Comments on: Our View: Time for both sides to take a time out at Children’s Pool

By: michael

michael — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 16:53:22 +0000

This comment generated by your selective perception has left out many important details.
- The seal activists are the ones screaming at people on a public beach
- The seal activists are the ones yelling at tourists that approach the pro-access table
- The seal activists are the ones that incite violence and hatred
- The seal activists are the ones that throw rocks
- The seal activists are the ones slandering innocent citizens
- The seal activists are the ones that claim divers and swimmers are harassing the seals as the seals willingly approach the swimmers and divers inside or outside the Children's Pool
I could go on and on with examples. You are right in that this generally happens on weekends and that we all should persuade tourists to not crowd the seals. However the tension and unrest clearly comes from the seal activists, primarily the APRL.
The pro-access people are generally kind,polite and respectful people unless they are continually harassed and "backed up against a wall " which the APRL loves to do.
When the seal activists leave the pro-access table will disappear but this will not happen because the APRL makes way too much money fooling tourists.

By: James

James — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 11:42:49 +0000

I keep reading the comments on the various Children's Pool articles and I keep seeing "it's the Seal Activist creating tension" I'm at the Children's Pool everyday! and it's only the weekends things are out of control. Every Saturday and Sunday there are 4-6 tables plus tents set up on the beachs and I don't know how many signs put up by the "Pro-Beach" group(s) and one table for the Seal Activist with one person working it. I'm sure there's a lot of middle ground to find what's best for the seals and people. Growing up I became and Eagle Scout and part of that process was learning how to enjoy nature with out destroying it, and in all my adventures backpacking and camping I would have never approached animals sleeping of any kind didn't matter where they were or what size. If the campsite we wouldn't scare off animals to set up camp let alone run them off of where they are having there babies! And while "shared use" sounds beautiful anyone that spends time at the Pool on the weekends will tell you people can't just leave the wild animals alone! I have pictures of people circling pups nursing on the beach cutting off there quick shot to the safety of the water that's not shared use! Leave the wild animals alone!

By: bigdipper

bigdipper — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 22:41:19 +0000

Try harder to learn the facts. The sales table lottery system came to Children's Pool by the City Attorney's advice. He then decided it is unenforceable and the police cannot act because he will not back them. There has been a lottery every moth since December. APRL has never participated. That is the only reason they never got a space. They have defied the police from day one and gotten away with it.
Understand, this is only about COMMERCIAL free speech. There is nothing to rethink – it is all up to the City Attorney. He is the only person responsible for this.

By: npk32

npk32 — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 19:23:33 +0000

If it's such a money machine maybe the city should close off the beach and set up their own table. I'm pretty sure they could use an extra $300k right now. Imagine if they had two tables?

By: michael

michael — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 16:52:30 +0000

I agree with you about last Saturday….The APRL(Sealwatch) was not there and it was the best day that the Children's Pool has seen in a long time. So peaceful, and everything and everybody got along just fine.