Back when those were our uniforms, we had dreams of making the
Superbowl without the accompanying nightmares, without the creeping, nagging
suspicion that the Bills may have morphed into the Cubs of the NFL. And the Sabres seem equally cursed. From Kate Smith and
the Aud in the fog in 76, to a non-goal in the crease nearly twenty years
later, things don't go better with Coke in the HSBC any more than they do in
the Ralph. So in a way I feel guilty. I don't have to live with the
misery of Buffalo fandom full time. I'm "staying" in Chicago
now. I can forget I'm from Buffalo when the Bulls are winning. And
I've been lucky in ways no Buffalonian deserves to be lucky. I lived in
Denver the first time the Broncos won it all. I lived in Chicago all six
times the Bulls did it. And I was here when the Sox won the Series. In a way I feel guilty, but in a way I don't. Because the
success of teams in my adopted home towns only deepens the pain of the failures
of my home teams. It's like, why the hell couldn't I have brought this
luck to the Bills or the Sabres? Do I need to move back? Would that
do it? And, why don't I move back? One word. Four letters. S-N-O-W! "But you
live in Chicago," you say. True, but do you know the difference
between East and West relative to lake effect? But I digress. The thing is, it isn't really about sports at all. Sports are
the metaphor, the religious rite. It's what makes the Buffalo
sort-of-but-not-but-sort-of ethnicity so similar to being Jewish. We are
bonded not only by our common roots but to the ritual. Watching the Bills
or the Sabres is like going to Temple for Yom Kippur. We have this common
ritual of atonement. Atonement for what? In a way, for being Buffalonians!
We're like Rodney. We "don't get no respect." Our town is
often reviled as Cleveland's ugly stepsister. Queen City? Not unless it's
Drag Queen. Like the Jews, we've wandered in the wilderness for generations
awaiting deliverance. We await the coming Messiah, having endured many false
prophets. We thought it would be O.J., McAdoo, the French Connection, then
Kelly and company, then Dominick Hasek. We thought the second coming of the
Mighty Marv might finally lead us to the promised land. (And it still
might, after the fact, but it hurts too much to hope.) So, like the Jews
we wander. We hope. We have our hopes dashed. We hope again.
And we go to Temple. The Ralph. The HSBC. We fast. We
sacrifice. We sob. We celebrate. Ok. Buffalo's no Chicago, but that's not a bad thing. It's
a city simultaneously mature and reborn, retro and post-modern, art-deco and
just art. Whenever I come back, I don't want to leave. But in a way, I
never do, and I never have.
This is the first in a 3-part installment by John
Wingspread Howell, author of three novels, a columnist,
theologian, poet, psychologist, political advocate, and in his day job--a
financial strategist with Northwestern Mutual. A Buffalo native, he
currently lives in Chicago. He publishes the website: www.BuffaloEx-Pat.com. Image:
ECB
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January 2, 2009 11:57 AM
We will be having a UB Bowl/Sabres party tomorrow here in Philly. I don't think I would compare my experience to that of a diaspora, if that were the case then there's a lot of people from many towns in the same boat, see all rustbelt cities.
January 2, 2009 12:24 PM
No Sunday Ticket in Chicago?
Funny thing while watching the Ice Bowl from Wriggly Field In Chicago Yesterday. The commentator was talking about the weather with an NHL official discussing the cold. He asked if it was colder in Chicago than it was last year in Buffalo. The commentator was clearly expecting the official to boldly exclaim that of "course Buffalo was much colder". When the official dissed Chicago as far colder the commentator was taken aback and had no prepared follow-up. Pretty funny I thought.
January 2, 2009 1:35 PM
so you write an article on how you respect buffalo for being the city that it is but you wont move back because of the snow and you live in chicago? i have more respect for people who move because they think buffalo is a garbage dump or at least they move because its cold and snowy and actually move to a warmer climate, but you are just a damn hypocrite.
January 2, 2009 1:49 PM
I find Chicago to be more extreme, both hotter and colder than Buffalo. While living there, near Wrigley, temps dipped below zero every winter and above 100 every summer. The supreme flatness of the area lets the temps just sweep across the plains. Nor do they benefit from the modifying effects of being on the windward side of a great lake as we do in Buffalo. Weather.com data supports the extreme temps theory.
