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LETTERS p.o. box 1027, Athens, cm sogos
IN DEFENSE OF
FLAGPOLE
This letter is in response to “Flagpole’s
Fault" [Letters, August 12] written in by David
H. Fairbairn.
Frustration abounds in the Classic City,
n'est pas? Although I’ve read many com
plaints of this form and heard this gripe from
countless earnest and eager musicians, 1
have to say kudos to Flagpole for reporting
fairly and honestly. Back when 1 was an
earnest and eager musician (‘88 and for a
couple of years after, or 1988 for you y2k
freaks), I was always disappointed that the
one local rag at that time — the Classic City
Live — never had a bad thing to say about
any band coming out of our fair city. It was
as if Athens was a magical fairy land of
music where everyone’s band was great,
nobody was repetitive and wasn’t it super to
live in post-R-E-M.-gee-our-city’s-on-the-map-
now glee?
Well, thank God. Buddha, or whomever
you serve that Flagpole came along with
writers that wrote what they thought. If they
thought your band sucked, then that’s what
got written, and likewise if your band really
did something new and interesting, it got a
good write-up. I’m not going to say that the
writers’ opinions are correct. That's what
you’ve got ears and a brain for. Go listen for
yourself.
And, I don't think Flagpole is responsible
for promoting Athens music. They just like
to report about it.
Sounds like Flagpole's got you worried,
David. If you want to get covered by
Flagpole, why don’t you trv sending some
promo material over before a show? A little
olatant self-promotion never hurt. Look
where it got Man or Astroman? and Trinket.
Oh. and if you want to carry the responsi
bility of Athens music on your shoulders,
start your own damn rag. Otherwise, shut
the hell up.
P.S. I loooove the Heckler. Way to go,
John.
Affectionately yours,
Will McKinley
via the Internet
I read a section in your City Pages story
[”Subterranean AthFest Blues," July 29] about
the crass, commercial atmosphere of the lat
est AthFest. I must say. while the good ol’
boy network of Old Athens conservative
politicians would gladly suggest that Mr.
Dixon’s observations were reactionary, he is
presenting concerns that more Athenians
must cultivate.
Athens was once an escape to a new cul
ture for the Georgia (South Carolina, North
Carolina. Alabama, etc.) folks who desired to
pursue an education there. It had nothing to
do with what rock bands had risen to promi
nence; it was simply an atmosphere that the
town possessed that made an immediate
impact. It was near a major metropolitan
area, but the incomplete S.R. 316 kept it insu
lar. And it seemed like Athens was holding
its own that way. The cultured, entrenched
population didn’t seem to care to welcome
“party down” Atlantans, and many of the
contemporary collegiate transplants shared
the viewpoint of the entrenched, and desired
to join their ranks. This kept many of the
rental houses off of Boulevard occupied.
Unfortunately, time proceeds, that which
is unique is absorbed by the corporate
world, and Athens is sold out, piece by
piece. As long as the bars keep serving until
2:00 a.m. on Saturday night, and the stan
dards of generic metropolitan life are
upheld, the new crop of young people mov
ing into Athens every year are easily placat
ed to the point of blissful ignoiance of the
ever-increasing homogeneity of their envi
ronment. 1 don’t know why long-term resi
dents don’t try a little bit more, but I miss
Athens, and when 1 come back to visit, I still
miss Athens.
Jason Pastras
via the internet
WHETS YER 10/207
San Antonio. Texas — Hertzberg Circus
Museum
Whenever I think of San Antonio. I picture
a befuddled PeeWee Herman in the Alamo,
glaring at the tour guide as she drawls, “Can
you say adobe?" There’s plenty of adobe in
San Antonio, but if you ever happen to visit,
you should instead be drawn to denser
objects, such as the stone lions that guard
the hertzberg Circus Museum.
