Beacon’s Pub Crawl

I read with dismay the article in today’s (3/16/09) Poughkeepsie Journal about the bad behavior of some of the patrons of Beacon’s Pub Crawl. It is unfortunate that a few bad people ruin what could be a good time and fun event. I have a couple of points to make about this situation:

(1) First of all, I don’t think offering unlimited booze is a good way to raise funds. The Beacon Community Center, for example, raises funds by having a “Taste of Beacon” event at which local restaurants offer various food items. There is also a 5K run. Certainly there are better ways of raising money for worthy causes than offering the temptation of overindulging, because some immature people will overdo it.

(2) Second, I’m not sure if there was adequate provision for handling the large crowds that attend this event. I wasn’t there, so I can’t say for sure, but I suspect there was an inadequate police presence, and inadequate toilet facilities. If you’re going to hold such an event, do it right, or don’t do it at all. If there had been a better police presence, those who were obviously drunk could have been hauled away before they started any trouble.

(3) Third, since the near riot happened by the Knights of Columbus hall, I presume that the K of C was a participant in the Pub Crawl. Since the K of C is a Roman Catholic layman’s organization, I don’t think it is a good Christian witness to be participating in this event, thus encouraging public drinking. Rather than offering booze to outsiders, the K of C should have been giving away coffee and food. That would have been the Christian thing to do, rather than conforming to the world’s ways (which I’m assuming happened – if not, I apologize).

(4) Fourth, this debacle is another proof, if anyone stills needs it, that the human race has a propensity to sin. People will take anything, such as the telephone, TV, movies, games, and the Internet, and pervert it to do evil. The Beacon Pub Crawl, while misguided in my opinion, was established both as a fund-raiser for a worthy cause and a means of having a good time. Unfortunately, people were having too much of a “good time”, and that’s where humankind’s fallen nature becomes evident.

(5) Fifth, I’m not painting everybody who was a part of the Pub Crawl with a broad brush. Most people were well-behaved, I’m sure, just out for a little fun. Most, I suspect, didn’t overindulge, pee in someone’s yard, puke on someone’s stoop, or pick a fight. A few rotten apples spoil things for everybody, so this is probably the last year for the Pub Crawl, and I say good riddance.

May I make a suggestion to those who live in the Beacon area? Rather than hitting the pubs, why not spend an hour or so on a Sunday morning or evening and attend church? I know of a great church in Beacon, one that has open hearts, open minds, and open doors to all. Email me if you would like more information.