Gilroy’s local newspaper, the Gilroy Dispatch, runs a regular feature entitled the Red Phone, where they reprint phone messages from area citizens to local issues. The following one was printed yesterday about the on-going brouhaha over the Gilroy Garlic Festival’s refusal to allow a local brewery to pour their beer at the festival:

Pour judgment

It is a shame when we allow the greed of one beer distributor to stop the ability of one of our own businesses to participate and actually show their product to the public. If we are really a community that cares, then we should support our local businesses, not give them the only distribution rights, but at least have the decency to let them compete. The quality of the beers offered by Coast Range/Farmhouse is far superior to those that will be distributed at OUR (Garlic) Festival. Have we lost our perspective and the purpose of this fabulous little festival that really puts the spotlight on not only our Garlic, but our city, our amenities and yes, our businesses? Would it make the Chamber of Commerce, the Garlic Festival and the people of Gilroy happy if Coast Range went under?