Capital Video claims it enjoys an “excellent relationship with its host communities”. That doesn’t appear to be the case in Springfield. Urban Compass, a blog at the Valley Advocate, reports today that
Regarding the [Springfield Capital Video] store, Police Commissioner Edward Flynn put out a call recently for downtown residents to attend a License Commission violation hearing, originally scheduled for yesterday at 1:00 pm in City Hall’s Room 220.
The hearing, allegedly for license violations regarding five counts of illegal activity including drug sales on or near the premises and lewd activity, was postponed early this week. The License Commission does not invite public comment at its hearings, but residents can send concerns about Amazing.net to: Springfield License Commission, Room 317, City Hall, Springfield, MA 01103.
Many in the opposition have been asking us for contemporary local examples of secondary effects. It would appear that Capital Video is obliging them.
————————— (added on 2/9/07)
Crime is not just an issue of physical safety, it’s an economic issue. Today’s Republican reports:
“The No. 1 economic development program in Springfield is the Springfield Police Department,” David B. Panagore, chief development officer for the Springfield Finance Control Board, told a crowd at the Omni Parker Hotel in Boston. “Everything else is an afterthought…”
During the discussion, [Springfield Police Commissioner Edward] Flynn agreed with Panagore, saying that problems such as graffiti, abandoned buildings, prostitution and substance abuse hurt the morale of citizens and drive up fear.
“I want to see crime come down, fear come down and the for-sale signs come down,” Flynn said…
Flynn said he frequently encounters a “culture of victimization, defeat and bitterness” that is slowing progress in Springfield.
“I understand it on one level,” Flynn said. “On the other hand, it’s a corrosive cancer.”
There is a church on main st in northampton, which is notorious as a teenage hangout and drug-sale drop point. Does it immediately follow that the church should be shut down because of the actions which it apparently condones on its property?
Is the church helping or hurting the situation? Does it sell magazines and movies that encourage teens to hang out and buy drugs? Do teens hang out and buy drugs at other churches belonging to this denomination?
You have no proof that the drug sales and lewd activities are caused by patrons of the Amazing.net – only that they are happening on the premesis.
The church is indifferent to the situation, since they apparently do nothing about it and leave it up to pedestrian police. Why should Amazing.net be held to a higher standard than a CHURCH?
Clearly the Springfield police commissioner feels there is some connection between the illegal activities and the presence of Capital Video’s store. That’s why he’s bringing them before the License Commission for a violation hearing. A porn shop with viewing booths in Raynham appears to be experiencing similar problems as well.
Perhaps this particular church could do more, but I’m not aware of any general pattern of illegal activities around churches in Northampton. Are they festooned with drug sales and lewd behavior? Do they preach it from the pulpit? Let’s recall Capital Video’s large display case of bongs in their Wethersfield store, labeled “For TOBACCO Use Only”. I can’t remember seeing any such thing in a church lately, nor do churches tend to sell “Video Head Cleaner” in their gift shops.
I’ve never been to a church that told me to ONLY use my bong for tobacco use. They’ve never once told me what to smoke or not smoke. It would seem, then, that CV is MORE responsible in educating the public about drug avoidance than the church, by actively telling me NOT to do it. Come to think of it, the last time I went to church, they were handing out a controlled substance (wine) at the altar, with NO dictation that it should only be used responsibly by adults!
Seriously.. the church should be arrested!