The same student council that made headlines last year for supporting a ban on same-sex marriage is now conflicted over whether to sponsor a punk rock show at American River College.
Former student council member Chuck Stevens has been working for a year and a half on a vision: A punk show on the community college campus that would raise tens of thousands of dollars for scholarships and textbooks. He's hoping to book some big-name bands – including one called Flogging Molly.
"The bands I've mentioned will bring in a large revenue for us," Stevens said. "In budget crisis time, this is a perfect event for us to be having."
Student council member Viktor Choban thinks Stevens' plan will waste the student association's money and promote immoral behavior.
"In terms of business, it's not responsible," Choban said. "Plus, on top of that, I don't like the band. They curse, they swear, they drink on the stage. They're fine with drugs."
Up to a point, I can sympathize with Mr. Choban's opinion. If any student government money will be used for this concert, then it's reasonable to want the concert to reflect favorably on the school and the student body. Of course, reasonable people could disagree about what reflects favorably or unfavorably on the school, and that discussion is fine. But young Mr. Choban shows that he's not really interested in that discussion, but in something a bit more specific:
Choban said if there's going to be a show, he wants a Christian band.
"We need our students and young people of America to learn to be polite gentlemen," he said.
Dude.
Mr. Choban is doing here something that's typically leftie--he's trying to impose his own values on everyone else. I call out the lefties when they do it, and I'm going to call out this kid when he does it.
Where are the adults at that school, to show this young man what's appropriate and what's not?
College student government is rife with favoritism and not much oversight. Back in the day, I was part of the campus fine arts committee. We had a fund of money that was supposed to be used for providing entertainment such as movie nights, concerts, dances and such. When we tried to play, the member of the board, all fraternity and sorority members in good standing told us it was "gone." We never spent it, we didn't have access, yet someone used it for another purpose. It's politics at it's lowest. Just recently at my kids' college a student election was held to decide if they wanted a ten dollar per credit hour surcharge to be levied to build a new stadium. It was voted down on the first vote. But then the board, again all Greeks, held another less publicized election and the measure passed. It's not unlike our political process these days.
ReplyDeleteHe's missing out, Flogging Molly puts on a great show (and I have no idea how the lead singer remains standing, much less singing, after all the drinking he does on stage, but he does).
ReplyDeleteWhile even as a student, I wouldn't have gone, but you provide what most are interested in.
ReplyDeleteFlogging Molly ROCKS!!!
ReplyDeleteHaving said that perhaps they should bill the show as a Neo-Irish-Folk group with Punk influences. "Folk" music implies wholesome, "neo" indicates modern so the kids will love it, and "Irish" - well, let's get the drink on!
Honesty though, if you actually listen to the lyrics you'd find some deep, moral messages, amid the drunkenness.
If the concert is to raise money- EARN SOME MONEY. If you wish to create some actual social change- and create diversity awareness- bring on some Christian music and morality.
doesn't it reflect well on the institution if it picks a band capable of selling a lot of tickets?
ReplyDeleteThat aside, to call Flogging Molly a punk band shows a woeful lack of knowledge . . . they play loud and fast, but most punk bands don't incorporate fiddle, tin whistle, and banjo . . . it's more Celtic than punk. The singer and violinist are married, and blissfully in love; their guitarist left the band for a time to stay home with his kids. Family values, anyone? If you're going to blast a band, you should at least be familiar with them.
Also, the singer drinks mostly Guinness Stout -- which actually has a lower alcohol content than Budweiser.
Dan
Dunno anon, last time I saw them he was drinking Scotch...
ReplyDelete