From ccf5dfb6c3aab2b1cde3e80327f5b06b859e6365 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: "R. Tyler Croy" Date: Tue, 23 Aug 2011 10:38:22 -0700 Subject: [PATCH] Thoughts on BART --- ...3-thoughts-on-bart-and-protesting.markdown | 59 +++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 59 insertions(+) create mode 100644 _posts/2011-08-23-thoughts-on-bart-and-protesting.markdown diff --git a/_posts/2011-08-23-thoughts-on-bart-and-protesting.markdown b/_posts/2011-08-23-thoughts-on-bart-and-protesting.markdown new file mode 100644 index 0000000..58bf813 --- /dev/null +++ b/_posts/2011-08-23-thoughts-on-bart-and-protesting.markdown @@ -0,0 +1,59 @@ +--- +layout: post +title: Thoughts on BART and Protesting +tags: +- opinion +- bart +- protesting +- opbart +--- + +Keeping SF clean + +After leaving work yesterday, I walked with the protestors who were parading up +and down Market St., while I'm ideologically in line with the protestors I +wasn't really doing much other than walking, and occasionally tidying up, as +captured by one of the other protestors in this image (that's me picking a +trashcan up out of the road). + +I wanted to jot down my opinions in a cohesive post, rather than a jumble of +tweets or retweets [on twitter](https://twitter.com/agentdero). + +
+ + * I don't necessarily think BART Police *must* be disbanded, but I do believe + that the majority of its officers should _not_ be carrying guns. The first + thing that's typically taught in Gun Safety classes is that you do not pull out + a gun [in self-defense] unless you're absolutely certain you need to and are + going to use it. An extension of that, in my opinion, is that you should not be + carrying a gun unless it's necessary and you're going to be using it. BART + Police should have guns at their disposal, but there is no need for every + officer that walks the beat to carry a firearm. + * Disrupting cell phone service for public safety on the platforms is + reasonable in my mind, subject to judicious oversight. Disrupting cell + phone service in _anticipation_ or in order to _prevent_ a protest is absolute + crap. + * BART's decision to simply shut down stations for a protest is absurd, it + makes it incredibly easy for *any* protest in the future to gain a massive + amount of press. Tip off BART that you will be protesting on a platform, get + them to shut down the station, regroup above ground. That said, I don't know + what a good solution would be, hundreds of people on the platform *is* unsafe. + But it is also something that happens *every single day* during rush hour on + BART platforms in downtown San Francisco. + +---- + +I fear that the BART Board of Directors, or the Chief of BART Police might feel +like they cannot make any "concessions" to the protestors at all, which would +be most unfortunate. Would the public/press view their actions positively if +they acknowledged mistakes and heavy-handedness by BART Police? + +I hope those involved in BART operations are able to see the root of the cause +of this episode of civil unrest and do something proactive about it instead of +continually sending men and women in riot gear to meet a frustrated populace +on the streets of San Francisco. + +