Public Comment

In the arena of love, romance and sex there are many ersatz victims. The ongoing saga of would-be Berkeley Police Chief Louis evoked, for me, some deeper thoughts on love, romance and sex. 

Face it, love, romance and sex have been endemic to all human interactions since forever, at least for those within a certain age range. Where are people going to find partners? Nowadays, on the job of course, for one place, since so many are on the job. And swiping Tinder definitely has its limitations. But, now, this (and the workplace) is a fraught undertaking, and the silliness and risk that have developed around it is breathtaking in its stupidity. We have all gone too far and are destroying normal and harmless flirtation and seduction. Those who are innocently looking for love and/or romance and/or sex are, and will, pay the price in a large reduction of opportunity. 

The "victims" of mild flirtation and seduction attempts really need to shape up and learn to handle themselves without the intervention of the authorities (and, often, the lure of big legal payouts, usually from innocent taxpayers). And the law and authorities need to back off from frivolous interventions. 

Good luck to all the romantically needy in this day and age. I myself am happily past that point. 

I believe this Chief Louis saga has the ring of Nero fiddling while Rome is burning. My biggest issue is that, when all is said and done, we have no viable Police Chief, and law, order and justice in Berkeley are on a rapid decline. We managed to throw Chief Greenwood, a good Chief and good person, under the bus for no good reason. If we hadn't done that, we might not have to endlessly recruit for a new Police Chief and dwindling police staff, and hear about the silly although titillating peccadilloes of a few BPD staff looking for love, romance and sex. 

Maybe we need to bring back Chief Greenwood.