If you don’t read the comments, you missed this news from the wryly named "sound of one hand clapping": marketing consultant and gay ex-priest Christopher Schiavone has formed a campaign committee for a run against the, uh, "colorful" state Rep. Eugene "Zell" O’Flaherty of Charlestown.
Fun, fun stuff. Thanks especially to "Charlestowngayguy" for the original tip about a month ago. More proof we have the badassest commenters on this site. Keep it up, all.
Please share widely!
I am excited about this campaign. I am disappointed in my neighbor, who I believed to be a progressive. He is sticking with O’Flaherty because he worked with him on some neighborhood issue. He doesn’t think he is anti-gay.I will work on him.When O’Flaherty sees the organization and support that Chris has, much like Pat Jehlen had, he will get angry and show his true colors. Maybe my neighbor will then see the light.
Schiavone will spend a lot of time and money and will lose. He’s being led into this by people who have hidden agendas, I bet Barrios wants O’F busy so O’F doesn’t help his friend who is also running for Middlesex DA. Schiavone is surrounded by false friends with false agendas. O’F not progressive? He’s the one who filed a bill to give illegal immigrants a driver’s license, he’s the one who pushed for increased funding for court interpreters, he’s the one who heads up the immigrant caucus and has pushed for in-state tuition, and he’s not opposed to abortion. Schiavone will say he’s running on larger issues but the only reason he’s running is because O’F doesn’t support Gay Marriage, so Schiavone will take a year off his life and get embarassed when the final numbers come in, his false friends will say “nice job” after accomplishing their goals and Schiavone will return to being a nonentity & hasbeen looking for attention.
John, where do you get your information? My rep (O’Flaherty)has done nothing for immigrants or progressive causes. I only read about him being opposed to gay marriage and strong-arming fellow representatives when he needs to ease drunk driving laws. He is not associated with any of the progressive causes. My friends say he is a biggot. Unfortunately there are still a few in Charlestown, like O’Flaherty, who grew up in this Irish Catholic working class neighborhood. They have a one-sided view of the world because they have never lived among other ethnicities or races.Jarrett Barrios will win whether O’Flaherty is helping “his friend” or not.John, I take issue with you calling me and others “false friends”. I am proud I am a friend of Chris’s
Schiavone will lose because O’F has a tremendous organization, has delivered for the district for 10 years, has put many people to work, has helped many families and I know this because he’s my Rep, I also disagree with him on some issues, Gay Marriage, but overall what’s Schiavone going to do as a freshman rep? Please! Schiavone is a nonentity, a nobody, never will be either. Also, O’F is from Chelsea not Charlestown and is ther only member of his family born in the US which explains his immigrant advocacy. Good Luck running on one issue, Chris, oh I forgot, the phony Schiavone (hey that rhymes) will say it’s about other issues, like what?
How aboout other issues, like education? Schiavone’s campaign is being run by a teaching professional. That only helps.I doubt O’Flaherty has a strong record on education. I doubt O’Flaherty has a record on civil rights. I doubt O’Flaherty has a record of working well with others.Schiavone has the life experiences and the support of the right people to win this election and make a terific state representative. He has the independence to get things down on Beacon Hill.
Who’s the teaching professional running his campaign? Or do you mean the Teacher’s Union, or useless Donna O’Brien who’s doing this so O’F won’t send people to help phony Barrios in his election. Schiavone should know Donna O’Brien is hated in Charlestown, even by the new people who puke when they see her. O’Brien hates O’F because he supports charter schools. Also, he voted with the MTA over 90% of the time so what are you talking about? In his district, because of School Building Assistance Funding there are 5 new schools, as far as civil rights, pretty dramatic leap for an Irish Catholic churchgoer to support civil unions, also the NAACP gave him an award some years ago, so do your research Nancy. Life experiences? you mean ending up in a psychiatric award because as a professor he had a sexual relationship with a seminarian? Please! Schiavone is a phony!
Well john, with friends like you, O’Flaherty won’t need enimies.
John, 1.you seem to know alot about O’Flaherty and 2. you seem pretty angry.What gives?
Nancy: you should know a lot about your rep too; we’re all political junkies that blog so I did my research on this kid who looks like a punk when you 1st see him and I’m damned impressed with him, I moved into this district from a district where my rep was useless and i just get “angry” when the Nancys of the world are clueless but let their agendas smear people and support useless nonentities like schiavone, i also know a lot about my senator, want to hear about him? and my city councilor, want to hear about him? no, this thread is about schiavone v. O’F and I’m telling you O’F’s positions from letters and literature i’ve received from him…any rebuttals NANCY to the points I raised above, ANY rebuttals NANCY
Yes John.I know for a fact that O’Flaherty is not supportive of many of the issues important to Democrats. He is more harmful to the party then helpful and the big wigs of the party want him gone. He supports charter schools and vouchers. I think he is at best wishy washy on a woman’s right to choose. I understand that he threw gasoline on the situation regarding the naming of the Zakim Bridge.O’Flaherty is old Boston. Time for new Boston.Finally, are you the Troll?
I doubt Galway’s the troll. Everything about what they write (except their opinions) are different and I don’t think the troll was screwed up or bored enough to invent an ally just to have someone to agree with him.
No, I’m not the Troll; I do miss the Troll and wish he/she would return because the comments made sense (most of the time). Nancy, I did some research, it seems O’F fought for the townies (his job is to do that) and he successfully brought the Jewish community together with the Townies and an ecumenical service and discussion resulted in the compromise name for the Zakim Bunker Hill bridge. It’s also funny to see you say O’F is old Boston when he’s the only member of his family born in this country and his entire family (father, mother & 4 older brothers) were all born in Ireland. He’s an immigrant and yet because of his last name, you label him old Boston. What a racist statement to make! This thread is getting old so let me close by saying: Schiavone is a phony who ended up in a psych ward because of affair(s) with other priests while at the seminary; not the integrity the 2nd Suffolk is looking to have in the House. Save your time & money phony boy and run for the open senate seat (phony barrios is running for Middlesex DA)
This is an old thread, but there was a lot of acrimony flying around here, so I felt I should chime in.I know both Gene O’Flaherty and Chris Schiavone personally. I know they are both very descent men who have a lot to offer the community. So don’t stoop to argumentum ad hominem attacks against either one.Gene has indeed done some great things for Chelsea, and he has always made himself very available to his constituents (sadly, a rarity nowadays). I have spoken to him many times about many issues. And while we agree on about 70-80% of issues, I have learned that we just have to agree to disagree on several- namely a woman’s right to choose and equal rights for homosexuals.Now, with Chris, he and I agree across the board.Yes, there is something to be said about having an incumbent in your district, especially one as politically connected as Gene. I often hear his name being bandied about on the short list for being house speaker some day.But the ‘don’t change horses in midstream’ mentality has never held a lot of water with me (sorry for the mixed metaphor!). At the end of the day I and every other voter needs to decide which candidate best represents their views and beliefs. And I think it is a great thing to have these two squaring off in the primary. Our democracy and civil discourse needs to remain vibrant and active.But most of all, our civil discourse needs to remain POLITE. We are all citizens and we are all Americans.
Hi John, I don’t know if anyone else will see your comment, but I see them.I’ve taken some shots at O’Flaherty, I think not without some justification (the McGrory threats, trip to Spain, etc.). But it’s good to remember that these things don’t totally define a person. Thanks for the reminder.