The City of Troy, New York, "Where Henry Hudson Turned Around."

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

HONORING SAMUEL WILSON

By now, everyone has heard the tragic news: No Uncle Sam Day parade.

But no one should despair yet. According to The Record a replacement event is in the works:

It might be a block party, or it could be a hot dog-eating contest, or maybe even a classic car show, but about 25 people who came out for a community meeting Monday night vowed to find some way for the city to honor the 250th birthday of its favorite son later this year.

In the wake of the cancellation earlier this month of the annual Uncle Sam Birthday Parade, city officials, local business owners and concerned residents filled an upstairs room at Forty-One Sports Bar & Grille in Lansingburgh to discuss possible alternatives for this fall, as well as to address the long-term future of the celebration.

Now, for full disclosure, the whole Uncle Sam thing always struck us as rather stupid. As an actual person, Sam Wilson is irrelevant. He sold some meat, which was likely rancid by the time it reached the army, to make a profit. There is nothing special or particularly patriotic about his activities.

By an accident, his name became linked to  what would become a national symbol. So, pride in the fact that Wilson lived in Troy for a few years and decided to die in Troy, seems silly. It is not an accomplishment.

Now, the parade replacements mentioned in the article sound, well, stupid. A hot dog eating contest? Is a public display of gluttony an appropriate celebration of a national symbol? A car show? A block party? A wet t-shirt contest? Maybe a bingo tournament.

Is this nonsense really about honoring a national symbol or is it about bringing people downtown to make a few bucks? If its about honoring a national symbol, a modest graveside ceremony seems reasonable. Some of the other ideas are just stupid, unrelated to the supposed goal and embarrassing.

Let it go.

51 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's about Carmella, of course!

Anonymous said...

It's called Civic Pride. If more in Troy actually had any, the parade would still be going on.

Anonymous said...

How about you step up and put in all the work that entails putting the parade together,

Anonymous said...

Who gives a shit about the parade.

Anonymous said...

That was our parade, burgh's parade and no body can step up. It's really sad cause this was our day as a community to hang out and watch it.

Anonymous said...

Before you become a keyboard warrior why don't you volunteer and help put on this parade.

Anonymous said...

Why don't you step up??

Anonymous said...

Go ahead --step up then.

Anonymous said...

To the "step up" crowd. We'll say it again slow, since you seem to have an IQ lower than Kim Ashe McPherson's. We don't care about the parade. That's why we're not stepping up. We are pointing out that Carmella never gave a shit about it either, until she could grab some headlines from it.

Obviously anything run by county Republicans is going to get run into the ground. Even a parade.

Anonymous said...

Uncle Sam was a punk. We should have a Tutunjian parade.

Anonymous said...

I think they should have a Joel Abelove parade. The theme could be release the murderers and drug dealers. We could open up all the jail cells and line up the inmates and give them their marching orders led by Abelove wearing a pithe helmet. He could hand out Grand Jury Immunity waivers to all participants.. Christian Gonzalez can be the grand Marshall. It would be awesome.

Anonymous said...

I got to tell you I have been at meetings at city hall as well as other meetings and Kim Ashe Mcpherson is doing a great job. You must just be one angry person that someone not tied into politics has been elected and really cares about Troy. So instead of saying stupid things that makes you look stupid check out the facts.

Anonymous said...

The Tutunjian parade starts at Dunkin Donuts stops at Brown Bag I love NY Dinosaur BBQ Bella Napoli then ends at the Ale House. Carmzilla appointed herself grand marshall but quit 5 minutes in as soon as she realized no people showed or any press showed. Then Carmzilla sent out a press release saying she had begun work on reinventing the wheel then she started jumping in other peoples selfies

Anonymous said...

There goes that Tutunjian obsession again.

Anonymous said...

10:44. ''Not tied into politics''. Then you use the word ''stupid''. Your as stupid as she is and you just proved it.

Anonymous said...

And now Lou and Peter show how good a job they did. They fucked up the new charter. How about a story on this Polloi.

Anonymous said...

Kim might care about Troy, but she obviously didn't care about paying attention in school. It's difficult to take her seriously when her social media posts have the spelling and grammar of a second grader. It's easy to spot her comments here. It's kind of like Cox with his inappropriate capitalizing of every word. How smart can someone be if they can't manage to put together a few proper sentences?

