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Shannon Beach
Jul. 24th, 2022 09:13 pmA combination of pandemic precautions, privatization, and public disinvestment means that the little tiny beach in my very small town is pretty much the only public beach still open within 20 minutes travel of me. It's not even an ocean beach; it's on a lake. It's a small strip with construction nearby and no lifeguard, but it is next to a train stop. (It's walking distance for me. I'm noting it's accessible.)
It has been swarmed this summer, because it's hot and also who can take a vacation to elsewhere.
That makes me feel good about my town, that we still have this public beach, and that people come here from out of town to use the beach. In my experience, they are friendly people. Food trucks come, and there was a Latino cultural festival in the park. There are some cool handwashing stations.
So all of a sudden some (white) people are ostentatiously calling it "Sandy Beach." And then being like "oh, right, I guess it's called something else now," real casual. It hasn't been named Sandy Beach for 15 years, and nobody was doing this two years ago. It's obvious territorial bullshittery.
I'm simultaneously mad at the xenophobia and at the disrespect to Mr. Shannon (who it was renamed for). But also. Also. You are really going to act like it's cool to call a place Sandy Beach. Sandy Beach. Sandy? Beach?
Just call it beach if it's going to go like that. The Beach Next To Water Beach.
Jesus.
It has been swarmed this summer, because it's hot and also who can take a vacation to elsewhere.
That makes me feel good about my town, that we still have this public beach, and that people come here from out of town to use the beach. In my experience, they are friendly people. Food trucks come, and there was a Latino cultural festival in the park. There are some cool handwashing stations.
So all of a sudden some (white) people are ostentatiously calling it "Sandy Beach." And then being like "oh, right, I guess it's called something else now," real casual. It hasn't been named Sandy Beach for 15 years, and nobody was doing this two years ago. It's obvious territorial bullshittery.
I'm simultaneously mad at the xenophobia and at the disrespect to Mr. Shannon (who it was renamed for). But also. Also. You are really going to act like it's cool to call a place Sandy Beach. Sandy Beach. Sandy? Beach?
Just call it beach if it's going to go like that. The Beach Next To Water Beach.
Jesus.
