Message from Paul Pontieri, Mayor of Patchogue, to the media and residents:
Christmas in Patchogue:
It has come to our attention that the media has been distorting certain statements made by me with regard to the naming of holiday events within the Village. The controversy arose when the private non-profit corporation, the Greater Patchogue Foundation, elected to change the name of their boat parade to the “Holiday Boat Parade”. This is not an event organized, hosted or sponsored by the Village of Patchogue. We have no jurisdiction over a private corporation, and cannot legislate how they may choose to name their events.

For more than 55 years, on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, the Village of Patchogue has hosted and sponsored a Christmas Parade down our Main Street. It is a vibrant, historic and important part of our community. It is an important part of the holiday season to our residents and merchants. Under this administration, that name will never change. Patchogue is a community with deep religious roots, with churches that were organized over two centuries ago, and hosts houses of worship for nearly every religion. Our diversity is our strength, and the mutual respect that Patchogue has always stood for extends to the deference for a Christmas parade down Main Street as well.

We welcome you to join us in celebrating Christmas in our downtown and on our river.

Sincerely,
Paul V. Pontieri, Jr., Mayor

Patchogue Christmas Boat Parade
I hope that all of you have have already read the Newsday article about the Patchogue Christmas Boat Parade, in today's Newsday, October 23, 2008, section A8.

Be sure to view the video of Philip Butler with contrasting views from Paul Pontieri, Mayor of Patchogue Village, in the Newsday online edition.


Letter from the editor of this blog:
By virtue of being in the following video, Paul Pontieri inadvertently took the blame for being the person that changed the name of the Christmas Boat Parade, to the Patchogue Boat Parade!

In actuality, the Mayor had absolutely nothing to do with changing the name. The person who is responsible for changing the name of the Christmas Boat Parade, did not appear in the video!

In the interest of providing complete and accurate news, the person or persons who actually changed the name of the Christmas Boat Parade, should also be asked to make a statement in this video, or in a separate news article.

Over three thousand responses nationwide, gives this issue credibility that deserves complete, detailed, and accurate reporting.

(Please click the link below to view video)
(You may have to click the Face of the video in order to start it!)
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--noparadefireworks1023oct23,0,7780602.story

Also see the WCBS Radio coverage of this event!
http://www.wcbs880.com/Name-Change-Costs-Parade-Its-Fireworks/3189470

Also see the Daily News coverage!
https://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2008/10/23/2008-10-23_fireworks_company_blows_up_after_long_is.html

Also see WTOP Radio 103.5 FM coverage
http://www.wtopnews.com/?sid=1502852&nid=456

Also see the Central NY News coverage:
http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2008/10/towns_parade_draws_fire_for_dr.html

Also check Yahoo News!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081023/ap_on_fe_st/odd_no_christmas_parade

Also see the New York Post coverage!
http://breakingnews.nypost.com/dynamic/stories/N/NY_NO_PARADE_FIREWORKS_BAOL-?SITE=NYNYP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

O'Reilly Factor -Fox News
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AS7VDIIbd9g

News 12 Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCX5F4E-N0o&feature=related

It appears that all of the above may have gotten their information from none other than the Associated Press! Wow that's awesome!

Well folks! It looks like Patchogue Village once again has the distinction of having World Wide News Coverage! Wow that's awesome!

All of this action from a 2.2 square mile community!

The Associated Press coverage of this issue resulted in over Three thousand Emails, from around the world.

This is one of them!
I read a news article where there will be no fireworks due to the fact that there is a name change for a Patchogue's Nov. 23 parade not having the word Christmas in it.
I would just like to personally say WAY TO GO!!!!!!!
I know I may not be but one small person, however I have told several people about this article and I feel as if that it is a great stand for Christmas and for Christ.
From just one small person
Thank you
Faith Long

Second Letter:

Dear Mr. Butler:

I just want to thank you for your stand against the name change of the boat parade in Patchogue. I also wrote to Mayor Pontieri regarding the removal of Christmas from the name of their parade. I am so tired of the secular world trying to remove God from everything and everywhere, He will tolerate this behavior only so long. If they aren’t celebrating Christ’s birth then why have a holiday?

