Being a target of Nazi displeasure for several months wasn't really fun. I'm still learning quite a bit from that time, one thing I learned is how wonderful our community is (thank you everyone).

My definition of community now includes the Olympia Police Department. Detective Paul Lower talked with me via email and phone about my experiences. He did more than "just his job" and he did it well. Our phone conversation was especially helpful. I asked Det. Lower the questions that were looping around in my weary mind.......Should I hide? Should I become invisible? Det. Lower was quite clear that I have rights and that my rights include socializing/writing/living as I wish.

Another member of O.P.D. I've interacted with is Officer John Tupper. He has also talked with me about my adventures and safety. Recently he was one of the officers responding to a 911 call I had to make concerning another issue altogether.

The call involved possible violence in my neighborhood. Officer Tupper was skilled, professional, and courteous. At one point I told him that if I came across weird, it was because I was upset and angry. He remembered what I said and called me the next day to make sure all was well.

I've decided that part of my personal responsibility as a community member is to continue to speak out about injustices and also to speak up about the good stuff.

loiter
v. to linger or hang around in a public place or business where one has no particular or legal purpose. In many states, cities and towns there are statutes or ordinances against loitering by which the police can arrest someone who refuses to "move along." There is a question as to whether such laws are constitutional. However, there is often another criminal statute or ordinance which can be applied specifically to control aggressive begging, soliciting prostitution, drug dealing, blocking entries to stores, public drunkenness or being a public nuisance.

What would a purposeful public loiter-in be like? A planned, peaceful and friendly, legal shared activity of being downtown without a focus of spending money?

What is really going on when the word loiter is applied to the act of living? Existing. Enjoying. Sharing public space. Sitting. Standing. Dancing. Relaxing. Observing. Communing. Dozing. Contemplating. Reading. Conversing. Snacking. Sipping. Hanging out. Music might be made, cards might be played, babies might be nursed, stories might be shared.

The neighborhood puts pedestrians first. The outdoor space is shaped for the primary goal of the experience of human beings, their interaction and exchange. Cars and other transport systems fit into this primary structure, and do not damage it. Buildings primarily shape and support this realm and enhance it, and object buildings and expressions are secondary.

Neighborhood that are vibrant and alive

Well, I'm in class up on campus, utilizing all the free wireless I can.  I wish I could be downtown, hanging out, dare I say, loitering, on such a gorgeous early autumn day. 

I've been riled up seven ways to Sunday since attending the town hall Thursday night.  Which is not to say I didn't see some good in the meeting, I'm just all het up over some of the comments I heard and the fact that the meeting wasn't flexible enough to accomodate to the congregation's desires.  Yes, I understand that talking about the legislature and sustainable practices were on the agenda, but the division into discussion groups didn't quite work for me.  I wanted very badly to hear as many people speak as possible, and while I was in the largest group, it didn't have the feeling of a town hall meeting.  When I hear town hall meeting, the first thought that springs to my mind is the meetings that take place on the Simpsons, especially the Monorail epidsode where everyone starts singing.  Why didn't that happen?  Why didn't we spontaneously break into a whimsical song and dance number? 

I am so disappointed.

If you missed the last town hall meeting, you apparently like me, missed a lot. Don't miss out next time January 9!

Also, make sure they talk about something that concerns you by going here and help create a list of topics for the next Town Hall meeting.

This is a review of what I can glean from the city council packet, posted here every week. I don't talk about everything in the packet, just what seems interesting.

This week on the city council. there will probably be more talk about all of the downtown issues that were talked about last Thursday. Hopefully, there is some talk about an interesting memo written by councilmember Joe Hyer, somewhat in response to the efforts by Jeff Kingsbury and Doug Mah to add four new ordinances to the city's roster in terms of dealing with social issues downtown.

Hyer didn't type his memo in a standard font, so I can't copy and paste the text here, but as a teaser he does refer to Orwell's 1984 in talking about so called "social issue" ordinances. I attached it, so read it here as a pdf.

What I can copy and paste is a draft list of dowtown problem/issue statements the council is discussing. Pretty interesting reading:

Problem/Issue Statements:
• “Bullying” of downtown patrons
• Scofflaws – unpaid and delinquent tickets
• Drug use/dealing in downtown
• Pedestrian interference/obstruction (vague ordinances)
• Smoking on sidewalks in front of/near doorways
• Non-reporting of crime
• Panhandling – aggressive or otherwise
• Public urination – shortage of public restrooms
• No centralized outreach services
• Criminal prosecution not an effective tool for a variety of reasons
• Living in vehicles
• Unsanitary camps – public health concerns
• Too many empty storefronts and unkempt buildings
• Nuisance behaviors that are not illegal
• Graffiti and vandalism
• Availability of high octane alcohol, fortified beer and wine