Amarillo Nights presents BrassTacks - the Final Tack

Hello Amarillo Texas, MAX IS BACK!
Back by popular demand at that!
Woohoo, it feels great to be needed.
In the last few months since my (ahem) "vacation" from Amarillo Nights I have taken some time to reflect on things that I had said in previous Brass Tacks columns, I have taken time to reflect on stances I took last year involving the Amarillo entertainment scene, and I have taken time to reflect on how I was treated by Amarillo Nights and it´s readership. The "Powers that be" at Amarillo Nights issued ultimatum after ultimatum to me regarding what I said and who I said it about so we parted ways.
Now they asked me back because you wanted me back and of course, they had their guidelines- "Standards" is the actual term they used.
The fact that you are reading this right now should tell you that we managed to reach an agreement, but will I play it their way or will I play it my way?
There´s a little saying that I use in everyday life and I am quite fond of using it in my columns and it goes a little something like this: "Get used to disappointment!"
And now that I´m back, here is my first chance to use that little catchphrase.
If you think I´m gonna watch what I say
If you think that they can keep a leash on me
If you think that I´m going to candy-coat the many, many truths that I have to share with you, GET USED TO DISAPPOINTMENT!
I´m raw, I´m real and I call them like I see them.

With that said, let´s reach into the ole´ Brass Tacks Subject folder and pull out a little file titled "The War on Sound".
As summer nears and the days get longer and warmer, it´ll soon be time to get out the Harleys and hit the patios of your favorite Amarillo bars and restaurants. It´s also time to set aside some extra cash for all of the fines that you will most certainly be getting. The Sound War rages on in Amarillo and this year promises to be worse than the last.

Dean Before we go any further, let me remind everyone that the "War on Sound" is not actually being fought against ALL of Amarillo like they would like us to believe; it is actually only an attack on the 6th Street District (historic Route 66). In addition, the War on Sound is only one part of a bigger agenda to do away with 6th Street. Why do they want to do away with 6th Street?
A couple of facts about 6th Street and The City of Amarillo:
They claim that we, the ones frequenting the bars and restaurants on 6th Street are breaking beer bottles in their quaint little neighborhood.
BRASS TACK FACT: There is not one bar on 6th Street (let alone in all of Amarillo) that will let patrons leave with bottles; it´s against the law. When there is a block party on 6th, they sell beer in plastic cups or cans. So these bottles are coming from someone else. I wonder who it could be?
They claim that we, the ones that frequent the 6th Street bars and restaurants are peeing in their yards and wandering around their neighborhood.
BRASS TACK FACT: When I go to 6th Street I don´t walk, I DRIVE MY CAR! It seems to me that if anyone is wandering the neighborhood, pissing in yards and chunking beer bottles it would probably be someone that lives within the area. Actually there ARE quite a few people wandering around that neighborhood. But they are NOT the bar patrons. They are derelicts that try to bum spare change off of you and smell like urine. I don´t see people like that when I go into The Blue Gator or Skooterz. People like that don´t hang out at Austin´s or The Golden Light. They hang out in that neighborhood!
BRASS ATTACK: The City of Amarillo wants all of the business to be downtown so that THEY can have a slice of the pie.

So where does the War on Sound come into play? The City figures that the best way to get rid of 6th Street is to do away with the things that we enjoy most: Live Music and Harleys.
BRASS TACK FACT: According to The City Attorney´s office the sound ordinance that they are enforcing is "borrowed" from the Texas State Penal Code. According to Penal Code, noise issues require: a complainant (someone complaining) and a decibel meter reading of the offense. Also note that it states no one will be fined or jailed without prior warning. If you think that this is what they are really doing, get used to disappointment.
The first shot in the Amarillo Sound War (version 2.0) was fired on Wednesday April 7th 2004, at The Golden Light Cantina during a performance by local Metal Band Thick. The Amarillo Police Department issued a warning (without complaint or meter reading) and declared that if they had to come back again that someone would go to jail.

To reiterate, the War on Sound is only a ploy to remove activity in general from the 6th Street area. If the city succeeds a lot of good people will lose their businesses. It is also very possible that the damage could reach further than 6th Street. As soon as the last of the 6th Street merchants go under, out of town travelers won´t have a reason to "Get their kicks on Route 66". A lot of travelers pass through here because of ole´ 66 and when it´s nothing but a few antique stores there´ll be no reason to stop here. That could mean less travelers staying in Amarillo. It could mean less people doing other things off of 6th street and that could mean less commerce!

Max, this is a bunch of crap! What can I do?
That´s a question that I should ask you, the reader. WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Step One: Register to vote.
Step Two: Vote.
Step Three: Now that you have become active in your community, tell these stuck up snots that are running the city that YOU ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS!
These idiots work for you! If they don´t do a good job, let them know about it. If they continue to do a crappy job, get rid of them and replace them with someone who CAN do the job right.

Like a good magician The City of Amarillo uses a lot of misdirection. They make us look over there, when we need to be looking over here. Everything they say is a sugar-coated lie and I´m a diabetic.
So let me break down the sweetness.
They tell us that there is a war against noise in Amarillo that involves ALL of Amarillo.
That´s the first layered lie; it actually just involves 6th Street (Route 66).
They say that their PRIMARY FOCUS is excessive noise levels.
I say that their Noise Laws are just the easiest way to accomplish their goal of eliminating all activity on 6th Street.
Why do they want to eliminate all activity on 6th Street?
Because they have degenerates wandering around their neighborhood pissing in yards and littering. I say the degenerates that residents are complaining about LIVE in that area and that the City of Amarillo is only trying to protect San Jacinto from San Jacinto!
When questioned about how they are enforcing their noise laws they claim that they are utilizing State Penal Code.
Again they are lying; they are actually utilizing fascist behaviors by deciding that something is too loud or offensive without just cause or complaint (or proof for that matter).
And now the biggie: WHY are they doing all of this?
I think it´s the oldest reasons in the world folks, Money and God.
Back in the days of 6th Street Block Parties, who made all the money? The 6th Street Association (now defunct). But who gets the benefit if a block party or a festival or a bar or ANYTHING happens downtown?
And who are we to be doing all this sinning anyway? Leastways, if we´re gonna sin we may as well be doing it downtown at The Polk Street Block Party in August, huh?
I´ll stick to my guns- complaining people that live in San Jacinto are either RENTERS, or are homeowners that should have known better. Route 66 is INFAMOUS for being the wildest, craziest Highway in the world and anyone that moves a block or two off of it should know what they are getting themselves into. If that´s not the case then I have every right to bitch about semi trucks driving by my house because I live off of I-40!
Route 66 is a party road. Instead of blaming us, they need to blame themselves for allowing degenerate, homeless elements to piss in their yards and break fortys on their driveways. The City needs to wake up and realize that we have an HONEST TO GOD NATIONAL TREASURE with 6th Street and that by throwing it away they are costing us all dearly!
But hey, at least we got a cool place to buy an antique lamp or an old copy of Life Magazine.
I'll have to pass, I'd rather get a burger and a beer and listen to some good music.

And that´s what dreams are made of