I need a new calendar with 30 days in October

[fuzzygruf]

Scratch October 31st off your calendar. According to City Supervisor Bevan Dufty, it does not exist. Halloween has been cancelled, not only in the Castro, but in all of SF.

Dufty's asked 110 businesses in the Castro not to open that night. Obviously, his plan will work swimmingly, as 5 out of 110 businesses have agreed. (Fortunately for Dufty, I think his business-savvy ways will have the other 105 business go out of business before then.)

Instead of throwing planning at the problem, lack of planning is the theme this year. Yep, no flaws with that idea. They seem to know that this idea won't work, as they've had the forethought to maintain the same police presence as before. Just not the port-a-johns.

I agree that Halloween in the Castro has been a mess during the years that Bevan Dufty has been supervisor. I don't want another Halloween in the Castro like the last few years. But it doesn't have to be such a mess. No one likes it. I'm not a crowds kinda guy, but I did enjoy parts of Halloween in the Castro when I first moved to the City.

Where's Underdog to save the day? More planning, not less. Have a parade. Other cities pull it off. Send someone to check out Halloween in Greenwich Village.

Meanwhile, I'll be at home with the doors locked, like usual. Hope something good is on TV. That Wednesday should be a Project Runway night. Carry on.

sfgate article here.

Comments

[beeftenderloin.livejournal.com]

Bevan Dufty = "Make it work!" the new political slogan.

[dendren.livejournal.com]

hmmm... more good planning like this and Halloween in the Castro could rival San Jose's horribly gone wrong near riots events like Cinco de Mayo and Mardi Gras. Glad to see SF jump on the we can't do it right bandwagon for once :P

[robearal.livejournal.com]

"Make it work!" the new political slogan.
Politics evidently borrowed it from Business.

Five years ago I was so sick of "Just Do It."

[zpunky.livejournal.com]

The blame on politicians for this fiasco stretches far past the planning for this event, I think.

How do you stop hoodlums from the Mission, Visitacion(sp?) Valley, the Richmond, Oakland, Contra Costa, ad nauseum, from invading our neighborhood(s) and co-opting our celebrations with violence when they aren't stopped from attacking us in the Castro during the year?

I think the problem originates with the City's lack of enforcement and permissive nature, especially when it comes to violence against gays, in the Castro, by minority youth. I know this perspective may be offensive to some people but the incidents speak for themselves. When do the rights and personal safety of law abiding citizens become a priority? Gangs are getting worse and they're still talking about after-school programs. How far does the violence have to go before we turn from carrots to sticks?

I think it stinks that someone who lives in the neighborhood has to lock himself in his house for safety because of the City's policies.

What would be the reaction of these other neighborhoods if 'The Gays' invaded their celebrations with violence, or simply disrupted them?

Bevan's failure is that he has not stood up for our community in the face of this violence, he has kow-towed to political correctness and we're paying for it.
*steps off soap box*