Last weekend, Sept. 18 through 20, there was loud Christian faith music and revival permitted to occur in Nice for three straight days and nights in which the sound decibels often exceeded allowable levels, yet were to permitted to continue by the local sheriff's department.

By Sunday at 8 p.m., while this gathering continued in almost Branch Davidian Waco-esque style, I phoned the sheriff's nonemergency number to lodge three complaints – all to no avail. The harried dispatcher said she had received numerous complaints but was told by the sergeant on duty that the revivalists had a permit, and they could play until 9 p.m.

I am not an unreasonable person. If the activities had occurred just once on either Friday or Saturday and went until 9 p.m., so what? However, these activities were allowed to go on for three consecutive weekend days and nights, and effectively, disrupted Nice residents' rights to worship (or not) as they see fit.

I felt sorry for any Jewish people in Nice who had their sabbath and high holy days disrupted in such rude fashion. The fact that our law enforcement officers chose to not enforce the noise ordinance is yet another issue perhaps to be decided next election day.

Chris McSorley lives in Nice.

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