What is a good analogy for an argument where someone doesn't want to do their job?

Could it be that the town just doesn’t want to spend the money to put on this fireworks show (which is really expensive)? There could be people within the city council, as well as vocal residents, that could are advocating the for the end of such an expense. This could be just an excuse, rightt? Just a thought.

You could stand up at the city council meeting and state, “If we cancel fireworks, the terrorists have won”.~

Thanks @tom_g I think the cost may be a factor but not sufficient to discontinue the show. I really think this is a response to the negative incidents.

You could use the classroom analogy of punishing the entire group for the actions of one or several. As citizens of your community you should not have to cow down to the antics of a few “hooligans.” haha, love that word!

You have to take into account how your fellow members feel, you could maybe gain a few supporters to advocate the cause.
They seem to be discontinuing it for safety precautions, based on prior events, which isnt that unreasonable but if it is being done despite of public protest then you have a better chance at preserving the tradition.

Tell them that because a few hoodlums want it act out it should not be basis for discontinuing a 50 year old routine, your community shouldnt have to adapt to other’s misbehavior especially when it’s the officer’s jobs to moderate such actions. Instead of canceling the show I would suggest that they simply have an extra officer or two guarding the area, moving to maybe a more inclosed location, now it’s impossible to think your houses will be safe from vandalism therefore that’s a possibility the citizens have to accept should you opt to continue it.

What you need to do is et a majority of the town’s citizens to ask that the fireworks still continue. In the form of a petition signed by registered voters.

The suggest ways to combat the hooliganism. A curfew? Stopping alcohol sales on the night of the fireworks?

Sounds like the same reaction we have to the Newtown shootings. people died, get rid of guns. People got beat up get rid of the fireworks.

One could also make the case that fireworks are serious pollutants of the environment and that perhaps their time is over.

If money isn’t the driving force, they may be reacting immediately to specific events without considering the reasons why these events happened.

Does the town have other public events throughout the year? Do they have similar problems? Is alcohol part of the problem on the 4th? Would the council respond differently if the thugs came from a different neighborhood? Is the problem just a few individuals, or is it unrest developing within a community?

I guess I’m suggesting ruling out if the disturbances are symptom of a greater problem that should be dealt with head-on.

Thanks all. But what about the original question? What’s a good analogy for canceling the show because the police don’t want to police hooligans??

Maybe someone else will have a good argument for you (A do your job argument.) I’d take the approach that citizens are willing to help the police. Ask if the police are getting overtime for the event. Ask, “Would it be less expensive and more effective if the town hired a local security firm to handle or assist with the event?” Set up security camera that will record some disturbances. and might be used as evidence. A good 8 camera IR setup can run about $500. The security firm will have them in stock. As for privacy, the video is never checked unless there is a problem and then you go after the “perps”.

Remember the most effective argument is one where you don’t anger or put them off. You want to be proactive and help. How about offering a citizen watch setup? They will assist and alert police..

Sounds like an old dog don’t want to get off the chair to hunt no more.

I had an issue with a few schools in the past. It was an issue of vandalising property and instead of punishing the boys resposible for the damage, they called the owner of the vending machines and told them how stupid it was to have placed them where they were and that they had to come take them away and the school was not going to pay or be responsible for the damage the boys had caused. (It was a boy’s boarding school)

I went in and talked to the rector in charge of the boarding boys who had done the damage. I said that depriving the rule abiding boys of the machines and depriving the small business of keeping the location was not fair. I likened it to a story my grandfather told me once.

There was a girl with long pigtails who sat in front of a naughty boy in a school room. This was in my grandfather’s day of ink wells that were built-in to the desks. The naughty boy would take the girl’s pigtails and dip them in the ink well and then tug on them. The girl would whip around, flinging her pigtails soaked in ink, splashing the ink around the room. The teacher called the girl’s parents and told them that the girl needed to cut off her pigtails.

It was wrong of the teacher to blame the girl for the spattered ink around the class room and that was my grandfather’s point. When there is a problem, too often we look for the easy answer instead of the right one.

In the end, the boys who damanged the machines were made to make restitution and the machines stayed in the dorms so that the majority of the non-trouble makers could enjoy them.

Possible analogies…

1. Are we going to cancel Christmas just because the Grinch would show up? ( Or Gremlins )
2. Giving up Fourth of July fireworks because of thugs is like not doing anything after Pearl Harbor was attacked.
3. Would Luke Skywalker not go on board that X-Wing Starfighter just because Obi Wan disintegrated?
4. Plus, there was a little known historical fact that a few words were edited out of Jefferson’s writing of the Declaration. He actually penned, “Life, Liberty, Happiness and the Pursuit of the Taking of Pleasure in Lighting and Igniting Fireworks on This Glorious Day, thus, fuck all thugs and hooligans who screw and mess up with this God given Right of Ours!”

Analogies

Would we incarcerate all minorities because a percentage commit crimes?
Would you cancel the Daytona 500 because a few people’s houses were vandalized?
Would you cancel an annual charity ball because some hoodlums threatened to crash it?

I was never very good at analogy