The 5 am bar closings are really turning into a hot issue, and it basically boils down to morals. Most of the people who are against it are imposing their morals on others, they are judging others.
It's not about noise, it's not about safety. It's about a handful of residents who want to control everyone -- folks who had their fun in their day and now want everyone off the streets early.
Miami is a late night city. It just is. Back in the day, we went out at 11 pm, many thought that was a late hour for just starting the night. Now people go out at 1 am, as strange as that may seem. Many South Beach clubs don't even open their doors until then.
And it's not that people are up to no good at that hour, it's just a fact of life in Miami. Why do many Latins eat dinner at 11 pm and not 6 or 7 pm when most Americans do? Should we stop serving dinner at 11 pm now, because the American Way is to eat dinner earlier?
Another issue with the Grove is the service industry. Many people who work in restaurants, hotels, stores and other places, finish work at 10 or 11 pm, they like to unwind and go out after that. They like to be out for awhile. Who is anyone to judge them? These same people who were serving in a restaurant hours earlier were credible enough when they were on "your time schedule" but now that they want a drink late at night it makes them different people? Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?
If you don't like drinking at 4 or 5 am, fine, stay home. For those that like it, they are going to other locations in the County, they are bypassing the Grove. The Grove is suffering. The middle of the night is prime time for bars. It's like closing a restaurant at noon, because you don't feel people should be eating at noon. That is what is being done with the bars and clubs, while the rest of the County is partying it up, the Grove is sound asleep and businesses are dying.
The ironic part is that it is more of a perception issue and people think the Grove is closed for business at all hours now, so they don't even come for dinner now at earlier hours. The few rowdy people who had caused late night problems in the past were jerks and will always be jerks and trouble makers whether it is 5 am or 5 pm. A few drunk people upset a few sober people and now every business in the Grove is paying the price.
Emails have been circulating. Neighbors are telling neighbors that they must fight to keep the 3 am closing time. Ironically, those emails are coming to me from the very people receiving them, they are actually NOT in agreement with those sending the emails, that is why they send them to me, they are outraged at the lies and bullying tactics going on. People around town tell me to my face, that they have to "be political" so they "act" like they are on board. They aren't.
What are these people in the shadows afraid of -- others living their lives and having fun in Coconut Grove, you know, like it's been for over 100 years in this village?
No comments:
Post a Comment