Posted on 09/22/2006 5:25:41 AM PDT by Radix
In a move that could ignite a civil war between Red Sox Nation and the United States of America, a Boston city councilor wants to replace Fenway’s famed Citgo sign with Old Glory to show a world leader that he’s the real “el diablo.”
Allston-Brighton City Councilor Jerry P. McDermott wants the Hub to fire back at Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez for calling President Bush “the devil” at the United Nations on Wednesday. His modest proposal: removing Kenmore Square’s famed Citgo sign, which is owned by Citgo Oil, a Venezuelan subsidiary.
“Given the hatred of the United States displayed by dictator Hugo Chavez, it would be more fitting to see an American flag when you drive through Kenmore Square,” said McDermott, who yesterday filed a resolution with the city clerk to have the sign removed. “I think people would soon forget the Citgo sign.”
Not so fast, said some members of Red Sox Nation.
“The sign is an icon,” said U.S. Rep. William D. Delahunt (D-Quincy), who has supported American relations with Chavez in the past, but slammed him for his recent remarks about Bush. “A resolution condemning the comments of Hugo Chavez would be more appropriate.”
“We leave the politics to the politicians,” said Citgo spokesman David McCollum, who noted Citgo retail stations, which are independently owned and operated, don’t necessarily even sell gas from Citgo refineries.
Citgo attempted to dismantle the “neon god” in 1983, but abandoned the plan under protests from the city. Last year, Citgo paid about $1 million to refurbish the sign by replacing the neon bulbs with brighter LEDS, a company spokesman said.
The Citgo-owned sign sits atop a Boston University building and is permitted for display by the city. A Red Sox spokesman declined to comment on McDermott’s proposal, which goes before the City Council next week.
“He’s just looking for a name for himself,” said Marty Foley, 61, a Hingham electrician who has taken care of the sign since 1965. “The Citgo Corp. keeps a lot of Americans working.”
Given Venuzuela’s warm diplomatic relations with the likes of Iran, McDermott’s resolution even had the Fenway faithful wondering whether to root against the sign.
“They (Venezuela) are playing footsie with Iran. Words do one thing, but Iran is a dangerous country,” says Peter Garmley of Natick, who once climbed the Citgo sign. “It’s an icon, but I’m a little on the fence, because I think you should invest in what you believe in.”
Good thing Ortiz tends to hit most of his bombs to right.
Even if they are "independent" and "don't buy citgo gas", don't they pay money to the owner of the name for the rights to the name?
If not, maybe they should change the name of their stations rather than argue that they should get free advertising.
I stopped buying S#!tgo Gas over 3 years ago............
Leave it there. I'd rather put up a Halliburton sign at a Venezuelan soccer field....
I think the Dems are afraid of a backlash from Hugo's rant.
This is all playing politics before an elections. The dems love Chavez and Boston might as well be an extension of Russia.
Pelosi and Rangel trying to act like they care about about the president made me want to vomit yesterday. The dems know they are in big trouble and are getting desperate.
Won't be long before armed guards are going to have to surround that sign, or else it's going to end up with a lot of paint on it or holes in it.
But it's in Boston, so it probably won't bother anyone.
The democrats are certainly hypocrites today. After years of speaking from Germany, South America and other foreign venues and disseminating treasonous sentiments throughout the world, they have suddently realized that this cuts both ways.
They have damaged the concept of unity in the US to the point where the world sees the US political system, and resolve for that matter, as a mirror of their own chaotic, divided governments. They view the populace as merely peons without any say, thus Chavez' statement and The Little Cockroach, and others that they like Americans but not the government.
If the Dems come into office, that attitude they have nursed and fostered throughout the world will not change. Not matter how many overtures and platitudes ("Ah'm a world citizen) they proffer to the world, the damage is done.
Well then this plan will hardly matter much to CITGO.
I happened to have the TV on Cavuto yesterday.
Dagan McDowell was doing commentary. She complained that the suggested boycott of Citgo would hurt small station owners. In the next breath, she advocated that the way to hurt Chavez was to stop buying Venezualan oil. [She repeated this advocation again during her commentary.]
Neal didn't ask her about the contradiction in her statements.
===
Many of these daily commentators ramble out words to fill up time, without realizing what they are actually saying.
Even Schumer has jumped on the bandwagon now. Pathetic show, isn't it?
Chavez was just doing what he hears through the media, thinking this is what everybody here wants. Unless he watches FOX, he probably thinks our entire Country feels this way.
That, and he was just doing a little campaigning for the people he would like to see running this Country.
Well, apparently he has a good job fixing the sign when it breaks.
Maybe he'd LIKE it if someone came by once in a while and trashed it. More work for him.
You'd get far greater exposure at a Venezuelan baseball stadium . . . soccer's not that big in Chavez-country.
According to the Boston Landmarks Commission, the CITGO sign actually recieved no "landmark" status when it was renovated. The sign is on land owned by Boston University.
Go ahead, leave the sign. Just don't buy the gas. Sure, some people will get hurt, but the country is hurt by every penny that goes to Hugh-o.
Maybe they could tie a big helium balloon on top that says, "Don't buy"
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.