We could only hope for such in WA. Considering the heaping trash piles that litter the rusted car strewn yards of the Oly Pen and rural P Sound, I'm not sure the "culture" has the pride in place to make such a stand.
Quoting redshedflyshop <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: > Howdy Bob, I don't believe rural Montana is poorly policed. It is just not > always done by someone with a badge. I think that is the way it should be. If > you have to wait for a badge to protect you in all circumstances you will > sooner or later find yourself in dire straights. > Take care, MJC > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Robert J. Lawless > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Thursday, January 08, 2004 10:22 PM > Subject: Montana Bars (the alcohol kind) > > > There was an extremely interested article in the Times a few days ago and I > wanted to write something up about it. Basically, the author held forth with > a little sociology of Western Montana to which you may or may not agree. I > personally agree. > The West was settled with the presence of Christian churches and women > except for the western half of Montana, some parts of Wyoming and > Idaho.Because the social needs of the inhabitants of these areas were not met > by churches, it was the various taverns and bars that filled in the gap. > Their role in society is still paramount in small towns and it differs > somewhat from the norm. Examples: under age children may sit and drink as > long as they do not drink alcohol; children are allowed to stand in the bar > to get warm and wait for the bus or their parents. Dancing in the bar will > include persons of all ages. > There are no real police in any of these small towns and that role falls to > the bartender who keeps several pistols and a bunch of bats behind the bar to > maintain control. > Hooligans from other towns may "attack" the bar and attempt to take control > from the bartender. Patrons are often enlisted to help the bartender repel > the "outsiders" and sometimes serious beatings occur. > > I found myself in such an incident in the late fifties in a bar near Twin > Bridges, Montana. A huge brawl broke out after these kids from "Boise" > raided the bar. We won big time and though I was drunk, I got in some good > swats with one of the bats. The leader of the pack was so badly beaten by > the bartender that he had to be hospitalized, suffering many broken bones > etc. Several of the kids were hauled off in an ambulance. I thought this > all to be very bizarre, no cops, and it was a bit harsh. The bartender > explained that you've got to teach those "bastards" from Boise a lesson. > > Since most of us still fish in Montana every now and again, I was wondering > if anyone else has any other stories that would fit the thesis that rural > Montana is poorly policed and that bars serve a social function much larger > than just watering down the crowd.
