From: mike@mtcc.com (Michael Thomas)
Subject: Re: Halloween In the Castro Party a Great Success
Date: Thu, 2 Nov 1995 21:05:19 GMT

John E. Woods (jowoods@hoked.net) wrote:

> PRESS RELEASE

  Hmm. 

> "We really wanted everyone to just have fun," said Lester 
> Olmstead-Rose, Executive direcotr of Community United Against 
> Violence (CUAV), the lead organizer. "We invested in professional 
> security and improved alcohol controls.

  Really? I saw lots of drinking on the streets, and
nobody seemed to care.

> We turned out 300 volunteers, 
> many, many more than ever before. This investment paid off with a 
> higher sense of security, which really allowed people to relax and 
> have a good time."

  I will admit that I felt safer here than last year,
but there is a definite unease that accompanies all
of the str8 gawkers. When we were walking through the
gate at Noe and 18th, there were a bunch of "Str8 and
we're not going to mistaken for no fag nohow." boyz
coming in at the same time, we listened to them complain
about how they were waiting to get buttfucked by the
folks patting them down for guns.
  Yeah. Love you all too.

> This will be the final year for the Halloween party to take place in 
> the Castro district.

  Thank god.

> Castro Halloween Celebrations has already 
> announced its intention to move the traditional street party to a 
> new larger site next year.

  This is pretty self serving. The Sisters of Perpetual
Indulgence, who normally put the show on, refused to
do it this year after lasts year's "fun." It's not that
there isn't enough room around the neighborhood, it's
that the neighborhood is *tired* of the violence and
homophobia in our neighborhood for what used to be a
big old gay party.
  What I'm hoping is that all the str8 gawker types
go down to SoMa next year, and we can have the Castro
back for ourselves.

> "Next year's event will be better than ever," said Don Pharoah

  Hopefully! Tee hee!

> The four groups turned out 300 volunteers and collected $2 admissions. 
> Approximately $100,000 was collected

  Er, uh, the Comical said that about 100,000 or more
came, and they were charging $2 at the gates. Where's
the other $100,000?

> The community, at large, can be proud of its achievement."

  In fairness, I had a much better time than I expected,
and it seemed to be reasonably tame. Of course this
year wasn't a very good bellweather since it was raining
and not nearly as crowded as normal. If next year in
the Castro turns out to be just a neighborhood thang,
I'd be really happy.

  One last thing, has anybody else noticed how remarkably
violence free predominately gay events are (like pride
parades)? Even though they are predominately white male
yuppie affairs, it is still remarkable because comparable
str8 people would be getting all drunk and rowdy which
invariably leads to shows of testosterone.
  I guess that gay men use their testosterone quota
for what nature intended: sexual hunting and gathering.


-- 
Michael Thomas	(mike@mtcc.com) 
  Pass the bottle and damn the expense
  I've heard it said by a man of sense
  That the labouring classes could scarce live a day
  If people like us didn't eat, drink and pay
    -- A. H. Clough