Vellucci/Harvard

Alfred Vellucci "A pain in the ass to Harvard College and a Saint to the people of East Cambridge," is the way The Harvard Crimson described City Councilor Vellucci way back in 1968. "Pain in the ass, or no," says Councilor Vellucci, "I still plan to continue putting pressure on those aristocratic, pompous bastards up in Harvard. They may have shed their velvet pantaloons and silver buckled shoes, but they're still the same arrogant guys that are screwing up not only the city of Cambridge, but are screwing up the country and the world."

They, up at Harvard, were sucking in millions of taxpayers' dollars from Uncle Sam during wartime for University expansion, but they didn't give a hoot about providing their student population with dormitories and/or housing facilities. Only under Vellucci pressure did they finally enbark upon a program to build housing for students and faculty. But that was after they had caused a serious crisis in the Cambridge housing market. That was right after World War II.

I continued to exert pressure on the Harvard Corporation to share the problems and responsibilities of providing people with housing with the City of Cambridge. They, Harvard and M.I.T., were forced to get into the Cambridge housing act. Both of those Universities built about 1,000 apartments for Cambridge elderly. It is said that I, as a City Councilor, suggested that Harvard Yard be paved and turned into a parking lot. Again, the Harvard Corporation responded to pressure by creating a parking lot across the Charles at the Harvard Business School and using a shuttle bus service.

In 1976 while seving as Mayor, I dared look into the Harvard bio-lab to see what the scientists were doing in DNA research. I gave them a plain case of diarrhea. I think that everybody at Harvard agreed to fry Al Vellucci in oil or burn him at the stake. My present campaign to control nuclear waste materials is causing the Harvard Corporation to "get sick in the stomach."

"Why doesn't he just go away," say the big brass in Grays Hall. "Why doesn't he lose and go back to the North End where he came from," says another (the councilor has lived in Cambridge all of his life).

It seems that through the gates of 'Veritas' Harvard come innocent, young people who are eager to learn and to do good for "their fellow man." But something happens to them during their four or five years at Harvard. First thing they do is adopt the "Harvard broad A." That's the first sign that the freshman student is beginning to change. Then they wear a crimson sweater with a huge "H". Another sign that they are fast becoming a part of the Harvard indoctrination. Before you know it these young "virgin people" are beginning to talk and act like all the Harvard classes before them. They're full of "piss 'n'vinegar." They want to change the world. They want to build and create a UTOPIA so the poor and the downtrodden will no longer suffer. What a joke! They come to Harvard with beautiful thoughts--and that is to help humanity--and they wind up sitting in a swivel chair in some big Corporation screwing the poor and the helpless.

I'm running for re-election to the City Council, and I'm entering my 30 years of service as school committeeman, councilor and twice mayor. Will the big brass and corporation vote for me on election day? Never! They'd dance in Harvard Yard with joy if I lost the election. I think President Bok would go on a "toot" for a week if I lost, I think the "nobel" scientists would drink DNA if I were no longer a councilor. I know that I will be re-elected on November 6 and when I am, I will toast them all up at Harvard with a P4 DNA Cocktail.