Yesterday or the day before, Mary posed a number of questions that were perhaps better analogies than hot dogs, but no one took them on. I thought they were provocative and challenging, but I honestly didn't know what I thought. She laid out a number of scenarios that would define the relative unwantedness and intrusiveness of persons on public property that had been rented privately. They were good examples, and maybe someone will try to put together a set of distinctions we'd all agree are workable.
Oddly, I agree at least in part with everyone who's contributed, left and right alike. Free speech is gospel to me, but I can see feeling that strolling around the market is such a peaceable pleasure one doesn't want to be approached by ANYONE with a message or request - not money for AIDS/HIV or the United Way, not signatures for a no-stadium referendum, not nobody nohow. In fact there are times when I'm impatient to find a kid at the door (maybe yours?) sweetly asking me to pledge money for so many miles in a school marathon - which these days they want up front, no making good on actually walking or biking the marathon. In other words, a plain hand-out. Because they're not paid, are they less annoying at dinnertime or just when the news comes on than the young people who show up regularly for Clean Water? So what is it about the Farmers Market controversy? I think it's that one guy seems to enforce the rules arbitrarily. He may try very hard to be even-handed, but the decision is his. Even permitting announced candidates before an election seems to be fudging the rules a bit, but maybe we need to just go with the flow and lighten up. Would Tom have been so ticked off if the fresh-faced kids were wearing Bush badges? Would I be less likely to run the other way if the candidate shaking hands were my candidate? (Actually yes, as pressing the flesh seems so phony to me, but at least I wouldn't have pushed old ladies out of the way to avoid Paul Wellstone.) Maybe the other issue about the market is that it's so clearly a public venue. The vendors are definitely not a family having a reunion on a one-time basis. They are doing business in a place supported by public dollars. I coming to the conclusion that the sidewalks should be open to anyone. Wouldn't it be reasonable to say no-politics in the market itself? I don't want to be crowded by any kind of canvassers while thumping melons, but since I can't keep anyone off the sidewalk in front of my house, why should the market be different? Gail O'Hare St. Paul _____________________________________________ To Join: St. Paul Issues Forum Rules Discussion Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] _____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/
