There were several shootings and a bunch of fights during the last few relays. This doesn't surprise me.
I gotta agree with texx. Anyone who has lived in Austin knows that I-35 is the dividing line. There may be a significant presence of minorities in Austin but they're concentrated in an area away from the caucasian population.
Why does anyone HAVE too be with the right people?!?! Thats a ridiculous statement as 6th Street IS part of Austin Texas, a racially diverse city. It's not racism, it's bout people causing trouble. Relays get crazier and crazier every year, because every year HAS too be better than the previous year. Which causes problems, and in return results in businesses losing money off REGULAR customers who CONTRIBUTE too the community. It's not about racism, it's about punks running business off.
This Texas Relays - open for business Spoiler This Texas Relays - closed for business Spoiler I can see packs of teens and their peers together in masses. Except along with them not even visiting venues that they arent of age for or dont even suit their tastes, they're scaring off the groups of people who normally WOULD visit. It might hurt dealing with it socially already, but when it leads to hurting the wallet yeah I can see a decision to shut down.
i came back from the urban music festival at auditorium shores. nobody was afraid. its just a whole bunch of people with different obama shirts.
OK, I was on 6th Street this evening and fully understand why businesses shut down. The whole street was just jam-packed with people (far more so than SXSW, ACL or any other event in Austin), but the bars were pretty much empty because you couldn't get in or out. We were at the Alamo Drafthouse and got out at 1am. They actually sent us out one theatre into the other theatre *that was still showing a movie* and out the alleyway exit in the back because you literally couldn't get out the front doors due to the number of people blocking the entrance. It was truly an absurd situation. On 7th street, the entire street was backed up and not moving. It took us 10 minutes to go a 1/2 block (after we turned, there were no cars two streets north). People were getting out of their cars in the middle of the street to go hang out on 6th. It would have taken well over an hour to go 4 blocks on 7th Street to get to I35.
I don't think it necessarily has to be a race issue here. At least if you look at it on a business by business basis. I mean, is what Major posted above the norm? It sounds like Mardi Gras, but with a bunch of kids who can't drink (legally). I don't think it's necessarily unheard of for a business to realize that they have no reason to stay open during a big event. If you were to take race out of it completely, and say you were looking at (from past years) 1. little to no business 2. fights or other such issues 3. tons of people blocking you from running normal operations anyway all on a regular basis it isn't a stretch to think a business decides it isn't worth it this year.
I live in ATX and I have 4 black friends currently staying over at my place... But yeah, I went down to 6th street and it is a bit intimidating... Since I am not black, I get alot of looks and feel unwelcome and uncomfortable.. but thats normal because were genetically programmed to group things such as a different race as possibly being harm. nonetheless, there is a BUNCH of cops for very good reasons... every year supposedly there are a bunch of people who happen to bring guns and fire them.. hence people run crazy. Every one of my friends who come to ATX for the Texas Relays tell me that every year this happens. Also you have to remember that when you have a bunch of black people from different parts of Texas, there is going to be no doubt some gang rivalry that can break out. Having extra cops there might seem like its racial profiling, but when something like gunshots (which does not happen very often on a regular weekend at 6th street) happens every year, then I think then there nothing wrong with having extra cops there. Bigtexxx, have you been to 6th street this week?
^ wow i sound really racist and biased but I do agree that many store owners are closing based on the race of the people there...
The mall closing sounds racist and there may be some involved. However, I went to Pamplona for the Running of the Bulls, when the crowd probably larger than the population by several times arrives and many businesses shut down due to the tremendous crowds. This was not due to racism. Some businesses do their best business of the year.
I just came up here to go to the girl's honors ceremony and thesis symposium. Little did I know I'd barely be able to drive my car around. Other than the crowds of people, I haven't had too much trouble though. We're heading to Austin's Pizza in a bit....and we better be able to get a seat, or I'm gonna be pretty pissed.
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really? there were a couple shootings last night downtown. fk race...it's a bunch of young punks who try to act hard. get over the race bs. if people feel like they need to act hard to be "black" then that is another issue. it's pretty weak when people try to pull the race card on this crap after what happened this weekend.
I'm gonna have to change my stance on this one. I have been reading reports from the Austin media, and the police say Relays brings no more crime than other big events held in Austin. Memebrs on City Council and the City Manager also seem to be against the closings. So if there is not an increase in crime then I call BS on this safety talk.......
