The Controversy Surrounding the Bells on 5th Ave in NYC

The Saks 5th Avenue store in Manhattan in New York City has recently become a hotbed for protest in New York. As I was walking by the store the other day, I noticed more than a dozen protesters outside of the building and holding up signs and screaming.

Before I begin, let me first explain the Saks Fifth Avenue store. It is simply enormous and is several stories high. The store is unlike anything you have ever seen before. The outside windows of the stores contain fashion designs and toys of the latest models. However, the most striking aspect of the store is that it is covered by Giant snowflake like designs that light up and have a bell like ring to them. At night, the bells go off in a symphony type fashion and it is a very lovely sound. People passing by stop and watch the bells go off.

The Protesters have come all for different reasons and all holding up different signs. Some hold signs that read "Bells kill babies" and others that read "Hell's Bells." Other signs protest the Iraqi war. So the question is why has this Saks Fifth Avenue Store in the middle of Manhattan become a controversial area for protestors.

The reasoning is complicated and detailed. To begin understanding the situation, one must understand that in America it has become increasingly difficult to protest against much of anything, especially the war; In addition, it is extremely difficult to protest in an area of public view that is a tourist site. Protestors scored a tri-fecta with this location in Manhattan. The area has not yet been blocked off to protestors but protestors are not allowed to congregate in front of the actual store. Instead they must stand of the block opposite of it. Policemen gather near the protestors to make sure that the situation does not get out of hand.

The Saks Fifth Avenue Store is a tourist attraction and because many people love to see Manhattan at night with the bright lights and signs, the Saks Fifth Avenue store is a great place for protestors. Other protestors include mothers who are trying to put their kids to sleep late at night in Manhattan. Manhattan is definitely an area that is not conducive to families with young children because of all the hustle and bustle. Yet parents do get their children to sleep. In addition, speaking on this issue of babies, there have been some studies that loud noise, such as the noise coming from these bells, and are harmful to children, although the extent of the loudness of the sound from these bells is undetermined.