Two weeks after the election, and the county feels like it’s still on the exhale.
Trinidad City Manager Steve Albright retired. The Humboldt Redwood Company sold Scotia’s old biomass power plant to an outside concern. Kathy Moxon, longtime director of community strategies at the Humboldt Area Foundation and a powerhouse in the local economic development world, was separated from the organization under mysterious circumstances. (Check the North Coast Journal Blogthing and future NCJ issues for more on that.)
A bear cub pressed against the closed north door of the Arcata Co-op on Monday evening, and another bear — or was it the same one? — was found up a tree a couple of blocks away. Recent candidates, both winners and losers, sent out thank-you letters to supporters and waited for the new day to dawn. Everything would soon be put to rights, or else go straight to hell.
Get ready for yet another round of murder music strife, as the Red Fox Tavern, against all good sense and decency, invites the homophobic Jamaican dancehall artist Capleton to our shores for a post-Thanksgiving show Saturday, Nov. 27. We’ve been through this oh so many times before: Local concert promoter throws a show for the area’s faux Rastafari — wannabe followers of one of the world’s most retro-dumb cults — and invites a crowd-pleasing shit-talker from the most violently, murderously anti-gay country on Earth to lead the festivities. Other locals, naturally, object.
This guy Capleton was first shown the door back in 2004, when Humboldt State’s Associated Students canceled a show after realizing what they’d gotten into. Since then, in the face of international pressure, he signed the Reggae Compassion Act, a pledge to drop songs like “Bun Out Di Chi Chi,” which invites fans to set gay people on fire, from his act. And then he broke the pledge, and has seen his shows canceled across the U.S. and Europe as a result, including one in Santa Cruz.
But not in Eureka, apparently! A Red Fox press release for “Fire King Capleton’s” show praises his “fiery stage persona,” allowing only a passing reference to the controversy: “His lyrics have been the subject of controversy when, according his managers, they have been mistranslated.”
MONITORED! Journal Almanackist Amy Stewart scored another New York Times Op-Ed piece over the weekend, this time with a brief post-Prop. 19 yarn about receiving an unexpected shipment of … uh, product … at her bookstore, Eureka Books. Stewart’s piece was titled “Leaves of Grass” — geddit?!?! — and it was published on Saturday … In other matters Stewart, the best-selling authoress dropped a new book trailer on the YouTubes a few days ago. Shot in newsreel fashion, the trailer warns against the threat to democracy posed by Wicked Bugs, a fascinating selection of malaria-spreading, crop-decimating, nose-infesting vermin. Stewart’s newest is a follow-up to 2009’s Wicked Plants, and it’s coming to you in May from Algonquin Books …
Let’s hope Stewart’s droll video gets a tenth of the plays that former Ferndale Enterprise intern Adam Cole clocked on Tuesday. Just one day after Cole posted a “rap” video salute to National Public Radio called “Good Radiation” on YouTube, it went ultra-mega-viral. What does it offer? A couple of young, well-dressed white kids bopping around throwing made-up hand signs and slinging shout-outs to Carl Kassel, Garrison Keillor, etc. All the stars in the NPR firmament RT’d the holy hell out of it, naturally. The production values are tight, but we prefer Cole’s earlier efforts in YouTubery — such as the folky “There Is A Light,” a jaunty salute to the then-imperiled Fresnel lens at the Humboldt County Fairground …
For our final bit of amusing video news, we offer many congratulations to Jennifer Callen, Monika Little and Frank Mancinelli — victors of the Journal‘s first-ever “Sing to Win” Facebook competition! We dangled tickets to Saturday’s sold-out “House of Floyd” in front of the public’s collective nose, and over six of you responded … The challenge: Sing a Pink Floyd tune into your webcam-hole, then post the results for all to enjoy. Callen, Little and Mancinelli’s versions of “Breathe in the Air,” “The Great Gig in the Sky” and God-knows-what, respectively, were the clear favorites. Head on over to the Blogthing to catch ’em all, and while you’re there you can download Little’s operatic performance as a ringtone.
As Syd Barrett said: “Hunnh?”
This article appears in Holiday Gift Guide 2010.