And weren't we worried about just keeping the ice frozen last year? We must have had a slight heat wave.
January 2, 2009 2:14 PM
You don't live here because you don't like snow? Are you serious? I've never understood people who pine for Buffalo but refuse to do anything about it, especially for such a silly reason. Frankly, it's insulting.
Many of us have picked up, taken risks and made the move home because we missed it and wanted to make it better. If you really want to be here, be here. Stop whining about it from faraway lands...at least move here and whine about it, you'll improve the tax base. :-)
January 2, 2009 2:26 PM
Sometimes it's hard to take that risk when you have $40,000 worth of loans and you have a guaranteed job somewhere else. Yes there are lifestyle choices involved in the decision making, but often times the economics just don't allow the move. We can still care, though without whining!
January 2, 2009 6:11 PM
Well, many of us have taken just the risk you describe. I moved home in 2004 from Chicago and took some significant career risks to do so.
I left a city that offered hundreds of job opportunities with growth potential to move home because I wanted to make the move and help make a difference. There aren't a lot of opportunities to do what I do here, but I made the leap. I understand my decision isn't for everyone, but it's a choice to not move home, not a sentence.
It's all about the amount of risk you're willing to swallow in this life, but fear is what keeps people from moving home. I understand it, but I don't like that people use it as an excuse. I also don't like when someone uses some trite BS like "I don't like snow" as an excuse to stay away. As I said, if snow is the problem, you really never loved it here to begin with. And it's an insult to claim that you do.
January 2, 2009 2:27 PM
Nothing like some good old Buffalo negativity to start the year off! This is worse than when the Sabres lost in OT last year in the Ice Bowl.
And honestly, who "greets" someone at a Bills bar with "wide right"? That's like two Sox fans saying "Buckner" and embracing. You have been gone too long.
January 2, 2009 2:34 PM
John,
I highly advise moving back to Buffalo and:
1) Buy a fun all wheel drive vehicle. You sound like you can afford a nice Audi A4/S4 or something of that nature. Think about it: fun AND great in the snow. You'll pray for lake effect to prove your Blizzaks to no one but yourself.
2) Ski Ellicottville. Or just hang out there for a weekend or two during the winter for the beauty and ambiance.
3) Enjoy a snow day off of work a couple times during the winter -and take this opportunity to repeat steps one and two.
January 2, 2009 3:28 PM
I think we appreciate the sentiment of this article, and its affections are in the right place...but like so many odes to Buffalo (often from out-of-towners), this piece tends to salt the most hackneyed assumptions about the area and its citizens.
I champion Buffalo's individuality, as does this writer, but really... there is much more to Buffalo, and usually much more interesting things discussed and bonded over by Buffalonians than sports, weather or that most tedious cliche: defensiveness about the city. All cities have their weather legends, sports team lore and insecurities, but none of those themes seems to dominate the radar of people serious about reinvigorating Buffalo.
January 2, 2009 3:40 PM
"Being Buffalonian outside of Buffalo, is like being Jewish in Tehran."
Really, Mr. Howell? You say you've written three novels? You're a columnist, a poet, a theologian and psychologist, and this is the best comparison - and most seemingly accurate -- you can muster? I hope you utilize the talents of an editor who knows how to use pruning shears before you present Parts 2 and 3 of your installment. Unfortunately, your thoughts and grammar have been strewn about here like wrapping paper after the Christmas presents have been opened. I hope someone took the time to give you James Rogers' reference guide, 'The Dictionary of Cliches', for the holidays. If not, it's available on Amazon for $6.99 (http://www.amazon.com/Dictionary-Cliches-James-Rogers/dp/0345338146).
January 2, 2009 6:12 PM
Please skip installments 2 and 3, this article was crap.
Being from Buffalo is not akin to forced relocation and mass genocide. Your overly simplistic and sympathetic article makes it very clear why you are not living in Buffalo and why you won't be back. You are trying to relate based on gross over-generalizations and overused stereotypes about the area.
January 2, 2009 6:35 PM
This article could have been written by a 10-year old. For the next two segments, please use a lot more thought. That being said, I also left Buffalo to move to Chicago. After a two year stint there, I am now living in Buffalo again. Buffalo and Chicago actually have many similarities. While Chicago receives less snow, it is windier (though that's not why it's called the Windy City) and I always thought it was colder. When Chicago receives snow, the city practically shuts down. In fact, the street signs all say "NO parking when snow is over 2 inches", or maybe 4 inches. Either way, it's laughable to us true Buffalonians. At least when we get snow, we know what to do with it.
