Bar crackdown will hurt business

"For the times they are a-changin'." — Bobby Dylan

Good God, how right did Bob have it? I've been gone from Whitefish for eight years. I got back in June, and the first thing that hit me was how right my buddy Ricardo had been, understated actually, the many times we had talked on the phone.

Whitefish had changed and not for the better, unless of course you are a left-wing, politically-correct, Stepford-compliant, walk-the-party-line, don't-rock-the-boat, conform-to-what-you're-told pawn that likes to hide under his blanket from the neo-fascists.

Whoa, where did that come from? I'm sure there is a reason, read on.

Forget the signs, neon lights and the balloon controversies. What has come over this town? Who stole all the common sense and fled the night like a thief? Is it just revenue generation? Is it politics? Is it political correctness run amok? Or is it full-blown lunacy? Please, someone tell me, I mean really, I'm not sure.

I worked in many different drinking establishments in Whitefish from 1991 to 1997, both as security and as a bartender. I took my job seriously either way when it came to serving or not serving minors or drunks.

For three and a half years, I worked at what was, at that time, one of the best saloons in Whitefish. I went so far as to go to court a few times to testify as a witness for the Whitefish Police Department against people that had tried to enter my establishment with a false ID.

I didn't know of any then and I do not know now of any establishments that carter to underage drinkers. Then, as I am sure now, the bartenders and bouncers at the bars in downtown Whitefish are doing the best job they can to keep minors out of their bars.

It is not the bartenders that are breaking the law when an underage person attempts to buy a drink — it is not that person. Where does, or should, the responsibilities lie in that case?

Wake up people. As I stated in court once, nothing is 100 percent, not even the Whitefish Police Department. No matter how hard you try, you cannot catch everyone that is trying to do wrong.

None of the bars downtown need the patronage of children. Between the resident alcoholics and the party-happy tourist, there is plenty of revenue to go around to everybody.

So why does the Whitefish Police Department conduct sting operations on compliant drinking establishments? I think I could understand it if the bars in question (all or for that matter any) were obviously catering to minors. But I do not see that as the case.

One thing I think we should all keep in the forefront of our minds is the fact that Whitefish is a resort revenue town. And one of the biggest revenue-generating establishments in any resort town is … you guessed it …. saloons.

Get over it, soccer moms, that's the way life is. A lot of tax money is generated from the spirits that are consumed in a resort town.

Now with that being the case, why any city government, establishment or department therein would mess with a compliant, tax-generating establishment is beyond me.

Ah, but wait, no it isn't. I can think of three reasons — one, and I mean seriously number one, is stupidity. Two, politics, plain and simple. Or three, revenue generation.

So which is it Whitefish? You tell us why you are creating crime by stinging compliant establishments rather than confronting existing crime and dealing with it in an appropriate manner?

Does the Whitefish City Council condone this kind of senseless, money-wasting, political-catering. Or is this random, rogue, senseless actions by the Whitefish Police Department? Someone please tell me, I'd really like to know. I think we all would.

Yes folks, the times they are a-changing. They've already changed. And while we all wait for a reply, I think we should all go out for a beer. But not in Aspenfish. I'll have mine at Stoners.

James Hansen lives in Columbia Falls.