I live very near to that venerable bastion of Old Berkeley known as People's Park. This afternoon marks the start of the summer "concert" series, which I have insensitively dubbed, "Bumfest '07". Why, oh why, must I be subjected to hours and hours of bad rap every Saturday afternoon? Whom does this acoustic abomination benefit?
Do these sentiments make me a fascist pig?
After several years living in the People's Park neighborhood, I can tell you this about the homeless: Except for the disaffected punk-à-bestia kids and their pitbull puppies, the homeless are either mentally ill, drug-addled or both--and perhaps there is very little difference between the two states. They are sick. Allowing people to live outdoors in a park full of human feces and used needles does not constitute support for "freedom", "free speech", or "the pursuit of happiness." It is a particular abomination when the people in question are sick. Berkeley's homeless need real help, not a big outdoor flophouse.
And bad amateur concerts audible for blocks are also an abomination.
2 comments:
When I read the headline of this post, I thought that you were going to talk about the other type of bum. Bummer.
Oh, I can do a bum post. And I will. Oh yes. Just for you. A lot of feelings about bums here. (No, not the kind that sleep under your car.)
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