Comments on: SF To Move Halloween Out Of Gay Neighborhood

By: Molly

Molly — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:58:03 +0000

As a card-carrying San Francisco gay (well, lesbian) who lived in the Castro (on 16th St, where all the traffic in and out of the party is piped) in 2006–I am all too glad to have the party move elsewhere. Castro Halloween stopped being a happy expression of flamboyance years ago; it’s become an occasion for straight people to come and gawk at the queens, and for gangs to meet up and fight. The people of the neighborhood have been asking the city to free us from this party since 2005, at least.

By: Ramón Burgos

Ramón Burgos — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 01:41:39 +0000

censoredagain: Your comments tell me that you don’t live on Castro Street like many of us do. “There is nothing that keeps the owners and residents from reporting and suing for damages anyone that relieves themselves on public or private property.” We can time MUNI’s N-Judah by the wave of humanity that barrels down Castro Street towards Market Street – already drunk, screaming, disorderly people, who would never tolerate similar behavior in their own neighborhoods, think that it’s perfectly acceptable to invade the Castro on a night like Halloween and wreak havoc. And you pretend that the residents are going to “sue for damages”!?!? I’ve asked the following question dozens of times: What neighborhood, other than the Castro, do YOU vote to host the next Halloween? And please tell us how it is to be managed; traffic flow, sanitation, safety, lighting, etc. Are you offering an alternative, or are you putting your own good time ahead of the safety and well-being of fellow residents and their property? What’s YOUR plan? I say the Panhandle; where do you propose?

By: Censoredagain

Censoredagain — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:49:33 +0000

fascism lite is still fascism

By: Censoredagain

Censoredagain — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:45:18 +0000

Like I said previously they are valid concerns and they can be met without the brown shirts of city hall violating individual rights. There is nothing keeping all the business owners from coming together and deciding for themselves with out the interference of city hall to shut down on Halloween because the money made is not worth the headache to business owners’/managers and to the Castro community has a whole. Further, the business owners could pull together and hold the event in a huge park or stadium or where ever without the interference of their nanny (city hall).There is nothing that keeps the owners and residents from reporting and suing for damages anyone that relieves themselves on public or private property. A creative person could come up with many ways the community could address those valid issues without looking to their baby sitter for the answer. But to have the city’s stormtroopers asking to see an individual’s “papers” and telling people you don’t belong in this neighborhood then forbidding them from using public sidewalks and streets is indefensible. Maintaining freedom is neither easy nor pretty but it is necessary if we want to truly be free people.

By: carl

carl — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 06:04:09 +0000

I forgot to mention that they may also be looking at it logisticaly as well as from a Injury , Legal stand point of View. Some one could get hurt, and Sue the Town /District. or Shop Owner. Then where would you be if your fav Eatery or coffee shop was forced out of Bizz due to a Lawsuit or something?

By: Carl

Carl — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 06:00:13 +0000

Censoredagain, Ramon,
After reading both of your views I have to go with caution and agree with Ramon. With the Climate the way it is ( political) this would be fodder during a Campaign yr should things get out of hand. Lord Knows that Any Card CArring party Loving Gay would love to have the party back. However I believe that the “Brown Shirts” as You so Eloquently call the City Officals are looking out for acting in the Best Interests of and for all concerned. Violence, and Inapropiate useage of landscape for Facilities is Childish Uncalled for, and Especially UN SANITARY UN-HEALTHY. Especialy within this day and age. How would you like it if 15 or so drunk out of hand gay revelers came and Peed or otherwise used your Garden for a Toilet?

By: Censoredagain

Censoredagain — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 04:14:35 +0000

No I am not. You have valid concerns and they can be met without the brown shirts of city hall violating individual rights. The property owners have every right to keep people off of their property. Businesses have the right to close their doors if they so choice. what I disapprove of is the city’s management and interference. I have no problems with the celebrations being held some place Else so long as the city isn’t involved; again my only issue is the city’s over involvement in the lives of individuals. If people are in the street the city does have a right to cite them for jay walking. But I have an issue with the city overstepping its authority and violating individual rights in the name of the community. We are a nation built on the individual not the community.

By: Ramón Burgos

Ramón Burgos — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:48:55 +0000

censoredagain: I hope that you’re being sarcastic! My neighbors and I have endured thru sixteen years of of the debacle that residents of other parts of San Francisco and Bay Area towns call Halloween. If it means that much to you, why don’t you offer to host it in another part of the city? I wrote to the SF Chronicle’s comments section suggesting the Panhandle; it was met with icy silence. The old NIMBY reared its ugly head. We’ve had enough of the violence, the gardens being used as toilets, the noise, the broken windows, etc., etc. You’re free to practice your Wiccan anywhere you please, but don’t think that the Castro MUST host this magnitude of an event, remain silent, and roll with the punches.

By: Censoredagain

Censoredagain — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 23:05:54 +0000

See what happens when the government is too big and given too much authority. The city is abridging the 1st amendment right for the people to assemble freely associate freely and Wiccans are not being allowed to worship freely in the public in the Castro on the most hallow of eves.