All about the flavor of a small mountain city and the surrounding outback: neighborhood surprises ... wildflowers and nature ... the forest ... people and events ... plus occasional comments on science fiction, music, and the Great Wide World Beyond
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Our Own Hatemobile
Periodically, I see the Hatemobile making its way through traffic downtown. Its signs do not change; my opinion of the driver and what he represents does not change. There's little else to be said.
Granny, I contacted the city last year about this nut. I expressed concern about the traffic problem he creates wherever he goes. I suggested the local constabulatory perform a wellness check on him ie.. is his vehicle in safe operating condition and such? Anything to get his portable post-it board off our streets. With that "luxury" gone I really doubt that he would pursue demonstrating on foot like most folks do!
Sounds like free speech still rules in Prescott, PS, as much as I object to the content! Unfortunately, the current Israel-Palestine conflict appears to have given a new public life to those with a previously well concealed anti-semitism. As for the possible bullet holes, I took a look at the original. It could be, tho I wouldn't bet on it. At 1st I was going to remark that we don't have many Jewish cowboys around these parts and then I remembered our former mayor & congressman, Sam Steiger, a libertarian wild man who declared that as a "young New Jersey Jewboy", he always dreamed of becoming a rancher out West. And he did just that at the end of WW2.
I have also seen this guy/van more than I would like too. IMHO, the Prescott PD is NOT doing their job. I know and talked with numerous officers from larger towns such as Chicago and L.A. In THIER words, Prescott PD is still policing with a "small town mentality". We have a HUGE meth problem, a HUGE homeless problem, we now have a gang problem! As people moved in from Southern California and Las Vegas, they have brought the gangs with them. The business I work at has already been tagged by two well-known violent street gangs. The crime rate is skyrocketing! We have had numerous ARMED ROBBERIES in the local businesses here in Prescott. We had 4 HOMICIDES in 2006 here in Prescott compared to 0 in 2005. This area is GROWING, so is the violent crime.
According to the police officers I spoke to, this guy would NOT be rolling around in L.A. or Chicago as long as he has here in Prescott. There are ways to stop this guy. Either the PD is scared or they are not aggressive enough. Plain & simple. I lived in a LARGE metropolitan city for 30+ years and I have NEVER seen someone drive around like this guy has and get away with it.
I believe the residents and PD need to be aware that Prescott is NOT a "small town" and that crime is on the rise. It is not a "sleepy retirement town" anymore.
Periodically, I see the Hatemobile making its way through traffic downtown. Its signs do not change; my opinion of the driver and what he represents does not change. There's little else to be said.
I've seen that guy around the square. Yuck!
ReplyDeleteAre those patched up bullet holes on the side of the van? Surprised if they are not.
ReplyDeleteGranny, I contacted the city last year about this nut. I expressed concern about the traffic problem he creates wherever he goes. I suggested the local constabulatory perform a wellness check on him ie.. is his vehicle in safe operating condition and such? Anything to get his portable post-it board off our streets. With that "luxury" gone I really doubt that he would pursue demonstrating on foot like most folks do!
ReplyDeleteSounds like free speech still rules in Prescott, PS, as much as I object to the content! Unfortunately, the current Israel-Palestine conflict appears to have given a new public life to those with a previously well concealed anti-semitism. As for the possible bullet holes, I took a look at the original. It could be, tho I wouldn't bet on it. At 1st I was going to remark that we don't have many Jewish cowboys around these parts and then I remembered our former mayor & congressman, Sam Steiger, a libertarian wild man who declared that as a "young New Jersey Jewboy", he always dreamed of becoming a rancher out West. And he did just that at the end of WW2.
ReplyDeleteI have also seen this guy/van more than I would like too. IMHO, the Prescott PD is NOT doing their job. I know and talked with numerous officers from larger towns such as Chicago and L.A. In THIER words, Prescott PD is still policing with a "small town mentality". We have a HUGE meth problem, a HUGE homeless problem, we now have a gang problem! As people moved in from Southern California and Las Vegas, they have brought the gangs with them. The business I work at has already been tagged by two well-known violent street gangs. The crime rate is skyrocketing! We have had numerous ARMED ROBBERIES in the local businesses here in Prescott. We had 4 HOMICIDES in 2006 here in Prescott compared to 0 in 2005. This area is GROWING, so is the violent crime.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the police officers I spoke to, this guy would NOT be rolling around in L.A. or Chicago as long as he has here in Prescott. There are ways to stop this guy. Either the PD is scared or they are not aggressive enough. Plain & simple. I lived in a LARGE metropolitan city for 30+ years and I have NEVER seen someone drive around like this guy has and get away with it.
I believe the residents and PD need to be aware that Prescott is NOT a "small town" and that crime is on the rise. It is not a "sleepy retirement town" anymore.