A Black Lives Matter protest was scheduled for Saturday afternoon in the Rose Gardens. As an advocate for the Allentown parks, this was absolutely the wrong location. The space between the flower beds is very limited.
The park department has erected signs throughout the park emphasizing the need for social distancing. In this emotional aftermath of the George Floyd incident, in this climate of political correctness, the city apparently didn't have the discipline to redirect the event to a more appropriate location.
Just beyond the garden are large open spaces, where such a gathering would be much safer for everybody participating.
I expressed my concerns publicly to both Karen El-Chaar, park director, and Hassan Batts, director of Promise Neighborhoods. El-Chaar responded that she agreed... My conclusion is that her preference was overridden by the city administration.
These are woke times, and this is a sensitive issue. Never the less, as someone who sees the garden caretaker toiling every day, it is no place for a large protest, even without the social distancing now recommended.
Hassan Batts responded that although his Promise facebook page hosted the protest announcement, his group is not the organizer. He stated that he would pass along my concerns to the actual sponsor. As it turned out, he was both a featured participant and speaker at the event. The official sponsor, although not mentioned on the promotion posters, was Lehigh Valley DSA, Democratic Socialists of America.
Allentown must certainly provide space for public assembly. The extensive park system has numerous places which can host any size demonstration. In addition to the city administration having an obligation to the public assembly, they also have a responsibility to protect the public infrastructure. In all my years spent at Cedar Park, I have never witnessed the fragile garden submitted to such an activity. It was a very righteous event in a totally wrong place.
So many excellent points to comment on in this post.
ReplyDeleteFirst, you are correct to say that the protest should not have been held inside the Rose Garden. Like you, not commenting on the cause, just the location. As you note, there is ample space just across the creek.
I would think that the reason the organizers preferred to be in the Rose Garden itself is that it would make the protest seem larger, whereas it might appear smaller if they were in an open field across the creek.
Secondly, it looks like another Molovinsky scoop of the Morning Call! Nowhere in the coverage of the Rose Garden event (or prior protests) did the Morning Call mention ANY involvement by the Democratic Socialists, much less that they organized the event. That seems like an important detail to leave out, and one that the Morning Call would know about since they're obviously being informed of the events to cover them.
And speaking of the local newspaper, I guess we'll be seeing an article in the Call later this week asking City leaders why this event was permitted to take place inside the Rose Garden. As you know, the garden beds had to be completely replaced last year due to disease, and extensive time and effort has been put into replacing them. So I think it's a worthy effort for our local paper to ask for an accounting of the thoughts of our city leaders in making their decision that allowed that work to be put at risk.
Now we both know that article won't be coming, since it doesn't fit the narrative that our local paper wants to tell. I also doubt that the question fails to register with the reporters or editors who remain at the Call.
And remember, this is the local knowledge and coverage that those who continue to support the Call claim we just can't lose by having the Call go out of business.
Imagine for a moment a Reopen PA, Prolife, Second Amendment,...group had tried to hold a rally in this or any similar location. No permits would have been issued, arrests would have been made, the cause would have been scorned, and the press would have condemned it and all involved as reckless, dangerous, irresponsible,...rules applied unevenly, authorities allowing some to flout the law and not others, and a media that wears its partisan biases on its sleeve, routinely slanders rather than report news, and resembles more a propaganda organ than journalism is the new norm. None of this is right, just, fair, or good for America.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking at the photo and had a question.
ReplyDeleteMany people have masks on, some don't.
Is the whole "social distancing" thing over with? So as long as most people in a group have masks you can ignore the six-foot rule?
If so, shouldn't convenience stores, grocery stores, and other retailers get rid of all the tape on their floors?
Has the Black Lives Matter group repudiated the Democrat Socialists, or do they both believe in the same things?
ReplyDeleteFor instance, I know the Democrat Socialists are supporting the Defund the Police Movement. Is that what the Black Lives Matter group wants?
Is the Black Lives Matter group really just a front for the Socialists?
Very symbolic place to hold a Black Lives Matter rally.
ReplyDelete