Monday, September 14, 2009, 7:58 AM
News, Opinion, Politics
By Stephanie Ramage
MIDTOWN PONCE SECURITY ALLIANCE SAYS DENBY HAD NO ROLE IN RAID OF GAY BAR
The following email was sent to The Sunday Paper as well as Southern Voice, Atlantans Together Against Crime, Councilwoman Anne Fauver and APD Maj. Khirus Williams at 1:25 a.m. by Steve Gower with the Midtown Ponce Security Alliance. Peggy Denby is past president of the MPSA and current executive director of Keep Atlanta Beautiful.
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"As Stephanie Ramage pointed out in her latest article, much speculation abounds that Peggy [Denby] would have a hand in the raid of the Eagle. I wish to set the record straight, and let you know that Peggy had no role whatsoever in this raid. I believe enough folks in the community understand that Peggy will always openly make her beef known about an establishment known to be causing trouble in the community in some way. This is not the case with the Eagle.
In the six and a half years of my core role in the MPSA, alongside with Peggy Denby, I have a bird’s eye view of what the community is telling us. I know every square inch of the MPSA service area, in which the Eagle is prominently located. I have never once received any reports or made any observations even remotely suggesting that crime and disorder in the neighborhood would be attributed to the Eagle. Peggy feels the same way.
Yes, the MPSA remains staunchly opposed to Vision/Spi, because of an extreme volume of problems radiating from that establishment the last time they were here. The MPSA openly worked to close Backstreet and Phoenix because of inordinate criminal activity arising from their presence. It is no secret that we work proactively to rid our neighborhood of anything or anybody generating serious criminal or extreme nuisance activity.
The Eagle has always been totally unlike those establishments. From what we can tell, the staff and patrons of that establishment have enjoyed their evenings quite peacefully. We have never observed otherwise, and nobody has ever reported to us otherwise. We feel reassured that of the 62 (?) people that were found to be in that bar during the raid, not a single one had any drugs in their possession – truly amazing!
In light of our efforts to stop Vision/Spi, we were actively contemplating drawing attention to at least one establishment that co-exists peacefully with the surrounding community. The Eagle was that bar of choice – right there where everything possible could go wrong given the long-standing undesirable remnants of Ponce past, where a bar would be most at risk of becoming a community nightmare, and yet not a peep for years on end.
I also wish to clarify that the MPSA does not play a role in liquor license issues in or around our service area, except where extreme conditions such as serious criminality or nuisance activity warrant proactive measures in the name of public safety and security for the neighborhood. General liquor license issues are left to the Midtown Neighbors' Association. The threshold is very high for MPSA involvement in these kinds of issues –folks move here understanding that (especially Gay) bars and nightclubs are around, and even appreciate that.
Now for the real issue: We share the same serious questions as the greater community about all aspects of this raid, particularly its necessity and tactics. We have always enjoyed a good relationship – a damn good one at it for that matter – with the Atlanta Police Department. We find the issues surrounding the Eagle raid truly troubling given that we like to vigorously promote Atlanta’s Finest for truly making our neighborhood as safe and orderly as they possibly can despite the dismal lack of resources available to them. I personally see this raid as a fluke (and a hell of a fluke at it), and have reason to believe that many of my fellow Midtowners and GLBT brethren see it the same way. But the community direly needs reassuring answers at this time...
We are especially grateful for the hard work of Atlanta Police officials serving the Midtown community (especially under the leadership of Zone 5’s Major Williams). On behalf of the Midtown Ponce Security Alliance, I am convinced that continuing community pressure will lead to a thorough investigation into all aspects of the Eagle raid. As we await those detailed answers, your neighbors at the Midtown Ponce Security Alliance continue to place great trust in the Atlanta Police Department as we push forward collaboratively in making Midtown a safer and enjoyable place for all of us."
Steve Gower
Midtown Ponce Security Alliance
Just a quick correction - Peggy is still president of the MPSA. I am Vice President.
Steve Gower
Midtown Ponce Security Alliance
MidtownKR
Monday, September 14, 2009 at 9:00 AM
Many in the community have mixed feelings about Ms. Denby, her involvement in neighborhood groups, her reputation as perhaps an overly agressive "activist", and some of her statements/actions in the past, which could potentially indicate prejudicial views towards both the GLBT and African Amercan communities.
Having worked with her twice on specific issues, on one occasion I found her to be very effective, hellpful and a pleasure to work with. On another issue, I found her unwilling to correct a serious mistake on the part of the MPSA and totally inflexible, to the point that a lawsuit would have been filed against MPSA had not the issue been resolved through alternative channels.
That said, that type of inflexibility and personal history of "activisim" has no doubt caused many to question if she is in any way, remotely or otherwise, involved in the actions which led APD to raid the Eagle.
If she has absolutely no involvement whatsoever, then I find it peculiar that she, as President of the MPSA, has not issued her own clear personal statement denying any role in the Eagle incident.
While Mr. Gower's apologia on behalf of Ms Denby and the MPSA is impressive and articulate, many in the community would like to see Ms. Denby speak for herself on the Eagle raid issue rather that through a third party.
Anonymous
Monday, September 14, 2009 at 10:10 AM
Rest easy.
As soon as the two bogus and anonymous reports were published anyone familiar with the events of the past year knew exactly who had filed them any why.
No political or neighborhood intrigue, just one person sad, bitter with a grudge against the Eagle and Southern Bears. And that "concerned Atlanta Citizen" does not even live in Atlanta.
What a great city where someone can make use of city and police resources to get revenge and still remain anonymous.
rumorhasit
Wednesday, September 16, 2009 at 1:32 PM