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BUMBUN6 OAFERV
Having green-lighted $76 million for a
new jail I wonder if taxpayers know exactly
what it is they're paying for. White it is true
that the old jail is dilapidated and moldy, the
real problems there have absolutely nothing
to do with the physical structure. Whatever
dictk allusions you can call into your mind:
Kafka, Orwell Brave New World, A Clockwork
Orange. In the Heat of the Night, Shawshank,
Cool Hand Luke, "Reno 911,' Hazzard County,
etc., etc., cannot possibly touch the bumbling
oafery—the nightmarish bureaucracy—that is
Clarke County law enforcement.
And it spreads in every direction. The
game-plan is to smack you with the most
absurd charges they can come up with while
your attorney scrambles to try and get these
charges reduced to some reasonable collec
tion of misdemeanors, so that they can coerce
you into giving up the speedy trial by a jury
of peers that's supposed to be your right as a
citizen. Meanwhile, they make it as difficult as
possible to contact the outside world to get
the materials you need to fight your battle.
Many of the guards are blatantly rac
ist, reverse-racist, homophobic, etc. I got
racked—by hand—while being searched. I
had my toothbrush taken away for brushing
after 'lights out.' The very thing that got me
locked up, not coming to a complete stop at
a stop sign—yes, I was just over the alcohol
limit—was performed by a guard driving us
to court, who was late because he locked the
keys in the car with a full load of prisoners.
I saw one guy get robbed in his sleep,
and another was attacked by seven or more
guys and robbed, and the guards did noth
ing. There were stretches of three or four days
with no hot water. The air conditioner runs
at about 65 degrees, even in December. The
time it takes to achieve any action is always
10 times longer than you could ever imagine
an action taking. They have 'grievance forms,'
but there's not an independent body to handle
them. I honestly think they just laugh at
them. There's no point in asking a guard any
question about anything; if you get an answer
at all, it's usually "I don't know.'
And yes, some people are in there for
actual crimes—you know, robbing people to
buy crack, selling meth to kids, real domestic
violence, but an overwhelming majority are
in there for really absurd things: probation
violations, inability to pay child support (as if
jail's going to help), minor marijuana charges
(that no other area of the free world takes
seriously), open containers, trespassing, etc.
These are charges that earn you tickets with
minor fines everywhere else.
Clarke County is known for being a cultural
mecca of the South. 1 don't understand why
we have to be known around the country for
our backwoods justice system.
I'm sure some wise-ass people will protest
that I shouldn't have broken the law, but I
just can't believe
that I deserve having
my entire life demol
ished. I was at the
comer of Rocksprings
and Hancock at a
flashing red light late
at night. I was care
ful about making sure
there were no cars. I
don't like to dally in
that neighborhood.
One might say a person shouldn't drive after
three drinks, but I'm a careful driver; I know
Athens, and I don't have accidents.
Name Withheld
Athens
KICKSTART FOR ART
When I first read last week's Flagpole
[Dec 15] and saw Gordon Lamb's 'nay' to a
Kickstarter campaign that we launched Dec.
1 to fund the production of a music video for
Lera Lynn's new song 'Good Hearted Man' I
was initially excited. (For those of you who
are unfamiliar with Kickstarter.com, it is a
website that helps artists run fundraising
campaigns for their creative endeavors.) I was
excited, because Gordon, another artist from
the community, had publicly acknowledged
the potential of other artists from many differ
ent factions including actors, makeup artists,
prop and set designers, filmmakers, musicians
and the like to get together to collaborate on
a single art form like a music video.
I then realized as I continued to read the
article that the point of our efforts had been
missed. (Although I sincerely thank you,
Gordon, for expressing your enjoyment of the
'Bobby, Baby' video, as we all put a tot of
time and effort into it.) Gordon was right to
conclude that we are in fact making more of
a short film set to music than a music video
out of 'Good Hearted Man.' However, he is
wrong to say that music videos are just adver
tisements for albums. As a director, I look
at music videos as an opportunity to donate
my time to my art, which is directing. The
actors and set designers and makeup artists
don't look at it as
an advertisement,
either. They look at
it as a chance to put
the talents that they
work hard to fine-
tune to good use.
One could argue
that everything we
do is an advertise
ment. Any Kickstarter
campaign to fund
a record is an advertisement for the record.
Every painting arv artist signs is an advertise
ment for his or her painting. A movie is an
advertisement for the actors involved as well
as the production company. Every show a band
plays is an advertisement for their musk. If
one is creating, one is advertising.
This is a good thing. If a recording artist
like Lera and a producer/sound engineer like
C.K. Koch put their blood, sweat and tears
into a project with no budget, what's wrong
with asking for a little help to get it heard?
The truth is that somewhere some money has
to be made to survive and continue creating. I
think many fans would love to know that they
helped get an artist they respect to a new
level, if not only for the satisfaction of having
a hand in their success, but also because they
know artists can continue to mate their art if
they are supported and followed.
That's why we made 'Bobby, Baby' in the
first place. I enjoyed Lera's song, came up
with an idea for a story that would be fun to
telL and then we set to work scrounging up
what little money we had to pay for produc
tion assistants and a makeup artist to mate
sure they could survive doing what they do.
This time around, we saw it as being able to
involve more of the community.
Some could say that standing in opposition
to our Kickstarter campaign is a heroic effort
to fight against supporting the evils of local
advertising. But speaking on behalf of myself
and the other artists that would be involved
if we're able to raise the money, I'd say that
it's also standing in opposition to supporting
local artists and missing out on an opportu
nity to allow these people to further showcase
their talents and actually make a living doing
so.
Brett Vaughn
Athens
WHO PROOFS THESE COMICS?
While visiting Athens and perusing your
fine periodicaL I noticed a troubling error of
fact: in the 'Edge of Adventure' comic, the
text refers to a Rhinoceros HombiU (Buceros
rhinoceros), while the illustration dearly
shows a Great HombiU (Buceros bicomis).
Who proofs these comics anyway???
Please don't hesitate to contact me if you
have any questions regarding avian identifica
tion or nomenclature.
Dr. Craig D. Dodson
Steamboat Springs, CO
AINT ME
Dear Mister Editor, I notice in yor Dec. 8
Flagpole Magazine that someone has done writ
in and youcerpted my good name. Why, some
imposture has a letter in that issue, on page 4
down to the right bottom.
Poor idoit can't even speU my name right
even if it IS spelled wrong to begin with, and
I don't live nowhere near Philomath! Double
Holler is on Star Route, Robinson, Ga. 30661.
J. ResterPhilloott (the real one)
Robinson
BUMPERSTICKER OF THE WEEK:
The Party in Hell Has Been
Cancelled Due to Fire
Thanks, Tma. Send your stater sifhtmgs to
tettsrstWafpetecam.
A
urum
FLA6POLE.COM DECEMBER 29,2010 & JANUARY 5,
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