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Walsh: 'I will listen. I will learn. I will lead'

Walsh sworn in

Walsh sworn in by SJC Chief Justice Roderick Ireland. Photo via Boston City TV.

As Tom Menino quietly left City Hall this morning, Marty Walsh was heading up to the stage at BC's Conte Arena to become Boston's first new mayor in 20 years.

In the speech, Walsh plans to say we're all in this together. And he updated Winthrop's famous "City Upon a Hill" reference:

We are a City Upon a Hill, but it’s not just the shining light of Beacon Hill.

It's Savin Hill, where I live. It’s Bunker Hill, Bellevue Hill and Fort Hill. It’s Pope’s Hill, Jones Hill, and Telegraph Hill. It’s Copp's Hill, Mission Hill and Eagle Hill.

So when I say we are sworn in together, it means we’re in this together.

We are in this together - every neighborhood.

We are in this together - every race and religion.

We are in this together, every man, woman and child. For our seniors and our students, for rich and poor, and everyone in between.

We will expand opportunity so it reaches every person in every corner of our city. We cannot tolerate a city divided by privilege and poverty.

We will protect and grow our sense of community. For it is Boston’s greatest source of strength.

And we will ensure equality for all: No matter your age, race, religion, sexual orientation. No matter what.

Together, we can create ONE Boston … one Boston, a hub of opportunity, community, and equality for all.

But Walsh said his top priority is curbing violence - and that one of his first acts today will be to convene a meeting on curbing "senseless violence" in the city:

I will bring together mothers of children killed by that violence, with members of the law enforcement community who work hard to stop it. Members of the recovery community, who know too well the hard road back from drug and alcohol abuse, and how such abuse contributes to the violence and crime. And
people who know what it takes to move away from a life of violence to become productive, contributing neighbors in a safe community.

There were fewer murders last year - 40 homicides in our city. And while that lower number is good news, and a testament to the hard work that has been done, we know, as Acting Police Commissioner Evans said the other day, 40 homicides still represents 40 grieving mothers too many. And I agree.

Walsh said that tomorrow, he will start talking to School Committee members about a nationwide search for a new school superintendent, one who will not just lift Boston schools but expand vocational opportunities at schools across the city.

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Comments

Next mayor of Boston gives inaugural speech in a town outside the city?

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The least you can do is Google/Check Wikipedia before posting comments anonymously:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conte_Forum

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and your facts are annoying....

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Why does the commentary around urban violence always have to be so sexist...and racist?

Some sort of f'd up chain of assumptions being made:

-that the people dying are black
-that black victims of violence have absent fathers (and was his fault), or they're otherwise uncaring
-that fathers aren't as affected by the death of their children, either because they're "stronger" than the mothers, or they don't care about their children as much

It's not just Walsh - I think it was Pressley that was running around talking about "violence against women and young girls" being such an issue. Yeah, in a city where almost all of the murder victims are men, and men represent the majority of victims of violent attacks, muggings, etc. Let's not stop all crime, let's just earn political points talking about how important it is we protect women (....and not men.)

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How about this - review this data and then let us know what the demographics of the murder victims were last year.

http://www.universalhub.com/crime/murder/2013[/url]

No one thing is the defining factor in why someone gets killed or murders someone, but to ignore commonalities is not good policy. Or are you suggesting the BPD should just spend the same amount on violence reduction/ crime prevention across the city? I'm pretty sure Grove Hall needs more resources than Moss Hill.

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When did Mr. Walsh mention race? Who is assuming that "the people who are dying are black"? Simply because Mr. Walsh mentions mothers, you assume he believes fathers aren't present or aren't as affected? Grief is not about strength. You should read the statistics and facts regarding urban violence and then comment. You have made a lot of assumptions here, you know what happens when you assume....

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It's getting old.

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Kudos to the mayor for raising awareness that Conte Forum is in Boston. I always assumed it was all in Brookline or Newton.

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Part of it's in Boston and part in Newton.

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From the BC website:
http://www.bc.edu/a-z/directories/contact/guide.html

U.S. Mail: Boston College Mailing Addresses
School & Department Mail Addresses

Boston College has two primary campuses, whose mailing addresses are as follows:
Main Campus Newton Campus
140 Commonwealth Avenue 885 Centre Street
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 Newton Centre, MA 02459

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Google Maps shows you the approximate split of BC's main campus b/w Newton and Boston -- and yes, Conte just barely makes the cut. Don't confuse that with BC's Main vs. Newton campus (@anon above), as the latter is actually on Centre St., a good mile west of the Boston/Newton line. It houses freshman dorms, the Law school and some playing fields.

And because the DCR owns much of the abutting land, each BC event is a crazy menagerie of Staties, Newton PD, Boston PD and BC PD all avoiding cooperation with each other.

https://www.google.com/maps/preview#!q=boston+ma&data=!1m4!1m3!1d41964!2...

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but its western wall is mere feet from the border with Newton. Horror!

Interestingly, I believe (and no doubt the Uhubbertariat will check me on this) that the "hill" or "ledge" that separates the lower campus from the middle campus at BC is the western extent of the old western (Lawrence?) basin of the Chestnut Hill Reservoir, and also doubles as the municipal line (Boston had control over its own water source). I know that this is the case slightly north of Conte, where, in the very small shrubby/wooded area in front of Rubenstein Hall, there is a granite monument marking the municipal line.

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I didn't vote for Walsh, but after the last few terms of Menino mailing it in, any change is probably for the best. I hope Walsh is the guy his supporters claim he is.

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Who was the tall guy on stage at Marty Walsh innaugutation? (I did Google before posting but couldn't find it) :-)

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Hank Finkel.

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Boston mayors get sworn in by the Chief Justice of the SJC? Do other cities' mayors get the same treatment?

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Incestuous political machines treat all inaugurations as family reunions.

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Not the city of Boston according to a note on WBZ this morning. Now that's something I'd change - assuming that the oath is just a tradition - not something in law??

Seems a bit absurd - but probably one of those old Brahmin's know best things.

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Michelle Rhee for BPS superintendent!

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But first tell us why you'd suggest that, then I'll explain why not.

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Rhee has a foolproof, economical system for increasing test scores.

There's one on the end of every pencil.

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The carnival barker?

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Martin ,my man , please tear down that city hall and build a proper one.

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That's probably pretty close to the population-weighted center of the city.

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