Hanratty, Bleier turn out for Kelly
U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-3rd, of Butler met the public Saturday alongside his friends, Steelers Terry Hanratty and Rocky Bleier, at American Legion Post 778 in Lyndora.
For Isaac Pawlowicz, 11, of Butler, the meeting was a long time coming.
“It was great. Meeting Congressman Kelly gave me a sense of pleasure,” Isaac said. “Meting him, I know he's a great guy and who I want representing me.”
Isaac has a history with Kelly. But it's only memorable to him through tales told by his parents.
Mary Ellen Pawlowicz said in 2010 she and her husband worked for Kelly's campaign. She said Isaac doesn't remember much from that time.
“Isaac was a small child,” she said. “He would walk around saying, 'I like Mike.'”
Growing up and hearing about his own encounter with Kelly, one he could not remember, led to Issac wanting to meet Kelly on Saturday, said Mary Ellen Pawlowicz.
“My son has strong conservative ideals,” she said. “It gives me hope that our kids are concerned for our future.”
Isaac also got to meet Hanratty and Bleier, and he took a special photograph with Bleier.
“It was insane,” Isaac said. “When I played (midget) football, I wanted to be like them.”
Before the photograph Bleier, who was recently inducted into the Steelers Hall of Honor, reached into his pocket and pulled out a fistful of rings.
Bleier then took each of four rings — trophies of the team's victories in Super Bowls IX, X, XIII and XIV — and placed them on Isaac's fingers. Isaac didn't say anything, he just smiled widely. It was a smile that carried from the photograph through the remainder of the event.
“When I was wearing those rings, it was like I died and went to heaven,” Isaac said. “It was unreal.”
About halfway through the two-hour event, attention was drawn to the three local celebrities, who all took to the center of the room.
The three men talked about today's political climate and addressed other current nationwide arguments.
“We have a really important election coming up,” Kelly said. “I've never seen the country so polarized.”
Kelly also talked about the #MeToo movement. He said he understands the need for such motivations, but he doesn't appreciate the lack of judicial process that comes with the accusations.
“I think people are looking around and saying 'what's going on in this country?'” Kelly said.
Kelly said while he has no responsibility to the Senate, he has closely followed the investigation and interview process for Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh.“I believe in the rule of law,” Kelly said. “I don't know where this leads. The process was completely abandoned.”Kavanaugh was ultimately confirmed Saturday by the Senate, in a 50 to 48 vote.Kelly said the accusations against Kavanaugh by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford had been taken too far without producing much evidence for an alleged sexual harassment that happened when Kavanaugh was a teenager.“This one really goes over the top,” Kelly said. “I've never seen anything like this,”Hanratty and Bleier both spoke about the debate surrounding players' anthem protests in the NFL, both prefacing their veteran status and their understanding of one's right to protest peacefully.Hanratty served in the U.S. National Guard. He said the players who protest the anthem should find other ways to protest, and should not protest during the course of the game.“The only time they protest is under a big audience,” he said. “Protest on your own time. Don't disrupt you people who buy the tickets.”Bleier served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. He suffered combat wounds to his thigh and leg earning the Bronze Star and Purple Heart, and was released from the military after surgeries and was welcomed back by Art Rooney and the Steelers organization.Bleier said many of the protesting players have said they never wanted to disrespect the military, just to make a statement, but their intent doesn't matter because viewers' perception of the action shapes the message.He said the situation should have never gotten to this point, and the owners should have enforced what was already in the rule book.“It's a workplace issue,” Bleier said.Throughout their discussions and answers to questions from the crowd, about topics in the realms of politics and football, the men joked back and forth.“They are so down to Earth,” Kelly said of Hanratty and Bleier. “They're so genuinely funny.”Larry Sassone, part owner of last year's Butler BlueSox, said it was interesting to see the three men banter.“It's such a nice event, especially the relationship between these three guys,” Sassone said.He said their friendship shows what type of relationships people had with one another years ago.“Everybody just got along with everybody,” Sassone said.Kelly said the type of atmosphere that used to be in Butler is something he hopes to bring back to the community.“In this town, we have real people who did extraordinary things,” Kelly said. “How blessed were we to grow up in the times we grew up in.”