“Murder music” rears its ugly head again. While I hate reggae and find homophobia to be nothing more than a grade-school fear, I can’t help but think the Red Fox has a right to put on this show even if it goes against all “good sense and decency.” Since when has “decency” been a criteria for what art is displayed? And just whose “good sense” are we talking about?
Of course, people have the right to protest the show, and they should if they feel so strongly about it. It benefits the protesters and the artist in question. I, however, will side with the Red Fox Tavern (a place I’ve never been to and probably never will go to) and its stance to bring in a controversial artist. That’s what freedom of speech is all about. This performer has a right to sing what he wants, just like anyone has a right to protest.
Face it, would anyone care if the performer were calling for the killing of cops?
Is someone arguing that the Red Fox does not have a right to play host to bigots? Likewise, we have a right and a duty to protest.
like the first comment, everyone has a right to free speech just like the article calling capleton a shit-talker and rastafari a dumb retro cult. the journalist has a right to voice their opinion so as i moved myself while i read it, i ask u LBGT to move yourselves where Reggae is concerned. There is no way on the planet you are going to force anyone to like u like you hate us so lets come to an agreement and leave each other alone.
I totally agree it should be protested if you feel that strongly. I also think it’s kind of a lost cause, and may have actually brought more attention to the performer than he actually deserved.
Homophobic music is base at best. Paying it any bit of serious attention gives it far more power than it really has.
I just hope the Red Fox Tavern sticks to its guns and keeps the show booked. Why? Not because I like reggae (hate it) or homophobia (silly, misplaced hatred). Because the next act being protested may be something I enjoy.
Gee Frog, it sounds so difficult to belong to a despised minority. Don’t worry though, when Hank and “u LBGT” start to advocate killing fools like you, we’ll be there to protest.
And Mr. Brunell, congratulations for watching out for your own interests.
Retro dumb, meet hysterical dumber.
mind u i feel capleton’s music is losing it’s edge now and kids don’t even want to listen to him anymore and shows aren’t that packed also and his latest album isn’t even all that good. none of his news songs or singles are on any current charts, because he’s not singing anymore of them songs. that’s just my observation… have a nice day!
It less about looking out for my own interests and more about protecting free speech … even speech I despise. Again, I think people have a right to protest if they don’t like something (and should despite how I feel about most protests), but I also believe in protecting free speech.
I tend to think that is looking out for everyone’s best interests.
I guess that I missed your concern for the welfare of all when you said, “Because the next act being protested may be something I enjoy.”
I could be something I enjoy, something you enjoy, something your enemy enjoys.
Funny, I just don’t seem to “enjoy” anyone who advocates murdering an entire class of humans. I suppose that Mr. Brunell does, or imagines that he could.
How on earth, Mr. Mielke, did you construe Mr. Brunell’s comment as implying that he enjoys, or imagines that he could, music that advocates murdering an entire class of humans? He stated quite explicitly that he despises it. You discredit yourself with such a transparent attempt at knocking down a straw man. In my book, that sort of thing is an example of hysterical dumb.
Bullshit to that, Thirdeye. I was simply wondering what Mr. Brunner imagines he would “enjoy” that he fears he might miss because we might protest it.
Mr. Mielke, anyone can read your previous post and see for themselves what you said. Seeya!
Three eyes and yet so blind.
People might be just a little sensitive about this topic since gays are the most-frequently attacked minority in the United States by a factor of two, says the Southern Poverty Law Center: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJXCeTgyvVQ&feature=player_embedded
Matched with Prop 8 and Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, if you’re unaware that oppression of gay and lesbians is not the number one civil rights issue of this era, you’re just ignorant.
So when you have an artist who’s advocated the burning to death of folks per their sexuality matched with a booker (Bonus Entertainment) who’s spent more time spinning about “Humboldt Reggae Massive” being attacked by the LGBT community and throw in a bunch of white kids donning obscure Jamaican hairstyles… the whole thing is ripe for comedy.
Sad, terrible comedy.
“Three eyes and yet so blind.”
I am SO told off! Excuse me, I have to go cry now.
“…and throw in a bunch of white kids donning obscure Jamaican hairstyles…”
Would he be referring to these people?