St. Patrick's celebrations

[jeffster]

Were you actually there?

Yes, in fact I was there. I tried to pass through that area several times that day and was late for several appointments due to detours around this apparently perfectly legal gathering. If an event is considered unsanctioned by the various authorities who could make it legal, it is and illegal event. The Waterloo mayor was just on CBC radio and talked about ways they might consider to make the party legal, not ban all large gatherings of people.

Another fact that you are ignoring is that, the exercising of one person's or 22,000 persons' rights cannot infringe upon another person's ability to exercise their rights. Just like free speech, you are free to voice your opinions, but when they stray in to hate speech that is no longer allowed. My freedom of movement, and 1000s of others', was infringed upon that day, and frankly I felt threatened passingly through that area.

I will make no further comment on this topic; clearly all perspectives are firmly entrenched in their beliefs, and this is no longer productive or a solution focused discussion.

"Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not to their own facts." - Daniel Patrick Moynihan

Hey, BTW, I was reading an older article, and before this party got this huge this year, Waterloo tried having a couple sanctioned events. I guess word got out that Waterloo was party central for St. Paddy's day, and rather than visit the sanctioned events, they went to Ezra. So I am guessing even if Waterloo wanted to make this a sanctioned event, they'd have to set up shop on Ezra. Now I'm not certain why they don't do that (unless it presents problems for them). But it seems to be the easiest way to deal with this event.

Also found out that the universities were hiring security to protect their property from the parties (which is a legal event, as is the legal vandalism done to school property). I guess anyone now can drink on any public road and public property and if the police say anything, just point out that fact that drinking on the street is legal because it's done yearly on Ezra, which is all legal.....