Nov 24 2008
Barry Manilow, Cruel and Unusual Punishment for Colorado Noise Offenders
A Fort Lupton, Colorado judge has taken extreme measures to prevent repeat noise offenders:
Fort Lupton Municipal Judge Paul Sacco says his novel punishment of forcing noise violators to listen to music they don’t like for one hour has cut down on the number of repeat offenders in this northwestern Colorado prairie town.
About four times a year, those guilty of noise ordinance violations are required to sit in a room and listen to music from the likes of Manilow, Barney the Dinosaur, and The Platters’ crooning “Only You”
“These people should have to listen to music they don’t like,” said Judge Paul Sacco for a segment about the program that aired Friday on Denver’s KUSA-TV.
This is not the first time someone has been punished with Barry Manilow. In 1989, the US used a dose of Manilow to try and drive former Panama strongman Manuel Noriega from the Vatican Embassy and a couple of years ago, in suburban Sydney, officials used Barry Manilow to prevent people from gathering at the Cook Park Reserve.
I’m not sure what Barry would have to say about this use of his music, but I think there are some who would consider this cruel and unusual punishment!
