A smidge of activism

Hey guys. Not much going on around here these days, which explains the dearth of blog posts. Just your normal cleaning, running around, and trying to keep heads above water. Saturday was our 11th wedding anniversary, so we went to the new hibachi-style restaurant in town (in Smithtown at the Uncle Giuseppe's shopping center, for those of you nearby). We had eaten at the sushi bar there a month or so ago, and it was fantastic. The hibachi was only so-so. They're still waiting on their liquor license so Dan had to get a bottle of wine from the liquor store down the hall. The chefs were making up for the lack of alcohol by squirting cooking sake directly into diners' mouths from across the table. It was a hoot (I abstained, can't stand the stuff). Also, I found a few leftover bags of Cadbury Mini Eggs in the 50% off section at the Rite Aid next door, so altogether a very good night. You guys know I have some liberal leanings (that's putting it mildly), so if you disagree with me I certainly don't have a problem with you ignoring the rest of my post. Just a little heads-up for ya. :D I love all my friends, whether we have the same politics or not. But I had to stand up for my beliefs today. If you live on Long Island, you've probably heard about the 80-year-old man who was arrested at Smith Haven Mall for wearing an anti-war t-shirt. You can read the Newsday story HERE. In short, he was wearing a white shirt with a count of the number of troops and civilians killed in Iraq to date. On the back it said, simply, "Enough." There's no photo at the online article, but in the paper you could see at the bottom of the front there were a few small spatters of simulated blood. The man had been outside the mall participating in an anti-war rally, after which he and his wife came inside for french fries and coffee. Mall security asked them to turn their shirts inside-out or leave. When he refused, the man was arrested. Now, Smith Haven is my closest mall and I'm in there a lot. I was so excited when they opened a Sephora and I could get my Philosophy body wash and perfume without having to order online. But I decided that I completely disagree with what was done, so I will not be returning to this mall. I've seen many t-shirts being sold in that very mall, right around the corner from the food court where the arrest took place, that were way more offensive to me than a simple statement of fact about the war body count. (Well, the body count does offend me, but in a different way if you get my meaning.) I think the security guards made a very bad decision that should in no way be enforced. So I wrote the following letter to the Simon Property Group, which owns Smith Haven Mall: "I would like to let the Simon Property Group know that I will no longer be a patron at Smith Haven Mall. I have been shopping there since I moved to Long Island four years ago, but I cannot continue to support the place where Don Zirkel was arrested for wearing an anti-war t-shirt. While I understand the mall's policy, the security guards made an unconscionable decision to harrass a man peacefully enjoying his purchase from a mall vendor. The t-shirts for sale at the vendor near the food court are much more offensive than this simple statement of the loss of life in the Iraq war. If Simon Property Group supports this decision and allows Mr. Zirkel to be prosecuted, my family and I (and anyone I can persuade) will no longer patronize this shopping center. No more makeup and perfume from Sephora, no more expensive dinners at The Cheesecake Factory, no more computer equipment from the Mac store, no more luxury watches from Major Jewelers (these are just a few of the many purchases I have made in the past year alone). Thank you for allowing me to express my opinion, and I urge you to take the proper steps to clear this man's name and assure the public that tasteful expression of free speech will not be supressed on your property." And I would encourage anyone who feels strongly about this matter, either in favor of the action or against, to exercise your right to speak your mind and let the developers know how you feel.