San Juan Bautista managed to have a potential economic windfall
drop into its lap when a promoter had agreed to hold one of several
Chinese cultural festivals in the country right here in San Benito
County. This one, over Memorial Day weekend, was targeted at a
larger Bay Area and Northern California audience.
San Juan threw away major opportunity
San Juan Bautista managed to have a potential economic windfall drop into its lap when a promoter had agreed to hold one of several Chinese cultural festivals in the country right here in San Benito County. This one, over Memorial Day weekend, was targeted at a larger Bay Area and Northern California audience.
And because of a few days of controversy surrounding the Olympic torch route – as protesters detested the more heated end of China’s political spectrum, including allegations of inhumane practices – San Juan Bautista’s leaders pulled the plug on the festival and threw away an opportunity to make real progress at a time when just about everything else has gone wrong.
This had the markings of a knee-jerk reaction.
It was fused by media coverage of the protests and torched by city leaders who feared the absolute worst – which wouldn’t exactly be a reason to run for the hills – as they claim there were threats of protests. Not even threats of danger – yet, threats that people will voice their opposition to something in which they disagree.
There’s nothing wrong with opposition
San Juan officials should have moved forward with the festival for two reasons.
Especially being that it had been set for Memorial Day weekend, city officials should have embraced the notion that citizens were willing to come to San Juan to express their views in personifying democracy.
And as long as there was no known threat of danger, and as far as we know there wasn’t, what’s wrong with garnering the attention – even that from protesters – the event would bring? This town, after all, sorely needs it.
