Safe Space In Pottsville

Foghorn Leghorn mural is now covered with plastic

Pottsville had determined that the city’s controversial mural of Foghorn Leghorn will be covered over.  

Some say it belongs at the Arts and Ethnic Center, others at the Walk-In Art Center, and still others say the Hegins Feed & Grain.  It’s future is still uncertain but for now, the mural located on the 800 block of Mahantongo Street will be draped with plastic as seen on photo on the right. 

The City has concluded that Foghorn Leghorn was offensive to the diverse runners, joggers, and strollers that participate in the Lager Jogger Race every April.  Having it covered over with plastic will avoid disrupting their times and keep Mahantongo Street a “safe space” for the runners and city snowflakes that need to be sheltered from any emotional discomfort. 

A city spokesperson stated that the large white adult leghorn rooster with a southern, “good ol’boy speaking accent” was no longer projecting the image that Pottsville wanted to present to the world.  “If Pottsville desires to restart the beloved American Way Fair,  it needs to discard the dark imagery of the past.  Foghorn Leghorn is loud, obnoxious and in-your-face…not necessarily in that order.  He ruffled a lot of feathers around here over the years.  He was fowl.”

To coincide with the covering of the poultry mural, the city is mulling over a proposal to abolish the prefix “south” in all street designations.  There would no longer be a South Jackson Street nor any other streets that carry that prefix.  A public meeting will be held next month to discuss the impact on mail delivery.

Not everyone in Pottsville is happy with the decision to drape the notorious rooster’s mural with plastic.  One bare-chested man on West Market Street irately stated to a reporter, "How can future generations learn if we're going to erase history? That's disgusting.  It was bad enough when the wooden mural was moved from Garfield Square to Mahantongo Street.  At one time that Square was filled with wooden cartoon characters that I could stop and talk to on my way downtown to loaf.  My favorite was Cletus from the Simpson Show.  God knows what the city did with that one…probably locked up in city hall’s basement. Man, I miss Cletus.”

The city’s decision is final however.  The spokesperson for the administration stated that “Mahantongo Street will be a better place with the mural wrapped in white plastic blowing in the wind.  The plastic will be a reminder for future generations that Pottsville is inclusive and that it rejects Foghornism and Leghornism and the misogyny that rooster represented.  Pottsville believes in plastic from this day forward.”

One tourist coming into Pottsville agreed.  “Driving into the city from Mount Carbon, the cityscape reminds me of General Sherman’s destructive March to the Sea…especially the lot across from the Pic-a-deli Market.  You don’t see commercial parking lots like that anywhere else.  The city's theme of scorched earth, ruins and rubble is mighty impressive.  Now that the big bird is covered over I am no longer intimidated to venture up Mahantongo Street.  The only suggestion I can make is that the plastic adorning the stylish townhouse should have been in a blue color. Blue is much more calming.  However, whatever the color,  I believe the tattered look needs to remain, as it cries out “I am Pottsville.”