This post is follow up on our exclusive report New Rochelle’s Thomas Paine Museum Seized by New York State Attorney General and Board of Regents
Aman Ali of the Journal News is reporting on what the Journal News calls a “revolt” by local officials over the decision to move the collection of the Thomas Paine Museum out of New Rochelle. Ali notes that Noam Bramson, Andy Spano and Jim Maisano have all joined the call to keep the collection in Westchester. Maisano and Bramson have both recommended New Rochelle.
Most disquieting about Ali’s report is the claims by the museum’s interim director, Brad Mulkern, that the Thomas Paine National Historical Association moved the collection because the building was not up to museum quality. This seems a highly dubious claim considering that this has been the case for many years, that parts of the collection were being stored in the basements of people’s homes and that the purported reason for selling parts of the collection in 2005 were to pay for restoration on the museum. What would justify selling off priceless parts of the collection for a pittance and then shutting down the museum anyway?
No wonder the Attorney General is investigating Mulkern and his ersatz colleague Brian McCartin.
In a remarkable bit of chutzpah, Mulkhern calls into question the motives of people who question the actions of the TPNHA.
“Westchester Historical Society has 6,000 visitors a year – New-York Historical Society has over 300,000,” Mulkern said. “Ignore the self-interests of people who are speaking and say to yourself, ‘Which place is better for Thomas Paine’s artifacts? Where is the most appropriate place for these things to be put to rest and where is he going to get the maximum exposure?'”
This is an absurd argument. By this logic the Thomas Paine collection should be placed at Yankee Stadium or Grand Central Terminal. And what “self-interest” do Bramson, Maisano and Spano have in wanting to keep the collection within their community where it has been located since 1925? The founders of what would become the TPNHA brought the collection to New Rochelle for a reason — and is was not so that a handful of unqualified board members could play “museum official” or live rent free in the attic.
Given the past history of questionable behavior, self-dealing and the fact that the museum’s board, including Mulkern, are under investigation by law enforcement, the real question is what is suddenly motivating Mulkern to be so adamant that the collection be moved out of the area?
Whatever the reason you can bet it is not out of any concern that the collection be seen by as many people as possible — not when the same guy was allowing the collection to be store in people’s basements and the museum itself was almost always closed over the past 10 years.
Enough of the rhetoric — lets search our hearts and souls
sometimes logic is more than a collection of seemingly inarguable facts. History has repeatedly taught us in this city that we allow significant values, landmarks, treasures to decay until such time as some other end befalls them; an armory is sold and scheduled for destruction, irreplaceable works of great importance are boxed and sold and then, only then, we rise up as a collective force and scream bloody murder at the loss of something of seemingly great importance to all of us. We discover we have ideas, slogans, so much more and we are a shocked and we should be. So much more may be in the wings — our reputation as a city of first class school districts, for one, has turned the corner, we have no downtown district and frankly, never will have one given how it is looked at by two genre of opposing forces; the nostalgics who see a return to gentler times and the separatists who cannot adjust their sightlines south of the cityhall line.
It is time to pause and ask yourselves; ask Noam, ask Jim Maisano, ask the good people who are fighting to preserve and protect these assets. (1) where were you when they were boxed on the one hand and(2) shuffled aside as a halloween house on the other. Hell where was I — same place as you doing nothing, simply responding to the next issue down the road; issue of far less import than the two biggest parts of our “history” we face now.
Sorry I do not trust keeping these treasures in New Rochelle. We lack the will, the structure, the fundings, the clout to protect and preserve them. If we set our sights on doing so, it is simply another transaction to fight a lesser problem; a self interest politician, other politicians who don’t even care enough to be involved, critics who spend most of their time criticizing, old pols who return and speak of reform when they haven’t a clue what that was during their time and really can’t see the forest for the trees this time.
I am responsible — I did NOTHING and neither did so many others. If we insist for some reason that these tresures should stay here, it is simple enough to cobble together a proposal to place them all in the armory and voila, problem solved. It is not! It is much beyond that; it is not even a good interim arrangement.