State senator Harry Hertzberg (1884-
1940) was a circus nut. Maybe it was the
copy of Toby Tyler, a popular 19th-century
circus book that was in the late senator’s
childhood collection. Maybe it was the
absence of genetic testing during his lifetime
(which, one may assume, meant more
Siamese twins and carnival freaks). Maybe it
was the fact that the circus was extremely'
popular Curing his lifetime. Whatever it was,
his interest has proven to be a godsend to
circus fans everywhere.
Hertzberg had the foresight to will this
incredible collection featuring over 20,000
items to the San Antonio Library System,
which is now the proud sponsor of one of
the largest collections of circus memorabilia
in the world. Not only do its employees go
above and beyond in the courtesy depart
ment, they also utilize their skills to research
aspects of the circus that might be forgotten
otherwise.
One such exhibit was Los Carpas {the
tents), which traces the history of Mexican-
American circuses traveling through Texas
during the 1920s and ‘30s. These circuses
were usually very small, and were generally
composed of friends and family members.
Often they integrated performances from a
variety of cultures — such as a Japanese fan
dance. Unfortunately, after WW1I, the popu
larity of circuses nationally declined with the
widespread popularity of movies and televi
sion.
Other features of this museum include a
working 1928 caliola (band wagon), automat
ed clowns, a mechanized replica of a minia
ture circus, photos and history of Daisy and
Violet Hilton, San Antonio’s Siamese twins,
oil paintings of various circus personalities,
Tom Thumb’s miniature carriage, plus a
plethora of wonders that I don’t have the
room to name. So get out of town for a
change and experience ore of our nation's
more glorious eras. Bringing you yer 10/20,
we remain...
Kap'n Krisp and DeeDee Galore
In a van
BUDDHA DEFENDANT
Christopher Hitchens, as erudite as he
may APPEAR [ “The Divine One,” July 22], is
obviously suffering from an insufficient abili
ty to reason logically (or in a more politically
correct manner of speaking, he’s ‘reasonably
impaired’). But as is obvious from his caustic
remarks, and what he passes off as evidence
against His Holiness the Dalai Lama, appear
ances can be terribly deceiving. Perhaps
most pernicious, if no less disappointing, is
the shoddiness with which he disguises a
description of factoids only tangentially con
nected to Buddhism and even less so to the
Dalai Lama, as an ‘argument’ against whatev
er political position His Holiness the Dalai
Lama may hold — or, I should say more
accurately, whatever political position
Hitchens loosely (if no doubt inaccurately)
assumes His Holiness the Dalai Lama to hold.
It’s unfortunate that Hitchens should
attack the ‘faith’, as he calls it, that
Buddhists must rely on to follow such an
“hysterical” system of philosophy, since
Hitchens’ faith in the power of his own argu
ment is seriously misplaced. (Perhaps its
just envy...) Regardless of whether or not
Hitchens’ information is accurate, 1 cannot
but find it difficult to understand how any of
the actions and shortcomings - the “other
facts about the serene leader” as Hitchens
describes them - of Apple Computers (and
their advertising campaign), a NOVEL by
James Hilton, Heinrich Harrer, Hollywood
(and its bandwagon dharma crowd, many of
whom I’m sure are sincere), Shoko Asahara,
Steven Seagal, Richard Gere, the SLORC in
Burma or any other ‘Buddhist militants’
(isn’t that an oxymoron?) have any bearing
on His Holiness’ status, reputation, words or
deeds. It seems to me that all of these peo
ple’s lives are the culmination of their own
deeds. As much of a “spiritual leader” as His
Holiness the Dalai Lama is for Tibetan
Buddhists, and others who oppose the inhu
mane deeds the Chinese government (or
anyone else) has perpetrated in Tibet. His
Holiness is not any more responsible for
how Hollywood (or anyone else) portrays
Him or his lost homeland (as “idealized” as it
may be), or for that matter, what other self-
proclaimed Buddhists do with their lives, as
Mr. Hitchens would be if someone who fol
lowed his beliefs were to enact the atrocities
occurring globally, atrocities we are witness
to on a daily basis. As for His Holiness the
Dalai Lama’s status as a “mere mortal”, I’m
sure He (His Holiness, that is) would be the
first to humbly assert such a fact.
i think that Mr. Hitchens should dedicate
some cf his time to actually listening to what
His Holiness the Dalai Lama has to say, or if
nothing else, reading some of the diverse lit
erature available on the philosophy of
Buddhism. After doing so, I hope that he
would at least have learnt that Buddhism is
“different” in many respects. Who knows, in
time, he might even come to appreciate what
little ‘enlightenment’ he might gain.
