The Quality of Public Facilities

    People will vote with their feet when public facilities are unkempt, offensive, smelly, rank and simply uninviting. Most people will avoid, almost at any cost using a public restroom because they know that they will often stumble upon conditions that will offend them- conditions that are most unhappy and potentially health -endangering!

   Tables in Mall Food courts are not usually clean either- They often require a good bit of bussing and elbow grease before anyone reasonable person considers them worthy of serving as a dining area.

Police and Park Authority personnel will often state that it is the homeless and poorly behaving young people who are responsible for the broken down nature of park, ballfields et al.

The Arlington Virginia Public Library's Central Branch has hired security guards on staff. I remember a man taking outraged exception to being woken up from a nap. He pointedly asked the guard, " What the **** gives you the right to bother me?" The guard bluntly pointed to a mother who was very quietly reading from
a picture book and said, " We want people like her to CONTINUE to come to the Library!" He then told the man " Find another place to sleep."

This same library only keeps one of its two Mens' rooms open. They actually let people know that " Some of our gusts tend to make the Mens'  Rooms unfit for use." So, We switch off. We close one- make it fit to be used and then close the other one.

I know Conservatives set many people's teeth on edge when they wax eloquently about how people have abandoned supporting ways of behavior that once benefited all of us.  I know that it was wrong to block off opportunities and discriminate. I will maintain that good citizenship and decent behavior are universally desirable.Ruining what is meant to be used well for all and by all is not excused due to anyone's race, sex, national origin, language or sexual orientation to argue otherwise is an act of bigotry.

 There are arguments being raised that if people are capable of being orderly, decent and law-abiding and they , as an act of willing defiance choose not to be will find that people will militantly reject their behavior. That people will demand that they pay a price for their orneriness. Perhaps the parents of vandals will do community service atoning for the damage their children do. Perhaps people who defile public areas will be told that those areas are now off-limits to them.

 People who can not/. do not have the capacity tot behave acceptably and appropriately need understanding and all due forbearance. It would be inhumane and unethical to respond elsewise!. Yet, We need to evaluate people more wisely and remind people that no matter what they have endured that living well and living respectfully is something that our society expects of everyone who is ABLE to do what is appropriate and effective for themselves and their neighbors!


- Johnny-