Copyright © 2006. David Klavitter
The local blog Quest for Quiet (covering the amplified preachers at 8th & H Street) continues to deliver quality photos and information documenting the issue. It looks like nearby residents recently had a quite evening (at least something good comes out of cold/rainy winter weather).
7 comments:
I live at 8th and H and it was wonderful on Saturday! I able to sit in my living room and enjoy the peaceful act of reading a book in front of a warm fire. Now that's something I haven't been able to do for a long, long time on a Saturday. As long as the city continues to allow these out of state noisemakers to scream into my house every Saturday, it's uncertain when I will be able to enjoy my heavily taxed living room again on Saturday.
Maybe yous people residing around 8th and H street didn't know, but some of the black and Hispanic people that listen to these men don't have living rooms and warm fire places. Many of them would give a lung to read in front of your warm fire. Many of these black people that frequent 8th and H street need to hear that they matter to God, that there's an alternative to drug addiction, suicide, murder, prostitution, drug dealing, etc.. They need to hear the FACT that they come from a great and honorable and royal lineage. They need to hear FACTS that you people, while you read novel in front of fires and enjoy scones during your brunch, would never tell them. And the people across the street,while they wait for their bus, deserve to hear their message as well. STOP BEING SO RACIST!!!
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…this issue is about noise and nothing else.
The neighbors (white, black, bald, hairy, short, tall, nearsighted, farsighted, young, old) in and around the 700 block of 8th Street NE simply want the right not to hear the amplified sound as much as the preachers want their message to be heard. As far as we’re concerned, the preachers can assemble on the corner and say whatever they desire—just no amplifier please.
The reason Anonymous was able to enjoy a book in front of his or her fire during the quiet weekend was because of the absence of amplified sound. The reason there was no amplified sound was because the preachers didn’t assemble on the corner, and turn on their amplified speaker.
I presume my neighbor would have posted the same message had the preachers appeared on the corner and not used the amplifier.
If the issue was in fact the sound device only, then why in your posts do you mention where their vehicle is parked, whether it's legal to take donations or to hang the "Mary" statue from a light pole, public space, etc? If noise is really the issue, then why the concern about the wording of your desired changing of the law as to stop these men, but not affect your annual street festivals or affect the high school practice?
I am delighted that the Saturday speaking group on 8th and H street are reaching out to the people that don't eat scones and sit in front of fires. I can't imagine how many people they've saved over the years with their message. Remember what this neighborhood use to be like? Yes, it's changed and it has everything to do with the Saturday preachers. They have turned so many crackheads, prostitutes, drug dealers lives around. Everytime I turn around, I'm running into a drug dealer that literally drops his bags and says "there's a better way". It's amazing!!! I met a lady yesterday who use to be a prostitute and she told me that she turned her life around after she heard the message from the speakers on H and 8th (she's now a Congress person, but she asked me not to use her name). Sure she had to endure being called a nigger bitch by the speakers, but ultimatly their message sank in. You ISUPK are really making an impact!! I say keep hanging the Virgin Mary and Santa, keep calling every other black person that doesn't agree with you a nigger, keep going on about the white man causing all the worlds problems, keep calling every white person a faggot that passes your speaking group on Saturday - You are making a huge impact and creating so much good will in the black community!! God bless you for everything you've done for these disenfranchised folks!! You have my support!!
P.S. I was talking to two black people on the corner of 8th/H yesterday and they said the ISUPK group are a bunch of lunatics who wanted attention. Can you imagine being so ungrateful? Now how could anyone say that about these local saviors of the black community?
You ISUPK seem like good law abiding folks. Don't you want to obey the laws related to parking, using public utility poles during street theater, etc.? I think Klav is trying to help you function within the limits of the law. And of course no one wants any noise ordinance interfering with Street festivals, high school band practice etc. These activities are attended by the black majority in our community and we would not want any law to effect something that outlaw an event that creates community in our wonderful neighborhood. Now isn't that what ISUPK wants too or is there something I'm missing?
If the preachers cite the law to protect their use of an amplifier, then they also should respect whatever laws apply to parking, erecting stages in public spaces, soliciting money, and hanging objects from public safety signals. If they think the law is unjust, then they should work with their elected representatives to change it.
The H Street Festival happens in our neighborhood once a year. If the preachers are willing to use the amplifier ONCE per year instead of EVERY Saturday, I’d fully support it.
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