Let’s see if this second post on the subject brings out the wrath of the christian right [lower case intentional] like the first one did. If that happens, we can always rename the thread “Greg Letiecq fights pornography with pornography.” But I digress…..
News & Messenger reporter Keith Walker has up-to-date coverage of the latest plan for the City of Manassas during Fall Festival, which is one of the city’s biggest events. About 50 people are expected to gather in protest at City Hall sometime during the Fall Festival.
Apparently the plan to coerce merchants into closing their doors between noon and 1 pm didn’t pan out. I know of 1 merchant who ran off the visitor who came to garner support for her cause. Picture a restaurant owner telling everyone to stop eating and to get up and leave right at noon. Sort of makes one chuckle, if some idealistic person didn’t take it seriously. What shopkeeper closes down during the busiest time of the biggest sale day of the year?
The leader of this pack was quoted in the News and Messenger:
MANASSAS, Va. —
Jennifer Basinger said she’s expecting about 50 people to show up at Manassas City Hall on Saturday to rally against an adult store set to open Oct. 20 on Battle Street in Old Town.
She said KK’s Temptations won’t fit in with the historic nature of the area.
“The shop I feel — and many do — is just not consistent with what Old Town is about,” Basinger said.
However, she doesn’t have anything against Kim and Kristina Skokan, the mother-and-daughter team who plan to open the store.
“It’s not a personal vendetta against the owner. It’s not an ugly, self-righteous march at all,” the 39-year-old Basinger said. “It’s really just wanting to keep Old Town the way it is.”
Basinger said the group will restrict itself to the area around City Hall between noon and 2 p.m. to avoid disrupting the Fall Jubilee that is also taking place Saturday.“It’s peaceful. It’s non-confrontational. It’s not meant to take any thunder away from the fall festival,” she said. “It’s not going to be a bunch of people marching into Old Town.”
Reality check! I saw an email or 2 and I don’t think you say some of that stuff to someone you don’t have a vendetta against. Perhaps I just have different values. Ms. Basinger needs to be more honest and forthright about that one.
Another reality check involves the image you want to create for your city. Do you want to stage a protest of any sort on your biggest tourism day of the year? Why not just bring Mr. Fernandez back with a few native Americans to parade around. I am sure he would be glad to accommodate. Anything to embarrass the City. How is this different? At least if Mr. F paraded around with Native Americans you could tell the guests coming in from other areas that it was just the Tea Party, getting ready to dump a few barrels of tea overboard.
Furthermore, what is it that these people want the City of Manassas to do? The City has caved in to every demand. Many people I know are so disgusted with the City for acquiescing to this group of christian conservatives [lower case intentional] that they are simply not going to spend money in the City. In trying to please everyone, you please no one.
Most of the City Councilpersons are nice people who take their elected position seriously. They try to represent their constituents, rather than advance their own agendas. What I don’t think they realize is that many people find KK Temptations a welcome addition to the City. It breaks up the ho hum and the restaurants. An even bigger number don’t care one way or the other.
Kim Skokan and her daughter have postponed their grand opening out of deference to the City merchants who will be their new neighbors. They didn’t want to draw attention away from a big sales day. They have dotted every i and crossed every t. Perhaps they, too, have been just a little too accommodating to those who are all about control and bullying. (and elections)
