New Years Eve Downtown

[PlazaMidwoodGuy]

The police are the thugs , I was just talking to friends last night on 3rd and a policeman asked us to keep moving , that same policeman walked pass a group of white men and did nothing at all. I saw more police last night in Charlotte than I saw in New york city in 1999 on new years eve!! I do not think that racial profiling is the result of aberrational rogue cops. We have to mobilize against the system that is creating the problem, not the symptom that makes us see the problem.

[derita1]

I find it very difficult to accept a comment like yours saying that "the police are the thugs," especially after an ACTUAL thug killed 2 police officers in cold blood last year! The police are doing their JOBS, and they risk their lives to keep the community safe, oftentimes under very difficult and dangerous circumstances.

And as far as what is "creating the problem," it isn't law enforcement. In the case of this particular topic, it is thuggish individuals and roving gangs of ill-bred youth that have caused problems at Uptown gatherings in the past. And now, because of THEIR behavior, the rest of us are deprived of the ability to gather peacefully and have fun on July 4th or New Year's Eve. These people have absolutely no respect for the law, for the property of others, or for the desire on the part of law-abiding citizens to go about their business without the fear of getting caught in a "melee" or being the victim of a crime.

[RealMadrid]

wow!! My sympathy go out to out to those two officers, but my sympathy also go out to all thoses unarmed kids being killed by the police. I FELL BETRAYED by the system the institutional rasism which occurs when racism is supported by governmental policises and laws.I know race is a highly charged topic and you may feel some reluctance to discuss it, back when people were falling out hotel windows and fighting in the streets(do you call these people thugs)the city did not think about canceling the fireworks!

[Durhamite]

Did Obama not win a 94% white dominated state with only 2% African Americans?

I know of no racist people, nor have I ever seen racism (In America) at all. The only racism I recall is the mayor of New Orleans saying he wanted New Orleans to be a chocolate city.

[Charlotte_native]

Well this thread is taking its predicatable turn. Whether there is still racism in America is pretty much a given, but in Charlotte on New Years Eve in particular the police were trying to keep EVERYONE from causing trouble. They arrested whites and blacks. Whether someone saw or felt they were tougher on black kids I don't know -- I wasn't out in the streets except for a short stint or two of walking my dog.

I'll say again, the police have a really tough job of trying to balance being too tough or too weak depending on the perspective of who is watching. FACT: there have been roving bands of youth at the last few big downtown events that DID cause trouble. I don't care what color they are, but fighting, shooting fireworks at the crowd, and overall intimidating behavour must be dealt with somehow -- doesn't it?

How about some proposals on how to better deal with those issues rather than just ripping at the cops for either letting too much happen or for being too tough on the crowds...

[Charlotte_native]

Terms such as "thugs", "hoodlums", "gangs" are used to reference many African American youths, whether they are the guilty party of something or not (the media has portrayed it that way, so it's not going anywhere). Just as the term "bad part of town"....I hear these terms (and many more) ALL the time in corporate America, bars, etc....I know who and what they're talking about. Sometimes my colleagues will say things off the cuff and I just think to myself (did they really just say that????)...

[Neo]

Please cease the discussion regarding race as this is not a racial debate thread (nor is it allowed on this site). This thread is intended to discuss the New Year's Eve events downtown.

[Justadude]

I wonder if it would be possible to have fireworks shot off from Freedom Park, and far enough into the air to be visible from the center city? If the city could have a "Festival at the Lake" style, family-friendly event at Freedom, and shoot fireworks that barhoppers could see from the parking lots on the "east" (geographic south) side of uptown, that would seem to cover all the necessary bases. It would also, hopefully, keep the troublemakers away from children for the most part.

[Charlotte_native]

^ I think it is a good idea, if the city is going to do a celebration or celebrations, to have something that is more family oriented out of the central downtown -- Freedom Park is a good idea. Let the big party with the big partiers happen where the bars and restaurants are concentrated and let the less party event happen somewhere different. Like mentioned before the this thread, I think something at the Baseball Stadium when we have it would be great as well.

Either way I think the days of the family or non-alcoholic event in the Square or right uptown are over -- just seems like trying to make something happen that will be hard to control. I only mean that in the sense of those drinking and partying in the various venues mixing with those that are seeking a more wholesome event.

Same goes for 4th of July, IMO, as well though fireworks for the 4th are much earlier in the evening than for New Years. Come to think of it, it is only right downtown on the 4th where problems seem to occur, otherwise I have always been on the outskirts of center city and seen people parked everywhere including on the side of 277 -- all without issue. We watched them two years ago from the end of Jackson Avenue near CPCC and across from 1st Ward -- the street was packed and the view was fantastic.

[monsoon]

There used to be this thing in downtown Charlotte on New Year's Eve called First Night Charlotte where it was much like the other festivals they have down there including dropping some kind of lighted thing to the ground at midnight. I think it was sponsored by one of the TV stations or something like that. Unfortunately, I believe the corporate sponsors of the event pulled out a number of years ago and there is no public money for such things.

[Durhamite]

And Redneck, white trash, doushebag, and other terms are used commonly to refer to white youth that people don't like or feel intimidated by.

Any given weekend, and many weekday, night you can find tons of whites and blacks all over the sidewalks downtown, generally without incident other that what you'd expect with largely drunk crowds in the bar district. The fact that there is little violence should be somewhat of a testament that we can get along overall. Many that hang out on the sidewalks are obviously too young to go to the bars and they are black, white, Hispanic, Asian. They aren't forced to leave, none of them, but they are told to not block pedestrians and not park their cars illegally and block traffic or take turns that aren't permitted. EVERYONE is made to do this.

[Charlotte_native]

If you can locate a reference in any of these threads that termed these crowds with something other than thugs, etc. or give me an example where the words redneck or white trash were used to describe these people then I'll buy into you premise. When I think redneck or white trash, I don't think "young" white......doushebag...give me a break!

[monsoon]

.....

On topic, seems though a city the size of Charlotte could produce a simple New Year's celebration without a huge incident??? I don't quite understand the big deal...they do it in Raleigh and elsewhere. Maybe the stadium or new park will provide a family oriented venue that will allow the police to control the crowds or preclude the undesirables.

[derita1]

Freedom Park wouldn't be a go location, because they don't want us there either.I think the police would be happy if the blacks had there celebration at freedom mall. I'm not against the law;I not against law enforcement,you need laws to survive and you need law enforcement to have an intelligent, peaceful society; but we have to live in these places where we see racial profiling every day all day and suffer the type of conditions that exist from officers who lack understanding and who lack any human feeling ,or lack any feeling for their fellow human being.

[Raintree21]

Once again back to the intended topic of celebrating New Years downtown and not perceived police profiling...

What do you think about having two parties downtown? Block off Tryon Street and College Street. Since most of the bars are on College and N. Tryon Street, have that as the "alcohol party" and have a family, alcohol-free party on Tryon, south of The Square. They can "fence it in" like they've done before so that access is somewhat controlled and anyone who appears intoxicated would not be allowed in the family section and anyone under 18 would not be allowed on the alcohol side.

[Charlotte_native]

Once again back to the intended topic of celebrating New Years downtown and not police profiling...

What do you think about having two parties downtown? Block off Tryon Street and College Street. Since most of the bars are on College and N. Tryon Street, have that as the "alcohol party" and have a family, alcohol-free party on Tryon, south of The Square. They can "fence it in" like they've done before so that access is somewhat controlled and anyone who appears intoxicated would not be allowed in the family section and anyone under 18 would not be allowed on the alcohol side.