Brian's Beat with Brian Thomas

Don't Forget Slavery
Don't Forget Slavery
Don't Forget Slavery
It's easy to let an event slide when it does not effect you. It's another thing entirely when said event alters, permanently, life's course. The middle passage slavery trade forever changed the lives of hundreds of millions of people. African men, women and children were uprooted, caged, fed slop, shackled on boats bound east to a new, unforgiving world...
Minorities Protected
Minorities Protected
Minorities Protected
The day is not so rapidly coming. I yearn to see for myself. To draw a deep inhale at the expressions on the millions of faces when that fateful date is boldly etched on the calendar. The shock and dumbfoundedness. The hope and exuberance. That "what's next" feeling...
OPINION| Brian Thomas: Look Out for Trouble
OPINION| Brian Thomas: Look Out for Trouble
OPINION| Brian Thomas: Look Out for Trouble
A slew of building and car fires has New Bedford unnerved. It's a proverbial whodunit. Investigators are scouring leads. Some neighbors believe the alleged arsonist is from the neighborhood. City Councilor Coehlo hints it may be kids. Nobody knows...
Lock the outlets
Lock the outlets
Lock the outlets
It can't get any worse than this. Two men, one from Texas and the other considered homeless. Two men on two separate days caught, red handed by police. The scoundrels bagged for the high crime of stealing. This is not any old theft. Both are charged with charging their cell phones by using an outdoor outlet outside the downtown New Bedford Post Office...
No to Free Community College
No to Free Community College
No to Free Community College
Rhode Island, New York and Oregon are doing it. Free tuition and in some cases no fees at state run community colleges. The question has come up, should Massachusetts community colleges be free? I say no! The term free college is an oxymoron...
Signs Won't Work
Signs Won't Work
Signs Won't Work
When it comes to rectifying a problem, people usually project "something needs to be done." I adamantly retort, "no, the correct thing needs to be done." In New Bedford, panhandling is a growth industry. City Councilor Hugh Dunn is proposing to put signs up with a telephone number, so the compassionate people can instead donate to a local charity...
Public Safety Summit
Public Safety Summit
Public Safety Summit
Noting the recent rash of crime and violence, New Bedford City Councilor Brian Gomes has requested a public safety summit. The stakeholders are the council, a representative from the Mayor's office and a slew of law enforcement agency officials...
Stop and Search
Stop and Search
Stop and Search
Perception or reality, crime is definitely up in one whaling city. New Bedford City Council Brian Gomes is proposing a Public Safety Summit to curb the onslaught of shootings and vandalism in the city. Seems to me, representatives from the city council, the Mayor, law enforcement and the general public should have long ago pow wowed over the hoodlum issue...
Blame The Kids
Blame The Kids
Blame The Kids
You do it. I do it. We all do it. We love to play the blame game. Whatever the  incident, somebody's at fault. Let's throw the book at him. The other night, two 12 year old boys are riding a moped and crash with a moving car. They weren't wearing helmets...
It's Socialism
It's Socialism
It's Socialism
Americans don't have a problem muttering the term when dealing with Canada, France, Sweden, Russia or China. Some will utter a mumble when connecting the dots with local, state or the federal government. I'm talking about socialism. There are numerous elected socialists or social democrats worldwide...

Load More Articles