Anonymous said...

LOL, Joel Abelove Parade

Anonymous said...

Speaking of Dinosaur -- why does this administration want them gone? And who the hell is Barb Nelson to tell the Franklin people their building is ugly, and to tear it down? The city council meanwhile is more worried about a freakin parade. Open your eyes dumbasses.

Anonymous said...

Tutunjian or Carmzilla? How you doing Harry? Are you mad that Carmella is now the laughingstock of Troy instead of you?I think you just like seeing your name so bad that you write it yourself! Im sorry, next time i rake someone over the coals I'll dedicate the entire insult to you instead of just 25% I didnt realize you were into my writing that much. I must haveva very distinctive style

Anonymous said...

LOL Carmella jumping into other peoples selfies 😂

Anonymous said...

Yes, she vary smart

Anonymous said...

4:34 thats hysterical, and also true

Anonymous said...

Parades are total fluff. When you have to hire out of state bands to march in your community parade, it is all total BS.

Anonymous said...

Hey 7:33 pm: You do realize that even the local high school bands are paid to march, right? Yep, that's right. Parade organizers have to pay for the transportation required to get THS, LHS, CCHS bands to march too. So it's not just out of town/state bands that require payment to march.

Anonymous said...

Would rather pay local bands to participate. The kids work hard.

Anonymous said...

These ladies represent Troy just fine. Stop picking on them for..yadayada. Ya think it's so easy? Plus they have families and other jobs.

Phana24JG said...

You raise a valid point 10.30. We have all been autocorrected or made a few goofs, especially when using the mobile version. However, when someone absolutely butchers the language it really does detract from the message.

Anonymous said...

Shes brillant threw and threw

Anonymous said...

Yeah.you are right.

Anonymous said...

I'm all for a wet T-shirt contest now that the Russell Sage students have gone home for the summer...

Anonymous said...

A wet T-shirt contest in Troy would be frightening with or without Russell Sage students

Anonymous said...

4:34 thats a great point. The flag day parade has been help every year since the mid 60s, at one point it was referred to as the countries largest flag day parade. Im pretty sure parade goers have never been asked to step up to keep the parade going. What a ridiculous suggestion, and its too bad the person who wrote it didnt attach his name to it so we could know who to laugh at! Im sure we could narrow the author down to Harry or one of his flunkys since it was Jim Gordon who, for some reason,decided he could run a parade. He ran it alright, right into the fucking ground! Shame on him and all those who defend him!

Anonymous said...

A little obsessed with Jim Gordon? JG7MN Jim Gone 7 months now.

Anonymous said...

It is different from the flag day parade in another way. The flag day parade still exists! Why not run both parades the same way? You have no clue who i am. I would love to have a girlfriend Im just not sure my wife would approve!

Anonymous said...

You can run the parades the same way you just have to get people to do the work. It takes a lot of work to do the parade they would both need to be run by committees so that fundraising can be done. Flag day committee had a golf tournament, they try and raise money..need to try that in the burgh.

Anonymous said...

The way doubt is spelled gives away who you are,"dought"

Anonymous said...

The same person obsessed with Harry is obsessed with Jim.

Anonymous said...

How is Peyton Place on the 5th floor playing out these days?

Anonymous said...

I guess it's official now according to the Record. Kim Ass McPherson is out on her ass. Thank you new charter.

Anonymous said...

6:44 you sound demented!

Anonymous said...

Don't you think a contest like that would make are city look trash? Just sayin'.

Anonymous said...

Who cares about Jim Gordon. JGFG Jim Gone For Good

Anonymous said...

You spelled threw wrong. It's through. Threw is to throw.through is thru something.

Anonymous said...

The charter is filed. Now Kim hears that loud pounding in her head. Back to charm school Carla.

Anonymous said...

Carla. Ha. Cheers bar maid

Anonymous said...

Like have some class and stop ragging on Kimmy.

Anonymous said...

Kim is doing a great job and is really pissing you off.

Anonymous said...

Tell us all the wonderful things she's accomplished. Her community activism is legendary

Anonymous said...

She don't rag at people.

Anonymous said...

I have no clue who she is.