Couple Thoughts Concerning Allentown

Allentown-based employees offered incentives to buy a home in the city
Excellent program. Anything that furthers the cause to increase homeownership over transitory renters is a positive. I'm all for it !



Allentown police accused of harassment and racism by softball league rep
It was only a few weeks ago 200 to 300 residents from Whitehall signed a petition and presented it to Allentown City council about the noise.

I'm not sure Whitehall residents (some of them also Hispanic) would enjoy blaring polka music coming from the park either. One thing I do know, there's no way Allentown can satisfy both.

How about this. NO MUSIC during sports events. I go to plenty of baseball games where the grandkid plays just as he has for almost 10 years now. You can check these out for yourself. Organizers haven't felt the urgency to blast background music. I've been to Cementon, Several fields in South Whitehall, Whitehall, North Whitehall and others. They don't even have amplified announcers. Why is it when it comes to Allentown...

No this is not about racism. Your culture perhaps having some need for whatever reason to create a baseball concert event and a fuss at Jordan Park. There's a time and a place for jacking up the jam. There's also a time for a good old fashion baseball game w/o the distractions. When it comes to background music one has nothing to do with the other whether it be soccer, basketball or football for that matter.

Music in the parks should require permits. The kind of permits the city should legislate which address sound levels, frequency of events and the hours permitted. I don't care whether it's polka. salsa, classical, or square dancing. There are plenty of other venues where one can go to enjoy music. There's no reason why baseball games at Jordan Park should be one of them.

I mean really... the Iron Pigs, Phillies or Eagles play games without finding the need for music playing during those games.

How'd these folks like it if I decided on my own to set up a sound system playing traditional Japanese or East Indian music during their games? Shouldn't I have the same rights. If these folks then objected wouldn't that make them racists too? Not everything is about racism. I'm sure these folks wouldn't like my musical tastes either.

There's a oh such simple solution... nobody gets to play music at sporting events in any of our parks. There's simply no need for it. If someone can't be entertained by the players alone perhaps sports aren't their thing.