January 2, 2009 6:38 PM
"Being Buffalonian outside of Buffalo, is like being Jewish in Tehran."
One of the most absurd things I've ever seen in print.
January 2, 2009 6:59 PM
I also find the Jewish-Tehran analogy bizarre, and the whole article unclear about that what's its main point.
ChrisSmith>"but fear is what keeps people from moving home"
Meh. Maybe in some cases, but it could just as easily be said fear keeps some people from moving away from Buffalo in the first place. Fear probably balances out on both sides.
Chris, on your blog recently didn't you write if not for your mortgage and job, you wish you could move away from here now due to ongoing economic issues? Is that inconsistent with what you're writing here today? (btw, I'm not criticizing inconsistency - we're all inconsistent sometimes - just wondering if you got decent offers for house and job out of the blue, would you stay or join Mr. Expat in Chicago? If you'd leave, then saying he and Nick should make every effort to move here sounds, well...)
January 3, 2009 1:35 PM
What I said in the blog post you are referring to was that my initial reaction to yet another massive tax increase in New York State made me want to pull up stakes and move. The key phrase being "initial reaction". There have been a lot of news items in the last few years that force me to reconsider my decision to move home and I occasionally vent on my site.
However, I remain here and will continue to volunteer for organizations that make this a better place to live, pay my local and state taxes, stay involved with local schools and employ people as consultants through a couple of my business ventures.
I think it's great that people miss Buffalo and I hope they get the opportunity to move home at some point and join the effort to improve the city and region. I just have no sympathy or interest in reading about someone who misses Buffalo "so much that it hurts" yet stays away because of the friggin snow. Ridiculous and insulting to the people who live here and make sacrifices to do so.
January 3, 2009 4:40 PM
I agree with you about NYS, but didn't see Paterson's budget proposal as any big change in state policy, and not divergent (except for the soda tax which probably won't happen) from what most people statewide want to have happen. In addition to Paterson's revenue hikes, the legislature is likely to raise taxes on high income job creators and even to reduce Paterson's proposed very modest spending "cuts". Representative democracy at work.
Aren't the high snowfall and high spending-taxes-regulation similarly inevitable?
Btw, where does this author say "so much that it hurts" as you quote him? I don't see that wording or implication. The closest I see is at the end where he says "Whenever I come back, I don't want to leave." That doesn't sound believable considering the rest of what he wrote.
January 3, 2009 6:34 PM
Actually, I see Paterson's budget as a huge departure from traditional proposals just based on the size. He is transferring nearly $5BN in medicaid/medicare and education costs from the state to localities which will force huge cuts and tax increases locally to go along with the new tax increases and user fees at the state level. Wait until you see the Buffalo Schools lay off 25% of staff this year to respond to reduced funding.
Do people like high taxes, stasis and over-regulation in this state? I think the overwhelming majority of people who vote do and it's why it's so frustrating to stay here at times. It's also why people who kvetch and yearn from faraway lands about Buffalo irritate me. Move here, vote and be part of the solution.
You're right about the quotes, I didn't do a good job of editing my comment as the guy didn't write that. Don't know why they are there...
January 4, 2009 2:30 PM
ChrisSmith>"Wait until you see the Buffalo Schools lay off 25% of staff this year to respond to reduced funding."
The BPS budget is something like $700M, in that ballpark. Paterson's proposed reduction in state aid (compared to amount the BPS was expecting) is reportedly $51M. That's around 7% of $700M.
This proposed "cut" is after many, many consecutive years of the state greatly increasing its annual funding to the BPS.
Anyway, why should a 7% cut in state funding cause a 25% staff reduction?
January 4, 2009 2:45 PM
ChrisSmith>"Actually, I see Paterson's budget as a huge departure from traditional proposals just based on the size."
Based on size, I'm pretty sure Paterson's proposal is much less spending growth than Spitzer's budget proposals (even if counting mandate growth each of them proposed as new spending).
