Turner Classic Movies showed two important movies this weekend. One was On the Waterfront w/ Marlon Brando,Karl Malden,Lee J.Cobb,Rod Steiger and the lovely Eva Marie Saint. xc3xa2xe2x82xacxc5x93Plot Outline: An ex-prize fighter turned longshoreman struggles to stand up to his corrupt union bosses.xc3xa2xe2x82xacxc2x9dxc3xa2xe2x82xacxe2x80x9dbut the movie is MUCH more than that. To me it is a story of the difference one man can make-thatxc3xa2xe2x82xacxe2x84xa2s one man with the courage to say and do what needs to be said and done, a man w/the courage to lead by example. The other movie is Mr.Smith Goes to Washington. Jimmy Stewart,Jean Arthur,Claude Rains,Edward Arnold,Guy Kibbee.xc3xa2xe2x82xacxc2x9dPlot Outline: A naive man is appointed to fill a vacancy in the US Senate. His plans promptly collide with political corruption, but he doesnxc3xa2xe2x82xacxe2x84xa2t back down. xc3xa2xe2x82xacxc5x93-Ixc3xa2xe2x82xacxe2x84xa2ll accept that outline.

Lotxc3xa2xe2x82xacxe2x84xa2s of morals,lessons,etc from these movies.

xc3xa2xe2x82xacxc5x93Testify on what you know is wrong, because you know what is right!xc3xa2xe2x82xacxc2x9d

xc3xa2xe2x82xacxc5x93You stand up and Ixc3xa2xe2x82xacxe2x84xa2ll stand up w/you.xc3xa2xe2x82xacxc2x9d

Some of what I see in these movies( just a few):

You may need to destroy bad bridges in the building of good ones.

One person standing up for whatxc3xa2xe2x82xacxe2x84xa2s correct can and should lead to others following in the path created.

Doing the correct thing for others is doing the correct thing for me/us.

We know what the right thing to do is-we make that choice or we chose to do the wrong thing.

Well done is better than well said.

Good work is itxc3xa2xe2x82xacxe2x84xa2s own reward.

Wrong doing,evil, needs cover to thrive.

Now, what do these movies have to do w/the Mahoning Valley?,well, from the Mahoning County Dysfunctional (non)Working Group to Congressman Tim Ryanxc3xa2xe2x82xacxc2xa6.but Ixc3xa2xe2x82xacxe2x84xa2ll deal w/ xc3xa2xe2x82xacxc5x93the Groupxc3xa2xe2x82xacxc2x9d tonight and Rep.Timmy another time. (btw-U.S.Federal Judge David Dowd,in his recent filing has justified my reference to xc3xa2xe2x82xacxc5x93the Groupxc3xa2xe2x82xacxc2x9d as dysfunctional & non-working).

We have a dysfuntional criminal justice system here-deemed so in US Federal Court, yet no elected official on the Group has the courage to speak out as the characters played by Marlon Brando and Karl Malden did in Waterfront and James Stewart did in Mr.Smith-EVEN THOUGH the problems here, as in the movies, are clearly visible + the RISKS MUCH less HERE than in Waterfront!




Dr.Rick Billak from the good Community Corrections Association spoke up and out on the show a couple of weeks ago as documented in The Youngstown Vindicator 18 May 06 + in a Vindicator editorial 26 May 06. Dr.Billak's NOT an elected official. Dr.Billak's NOT the prosecutor,NOT a judge,Not a commissioner,but IS courageous as was Brando in Waterfront-but where are the James Stewarts? Where are the Mr.Smiths? Dr.Billak was obviously nervous and feared reprisals as a result of his outspokeness. Y-town Municipal Judge E-Liz Kobly spoke up and out when she ordered Sheriff Wellington into our courtroom to show cause as to why she should not find Wellington in contempt for releasing someone that Judge Kobly ORDERED into jail! Wellington hid behind prosecutor Paul Gains' skirt and remained silent as usual while the dysfuntion continues and continues to perpetrate hell onto those least equipped to deal w/that hell. Appeals court Judge Mary DeGenaro spoke up and out in her minority/descenting opinion supporting our Judge Kolbly efforts for real justice,a real functioning criminal justice system here, an honest,legal opinion, while appeals court judges Donofrio and Vukovichxc3xa2xe2x82xacxe2x84xa2s opinions where more of the Mahoning County's usual political 'go along to get along' crap that further covers this community in the ugly stench of our political corruption .




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~L.b.Free, Sunday 04 June , 10:10 p.



note: maybe we'll get some Brando,Malden,Stewart style truth on Monday,05June's show-NOT from a local public official, but from a former Federal law enforcer who worked in and w/the system here for a number of years.