New blogs in town, DeSalvatore not looking so good

As those of you who've read my critique of Ted DeSalvatore's website already know, Ted doesn't think much of bloggers. In fact, he warns people not to listen to them and instead to get everything straight from him. He presumably didn't consider the possibility that blogs might just quote him verbatim.

It appears one blogger has taken Ted's warning to heart, and started the Say No To DeSalvo blog. (I assume because it rhymes better than the "Say No To DeSalvatore" blog). Regardless, it's a new blog which at the time I'm writing this has just two posts, but both are doozies. It's worth noting that the blogger in question doesn't really editorialize (though I suspect the caps are his/her doing, correct me if I'm wrong please), just presents Ted's own words.

The first post was basically a transcript of DeSalvatore's Ward 4 campaign promises/propaganda/gibberish. It contains such nice nuggets as:

"In addition to compromising our safety some homeless may be involved in the frequent break-ins, cars and homes alike. By giving them a DESIGNATED AREA and remanding them to stay clear of our neighborhoods the job of our police department may get easier, break-ins may be reduced and our officers may be allowed to put more of their time on other issues."

So, he basically demonizes the homeless and then promotes a ghetto arrangement. That worked great in Warsaw!

Another peach:

"MANY HOMELESS EAT FROM DUMPSTERS AND GARBAGE CANS AND ARE COMPLETELY SATISFIED WITH THAT"

Nice. I'm glad Ted felt so comfortable speaking for the homeless. This is the same guy who is opposed to having "Our Father's Table" feeding the hungry on Main St.

Some context for that from the Sentinel:

Fitchburg Ward 4 City Councilor Ted DeSalvatore, who said last week he did not support Our Father's Table's return to Main Street, said Thursday he thinks the presence of homeless people on Main Street could deter both potential businesses and customers.

"Very few people feel comfortable coming downtown when there's a lot of people just hanging around," he said. "In most cities, especially bigger cities, any one street can have a mixed-use environment where homeless people gather. But we've only got one main street. We don't have a lot of places of commerce where people can set up shop."

I'll now take a short digression to point out another recently-created blog, the Fitchburg Voice. It's been dealing extensively with the Our Father's Table issue, and the most recent post has an interesting quote from one of the cofounders of OFT:

In the beginning homelessness was the issue. The faces changed. Now they are mostly elderly, some handicapped, some families, very little homeless. People come seeking fellowship, companionship and spirtitual need fulfillment. They come to us with dignity and they leave us with dignity.

So, the opposition from Mr. DeSalvatore is based on nothing, just like almost everything else the man says! Way to live up to expectations!

But back to the "Say No To DeSalvo" blog. That first post was full of stupid statements made by Ted, but was pretty much par for the course. There are dozens and dozens of examples of Ted saying stupid things all over the place. It's just the way he talks.

The most recent post on the SNTDS blog I actually find a lot more interesting because it presents some things that Ted has somehow managed to not talk about to the local paper or put out as press releases.

The blog quotes from this post in an online discussion from August of 2003. It's from someone known as "truth_seeker" (whose profile identifies him as Ted). It's all part of a religious discussion about an openly-gay bishop. Ted got involved to answer the question "where did Jesus say homosexuality was wrong?"

Yikes.

Okay, most of the post is typical religious gobbledygook. Just an exercise in theological masturbation, as far as I'm concerned. Debating gibberish with more gibberish. But there are some parts that are quite interesting...

Sayeth Ted:

Long ago a group representing the Gay Liberation Association of Rochester, New York visited my social studies class while I was in high school. One of the members stated something I will never forget. At the time I was not a Christian however had a great hope that God and Jesus did exist. The statement was, “Jesus was a homosexual.” I and my other classmates, absolutely appalled by the statement, escorted the entire group out of our school and asked the school to remove the teacher who invited the group to speak to us. This was 1973 and the push to make us except that attitude continues. That teacher became a guidance counselor. Go figure! I learned later that he was at one time or another the president of the Rochester branch of Gay Liberation Association.

(In case you had any doubt that "truth_seeker" was in fact the same Ted DeSalvatore, note that Ted was in high school just outside Rochester, NY in 1973. Also, all misspellings and grammatical errors are original.)

Now, I'm a little doubtful that this group just walked in, said "Jesus was a homosexual" and got kicked out. If they did say that, I presume they had a reason behind it, otherwise they were just being needlessly confrontational. I'm also a little doubtful that high school students have the power to "escort" invited speakers out of the building. And to go to the effort to try to get the teacher fired? Well, it seems like Ted has a real big problem with Gay Jesus!

Lots of people are idiots in high school and turn things around when they get older or wiser. However, those people don't generally brag about their idiocy. Ted's not one of those people. Further supporting the concept that his old biases are alive and well, at other points during this screed he also implicitly calls homosexuality "wrong, immoral or unnatural behavior" and a "perverted teaching".

So, Ted's a homophobe in addition to all his other flaws. Great. I wonder why it is that so many people so strongly oppose his mayoral campaign...

Finally, Ted closes his 2003 screed...

People who stand outside the place of what is appropriate will always try to justify and or infect as many others as they can. There is strength in numbers. The body of Christ is being divided over every little thing as Lucifer revels in its weakening, the army of Christ is quickly becoming ineffective. We must put up our best fight however nothing will prevent scripture from being fulfilled. These things must come to pass and the end of things as they are, will be realized.

Some lessons from this paragraph.

1. Ted thinks that homosexuality is something you can "infect" others with.
2. Ted believes in a literal devil, named "Lucifer".
3. Ted probably believes in the "Rapture".

While the last two put him in the company of a large number of similarly crazy people (our President included), the first one is all you really need to know the man is unfit to be mayor.

Anyway, go check out those other blogs and show them some love. Fine work all around!