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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Monday, February 08, 2010

LV Blogging Pioneer, Billy Givens, Passes Away

On Thursday night, following a Northampton County Council meeting, a small group of us met at Palmer Township's Tic Toc Diner. Exec John Stoffa likes their vanilla milkshake, while Ron Angle eats salad and drinks unsweetened iced tea. I love the split pea soup, with lots of hot sauce. There's always around four or five of us, with some faces changing. One of the regulars, until he became ill, was ornery Billy Givens, scourge of local governments everywhere.

While we were there, Ron and Rev. Mike Dowd began sharing "Billy stories" about this lanky, bearded Alabama transplant. One night, after Billy called Dowd a corrupt slave to big business interests, he meekly asked him for a ride home. Dowd was happy to oblige.

Billy died last night, surrounded by his lovely wife and daughters, who were always his pride and joy.

Having a mutual interest in good government, Billy and I were friends. Long before the Internet or blogs became popular, he was distributing a newsletter on the "stage of Easton." He would also give unannounced speeches, sometimes in Easton's Circle and even outside the Courthouse. He was thrilled when his daughter gave him a bullhorn for his birthday.

He started a blog before any of us, called BillyBytes. With his characteristic penchant for understatement, this is how he announced it: "With relish, Billy Bytes takes chunks out of those who hold themselves up as models of probity but are venal, be they officials such as mayors and school board members, political parties, or the mainstream media."

The Express Times was dubbed The Excess Times, and The Morning Call was The Morning Call Girl, both regularly trashed as mouthpieces and whores for the Established Order.

He'd get upset with me, too. Two years ago, after I deleted a few of his off-topic rants, he sent me an email entitled "Bernie O'Hare, Please Stay Off Your Bicycle, Even If Your Ass Is As Wide As You Are Tall." He then unloaded on me and, just for the hell of it, included Easton's college hill elite.

"I know you're running away from me, but you're not going to be able to hide forever. Up here in Easton's silk-stocking neighborhood of College Hill, where I live with my blue-blooded, Brahmin neighbors like Phil Mitman, Danny Cohen, and Sandy Woodring, they have their noses stuck so far up the ass of Lafayette College that if it made an abrupt left or right turn without signaling it would break their noses.

I'm from Alabama, the home of former heavyweight boxing champion of the world, who used to say of his opponents in the ring: "You can get on your bicycle and run, but you can't hide."

Back in August, Billy received a warm reception when he visited Northampton County Council for the first time in many months. He posed for a picture with me, and we both give the bloggers' salute.

Now he's gone.

Did he make a difference? Ask Glenn Reibman, Jim Hickey, Ron Angle, John Stoffa or Sal Panto. Ask the reporters and editors he regularly abused. He made them all just a little better.

I just hope Billy takes it easy on God.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

God Speed Billy. We need you now more than ever. There is no one looking over the excesses and incompetence of the Stoffa Administration. You were truely a straight shooter.

You were the last of your kind and honest call it like it is commentator.

Anonymous said...

I was looking forward to flagging anon 7:17. What happened?

Anonymous said...

Vile Villa sneaked it in the backdoor. Something he likes to do

Anonymous said...

Villa wants their world to stop bc his daughter died, but has no respect for the death of anyone else.

monkey momma said...

My condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Givens. I did not know him beyond the blogosphere, but it's clear he had an impact on the conversation. This post is a very nice tribute to him.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Billy was an original, a one-of-a-kind. He was absolutely spellbinding in some of his stories, delivered with his Southern drawl.

I did not mention this, but there will be no services. In a few months, his family will have a celebratory wake.

Anonymous said...

Bernie, thanks for posting this. My father once told me, "What I do is remind elected officials that they are servants of the people. Nothing makes them more angry."

Sanctifying Grace said...

The first time I met him was at Oscar's many years ago in Downtown Easton. He walked in and there was a long line of customers waited to be helped. There were also customers seated in the special room in the back. Billy dropped off one of his newsletters to Oscar. Oscar, in turn, handed it to me. I said to him, "Who is that?" Oscar in his most caring way that he is said, "Some loud mouth. Go ahead read his letter." So I got my sandwich and proceeding to sit with the big boys in the back.

I started to look through the letter and the attorneys in the back were shaking their heads. They said, "Billy at it again."

I didn't know what they were getting at. After I finished my sandwich, I took a stroll to the Carmelcorn Store. While I was walking in The Circle, there was Billy shouting through his bull-horn. Then I put two and two together: This IS Billy Givens.

Later that week, he got arrested for his famous act and declaration:

"Green Street is NOW proclaimed OPENED!" As he took the bolt cutters to the blockade fence. I was secretly cheering for him the whole time.

The Lehigh Valley need more people like Billy.

May God have mercy on his soul. ~~Alex

Sandra Walters Weiss said...

Billy is fighting with ST.Peter at the Pearly Gates about what should be,in HEAVEN.Thank you Bernie for a tribute to a man that I shared a lot with,taught me a great deal and always supported me in everything I did.I too,have my Billie stories,as he was a welcome guest to my office.He would always barge in,order everyone around and regale us with his outlook on life.He embodied the First Amendment of the Constitution,may he take his place with it's writers and thoughts of him will always bring a belly laugh from me.Thanks Billy and Give em Hell!

Caroline Sdano said...

We have lost a Force for Good in all of our communities. Let us each pledge to try to carry on with his wonderful work.

We can never replace his wit and charm.

Sending loving thoughts to his family and friends,

Caroline

Anonymous said...

R.I.P. Billy.

We need more people like him to yell at politicians, and now we are sorely one down. :(

Bernie O'Hare said...

There used to be a crew. Frank Farina, Gerd Weide, Nancy Dienel, Joe DeRaymond and Ken Nagy were all regulars.

Now Joe and Billy are gone, and the others only apear once in a blue moon.

Anonymous said...

O'Hare "Tactics" to Research

Anonymous said...

O'Hare "Tactics" to Research

Anonymous said...

O'Hare "Tactics" to Research

Anonymous said...

Hey Bill,

It was me.


Now, please post my IP address - and then post that photo you have of you and me.


-Ms Stoneknocker

Anonymous said...

Villa the whack job. He can't delete what he won't permit to be posted.