Dear Organizers of the Nuclear Security Summit,
Next time consider the Dulles Expo Center. No it isn’t in DC but that’s never stopped some organizers of other events from calling their thing the DC Whatever.
Yes, nuclear security is important. But your importance seems to require shutting down major thoroughfares (Route 1), MPD man hours not spent on addressing the terror of crime on DC streets, and a dozen or so humvees with a bunch of National Guardsmen from the Mall to the Shaw metro, f’ing up traffic.
I’ve lived in DC for well over a decade and I understand that “security” however you define it and however it is expressed is a big thing around here. However I find this expression offensive. I hate the militarization of civilian spaces. I’d understand if some of my fellow residents had rioted, burned down a bunch of buildings and were looting. If that’s going on, yes, send out the National Guard, the sooner the better. However, in the past decade the National Guard has been lingering around Shaw for special occasions, with heavy equipment at least 3-4 times. The past 2 inaugurations and this summit. I know not just Shaw, but Mt. Vernon Square and Downtown get a bit of this too.
I find it unsettling to walk to the metro in my neighborhood and see a tan humvee at the 7-11 on Rhode Island Avenue. I found even more offensive to my sight a humvee parked on the wide pedestrian sidewalk, at 7th and P next to Beau Thai. It appeared that even my church was blocked off by the National Guard, strangely I’m not that upset about that as I am the commercial corridors.
I guess the part I find most offensive is that someone thought it was okay to to do this to my neighborhood, a place where people live, a neighborhood of residences and churches and schools and daycares. Is security in the hands of a bunch of Virginians who think, “OMG that place has a bunch of black people, send out the National Guard!”
If security is so frigging important why the heck did someone or some group decide to pick one of the busiest places in the metro region. Surely Camp David is available. It just doesn’t seem to make sense to have an event in a highly populated commercial and residential area if security is a concern. Heavens knows you’re not taking advantage of the metro since Mt. Vernon Square Metro was closed down for this event and Metro buses were rerouted. I feel badly for the 9th St restaurants several of who have had to warn diners on their twitter feeds of the traffic mess, so I wonder, did you come for our fine dining? I sort of doubt it. But if you needed hotels and restaurants, maybe next time have it at the National Harbor and ferry participants safely along the Potomac.
Yes, I know it is only for a couple of days once every so many years, but someone seems to be making a habit of injecting the military into civilian neighborhoods. Pope Frankie’s visit had some crazy security and closings but with fewer firearms and heavy equipment. So next time, please pick another venue because your presence is a PITA.
Thanks.
This page contains a single entry by Mari published on April 1, 2016 6:14 PM.
Okay now I’m annoyed about my church being surrounded by security fencing.