In an editorial, Hoboken 3rd Ward council candidate Ed Reep states his case on why the governing body “must stop distracting us with fake social issue resolutions.”
Recently, the Hoboken City Council unanimously passed a resolution containing verbiage they obviously did not fully agree with (or read carefully) that the city and its public library and its little library cubbies around town (and its school libraries?) were now “Book Sanctuaries” such that “all types of books shall be made accessible to all without regard to their content.”
I spoke on September 6th at the City Council meeting before this resolution passed agreeing with the overall anti-censorship message but urging the City Council to amend the resolution to clarify that the words should not be read as implying age-inappropriate books are welcome in school libraries or in the little library cubbies that are readily accessible to children.
I also said that in terms of content they want accessible they should add an exclusion for clear pornography (not the same thing as literature with sex scenes) and unambiguous hate propaganda books like the Neo-Nazi adventure novel the “The Turner Diaries” that Amazon banned from its website after the January 6th riot.
The truth is that in practice the library is not actually going to allow outright porn or Neo-Nazi propaganda, and no one in Hoboken actually wants to expose truly age-inappropriate books to children at school or anywhere like that.
It is a fair observation that there might be some legitimate controversy in Hoboken around teaching or exposing children to ambiguously age-appropriate LGBT+ content like storybooks with characters in non-traditional families, and people should be able to have good-faith empathic discussions on that topic … but that’s not what any discussions of “book banning” have ever been about, at least in our city.
The infamous social media post that sparked the “controversy” on “book banning” happening in Hoboken was about a sexually-explicit book that was being raffled at an event, not actually read to children, and if I were to guess, the book was in fact removed from the raffle after its concerning presence was pointed out?
Look, we all know what is going on here. This resolution was just a way for City Hall to posture and act self-righteous, manufacturing a hubbub to get media attention and earn points in socially-progressive circles.
There was very little thought behind this actual legislation.
They claimed that the point of this resolution was to help LGBT+ and other diverse voices and communities, though now, at least as far as what has been legislated, they have also opened the gates for the library to start hosting anti-trans content like the book version of “What is a Woman?” by Matt Walsh or racist content like I spoke about earlier.
If I were elected to City Council in Hoboken, I will oppose distracting legislation and efforts like this that just seek to cause controversy where there is none on social issues so the city administration can grab headlines and pander to political partisans.
I will hopefully use my power of friendliness and persuasion to politely convince my colleagues to cut this out, but if they continue doing this stuff, I’ll be forced to call them out on this nonsense in a more public manner and make things difficult for them via fair parliamentary means.
This effort has been quite a distraction from my own work as a candidate in Hoboken’s 3rd Ward where there are much more important issues I need to further explore such as rent affordability, parking availability, and pet friendliness, but I need to show folks what is going on here.
If we want the best for Hoboken, our focus needs to be on the things matter, and people need to see how our city administration tries to distract us and deflect us from those things that matter.
You see here how they passed a resolution that most likely does nothing and addresses nothing and maybe even opens us up to problems just to get some news media eyeballs?
You see all the calories they are making us spend on nonsense like this (myself a victim) so we get distracted from what really matters?
It’s time to get someone truly laser-focused on our top quality of life needs on our City Council, who can then work to prioritize our city’s key issues and tell these folks pandering and signaling to sit down and start working!
Edward Reep
Hoboken 3rd Ward City Council Candidate 2023
That resolution was fine, and it’s possible to do more than one thing at the same time. I hope you have more than this for a campaign platform, kinda weak sauce to come out of the gate with, no?
The issue is it that this administration puts more focus on grabbing headlines (often through manufactured controversy) than on solving the problems in town. Pulling down from national issues to try and make some news does not help move our own town forward. It’s a distraction. A shiny object hoping to keep people looking away from the lack of recreation, rat infestation, homelessness, etc. as Ravi puts more people on the payroll who do nothing (but cost taxpayers more money).
Isn’t Mr Reep one of the White polo Shirt wearing MAGA/ MBR ( Make branco relevant ) tam members?
Branco is bobbing around with Leo Pelligrini and Ed Reep hoping to gain some sort of operative role in government.
These guys are being lead to the loser bin fast if they take his advice.
Tony soares crew on the other hand bankrupted the town so maybe some change is good. Now he lives hand to mouth asking people to take down Facebook posts that upset daddy Hany.
The Ravi, VJ attack squad always seems to end up in the gutter making personal attacks.
When people show you who they really are. . . belivethem.
The resolution is a smokescreen defending groomers and promoting young boys giving their older teen groomers an instruction manual. It’s been seen by the country since LibsOfTikTok showed what these materials actually are.
Do you think Ravi shared it with his son?
https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1668741466619879427
https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1668757664535552000
Ravi then went into cover up mode, and lying, of course:
https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1669023024824164355
Do you notice they always target children. Why don’t they go visit seniors?
Hey Genius, you realize, of course, that your name translates to “children who target pedos”. WTF is a child who target pedos? What are you talking about? What does that even mean? Do you understand grammar? And why all the creepy “groomer” references? What’s you with you?
No it wasn’t “just fine” (but you just earned your salary problably) and it sounds like you didn’t read any of what he said. Please respond to his points I’m against book banning but the resolution was a feel good thing that got covered on all of Tv stations while people in Hoboken have rats running in childrens playgrounds. Most of us know it was meant to distract from 100 things the council refuses to do. I doubt I’ll vote for Ed, due to lack of experience, but his letter is brave and accurate. The sponsors of the resolution actually tell people to “call Weehawken officials” whenever they are asked, over and over, why Hoboken kids can’t get swim lessons they can afford in Hoboken, rather than calling upon them publicly. The sponsors don’t address a number of issues that matter locally. It’s theatre and eeeeeveryone agrees privately. I think the comment above was bought and paid for. Now that books aren’t banned whatll Phil do to make sure our kids can learn to swim? We have indoor pools all winter? Where are the new recreation programs and why cant our kids get into the fall tennis? When will he actually do something?
You think Mikie’s history of corruption, a family tradition is “experience?”
True, for most people they can do two things at once but this administration does not seem able to walk and chew gum at the same time.
Mr Reep is correct. He has the courage to take up the very uphill challenge of taking on the long entrenched Russo and gives the voters an alternative.
The Bhalla Trolls like Teddy Letterman, Kitty Forward, and Dante Deltin are after Ed Reep because Russo aids and abets them. Reep The Benefits on Election Day!