MOVE conflagration (Philadelphia, Liberty, Clark: credit, home, compensation)

[southbound_295]

Originally Posted by TimmyTightWad

I was born in the 80s, so I've only heard about MOVE in retrospect. Could anyone provide the context under which an AA mayor would ok the bombings?

They were on the news constantly. They were shown to be harassing & intimidating neighbors. It was well known that they has an arsenal. They frequently brandished their weapons. They killed a cop during a standoff in 78.

This is just the tip of the iceberg.

I think that the mayor just wanted it to stop. Neighbors in 2 neighborhoods wanted it to stop.

[rotodome]

Goode did not really ok the bombings. The decision to drop the incendiary device was made by the PPD. Goode pretty much found out about it on the news. As the head of the City Government, has/had to take responsibility for it though.

And he got re-elected basically because:
1. As the city's first AA mayor, he did still have some degree of popularity,
2. He was the incumbent Democrat,
3. He was running against Frank Rizzo, who switched parties to Republican in order to run for a third mayoral term, and who was a polarizing figure at best in Philly politics -hated at least as much as he was loved.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by FBJ

Because of the Amtrak tradegy I don't think it will be mentioned at all.

There was a small spot about it on channel 3 showing Pam Africa spouting the same "revolutionary" rhetoric from the 70s.

Most of the people whose homes were destroyed have moved away. Who's going to talk to them? Or try.

[CHIP72]

It seems ironic that the Amtrak derailment, or at least the aftermath of the derailment, took place 30 years to the day after the MOVE bombing (which as a 12 year old living in the Lehigh Valley at the time I remember was a huge story on the Philadelphia news).

Not to make a political/racial statement, but the symmetry of having one event involve a black/A-A mayor (as I like to call him, Wilson "Not So" Goode) who allowed the city to bomb its own residents and a second event involve a black/A-A mayor (Mike Nutter) responding strongly and quickly to a terrible accident involving an organization that has long served Philadelphia is striking and ironic to me.

[rotodome]

The irony is escaping me.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by CHIP72

It seems ironic that the Amtrak derailment, or at least the aftermath of the derailment, took place 30 years to the day after the MOVE bombing (which as a 12 year old living in the Lehigh Valley at the time I remember was a huge story on the Philadelphia news).

Not to make a political/racial statement, but the symmetry of having one event involve a black/A-A mayor (as I like to call him, Wilson "Not So" Goode) who allowed the city to bomb its own residents and a second event involve a black/A-A mayor (Mike Nutter) responding strongly and quickly to a terrible accident involving an organization that has long served Philadelphia is striking and ironic to me.

It is an incredible irony. No one was ever charged criminally for the MOVE disaster either.

There's also another local irony as well, but not of the tragic kind.

On the very date of MOVE 1985, and while the police action was going on(before the bombwas dropped), ground was broken for Liberty Place One, which broke the "Gentlemen's Agreement" regarding not building any building taller than city hall's tower.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by rotodome

The irony is escaping me.

Really? Aren't "paradox" or "incongruity" synonyms for "irony"?

[rotodome]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Really? Aren't "paradox" or "incongruity" synonyms for "irony"?

I don't really see how this situation is paradoxical or incongruous either.

Ironic would be if say, the mayor was on the train, traveling to a national conference on transportation safety.

It is certainly an interesting coincidence that two tragic events happened on the same day 30 years apart, though.

[rotodome]

Maybe my vote for most ironic MOVE-related event is Live Aid happening in Philly that summer while Osage was still smoking.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by rotodome

Maybe my vote for most ironic MOVE-related event is Live Aid happening in Philly that summer while Osage was still smoking.

Hmmmm, yes that! Also the Bike Race, a Manayunk-centric event now, started barely a month later, in June.