Chris Tarnowski
via the Internet
SURVEILLANCE
CULTURE
Hey, thanks for the information about the
cameras going up arouna town ("Paranoid
Time. ” City Pages, July 29], On a similar note,
you may be interested to know that Athens
police officers routinely audio tape-record
conversations with citizens. Look for the
cassette recorder on the utility belt — near
the buckle (or sometimes put in a shirt pock
et). It seems that the police are exempt from
laws requiring notification be given to a sec
ond (or more) party if audio recordings are
going tc be made of a conversation (not talk
ing about a court ordered wiretap).
Conversations with law enforcement officials
are never “private;" they are public informa
tion and are used in court.
Remember that... the next time you give a
long-winded explanation of why you just
HAD to go 60 miles an hour down Prince
Avenue at lunch time, to one of “Athens’
Finest". You may have to retell it to the judge
— in detail!
Anonymous
via the Internet
AMES TO PLEASE
I’ve been living away from Athens for
three years now, but I was thrilled to find
ycur web page from the Great Flooded North
(Ames, Iowa). I’m a bit surprised that 1 only
recognize maybe three bands listed in this
issue, but I’m still thrilled that Flagpole is
still listing the Movie Dope — still utterly
misguided since the old Mr. Dope left in,
what, ’94? As another expatriate Athenian
said to me recently, “I won’t be happy until
I’ve got Clarke County plates on my truck
again." I look forward to picking up my paper
once that happens. Keep it up.
Adam Remsen
Ames, Iowa
THIS MSIIIH WSILI
by TOM TOMORROW
NOW THAT THE SECRET SERVICE HRS BEEH COMPELLED
To TESTIFY, CUM TOM APOLOGISTS WORRY THAT THE
PRESIDENT'S ABILITY TO LEAD THE NATION HAS BEEN
PERMANENTLY COMPROMISER.
OF COURSE, GIVEN THAT THE PRESIDENT IS NOT
A TOTALITARIAN DICTATOR — BUT RATHER, THE
ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE OF AN OSTENSIBLY
OPEN, DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY -WELL, WE*£ NOT
CONVINCED THAT INCAEAfEB ACCOUNTABILITY WOULD
SIKH A TERRIBLE ThiHC...
MAYBE WE SHOULD TAKE THIM6S A STEP FuRTHtR.foR
INSTANCE, THESE*D BE NO NEED FOR CAMPAIGN
FINANCE REFORM IF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
KNEW THAT ANYTHING THEY BIB WOULD SOON
BE A MATTER OF PUBLIC
RECORD.
mmamm
IN FACT. MAYBE WE SHOULD FOLLOW THE EKAMf lE
OF THAT YO0M6 WOMAN WHO BROADCASTS HER
ENTIRE LIFE ON THE INTERNET-AMD SET UP
“JENNICAMS" To FOLLOW EVERT ELECTED REP'
RESENTATiVE, TWENTY POOR HOURS A BRY •
X CAN’T ACCEPT A CONTRIBUTION FROM AN
INDUSTRY WHICH HAS LEGISLATION PEND
ING »N THE SENATE.' THAT WOULD BE UN
ETHICAL !
CONTACT FLAGPOLE
Write to FLAGPOLE at LETTERS, P. 0. Box 1027, Athens, 6A 30603; or via the Internet at
mail@ftaypole.com. Letters may be edited for style, clarity and space considerations.
H FLAGPOLE AUGUST 19, 1998