Sunday, 9 June 2013

[WardFive]

Hello Jose,
 
Personally, I don't have a dog in this fight myself but here are some thoughts .
 
1.  Proximity -- when the Prejudiced/Racist Protest occurred, their signatures were from folks as far as South Dakota/Franklin/Bladensburg area to the east and as far as 2nd and Rhode Island Ave to the South. 
 
2.  While the protest were about the "Kids" (proximity to Elsie Stokes, Daycare, Turkey Thicket) -- the request on the "Voluntary Agreement" was only to stop selling Alcohol after 10pm M-F and 11pm Fri/Sat.  That tells you how "important" kids safety was as the Café was only to stop selling alcohol when they were at home in bed.
 
3.  For a 30 Seat restaurant, there was so much concern about "Parking" by people who didn't have cars and by Don and Abigail Padou who lived 6 blocks away -- only 1 of the protesters had a vehicle who didn't have their own off street parking.  By the way, the Café has a parking lot adjacent to the building for about 10 - 12 vehicles.
 
4.  When Manomale went for their liquor lic., I didn't see any protesting regarding parking and they don't have any parking.
 
5.  When Little Ricky's went for their liquor lic., I didn't see any protesting at all about anything and they are on the busiest part of 12th Street for parking.
 
6.  2.5 years later, when the Café applied for out door signatures, there was a protest again.
 
7.  4 years later, when the Café went to renew the license, they protested again -- that's about a week ago. 
 
8.  About 30 days ago, I have a conversation with a very heated/seething Caroline Petti -- former head of Brookland Civic -- why did the Café ask to remove the Voluntary Agreement.  I answered -- because the reasons were unfounded and racist; further supported by the non-similar protest for Manomale and Little Ricky's.  The response from a Caroline Petti was that I hadn't given a good answer and then proceeded to ask "Why are you picking at scabs" regarding the protestors. 
 
a.  I am amazed that I am the one "picking at scabs" when the Café was the injured party!!
b.  The angry tone that she had and what looked like she was about to erupt proved to me that she and others in her group was silently protesting the Café.  She reminded me that she did the Café a favor by not taking a vote at that time.  Like I told her, not taking a vote was just as incriminating -- I probably will never forget watching her SEETHE with Anger as she told me repeatedly "Why are you picking at Scabs"?? -- like I owe her something. 
 
Why I will always respect Michigan Park Civic Assoc. -- they got the similar complaint about the Café -- initially voted against it's liquor lic. but also took the time to come and ask the necessary questions and see the place themselves -- took another vote and the Café received all votes for -- with one abstention -- from a friend of John Feeley's. 
 
So, if you want to play "what's good for her is good for us" as far as proximity and anything else you want -- I could be your "huckaberry" -- We Can Play that game!!!  Trust and believe, I know lots more people personally in this neighborhood personally than you can probably petition.  Just know that Opposite Angles are congruent -- the fact that you are getting so many "signatures" and are willing to let another liquor lic. be approved shows a racist attitude.  Don't worry -- I am not protesting or encouraging anyone to protest but I am and we are observing the excitement for alcohol for yet another White establishment while the Black Establishments got very minimal support from Whites!!
 
I suggest that you let Brookland Finest deal with the ANC like folks let the Café deal with the prejudiced/racists neighbors.   Do not make this the "901 Monroe" voting from people Past Rhode Island Ave and workers who don't even live in the neighborhood. 
 
Maybe -- Don and Abigail can take a few more racists Whites out of the neighborhood when they move back to California!!!  Better yet - Maybe Don can fly back and forth and represent the Protestors free of charge again like he did the protestors of the Café!!
 
Since I live in the Heart of Brookland, I give permission to post this on the Brookland Listserv -- of course I am banned for being "invective"!!
 
Rob Ramson
 
 
 
 
 
From: jbarriosdc <jbarrios9396@gmail.com>
To: Brookland@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, June 9, 2013 2:35 PM
Subject: [Brookland] Status of Brookland's Finest Agreement, call for sponsors

 
Hi neighbors, I wanted to update you on the status of negotiations with the Brookland's Finest team for a Settlement Agreement with nearby residents--as well as request additional sponsors for the Agreement.

There has been a lot of negotiation between the BF guys and me, and we are close to agreement. Another face to face meeting is scheduled for tomorrow (Monday) evening to hash out some of the remaining concerns. I anticipate having a final Agreement ready for signatures sometime in the next week. It will be posted onto the listserves once the Agreement is finalized.

The Agreement will be be between the BF team and me, as the "designated representative" of nearby residents who generally support the restaurant but want to be sure some concerns get addressed. The more nearby residents who "sign on" to the agreement by appointing me as their designated representative, the more powerful the agreement will be as a counterweight to a protest from an ANC that has shown zero interest in negotiating anything or seeking the community's input.

Since Commissioner Steptoe has not released the exhibits she used to support her ANC motion, we can't really tell how wide a radius she used for collecting her "protest" signatures. However I believe she mentioned during the meeting that someone as far as 13th and Monroe had signed her protest petition. I therefore no longer feel bound to limit support for the Agreement solely to a one-block radius as we originally did; what's good for her is good for us.

In addition to the immediately adjacent residents that created the framework for the Agreement, I am seeking individuals who live within a roughly three block radius (to Monroe, 14th street, Girard, and train tracks) who would be willing to endorse the Agreement and appoint me as your designated representative to sign the Agreement. You will of course have a chance to review and discuss the Agreement with me first to decide whether or not to endorse it; you will not, however, have the opportunity to change it since it has already been extensively negotiated to address the most immediate neighbors' concerns.

If you think you might be interested, please send me an email off listserve with your address (something like 12th and Hamlin is fine) and preferred contact info. I will contact you when the Agreement is ready for final signatures and arrange to have you come by my home to sign an Exhibit in support of the Agreement. If you've previously signed a petition it's important you sign this Exhibit as well, since the petition is not affiliated specifically with the Agreement.

I hope to have this process finalized within the next ten days.

This is your best chance yet to voice strong support for the Brookland's Finest team if you live in close proximity of the Restaurant. Please help them craft the best possible case they can before ABRA!

Thanks,

Jose "Joe" Barrios
12th and Hamlin/5B04
Twitter: joebarriosdc


--
R. Ramson
3744 12th Street, N.E.,
Washington D.C., 20017
202-438-5988

"We must become the change we want to see" - Mohandas Gandhi-
(Together, for a Brighter Tomorrow)




 

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