Thanks again for your stand.

Sheralyn McElhiney

This is the third, of over 3000 Emails. This particular Email was sent to our Mayor, and the Chamber of Commerce.

Dear P. Pontieri and the entire Board of the Patchogue Chamber of Commerce,

2008-2009 President– Charles Baker
Vice President— Mindy Skura
Vice President— Janet Pickett
Vice President— Kathleen Reilly
Secretary— Carol Proven
Treasurer—Lynn V. Skoglund

2008-2009 Directors

Mike Biello
Phillip Butler
Susan Berner
Donna Boyle
Lou Commisso
James B. Conklin, Jr.
Alvin Bowen
Steve Curran
Melissa Gonzalez
Dina Chrils
Kelleen Guyer
George Hoag
Thomas J. Keegan, Jr.
Andrea Lachar
Gary Merrill
Kathleen Quinn
Maureen Mennella
Allen Robinson
Abie Siegal
Nancy Schaefer
James L. Space
Harold Trabold
Terry Tuthill
David Vasquez
Howard Wurman
Kathleen Zguris
Paul Wekerle


Pat Whitlock

My name is Deborah Nuzzo. I want to say that now that you have joined the ranks of so many other businesses and towns throughout our good country joining your efforts with theirs in trying to wipe out Christmas, I will not be coming to your sham parade. Just what was it that happened on this day and the days before and after that people continue to celebrate? Think hard. How many years have passed and it is still being celebrated? Just some nondescript event from two thousand years ago?!!!!

In one account of this story from the Associate Press it states:

Organizers in the Long Island town said the parade has had several names over its roughly 15-year existence. The name was changed again this year after complaints that the use of "Christmas" seemed to make the parade less inclusive.

I am asking if you could give me the amount of complaints you received. I would like an actual number. Was it one, two? Surely it could not have been more or much more than that. And then I would like to ask where the town backbone is that you would cave into to so few complaints. Every report across this country in the past few years has given the same asinine answer as to why they got rid of the name of Christmas. "There were complaints" is always the answer, but never a mention as to how many and from whom. Have you been threatened with a lawsuit by the ACLU who has been behind most of this and may be the behind those same few voices over and over again? They are determined to complete the job of removing Christianity from this country and need to be disbanded. They have done enough damage already. Either you love this country or you don't.

I stand behind Mr. Phillip Butler in his decision not to participate. We need more courageous men like him to stand up and refuse to have our Holy Day, the day JESUS WAS BORN whitewashed by a bunch of cowards. Stand up and defend the truth and put a stop to this nonsense.

Please forward this to your entire member list. I will also spread this to ask people not to participate.

Merry Christmas.

Deborah Nuzzo

Press Conference Scheduled

Date: Wednesday October 29, 2008

Time: 11AM

Place: On the Waterfront Restaurant, Brightwood Street, Patchogue, NY

I would be very surprised if we don't see this issue covered on Network Television!

Reflections of Christmas Boat Parade 2007
I'm sure that many of you recall the Christmas Boat Parade that was held in Patchogue Village last year; the grand finale was a fireworks display that was donated by the Grucci Family.

Check out the Videos and Photo of the fireworks display. (Click the link below)

http://mapleavenuenw.blogspot.com/2007/11/christmas-boat-parade-in-patchogue.html#links

The agreement to supply the fireworks display for the 2007 Boat Parade was contingent on the parade being called the Christmas Boat Parade.

This year the Greater Patchogue Foundation has decided to change the name of this community event; which resulted tn the following response from the Grucci Family.

Sorry to inform you that the GPCC has decided to re-name the Christmas Boat Parade to the Patchogue Boat Parade. As such, the Grucci Family has declined the fireworks sponsorship. Accordingly there will not be any fireworks this year.

Last year Philip Butler of the Grucci Family, decided to do something about the growing trend to treat the word "Christmas," as if it were profanity! Philip's efforts resulted in a Nativity Scene being displayed in Patchogue Village, and the Boat Parade, being called the Christmas Boat Parade.
This Patchogue Village Christmas controversy, drew the attention of both Newsday, and the New York Times! The online edition has worldwide coverage, and our little village of eleven thousand residents, became famous overnight!

