An apartment dweller in South Beach Miami posted a shocking video online (video is now removed) just hours after violence erupted outside his window early Monday morning. The streets were filled with the annual Urban Beach Week partiers who have descended on the town since 2001. The event, which draws hundreds of thousands of people including famous performers like Ludacris and Busta Rhymes, usually drives locals out of town for the weekend. Miami Beach Commissioner Ed Tobin told a Miami Herald reporter just two days ago: I would not want anyone that I know, a friend or visitor, to be outside on South Beach after 11 p.m. on this weekend because it is dangerous despite what seemed like thousands of police officers at every corner.
Herb Sosa, a gay activist and president of Unity Coalition, Miami's largest Hispanic gay rights group penned an open letter to the mayor, the commissioner and "concerned citizens." Mr. Sosa first urges the recipients to watch the early morning video now posted "for the world to see about Memorial/Urban Weekend in 2011 in Miami Beach." When did perceived political or social correctness override the safety & well-being of a community? This is not a race, economic or ethnic issue, it is an issue of visitors who have a total lack of respect for our community, its property & citizens. I know hotel rooms are filled, but at what price and for how long? How many events, meetings, conventions & vacations have been CANCEELLED because of this nightmare we endure each Memorial Day?
Almost everyone who lives her that I know, get out of Miami Beach for Memorial Day - including many of you - because of this unruly & dangerous mob that we seem to invite back every year and turn a blind eye to the irreparable damage they leave behind.
If this was PRIDE weekend, The Boat Show, Fashion Week or Art Deco Weekend - would we allow this to go on each year? I am certain that if the real numbers of cost & crime are compared with like events we host throughout the year - Memorial/Urban Weekend is tenfold the headache, cost & damage of any of them. IS IT ALL WORTH IT FOR OUR CITY MANAGEMENT?
I am not willing to wait another year to see how many more people will be killed; how many more hotel rooms will be trashed; how many more cars & homes will be broken into;
how much more police, fire rescue, sanitation & additional security dollars need to be spent to try & keep our city safe & livable for all each Memorial Weekend? - a Hell of a way for Miami Beach to honor our soldiers.
The left's PC scare tactic is costing lives. Kudos to Mr. Sosa for speaking out.
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