So saying based on size Paterson's 09 budget is a "huge departure" in the wrong direction from the 07 and 08 budgets doesn't sound consistent with what I've seen written about it. Spitzer didn't have the revenue drop, so it's hard to compare apples-apples, but neither one's budgets pushed for a lot of state worker layoffs or major changes to state spending and its approach to mandates.
Both Spitzer and Paterson proposed spending about as much as they possibly can spend, as did Pataki in most of his years, and Cuomo in all of his. Big difference in 2009 is the amount that can possibly be spent has dropped due to financial industry collapse. I can't imagine Spitzer or Pataki proposing an 09 budget much different than Paterson's. Hypothetically someone like a Faso might have, but Pataki or Spitzer, no.
January 2, 2009 7:05 PM
If Mr. Powell spent as much time on his writing as he does on the delusional self-promotion of his website (http://johnwingspreadhowell.com), perhaps his words would be worth reading. Unfortunately, his website is filled with platitudes and its quote of the day (from his own book) is: "Stop wishing on a star and become a Star". If I want to read that simplistic nonsense, I can drive by churches on Sunday morning to read the tepid quips on their message boards.
BRO, I hope you won't consider subjecting your poor readers to Mr. Powell's poetry, too.
January 2, 2009 7:26 PM
^ A little harsh, no? And why begrudge the expats for their choices? Buffalo is a great city but it can be a lot of hard work for some people and once they get used to an unchallenging place, it's hard to go back to that city of snows and chilly lake winds. I often wonder what it would be like if everybody in the 'Buffalo diaspora' suddenly moved back. What would they do? Where would they start? That's why Buffalo needs some autonomy from New Tax State and the jobs that would follow. Let's find out.
January 2, 2009 7:55 PM
I found this to be one of the most offensive articles I have ever read on Buffalo Rising. Its content only confirms my long held belief that this area has truly benefited from the exodus of some of its former citizens.
Equating being a native Buffalonian with being Jewish -- this comparison from a "theologian"? Seriously?
Not moving back because of snow? Seriously?
A three part article from this twitter-head. Seriously?
Having moved here from LA I can assure you, Mr. Howell, that even you could brave the big, bad, mean snow for a way of life for which you seem to yearn. I mean what kind of wuss are you, anyway?
But please, Mr. Howell, stay put. Chicago needs as many people like you as they can attract. In fact, consider public office. I hear that they may be looking for a new Governor before long. Imagine the stupidity you would perpetuate.
January 2, 2009 8:10 PM
Perhaps, BRO could have a vote in the top left corner as to whether any of us want to be confronted with any more articles from Mr. Howell, the self-described Renaissance man.
(Damn, I've used up all my criticism for 2009 on this one article.)
January 2, 2009 8:30 PM
hahaha...this is what i love about buffalo people! IN YOUR FACE! if you dont like it then get the hell out is all i gotta say. no beating around the bush here, this poor guy just got slammed! hahahaha
there is so much more to say about the culture of western new york and the mentality of the people, this guy relates way to much of his perceptions on the back of its sports teams. granted, he makes the point that it is like our own separate little nationality but when i run into people and start talking about buffalo, sports are only part of the conversation. to me, its more about how people interact with one another and the way people handle themselves. like i said its very 'in your face' but at the same time very real and human.
January 2, 2009 8:57 PM
Oh Johny, Johny, Johny...what was the point of your little "blurb"? I was a re-pat for nearly 5 years and only recently moved away again, but NOT becouse of the smow, in fact the holidays here in Atlanta seemed drab without it. I was in Buffalo for the first storm before x-mas and loved it as a matter of fact. Plus you live in Chicago, not exactly a warm destination spot. Also, where on earth do people meet up that are former Buffalonians and use those silly terms? Usually it will be stories of 4am meals at Town, 3 splits for a buck at Brick Bar [oh those were the days...]or the best wings are at Gabriels. BRO should stick to stories on what is going on around the city as they did in the past, not insipid little blogs like the one you posted, Next time I am at Borders Books I will pass the clearence table and forgo your books.
January 2, 2009 9:07 PM
buffalo rocks!!! HOW ABOUT THEM BANDITS! a person from buffalo that lives somewhere else by choice, should stay where they are. there soul was never here to begin with.
January 2, 2009 9:09 PM
I find this article comparing Buffalonias to Jews simply increhensible and offensive and amazed at how the comparison only examines one side of the coin.
