"There's the idea that if you want silence,we'll give you silence," she said. "If we can'tget the support of the community, maybe weshouldn't play in the community."
Prior to approving the final measure, theCouncil decided not to approve a similar ban foranother part of the Square, the area surrounding115 Mt. Auburn St. Walsh and Councilor Sheila T.Russell, both of whom did not vote for the law,said they made their decisions because the new lawgave unequal treatment to different neighborhoodswith the same predicaments.
"I just couldn't see doing it for one set ofpeople but not the other," said Russell, who addedshe did not think imposing an absolute ban on anyarea was necessarily the best solution.
Duehay, who was largely responsible foromitting the Mt. Auburn St. ban, said he did sobecause fewer residents there had complained aboutnoise. In addition, he said the measure would nothave passed without the provisions concerningBrattle St.
"My own personal preference would have been notto exclude any area," Duehay said. But he added,"You sometimes have to compromise and makeadjustments you would prefer not to make."
Lillian Greeley, who was a leading proponent ofthe ban on Mt. Auburn St., said she could havesucceeded in having performances there banned too,if residents in her neighborhood had been betterorganized. While Stallone had presented a petitionsigned by 1078 people on behalf of performers,Greeley said, "I know we could get 1000 signatureshere."
Despite the disagreements over various sectionsof the law, Mayor Alice K. Wolf said she wascontent with the final decision.
"When you come to the point when both sides areunhappy, it's probably a good compromise," shesaid.