Don't worry, I wasn't shot
Erica and I roamed the streets of the Castro in our nun costumes (she was a pregnant nun; I, as a jew, didn't feel that was kosher for me). We took pictures with fellow clergy, gawked at fellow costume-goers and took part in a very quick awkward "sit-in" with these hippies from Missouri who felt that nun-presence would deter the cops from closing the festivities at the 11p.m. deadline.
MEANWHILE while I was enjoying being a member of the clergy for the day (p.s. populist costumes are the way to go), 9 other people were being shot and one was being trampled. Miraculously (and I can say that as a former nun) no one was killed. The shooting honestly doesn't come as a surprise to me. While I originally expected the Castro on Halloween to be filled with lots of gay men and tourists, I didn't realize that it also attracted a somewhat seedier crowd, and apparently most of the people in the neighborhood hate it. While I didn't see the shooting, I did see a man grope a woman, who then slapped him. Instead of realizing that he was a dick, he instead proceeded to try to punch her. Luckily his friends held him back. The police were nowhere to be found, but in good cop fashion they were clumped together in groups of about 10.
Since I've never been to this event before, and am basically a quasi-tourist I can't really provide in-depth analysis of what went wrong. But if you want to read pretty racist, classist, straightphobic, and regionalist commentary of what went wrong, check out the Chron's message board. (A popular suggestion: Ban the "trash" from the East Bay from attending).
And now they're considering canceling it. So while I was told Halloween in the Castro was something to "do once" I didn't realize that that I possibly attended the last Halloween in the Castro as we know it EVER. I love being a part of potentially-historically significant events.
MEANWHILE while I was enjoying being a member of the clergy for the day (p.s. populist costumes are the way to go), 9 other people were being shot and one was being trampled. Miraculously (and I can say that as a former nun) no one was killed. The shooting honestly doesn't come as a surprise to me. While I originally expected the Castro on Halloween to be filled with lots of gay men and tourists, I didn't realize that it also attracted a somewhat seedier crowd, and apparently most of the people in the neighborhood hate it. While I didn't see the shooting, I did see a man grope a woman, who then slapped him. Instead of realizing that he was a dick, he instead proceeded to try to punch her. Luckily his friends held him back. The police were nowhere to be found, but in good cop fashion they were clumped together in groups of about 10.
Since I've never been to this event before, and am basically a quasi-tourist I can't really provide in-depth analysis of what went wrong. But if you want to read pretty racist, classist, straightphobic, and regionalist commentary of what went wrong, check out the Chron's message board. (A popular suggestion: Ban the "trash" from the East Bay from attending).
And now they're considering canceling it. So while I was told Halloween in the Castro was something to "do once" I didn't realize that that I possibly attended the last Halloween in the Castro as we know it EVER. I love being a part of potentially-historically significant events.
posted by diana at 5:42 PM
5 Comments:
Yo. Don't be slammin' the East Bay! That's my turf you're talkin' 'bout!
Ha, I was not slamming the East Bay. I have personally found it lovely! However, it seems the Castro residents posting on the Chronicle message boards are not fans of your peeps.
Thank GOD you weren't shot. Otherwise I'd have no blog to read.
More importantly, who would be left to read YOUR blog?
Wow. I just read those message boards. I think some of those people need to take a little trip out outside their bubble. Not even a long trip. Maybe just to Hunter's Point. And see that San Francisco is not comprised solely of people exactly like themselves. [Note to Diana: I wouldn't actually recommend going there.]
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