If you said Buffalo is like jews because Buffalonians perpetually see themselves as victims and outsiders and anti-Buffalonian.
Buffalo does have a victim psychosis but on the whole its very welcoming and open...whats refreshing is that Buffalo has a strong midwestern directness. We dont like airs and we dont like to beat around the bush.
If you said Buffalo is like jews because Buffalonians are insular and consider only Buffalonians born by birth in Buffalo to a Buffalo mother, then that wouldnt be accurate either.
If you said that Buffalo was so insular that one Buffalonian helps another Buffalonian to wealth, business success, influence and knowledge...well that would describe the inside business deals that are typical of Buffalo.
If you said that Buffalonians will move to another place and exploit it to the fullest of its potential for the benefit of Buffalonians and the Buffalo community...that has yet to happen in any significant way.
January 2, 2009 9:17 PM
Ah, Chris69/Buffaloweiner/Buffalo21stcentury is back in his newest incarnation. Considering the comparison mentioned in the article, it's a surprise that it took you this long to comment.
January 2, 2009 9:10 PM
but what exactly was the point of this pro-jewish posting?
January 3, 2009 12:40 AM
Yup, QueenCity=chris69/weiner etc. Scum.
January 3, 2009 10:52 AM
I actually kind of liked the article. Looking forward to parts 2 and 3.
Nothing worse than a city that takes themselves too seriously. Especially a city like Buffalo. If ever there was a city that should laugh when looking in the mirror, we are all living in it.
January 3, 2009 11:42 AM
Give the author a break. His heart was in the right place. No need to be so toxic.
I am looking forward to parts 2 and 3 too...
January 3, 2009 2:11 PM
14216, Mr. Howell may be a competent insurance agent, but he's no author. As I would expect a barber to know how to wield scissors, I would expect anyone who dares to promote himself as an author to execute theme, syntax and grammar proficiently. Instead, Mr. Howell has demonstrated a dim knowledge of these basics and he relies on the most banal cliches to push his poor stereotype of a story along.
Most of the comments above are more well written and I don't think any of us claim to be authors.
January 3, 2009 12:25 PM
I think the article offers an interesting perspective. Speaking of perspective, I love the photo supplied by Elena -- you manage to keep snagging some great pix.
I had a Buffalo-ish experience this week that had me chuckling to myself: I hopped on a downtown-bound bus here in My Fair Fare City, and at one point the driver called out the next stop "Main and Franklin!" I was momentarily puzzled, because Buffalo-ish thinking tells me that Main and Franklin don't meet. It took me a moment to mentally replace the Buffalo street grid with Rochester's.
January 3, 2009 3:37 PM
The first clue should have been the bus fare was $.75 less.
Man, imagine the uproar if tolls went up a quarter or possibly fifty cents!?! Everyone from Tonawanda round the horn to OP would scream about it. Jack up the bus fare and there is only a few whimpers. What a sad state of affairs.
The NFTA is a joke that needs to split up. How does one entity manage commercial and recreational ports, 2 airports, development in the outer harbor (or lack thereof), and a transit system? My vote is for not very well.
January 3, 2009 1:54 PM
I've been living here full-time for over twenty years and this piece strikes no chord with me whatsoever. The Buffalo this writer is talking about doesn't exist as far as I'm concerned.
Atonement? Give me a break. The last time I was at the Ralph was to see the Stones, and I felt nothing but pleasure at being at the concert with good friends.
My friends who live in Chicago say they'll never make fun of Buffalo's snow again after the last couple winters they've had. Not that I think snow is the big deal this guy clearly does.
It is unfortunate that 2 more of these articles are planned. I find the whole Jewish comparison bizarre and mildly offensive.
January 3, 2009 3:40 PM
Buffalo-ish....hmm will Buffalo be invading Ontario pretty soon as Israel is invading Gaza? hahahaha
January 3, 2009 5:31 PM
If Ontario were denying our right to exist and firing rockets at civilians here, then yes maybe we'd try to remove their rocket launching capabilities.
January 3, 2009 6:37 PM
Should we start to refer to ourselves as BUFFALEWS OF THE BUFFALO-ITE RACE?
Should we refer to the settlement of Buffalo as BUFFALO-ISM?
