Don Koplen: Stop the ‘kill the Boulder spirit’ mentality

I’ve lived in Boulder since 1976.  As I’ve aged, I’ve become annoyed by the “kill the Boulder spirit” mentality that has emerged from my peers.  Or at least from the authorities.

They killed harmless nude no-cost swimming at motorboat free Coot Lake, replacing it with the fee required, loud speakered and gasoline laden waters of Boulder Res.  IBM starched wives couldn’t stand the “indecency.”

They killed great outdoor concerts at Folsom Field because of neighbors who moved nearby knowing that the field and the music was there.

They pretty much killed the Thursday Night Bikeride, a fun for all  innovative expression of our enthusiasm for biking, waving and laughing at passersby, dressing in silly costumes and free form dancing with friends.

They want to kill the Halloween naked pumpkin head party, which doesn’t even start until virtually every young kid is sound asleep, because a few prudes can’t handle the sight of a nude body.

They killed the Mall Crawl because it was noisy, trashy, expensive to clean up – and great fun.

Quoting CU fun-buster spokesman Bronson Hilliard, “the school is worried a Mall Crawl would crowd downtown and the Boulder campus, and drunken partygoers would be traveling in costume along busy streets.”

Oh my God, I’m shaking in my boots.

I am shaking in my boots however when police come unannounced, knocking at the doors of and threatening a couple of guys who want to reinvigorate the Boulder spirit with a revamped Mall Crawl.  This “preventative” law enforcement is the hallmark of authoritarianism; “We’ll smack you down if you even think of exhibiting free speech, freedom of assembly or even ‘improper’ dress.

For those few who break windows or fight, yes, penalize them like any lawbreaker.  But shackling everyone who simply enjoy the enthusiasm, free-spirit thinking, creative assembly and wildness of Boulder – the things that made Boulder Boulder – that is the worst crime.

Don Koplen

Boulder