Mazza says he remains a Democrat by choice
I read Mr. Opst’s letter to the editor and, as usual, he knows nothing about me except what the two “Vinces” (Fayette County Commissioners Vincent Vicites and Vincent Zapotosky) tell him.
First of all, I don’t worship the ground anybody walks on.
As to being a Democrat, I have worked to help elect numerous Democrats. My wife and I helped set up and run Jack Murtha’s headquarters in his campaigns for U.S. House of Representatives. We worked for him when he ran against Frank Mascara who was supported by the two “Vinces” (Vicites and Zapotosky). Recently we have worked for Mark Critz, Tim Mahoney, Deberah Kula and Zapotosky in their campaigns. I now regret helping Zapotosky.
Mr. Opst states that I was once so fond of Zapotosky that I bought his adopted son, Will, a gift.
I and my wife and family did more than that for Zapotosky. Buying a cute little guy like Will a gift had nothing to do with Vince. Will is not the only child for whom I have done things. When I was younger, I was a cubmaster, a scoutmaster, a booster league football coach and helped with a baseball team.
It’s true that I once believed in and trusted Zapotosky. That is no longer true. I think that the two “Vinces” and Opst lack the ability to understand the meaning of truth. As a friend, who also helped to get Zapotosky elected, said to me, “he fooled us all.”
I am a Democrat by choice. Contrary to what Opst thinks, that is my right. I don’t vote for a person simply because he is a Democrat. I only vote for the candidates I trust and believe in. According to Opst if Hitler, reincarnate, ran on the Democratic Party ticket, I should vote for him. I am a World War II veteran and hold my right to vote as I please, very dear.
In regard to my time as a tool and diemaker at Anchor Hocking, I was chairman of the shop steward’s committee and on the business committee of my local union. It was a union of skilled workers. Opst was a production foreman. I never had any dealings with him. I dealt with his superiors, so he doesn’t have any knowledge of my dealings with management.
In my 32 years at Anchor Hocking, I wrote features and sports for the plant newspaper. I devised a method to repair thin-walled dies that were deemed unrepairable. I received a monetary award for my method. After I retired, I was contacted on three occassions and asked to return to work. I must have been a real troublemaker and poor employee for them to ask me to return. The shirt I wore was made by my daughter as a joke. As most people did, I thought it was amusing. As my daughter made it, I would have worn it regardless of what it said.
I don’t have any faith in Vince, but I have no animosity toward the Zapotosky family. Vince wrote us a letter once stating my wife and I would always be his favorite constituents, regardless of how we felt about him. I don’t think that is true because I don’t think he or Vicites represent the people of this county.
Ralph A. Mazza is a resident of Vanderbilt.