Honk to Impeach?

[philbot.livejournal.com]

Did anyone else find the "HONK TO IMPEACH" plackard-carriers in the Square yesterday afternoon irritating?

I'm all for freedom of speech, I'm all for expressing your opinion in public space, and believe me, I loathe the current administration. But can't you express your opinion without all the noise pollution within earshot of my house?

Maybe I'm just a grumpy old man, but in my day, we walked uphill both ways in the snow to impeach somebody! There was none of this hoity-toity honk-your-horn-inside-your-fancy-automobile nonsense!



So I emailed the mayor's office :

Apparently every Monday there's a group of protestors in Davis Square holding up signs that read "HONK TO IMPEACH!" I'm all for free speech and free expression, and I couldn't agree more with the protestors' message, but I can't help but feel they're just causing noise pollution in my neighborhood. (I live a very short walk from the Square.)

There's been a discussion on the Davis Square Livejournal community about this :
http://community.livejournal.com/davis_square/949744.html

and so far no one has suggested these protestors are accomplishing anything but
irritating the people who live nearby.

I'm not suggesting the city take action to silence the protestors, because I strongly believe they have a right to express their opinion in public space, but I'm curious to know if
anyone from the city approached them about the noise pollution?


And got this in response :

I just read the posts. You are Philbot I gather. I also really liked the "uphill both ways to impeach" line.

Here is the issue with these particular protestors- they are not the ones actually making the noise. We could enforce a noise ordinance, but technically -they are not violating anything. And as you point out, we do not want to infringe upon anyone's right to freedom of speech or assembly. Therefore, a typical response to send an inspector out would not work.

It seems as though some of your fellow bloggers are going to speak to this traveling band of protesters. Monday is Davis Sq.,Friday on Mass Ave. I will ask the Law Department, but I am at a loss to determine a means to stop these protests. Maybe time (and a reduction in honking) will steal their thunder.

Regards,

Sean Murphy

Comments

[ifotismeni]

oh, they've been there for a while, wasn't just yesterday they hung out in the square with the honk signs.

[philbot.livejournal.com]

Oh, great. I guess I haven't been home during their normal business hours. Maybe I'll suggest they move to Porter, where they love all that honking.

[mamajoan.livejournal.com]

It's every Monday, in fact.

[jennyelfenmass.livejournal.com]

They're at the intersection of Rt. 60 and Mass. Ave. every Friday.

[spatch]

I think you should go out to the square and counter-protest. Hold a sign that says HONK IF YOU HATE NOISE POLLUTION. I can make the sign for you if you want, but I'm gonna need to steal someone's fence picket for the handle.

[philbot.livejournal.com]

I like the counter-protest idea, but hands off my fence pickets! Damned kids, always stealing my fence pickets....

[billharnois.livejournal.com]

even better, how about making signs that are completely anti what they are doing. Make signs that say "Honk if you support the Iraq War!", or "Honk if you love Bush!", or "Honk to invade Iran!". Then stand next to those losers with your sign. It may reduce the amount of honking.

[ron_newman]

Not to be confused with the second annual HONK! Festival, returning to Davis Square October 5-8.

[philbot.livejournal.com]

Now that, I'm down with.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

I wasn't there, and while I'm all for impeachment and even a merry lynching/picnic, I don't see honking as a productive means to that end. A table with postcards for people to fill out would let voices actually be heard where they need to be heard, unlike a local honkfest.

[philbot.livejournal.com]

Absolutely.

And then I can post "I'm just trying to get to the Diesel without being hassled! Get these damned hippies off the sidewalk!"

I think one of the guys was recording the honking, but I can't imagine how useful that recording would be.

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

They've been doing it every Monday for a while now.

[ron_newman]

Now if I can figure out how to tag this (local landscape? local politics? ...)

[philbot.livejournal.com]

Crotchety neighbors? :)

[rikchik.livejournal.com]

I've biked through this demonstration a few times. It seems completely pointless to me - who will you convince with your honking, other than your fellow far-left Davis Square residents? It just makes the square sound angry for no good reason.