Put Jim Maisano, an honorable man with others of quality like George Latimer, and Amy Paulin. Get someone well versed in the preservation of historic sites and landmarks. Get Jim Killoran involved. Bring in our best and brightest clergy. I don’t know, get our best people involved and commit to this. PASS THE HAT FOR PRIVATE MONEY IF NEED BE. Get our dormant legislature to sponsor and work that way. Stop this retrospective nonsense. A number of folks blogging and elsewise knew what was happening regarding Thomas Paine. Others, knew exactly what was happening with the Armory which any reasonable person has to concede is not of the historic value of Paine, but as I said earlier, too many decent people of this town want it, and I am now persuaded that this is the most democratic, moral road to follow. I am sorry for this screed, this lecture, this refutation of the comments of so many good people, but I don’t want this to become a political football. If Bramson is serious, he needs to tone down the words and rev up the action and do it in concert with others. That will not happen. Happy Fourth of July to Tom Paine who shaped what this stood for and to all of us veterans, many of who died for what it stood for. warren gross
Rhetoric has it’s place I suppose Mr Gross
Happy 4th to you Warren and appreciation for your service to this country. You are right on point when you speak of the involvement needed to make a city reach it’s potential . Hard as it may be to defend this apathy , one has to realize , the citizenry can’t possibly keep watch on all aspects of our town. That is exactly why we elect government officials and it is why they are refered to as leaders . My point of view sees their role as developers to be well behind in priority compared to the daily function and maintenance of the many aspects . From trash to emergency services to museums to schooling to commerce and on and on these are the things that make or break a city . Manage these well and you’ll have as many people moving to town as you need . It’s the little things that make up the big thing . As for the “nostalgics” I’ve met , the issue isn’t returning to the “way things were” moreover, they remember a certain quality of life that seems to diminish with each new and improved leap of progress. The two are definitely not mutually exclusive . It is , at the end of the day , quality of life that makes a great city great . You can have all of the towers and shiny new buildings you want but if everything outside the buildings has succumbed to atrophy and apathy, and the schools suck , what have you really accomplished . I can’t speak to the Paine issue . I have been ignorant about the conditions , but so have many others . When the issues are obfuscated and kept from daylight , what are we to do? Speak up about the injustice we see and be involved in causes that matter to us . When the Armory was deeded to the city it was expected that the restrictions of the deed be honored . Things muddled along through hard economic times expecting someday it will realize it’s potential . A very concerned group has always been working to move this idea along since the city took it over. They have worked on a shoestring budget to bring some kind of dialogue to the table and have consistently been met with indifference and lack of interest from city administrations past and present . With the current administration deciding to turn it’s back on it’s history in favor of what a developer decides is best for our city , the friction has ramped up . The conflict has always been there it is at a higher level now , that’s all . So , in light of the news we hear , it’s no wonder you’re hearing the increasing “rhetoric” as you call it . We call it civic pride and concern .We don’t just criticize , we offer a way forward that makes sense for the city and are fully prepared to work with all who would stand with us to improve the quality of life , not the quantity of life .
Bramson is serious about
Bramson is serious about Nita Loweys congressional seat.
The City has many treasures but he only speaks about the treasures that do not block his potential rise to Congress.
How else does he Name one Post Office after an Opera Singer while ignoring the treasures in the other because those treasures block his path.
How else does he ignore the Armory as that too blocks his path.
How else does he continue to work the same old tired Lou Cappelli three card monte game because doing otherwise only blocks his path.
The reality is in his path the items he bowls over in the end will block his path. I say let us see some Common Sense from Noam Bramson. Once his political asperations are on the same page with what is good for New Rochelle and its Citizenry he may in fact find that congressional seat.
Do the work Mayor, there are no shortcuts.
Protect all of our assets. Let the City take shape over the long haul there are no shortcuts. And even if there are some it won’t occur with your current path fo selecting some treasures while others obviously are in your way.
Even those who have supported you as you are home grown see what blocks you most is bad advice, a desire to lay down with dogs as we see your now proud fleas.