Police for this, police for that...
...a reflection of our changing world, I guess.

When I was in the park late last July 4th, I noticed 'different' behavior among the police in the City Park. Usually, the police who saunter through the park are fairly mild-mannered, although I know they are ever-vigilant, ever-watching, and even though I am not a fan of oppressive jackbooted authority, yes, the police are needed. It's just the way it is. And this past week, there is a more pronounced police presence in our downtown area. I've seen 'em walking up and down Sherman Avenue; I've seen the bicycle cops going to and from the City Park; they zip up and down Sherman and probably help out their pedestrian co-workers as needed. I suppose if a town has a lot of tourists lounging around on the sidewalk, oftentimes sipping cocktails from open bars, and if that town has an ever-escalating number of unsupervised youth with raging hormones running about, more police are needed. Frankly, I wouldn't want to do their jobs, especially on July 4th.

On that night, I was hanging around after the fireworks, because my car was parked downtown, and I knew it would be a while before the crowds and traffic dissipated enough for me to be able to actually drive home. Our city turns into one big traffic jam, after the 4th of July parade, and again after the fireworks. So, I was waiting in the park. Well, the police saw me and a couple of other people sitting on the sea wall, and they were really uptight. Usually, they don't care if you're sitting in the park peacefully, late at night. But the police told me they had "orders" to clear the park on that night, July 4th. Okay, well, I left peacefully, kinda shakin' my head, but I suppose there was good reason to clear the park on that particular evening. Actually, on July 4th, there is a lot of "stress" in the air; you can feel it; anytime it's a hot day and everyone from everywhere converges on a single city park, it's a zoo. A madhouse. I'm sure glad the Park isn't like that every day!

I've seen a ton of law enforcement out, for instance, when the Aryans, those pathetic so-and-so's, were marching down Sherman Avenue. It was a situation that got out of hand, when a young man stood in front of Richard Butler's car (like the man vs. tank in Tianamen Square) and the motorcade was forced to take a different route when the "crowd mentality" took over, but the Police did handle that the best they could and the event ended without serious injury. Perhaps a few mistakes were made a few years ago during the summertime "Car d'Lane" situation, where a hot-rodder was cited for "burning rubber", but the crowd mentality outside the open bars in downtown Coeur d'Alene certainly didn't help things any. No, I wouldn't have wanted to be a cop that night. So I do have to give them a sort of grudging respect. I am really trying to re-examine my own views on Police, after the confrontation I had with an out-of-control tweaking teenager in the park last week. And yeah, the cops are needed. Situations present themselves, and police presence is needed.

Currently, "someone" at the Kootenai County Courthouse has decided that the HUCKLEBERRIES website (www.spokesmanreview.com/blogs/hbo) is off-limits. A couple of county commissioners lost their re-election bid last week, and the website, which is owned by a NEWSPAPER, has been declared "website non grata". The Huckleberries Blog had been the source of a lot of discussion regarding property taxes and a lot of other election-related issues. I don't know if their computers have been blocked, or if the people have to just "not go there", but let's hope, really, that "police presence" doesn't have to come down to this:


Photo posted despite howling protests from the website I identified above. Maybe I'D better watch for the computer cops!
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Aren't I the same person, who after finishing the PREVIOUS post at 6am THIS MORNING, said that I didn't plan on doing a blog tonite? In the post below, there is another "courthouse-related" picture of dubious worth.