After a couple months off, I'm back writing for the Utica Phoenix.
This month I look for the Utica Master Plan . . . not the one under development now . . . nor the 1960 nor 1950 plans . . . but the ORIGINAL master plan. It's there . . . if you look hard enough. . . . and that vision from the past might be just what we need today. Read "Uncovering Utica's Original Master Plan" in the Phoenix, now available.
Also check out the great coverage of the Montecassino exhibit and City Hall ceremony at which several local veterans were honored . . . Good things are happening in Utica that many don't know about!
9 comments:
What is wrong with Utica??? I attended this Monte Cassino Ceremony on April 30th which honored four veterans of that war and it was a stirring, moving event. Where was the media??? Did you see the disgraceful coverage by the Observer-Dispatch? Princess Diana Lenska awarded Medals of Honor through her organization the Royal Order Kingdom Of Poland and all the stupid Observer-DisGrace could do was rehash all the same twisted facts on her that they have been doing since the fall. Donna Donavan must really be worried now that someone with real class has come on the scene, and its apparent that she and the OD have only wanted to trash and slash everything that this noble lady wants to accomplish in Utica. What gets me angry, is seeing so many people be suckered into the garbage printed by the OD. This Monte Cassino tribute should of been a front page story not hidden in the middle of the paper with a few unrelated comments. The biased "writers" (I will not dishonor real journalist by giving that title to any OD reporter) have and continue to pull Utica down into the mire and we all just let it happen. The Utica-Phoenix did a fantastic story on the City Hall Monte Cassino ceremony and exhibit with photo coverage. It was one of the best papers this month to date, maybe the best of all the Phoenix. If anyone out there has not seen the story on Monte Cassino in the Phoenix, pick a paper up and see a wonderful story the OD didn't report on because they were too busy wanting to smear the Princess, again.
Please, not the so-called Princess again! What is it with those who fall for self designated royalty and medals awarded from Royal Order of Oz that means absolutely nothing? Are we that insecure around here? The OD has a duty to describe the Princess as she is; someone who has designated and labeled herself. That is hardly a smear in any sense of the word.
Mr. Anonymous, How many times have you met the Princess? Have you met her at all? The first few articles published the OD never met or spoke to Princess Lenska. They created a story without having arranged a meeting or interviewing her. The OD had a duty to present the "FACTS" not a false and biased account. What the OD wrote was "YELLOW JOUNRALISM" at its worst. I at least met the Princess on several occasions at various functions and spoke to her and learned of her plans. My opionion of her is based on a "FACTUAL" encounter and estimating of her character based on FACTS which I could see. FIRST, how is she a "self-designated" Princess. OH YES! From the OD. Have you seen her PRESS KIT? I have. It is filled with newspaper articles going back to the 1980's and OFFICIAL POLISH GOVERNMENT letters, documents and invitations, "ALL", addressing her as HRH Princess Diana Lenska. So, if numerous newspapers and the Polish Government accepted her family heritage when presented to them in the 1980's and they designated her as a Princess and addressed her as one how can you or anyone say that she is not.
One so excited about a lady who is a US citizen from New Jersey claiming a royalty that means nothing baffles the observer of this only in Utica situation. Even if every claim that Ms. Lenska makes was true, so what? Titles and all the baloney that goes with them mean nothing in America. Our American culture and traditions are the antithesis of royalty. That's what we should be proud of, not someone waltzing around prefering to be called HRH. Honoring and remembering our roots is one thing, worshipping at the alter of phony claims, knighthoods and other forms of royal nonesense is another.
I guess, Anonymous, if Queen Elizabeth II visited Utica, no one would care, or, worse, people would be upset because "Titles and all the baloney that goes with them mean nothing in America. Our American culture and traditions are the antithesis of royalty."
Obviously that statement is nonsense because titles or status do mean things to many people, even though our society is premised on the concept that everyone is "created equal."
After all Actress Glenn Close couldn't even have a quiet dinner with her daughter in New Hartford without it making front page news. Maybe actresses don't count . . . or maybe it was because she visited New Hartford rather than Utica.
Regardless, everyone is certainly free to believe that Ms. Lenska's title is "nonsense," or otherwise, as they wish.
If Ms. Lenska wishes to use her title, and if others wish to recognize her title, that is their business.
Thank you, Strikeslip for your clarity it seeing what is true. I state that I have met the Princess several times and have seen her press kit with numerous official Polish documents stating that she IS a Princess and all Anonymous comes back with are attacks on her and her organization. His very obvious attack by calling her claims and knighthoods as, "phony" when I and others have seen Princess Lenska's publicity and official Polish documents and invitations clearly prove that Anonymous is not interested in the truth but merely wanting to smear her unjustly. And how can the knighthoods be phony? The Royal Order Kingdom Of Poland is a non-profit approved by New York State and the IRS. DO YOU, OR ANONYMOUS KNOW HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO OBTAIN A 501(C)3 NON-PROFIT STATUS IN NEW YORK STATE SINCE ALL THE NEW REGULATIONS HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED. Yet Princess Lenska and the Royal Order Kingdom Of Poland WAS approved by the State and the IRS AS A LEGITIMATE ORGANIZATION. I have viewed the application for membership and the non-profit creditials and the Royal Order is recognized for granting and awarding honors and knighthoods under the NYS, IRS, approved Articles and Constitution of the Order. There is only one reason that Anonymous and others like him continue their smear campaign(WITHOUT ANY PROOF OR VERFICATION FOR ANY OF THEIR ATTACKS ON PRINCESS LENSKA) and that reason is ENVY.
Casting aside the premise that everyone is created equal and the hysteria of the cult of the Princess,there is a serious issue at stake.In America we are born with equal rights and equal opportunites. Although we have struggles with living up to that ideal since our founding, we aspire to that ideal. We have not royal titles, we recognize no royal titles.The very nature of royalty connotes being born into priviledge of a kind that is repugnant to the American ideal and culture. If other countries recognize royalty as do the British,that separates them from us. As I understand it, Ms. Lenska is an American citizen. Is she not?
If she is, she has not title and calling herself a Princess is questionable conduct. Even if she had a connection to royalty way back when,I say if, it is now meaningless in every way except to herself and to those who choose to call her Princess.I happen to think that is strange in addition to being contrary to what our country is. With a lot of work and research, many may be able to trace lineage to royal roots from Europe or elsewhere. We, as Americans, do not run around calling ourselves, Duke, Prince, Princess or Queenie. And, since we have no titles here, a 501C3 or 501C4 cannot designate anyone a royal knight. The best we can do is a Knight of Columbus. Why anyone would call a Princess doubter "envious" is truly blind to the real principles at stake. In a certain scheme of things, none of this is very important since the entire matter is relatively insignificant to Utica, the area and its people. But,every attempt to further balkanize our society and community by splitting groups into ethnic, racial and gender terms is counter productive and harmful.It is un American and should be recognized as such.
Who is, who isn't? At least the LADY in question has high moral intentions and got off her behind to bring to the fore events such as Monte Cassino and Poland's betrayal by the Western Allies. Why should she have to prove anything. The onus is on her critics: put up, or shut up! If you don't like who the LADY says she is, then prove her wrong!
AMEN!
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