[derekp.livejournal.com]

I also bike through and always failed to realize what a nuissance the honking must be to folks that live within earshot or are just trying to enjoy some time in the square. I'll stop and let them know as much on my way by next week.

[kpht.livejournal.com]

Maybe I'm just a grumpy old man, but in my day, we walked uphill both ways in the snow to impeach somebody!

i was wayyy too amused by this line.

[philbot.livejournal.com]

[aki.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I can't seem to find the post easily, but someone was talking about gathering to do this sort of thing in the Square in this community sometime earlier this spring/summer. I replied saying how obnoxious that was toward residents and was told that I was going to hell for my indifference (ah, Dante). I don't know, maybe I was too snarky in my response but I hate this sort of pointless protest. Anyway, thank you for making me feel less cynical. Or at least, less outrageously cynical.

[philbot.livejournal.com]

I don't think there's anything cynical about it. If the signs said "WAVE TO IMPEACH!", I'd have given the protestors a big hearty wave. It still wouldn't have accomplished anything, but it also wouldn't have pissed anyone off (except maybe the Bush-lovin' few).

Suggesting the protestors educate people of how to contact their representatives to suggest impeachment is a much better plan than just making a lot of unnecessary racket.

[curiositykt.livejournal.com]

I really hate these folks as well.

[nonnihil.livejournal.com]

Didn't you take Civics in High School? The XXXXIIIIth Amendment clearly states that impeachment proceedings can only be started when two thirds of the population of greater Boston have honked their horns!

[ron_newman]

Now I'm feeling bad for having once promoted this activity by posting this announcement here last month. I thought it was supposed to be a one-time event, not weekly!

[makoshark.livejournal.com]

I'm alright with it. Even in the day and even though I live right in the center of the square.

But if you put up a sign. It should probably come down before night. :)

[makoshark.livejournal.com]

So that's what all the honking was about.

[yagagriswold.livejournal.com]

What an honest--and human--response from Mr. Murphy. Thanks for sharing it.

[marylu.livejournal.com]

I know Sean Murphy and he rules!

[gookalockgeek.livejournal.com]

They do this in Copley on Thursdays as well. It doesn't bother me, but I don't live near any of the sites.

Here, here...

[piscesboy311.livejournal.com]

I am pretty tired of protestors that emphasize the PROBLEM and not a SOLUTION/SOLUTIONS. Sure it's easy to say "STOP THE IRAQ WAR NOW" or "IMPEACH BUSH" but how effective is that really going to be? Everyone is aware of the problem-the news only talks about it every second of every day. How about solutions-logical, methodical solutions that can get the attention of politicians?

Honking and annoying the hell out of people isn't going to help towards a cause.

Re: Here, here...

[ron_newman]

OK, but ... since the real 'solution' is ending imperialism, how do we go about that?

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

I'm sure I'm not the only one, but I'll perhaps be the only one to admit it: the one time I drove through the Square while this was going on, I happily honked and I thought it was pretty neat.

I didn't realize they did it every week, but in any case, I think maintaining awareness is a good thing. How many of us actually *do* something about it, even if we do believe what we believe? Maybe every week, a few people are reminded that just thinking about it doesn't have much of an effect and they actually take action. Hey, could happen.

(For the record, I don't do enough myself so this is absolutely NOT an I'm-better-than-you comment.)

[philbot.livejournal.com]

I have to say, I laughed when a bicyclist rode by and yelled out "BEEP BEEP!"

[tt02144.livejournal.com]

Couldn't this protest be stopped with some creative thinking? How about inciting......a riot? Noise pollution? something? How about gathering without a permit? Come on, let's think here!

[ron_newman]

You want to incite a riot to shut down an annoying protest? Not a good idea.

[dmcgettrick.livejournal.com]

I'm going to get myself a bat and do a little skull thumping!!!

[hissilliness.livejournal.com]

Well, you know what they say--As goes Davis Square, MA, so goes the nation.