Should we create a politically correct speech to promote and unify Buffalo, then label anyone who deviates from said politically correct speech as ANTI-BUFFALO-ITES?
Should we label BUFFALO-ITES who dislike Buffalo as SELF-HATING BUFFALEWS?
Should we memorialize the murder and burning of Buffalo in 1812, as well as the post-de-industrialization of Buffalo as our Buffalo-caust?
Then we could use state and federal taxes, as well as donations from ex-pat-BUFFALO-ITES to illegally settle in Ontario Canada and then annex it to the city of Buffalo because god gave BUFFALO-ITES in the BUFFALO-RAH all of the land surrounding the Niagara River within 50 miles.
When Canadians fight for their land and their civic rites we BUFFALO-ITES can call them terrorists and kill them in a ratio of 400 ONTARIO-NIANS to 1 BUFFALO-ITE.
January 3, 2009 7:15 PM
Only you could miss the point of an article that had no real point.
As far as what to call yourself, why don't you finally change your moniker to 'Anti-Semite'? It's obvious you're gearing up for more rants on BRO anyway.
January 3, 2009 9:16 PM
Thats the funny thing...I dont see it as anti-semetic. I think the only thing being said is a healthy dose of politically incorrect mirroring that sort of wakes people up to a higher reality than the routine media and dogma that everyone is forced to accept.
I am the canary in the coal mine. When no person can dare question the entitlements of race, religion, ethnicity, gender or whatever...then we are further down the road to the abolition of our free speech liberties.
The substance of this article is very dangerous. The point was to take the victimization and anti-assimilation (outsider) psychosis of the jewish community and ask the entire city of Buffalo to separate from the rest of the state and the rest of the nation to look thru those glasses.
Buffalonians are separate, unique, distinct, descriminated against, pre-judged, etc. Its a very dangerous road!
Furthermore, its a road that has been followed before and its results paved the way for the expulsion of jews from spain, the inquisition, the bolshevik revolution (soviet union and stalin), the weimar and hitler. Why? Because the structure of government and culture was changed to make way for more liberal forms of government...(ie tolerance and advancement for the jews) and the result that there was no mechanism to counter-balance such liberalism when the jews lost power. We are seeing it today as secular western civiliation and christianity is near impotent to counter balance rabid and radical muslims and zionism.
Furthermore, we can see it everyday how the US is being dragged taxpayer dollars and wars and deaths of soldiers and civilians into islamic and zionist wars without question or objection.
Which is why PaulBuffalo...you may consider me an anti-semite but I consider you dangerous and evil. Historically, I know where your path takes western civilization.
January 4, 2009 12:46 AM
1. "When no person can dare question the entitlements of race, religion, ethnicity, gender or whatever"
It's odd that you never question the entitlements that go along with being white, or male, or christian. No, actually it's not odd -- you're scum, after all.
2. It's unfortunate that the new BRO has no rating system, and no means of reporting objectionable comments.
3. It's more unfortunate that BRO continues to allow this filth on their site.
January 4, 2009 12:58 AM
what the hell happened here? [total meltdown guys]
January 4, 2009 1:57 AM
hahaha martin, I agree. Back on topic, I don't follow sports, never moved away, and don't mind the snow so this article means very little to me. I kind of file this article in the same file when someone from NYC classifies me as a hick or says I'm mountain folk? I just don't understand.
January 4, 2009 2:21 AM
entitlements of being white...try getting a government job or even applying for a job today where its law to voluntarily disclose your race, gender and ethnicity. If that isnt anti-male and anti-white bias and prejudice pre-programmed into employment, then I dont know what is.
entitlements of being male....no evidence of that in jail, prisons, divorce, child custody or reproductive rights. Last time I checked it takes two people to have sex but only one gender makes the decision regarding abortion.
entitlements of being christian...look around the world. Christians are persecuted and murderd around the world and the secular, christian and western world remain silent. Only jewish injustices make the news.
Heck there is even a war to remove the religious symbols of christmas....no retaliation on menorrahs for hannakah or islamic holidays like ramadan or african holidays like kwanza.
sorry Colin I dont buy your anti-white, anti-male and anti-christian perspectives just as repulsive (regardless of their origin).
My advise though is instead of labelling factual content that you find offensive...read and educate yourself. Dont base your opinions on liberal politically correct dogma but challenge it with current and historical fact.
