Hopcast: another edition of old dude talks into a microphone
On 1 July 2020 Mayor Jenny Durkan ordered the Seattle Police Department to return to the East Precinct and to clear out the Capitol Hill Organized Protest. Look at that, I summed it up in one sentence. One sentence that doesn’t come anywhere close to conveying meaningful information.
What did that action mean for the people who were living largely unsheltered in Cal Anderson Park? What does it mean for the people who were using the area as a platform to protest systemic racism and police violence? For the businesses and residents in the neighborhood?
I haven’t got good answers. I’m just an old dude with a camera who occasionally wanders around and talks to myself. If you’re curious about what’s going on in Seattle and Capitol Hill, I have some recommended resources:
But that doesn’t mean I don’t like discussing things. Before COVID, my walk around and talk to myself not quite a podcast felt weird. Now it seems perfectly normal. Who else am I going to safely talk to? Yesterday I went on another daredevil adventure into the Pike Pine corridor. I took the ultra streamlined Hopcast Mobile Studio.
Things didn’t go as planned. You can listen below. But before you go on that informative thrill ride, I should mention a few things.
Again, I’m just a dude with a camera trying to make sense of a very strange 2020. I employ some sarcasm, and I’m still very much an amateur with assembling audio. Throw in some complex societal issues, and I’m sure my muddled thinking will eventually annoy or anger you. For the most part, that’s not my intention. Unless you’re a lousy person.
I tried to get this under 10 minutes. It’s more like 16 minutes. If you listen, I will not reimburse you for those lost 16 minutes. I know that time is money, but you’ll need to charge someone else double for 16 minutes to even the score.
In this audio I refer to a “friendly” police officer. The officer was polite, but I should have added some additional context. The police around the East Precinct are riot geared up and carrying wooden batons and pepper spray that they are happy to use on you/me. I watched a video today of the bike cops violently taking someone down at Broadway and Pine. For standing at Broadway and Pine. I also don’t hate the idea of having police at East Precinct. That’s what I mentioned earlier that things get complicated. Fortunately, there are smart people in Seattle discussing these issues. If you immediately write off “defund SPD” without reading about what it means, your brain misses you dearly.
In the audio I called my apartment lousy. I meant in terms of acoustics. My apartment is in a wonderful old building. I pay way too much for it, but I am grateful to have a roof and four walls.