to Westword

Westword is a newspaper two blocks down the street. They host a music festival each summer featuring local bands. They're doing their best to support local talent and I've seen and heard for myself the music improve each year. It is a good thing.

Having acknowledged all that, having that out of the way, last year I was forbidden from entering with my camera. It was fitted with a lens somewhat serious in appearance, but by no means imposing. I was given no reason except no cameras allowed. When I  pressed I was told the bands want to control their image. I also learned pocket cameras would not be a problem.

Still.

I was already angry for being turned away. And there were rules imposed beyond the music festival that affected me directly. Rules imposed by the management of the place where I live. So I shot off a very direct and rude email saying so. Westword responded most politely. They really do try having good neighbor relations. But by then I had already turned pure asshole. That's what I am now, and it's their fault. I started out nice, and now I'm not nice. Not nice at all. And now is a another summer and I can hear the clanging of hollow tubes outside. So a new asshole email saying the same thing.

Message:

Oh great! 

And so begins once again the clanging of hollow tubes signaling the blocking off of the alley to my residence that I pay dearly for, the closing down of our own residential party room terrace because it cannot handle the drunks your festival invites, the forbidding of photography off our own rented properties, the forbidding of photography on site through any worthwhile camera with any serious lens, the rise of every single Fascist impulse that you could not possibly control even if you did try to, it's human nature to give a jerk an ounce of authority and invoke a ton freakish Barney Fifie control, and worst of all the imposition of crap music at decibels far in excess of city regulations, by crap bands insisting on controlling their own image as if that were possible along with  the flood of careless sloppy rude drunk slobs wandering  desperate for entertainment that leave the entire place trashed circulating aimlessly visiting the exact same vendors in the exact same uniform kiosks year upon year totally void of imagination. All so you can have your festival in our residential space instead of a few blocks down the street in a civic area built specifically for this purpose. 

Bah.

Goodbye.  You've successfully driven me off.  Take a deep bow. I'm heading out for the hills until the final clanging of hollow tubes is completed, the semi blocking our access and egress is departed,  and all that remains is the  trash left behind by your guests along with the stench of vomit and piss in the stairwells. Again.

Your compensating free tickets are no compensation at all. You've pissed me off with your ridiculous rules. I cannot comply. And don't invite me to join your insular little guild either, to control the pictures I take -- to do what I should be able to do as free American unmolested. There is no such thing in this country anymore. There is no such thing as freedom anymore. The fun is removed by the likes of you. 

C.A., your displeased and unhappy neighbor.