tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post7064972814062242894..comments2023-10-17T22:56:42.784-04:00Comments on Only in The Republic of Amherst: Party House of the long WeekendLarry Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02614645831526190536noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-73954379397910558212012-11-12T21:40:11.987-05:002012-11-12T21:40:11.987-05:00You know what really pisses me off about all this ...You know what really pisses me off about all this drinking and partying by college students? These are the same kids whining about how they can't get a job, or how bad the economy is. If they'd stop partying and getting drunk every night, and maybe crack the books a bit, they would do better. <br /><br />Makes me sickAdam Sweethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14180295809245561297noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-44523284580158239012012-11-12T18:32:28.974-05:002012-11-12T18:32:28.974-05:00Ed, you always digress...Ed, you always digress...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-53304035859889275872012-11-12T18:04:37.124-05:002012-11-12T18:04:37.124-05:00And I'm sure next time (sounds like there will...<i>And I'm sure next time (sounds like there will be a next time) APD will not cut them any slack. </i><br /><br />Which goes directly to my question of unconstitutional vagueness.<br /><br />What you are essentially saying here is that next time the definition of what constitutes the offense will be more stringent for these individuals than for other concurrent incidents in town.<br /><br />Larry, that is *exactly* what the 14th Amendment was written to prevent. Dr. Ednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-82484853690161461032012-11-12T17:59:43.654-05:002012-11-12T17:59:43.654-05:00Mr. Morse -- if you think I am wrong, please say s...Mr. Morse -- if you think I am wrong, please say so, but would <b><i>you</i></b> want to be the one defending the Amherst noise ordinance in US District Court and/or prosecuting a violation of it in B'Town court if the kid was represented by an attorney whom you consider to be your intellectual/legal equal? <br /><br />I am not saying defended by some of the schmucks that are over there defending the UM students, which is why a lot of things are the way they are in Amherst right now, but someone equal to you. Someone who would raise every defense and file every motion that <b><i>you</i></b> would file.<br /><br />I honestly don't see why -- as something that one can be arrested for -- unconstitutionally vague. I am not saying that some of these little darlings don't deserve to be arrested, only that "we do live in a country of laws and not men."<br /><br />Of course all of this pales in comparison to the UMass Star Chamber known as ACT, but I digress....Dr Ednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-29337283429147101102012-11-12T17:23:59.929-05:002012-11-12T17:23:59.929-05:00And I'm sure next time (sounds like there will...And I'm sure next time (sounds like there will be a next time) APD will not cut them any slack. <br /><br />Neither will I.Larry Kelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02614645831526190536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-29271146473543177672012-11-12T17:23:14.700-05:002012-11-12T17:23:14.700-05:00(I forgot to mention that this was no party that w...(I forgot to mention that this was no party that went out of control "suddenly". They were going from around 10pm until the police arrived...taxis were showing up for two hours)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-27134435457324584972012-11-12T17:21:28.285-05:002012-11-12T17:21:28.285-05:00As regards the party at 338 Pine Street: Our neig...As regards the party at 338 Pine Street: Our neighbors in that property (eight - or more, by the number of cars in the driveway at any given time) students packed into a house that used to be the home to a single, elderly woman but was later bought by one of our local slum lords and converted to two four-bedroom units) were hardly "proactive". We watched not eleven, but eighteen, taxis arrive...all before the bars let out. Had the police not come when they did, this party would have grown even further out of control. The residents were clearly not interested in controlling the behavior of their guests, as we have spoken to them in the past and they have assured us that they would not let it happen again. The only reason that they "asked the police for help in clearing the party" is that the police were there, in their faces. At least five boys approached our shared property line to urinate. One boy attempted to put something in our mailbox.<br /><br />In the future, these children will be treated like the nuisance that they are, and we will be calling the police at the first sign of a party.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-397930981046916372012-11-12T17:09:11.715-05:002012-11-12T17:09:11.715-05:00Larry, you mention decibels -- exactly what is the...Larry, you mention decibels -- exactly what is the noise limit when measured from the property line?<br /><br />There isn't one -- and some kid eventually is going to either raise that in front of the judge or (more likely) in US District Court under a "Color of Law" issue. Think about this for a minute:<br /><br />The APD are arresting citizens for (a) an offense which isn't defined and (b) jailing them for an offense which has no possiblity of a jail sentence.<br /><br />The real punishment is being arrested and incarcerated, not the fine -- everyone knows that -- and the problem is that the punishment is inflicted BEFORE any judicial hearing. Add in UMass Judicial (and the officer doesn't even have to show up so that is not an opportunity "to confront your accuser") - and all the punishment is inflicted prior to the kid having an opportunity to see a judge!<br /><br />Throw in the fact that the definition of what constitutes an offense (not the decision to arrest or not, but the very definition of what constitutes an offense is at the whim/discretion of the officer and you have a major 14th Amendment issue here.<br /><br />And the town could wind up having to compensate all these little darlings and it won't be for just $300 either -- and that could quickly exceed the town's insurance with Amherst falling into the same legal mess that the Catholic Church has with damages due victims of sexual abuse. (That's why they are having to close & sell churches....)Dr. Ednoreply@blogger.com