Paramount Theatre
Fire No Joking Matter, Ever
RECEIVED Tue., March 8, 2005
Dear Editor,
New England suffered a tragic loss not so long ago when a fire at the Station nightclub claimed the lives of 100 young concertgoers. Public spaces from all six New England states have altered safety procedures in efforts to never again see such a terrible day. The topic is about as humorous as prison abuse, beheadings, and racial profiling. That is to say, there is no joke appropriate for the occasion, especially for cops. As a theatre producer, no task is more important than assuring that all 1,000 patrons remain safe while attending events I produce. The police are not afforded the luxury of tiring of keeping the public safe. Thankfully, no one died at the Midtown [“Naked City,” News, Feb. 25]. The inference made by the flurry of police e-mails that Midtown, the fifth busiest club for police response citywide, deserved to burn implies that its innocent patrons' lives are of lower value to authorities. Austin, the production world is watching. In the wake of this scandal, fire marshals had better make damn sure that event attendees are safe in Austin, a city noted nationwide for excellent live music and the venues that support it.
New England suffered a tragic loss not so long ago when a fire at the Station nightclub claimed the lives of 100 young concertgoers. Public spaces from all six New England states have altered safety procedures in efforts to never again see such a terrible day. The topic is about as humorous as prison abuse, beheadings, and racial profiling. That is to say, there is no joke appropriate for the occasion, especially for cops. As a theatre producer, no task is more important than assuring that all 1,000 patrons remain safe while attending events I produce. The police are not afforded the luxury of tiring of keeping the public safe. Thankfully, no one died at the Midtown [“Naked City,” News, Feb. 25]. The inference made by the flurry of police e-mails that Midtown, the fifth busiest club for police response citywide, deserved to burn implies that its innocent patrons' lives are of lower value to authorities. Austin, the production world is watching. In the wake of this scandal, fire marshals had better make damn sure that event attendees are safe in Austin, a city noted nationwide for excellent live music and the venues that support it.
Jonathan Salz
Cambridge, Mass.
Cambridge, Mass.