Piccirillo, Dyster Compared To Gandhi

(L-R) Mahatma Gandhi, Mayor Paul Dyster, Seth Piccirillo compared...

Last week, a source told us at an awards dinner that Niagara Falls Community Development Director Seth Piccirillo not only received an award for his distinguished service to this community but one of the presenters compared him to Mahatma Gandhi.

This was the second time someone compared one of Niagara Falls' leaders to Gandhi, who was assassinated in India after leading his nation to freedom from the British.

Not long ago, a distinguished columnist from one of our local daily publications characterized Mayor Paul Dyster as "a secular Mahatma Gandhi."

Let's look at some of the startling similarities between Dyster and Gandhi:

Gandhi was a successful lawyer before he became an activist.

Dyster ran a beer supplies business before he became a politician.

Gandhi started a movement to nonviolently oppose the British rule in India.

Dyster started a movement to increase government spending in Niagara Falls.

Gandhi used his moral authority to help the poor.

Dyster used his political authority to help rich campaign contributors.

Gandhi loved animals. He would not eat them or wear their fur.

Dyster loves to hunt animals and display their carcasses on his Facebook page.

Gandhi started the Swadeshi movement: Be Indian, buy Indian

Dyster started the "best and brightest movement" to hire out-of-town employees for higher wages than locals.

Gandhi went on hunger strikes, starving himself.

Dyster got his constituents to starve themselves by raising taxes.

Gandhi was so frugal he spun his own clothing.

Dyster doubled pay rates for top positions at city hall so they could buy designer duds.

Gandhi went down in history.

Dyster made his own street part of a historic district.

Gandhi wanted home rule

Dyster supports Albany rule.

Gandhi drank lots of water.

Dyster drinks lots of beer.

Gandhi made electrifying speeches where people would weep, experience horripilation (when hairs stand on end due to excitement) and sometimes go into spiritual trances.

Dyster makes speeches where people yawn, consider electrocution and fall into a deep sleep.

Gandhi sang the religious Ragupati Raghava Raja Ram, and people would dance and sing in a spirit-intoxicated ecstasy.

Dyster went on stage to introduce Hard Rock concerts and would dance and sing 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall, and fall down in an intoxicated state.

Gandhi so loved the poor he laid down his life for them.

Dyster so loved the poor he created thousands more of them.

There is no doubt the similarities between Gandhi and Dyster are remarkable.