January 4, 2009 2:39 AM
Hello Buffalo, from the author of this piece of trash. I'm thinking some of the resistance to the "Jewish in Tehran" comment is antisemitism on your parts. I certainly struck a chord, ey? You guys really don't like that analogy. You certainly can't suggest I'm being antisemitic in my article. It's as pro Jewish as you can get, in my mind. And I know what I'm talking about. I was a Jewish woman in a previous life.
Other than that, I guess you guys can't see my tongue in my cheek when I write. What's wrong with you? I'm poking fun at myself. I'm saying the same things about myself that you're saying. See, I'm right. Buffalonians take everything too seriously. And, like a certain ethnic group previously mentioned, we deal with it by making self-depricating humor, both about our individual and collective selves.
And on moving back--I spend a lot of time in Buffalo. I just can't move back until my kid's out of school. She's a Chicago native, as is my wife. I'm outnumbered. Give me a break.
January 4, 2009 10:15 AM
I thought the article sucked. It was poorly written, the comments were tangential and you recycled and restated old stereotypes about sports teams and the region.
Be careful with the "what's wrong with you for not understanding what I meant" mentality, you aren't too far off from attacking the readers like the comic book guy did last year. Take criticism for what it is worth, accept it or dismiss it, mine included.
January 4, 2009 11:35 AM
BuffaloEx-Pat,
Your post only confirms that it is YOU that doesn't "get it". This has nothing to do with antisemitism, QueenCity's rants notwithstanding. What you don't get is Buffalo itself, and being a Buffalonian.
The poor construct of your article, grammatical errors and a bizarre analogy to Judaism aside, it is primarily your use of hackneyed sports and weather metaphors to describe our city and the thinking of its inhabitants that have caused the ire of so many readers. To use you your term, being "Buffalo-ish" is far more faceted, and you should know that.
There is only one word to describe why a supposed "fan" of Buffalo would resort to sports and weather references to make a supposedly informed point about Buffalo -- laziness. You simply were too lazy to summon whatever creative thoughts you may possess to make an enlightening statement about what it means to be from Buffalo.
You actually perpetuate the very stereotypes about Buffalo you bemoan. Self-deprecation, if it really was your intent, is overrated after a certain point. This is certainly the case when it descends into self-loathing.
A poor, lazy writer should be enough reason for anyone to turn the figurative page without reading further. That's exactly what I plan to do when the next installments are posted.
January 4, 2009 9:38 AM
Buffaloexpat, only Queencity (former Buffalo21stcentury/Buffaloweiner/Chris69) thinks this is an issue of real anti-semitism because he's written comment after comment of anti-semitic, racist and homophobic nonsense that's still permitted on BRO.
The rest of us are just offended that you would compare being a Buffalonian to the Jewish experience. It's a gaping level of ignorance and one that throws a stake through your 'tongue-in-cheek' piece. You've demonstrated quite an inflated view of yourself on your website, so you only open yourself to justified criticism. Other than that, for someone who calls himself an author of three books, a columnist, etc., your inability to construct a theme and use the necessary writer's tools is inexcusable.
Our comments above are not an issue of taking ourselves too seriously. We're offended at your juvenile abilities. Yes, you did strike a chord -- with your incompetence.
January 4, 2009 12:16 PM
I'm surprised by the level of hostility toward Mr Howell shown in the comments here. Must we personally insult the man because we don't like this "article"? Let's try to be civil.
That said, this really is a terrible "article": poorly written/edited, centered around a ridiculous and offensive analogy, and utterly pointless. I've seen some low-quality writing on BRO in the past but this piece really takes the cake.
Mr. Howell, please consider having someone review and edit parts 2 and 3 before they're published here.
January 4, 2009 7:48 PM
FYI: Based on population loss alone the Buffalo Public School System has another 20 schools that it needs to close.
It was in the Buffalo News and other sources.
So there is nothing in Patersons budget that is going to cut into muscle or bone....taking in mind the stonewalling of the Senate and Assemby I think Paterson's 09 budget contained the cuts he thought that he could get passed the Senate and Assembly and not the cuts that the state actually needs to address its fiscal deficits.
Another trivia fact....44 out of 50 are in a state of serious fiscal deficits and insolvency.