In the heat of last year's controversy I wrote the following article in an attempt to convince the merchants of our village to once again, look out of the box, and possibly consider a solution to their problem, that would give the followers of every religion, the respect that they want and deserve!

Christmas, Commerce, and the Religious Community
Within the last few years there has been a movement to Separate Religion from Commerce. The intent was to make all religious holiday references, generic. The most vocal groups that did not believe in religion, managed to start a trend, that would eventually remove the words such as Christmas, Hanukkah, and Christmas Tree from all signs in retail stores. The signs for these holidays, such as the Menorah, and Cross, were also unofficially banned from commerce.

The Atheist Community, who indeed do have the right to their beliefs, pushed on, and the Christian and Jewish Community remained silent.From a merchant's standpoint, I could understand why this was done. A merchant is not in the business of selling Religion. He sells clothes, cars, boats, hardware and whatever! The bottom line is they must make enough money to pay the bills, and draw a salary for themselves. With the advent of the "Mall," this can be an insurmountable problem. The merchant must do whatever it takes to keep his business.

Problems arise because many merchants make most of their annual profit, via sales that are directly connected to religious holidays! So what is the merchant to do? If a major attack is coming from one religious group, he would do what it takes to stop the attack. In this case diluting and burying the symbols of the Jewish and Christian Religions, quenched the attack! This action was only a temporary fix for an ever growing problem. The Christian and Jewish Communities eventually realized what had happened, and are now the attackers, instead of the Atheist Community.

We are not the same nation that we were five years ago! Just take a walk down "Main Street USA," and listen to the people talk. You might be surprised at what you hear! We, are no longer just descendants of European Immigrants! We now live in an International Community that will further exasperate the problem. The problem is not the new immigrants, it's the fact that our merchants must now learn to deal with the multitude of new religions that are surfacing daily.

The equation gets more complicated! The Christian Community is protesting now, with seven other religious groups, standing in line! No religious group wants their beliefs, diluted! It is only a matter of time until the Muslim, Buddhist, Native American, Indian, and Porto Rican Communities, take their turn at demanding respect for their beliefs.The dilution strategy has failed miserably!

If I were a merchant I would quickly adopt an all inclusive acceptance policy, for religions. In order to prevent one religion from taking offense with another because of surmised favoritism, a public statement of policy must be made on posters in every store, such as the following!

"WE RESPECT AND HONOR ALL THE RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD COMMUNITY!"

Now all and every religion will be presented in the form of informative posters. This type of presentation does not constitute acceptance or favoritism. The community leaders from each of the religions that will be presented on posters, will actually write the text, and sign it! EG.1. The merchant would display a poster saying "Merry Christmas," followed by an explanation of Christmas, by a local Priest.EG.2. The Jewish Community would have their poster that is clearly labeled, Happy Hanukkah. The text would be written by a local Rabi, and also signed by the Rabi.EG.3. The Atheist would have a poster stating "his beliefs. He too must also sign his poster! What we have here is an "Academic Statement of Fact," as compiled by local Clergy, Monks, and religious representatives.

The merchant did not sign the Poster!

The merchant did not compose the poster!

The Merchant did not say a word to indicate acceptance or sponsorship of any of the posters! The only thing the merchant actually did, was to post a statement of the "Official Store Policy;" which is:

WE RESPECT AND HONOR ALL RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD COMMUNITY!

Who could take offense with that?

This is a community forum, and we welcome comments from the residents, clergy, and merchants!

Send your Comments, Articles, and Announcements (about 200 words), to the Maple Avenue Neighborhood Watch, via Email to davispark2000-manw@yahoo.com
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Comment:
That's all well and good to "respect" everyone but let's face it...we are celebrating Christmas when we decorate with lights and not zwanza or ramadan or anything else. Let's not dilute this people. For the sake of a few don't ruin it for all of those who stand by this countries judeo-christian heritage.
2:13 PM
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