Sunday, October 05, 2008

EXPOSED!  Two sets of rules on Fountain Square

Posted by The Dean of Cincinnati

So last weekend, I was on Fountain Square, with my son—and I also happened to have Justin’s video camera.  The Junior Dean was using his shoes to make an “X” in the dirt/gravel area.  This really upset an orange-shirt-wearing Downtown Ambassador.  What happened next was weird, but ultimately enlightening.

This guy kept yelling at my son, “Hey, shawtie!  Shawtie!  Shawtie!” My son, having never heard the word “shawtie,” didn’t even think to look up when this was shouted.  So the orange-shirt ran up and made him stop playing in the dirt.  He then turned to me, and told me that I should not let him do such an activity as it was against “the rules.”

I asked what rule, specifically, banned a child from playing in the dirt, and he got belligerent, saying, “What, does there need to be a rule written down for everything?” At that point, I whipped out the camera.  I guess Mr. Orange Shirt really didn’t like that, since he ran and told the cops.  Here is the short video:

Did you hear that key line?  The cop said that there are two sets of rules—those that 3CDC has articulated for Fountain Square, and then the rules that are actually enforceable by the police.

What does it mean, exactly, that 3CDC has a set of rules that no one can enforce?

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