Amarillo Nights presents BrassTacks - May 2003 by Max Steele

Getting ready for summer? Good.
Before you whip out the shorts, Tiddie sandals and sun-screen though, prepare for one more thing…… This will be the summer we start spelling America with a “k”.
A-M-E-R-I-K-A.
Amerika.
Got that Commrade?
What am I talking about? You´ll find out the first time you rev-up your Harley. You´ll find out the first time you play your radio too loud. I´m talking about SOUND ORDINANCES!

Dig this: Whether or not you are being too loud is decided by…… ANY INDIVIDUAL AMARILLO POLICE OFFICER!
That´s right, it´s up to the individual officer´s discretion. No decibel reading is required. It’s just up to the cop. If HE thinks it´s too loud, then legally…. It´s too loud.
That leads ME to believe that if…. Say a certain cop doesn´t like metal music, then if he hears it, it´s gonna be too loud. Follow what I am saying? It´s like me: I myself hate Rap. If I hear it just a little bit, I think it´s too loud. But that doesn´t REALLY mean it´s too loud, does it?
Last month Edwin Criado was cited for riding his Harley down 6th. The officer said it was too loud. No meter reading or nothing. It was just too loud for that particular officer. Edwin got a $100 fine without warning.
Speaking of 6th street, last month at 4:30 on a Sunday afternoon, The ASH Foundations´ Poker Run was shut down for being too loud. It wasn´t that loud.
IT´S 6TH STREET!!!
ROUTE 66!!!
THE WILDEST AND CRAZIEST ROAD IN THE WHOLE FRIGGIN´ WORLD…… just not here in Amarillo.

The Amarillo Police are here to protect and serve us, and that is a good thing as long as that is what they are doing. BUT they should not have the deciding capacity to tell us what noises are too loud and which noises are okay. Not without proof. Not without decibel readings.
Now if it´s after 10:00pm YOU´RE DAMN SKIPPY there should be sound ordinances. But c´mon!

We have to fight this form of fascism that is destined to destroy our summer!
How?
I´ll tell you how; I have a plan.
If ANYONE lives near one of these churches that insists on ringing their bells every hour….. call the police and complain. Tell them "if I can hear it, it´s too loud!"
If ANY ONE of you guys live near Dick Bivins Stadium or the Baseball Park, call the police the next time there´s a game going on…. ESPECIALLY if it is after 10:00pm. And don’t let them BS you about "zoning laws"! Tell them you are trying to sleep and the High School Band (or the Fireworks display or the P.A announcements) at the stadium is keeping you up!
If ANYONE lives near a High School, the next time the marching band comes parading by your house…… CALL THE POLICE!!!!
Complain about low-flying aircraft!

The bottom line is these sound ordinances have got to be re-assessed! Until that happens, they should work for EVERYONE! But nothing is EVER going to change until you do something about it!
And that´s the stuff that dreams are made of.

See you guys next month!