About Flagpole. (Athens, Ga.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 28, 2011)
ROCKING THE VOTE The modern era of Athens-Clarke County government began in 1991, but it almost didn't happen. Prior to that time, the City of Athens put most government authority into the hands of the mayor, with the city council forced to go along with him (always a him) on any important issue. The mayor basically represented business/banking/UGA administration interests. Clarke County was more rural, and government out there was basically about roads and bridges and trying not to be domi nated by Athens. Athens business and government leaders had been trying for 20 years to consolidate the two governments, but the people out in the county kept voting it down. Finally, they worked out a compromise whereby the new government was composed of districts that mostly included part of the city and part of the county, and the head of government had very little power and was not even called "mayor," to reassure the country people that the bad old Athens mayor was not going to gobble them up. The new leader was to be the "chief elected officer." The county citizens were reassured, and "unification" passed, once they stopped calling it "consolidation." The next task was to elect the new government, and a bunch of people jumped into the race for "CEO." Oddly enough, after agitat ing for consolidation/unification for so long, the "establishment" didn't have a candidate ready for the usual succession. They finally decided at the last minute on a popular lawyer/banker and the race was on. During the previous 20 years of political dominance by the business community, local liberals/progressives had made some inroads, electing a black county commissioner and a couple of liberal white commissioners. A coalition of blacks, white liber als and university students elected the first black city council member, and several neighborhood-oriented council members were elected, but the establishment always elected the mayor. What proved to be the most significant development in the election for the new leader of the unified government was the candidacy of city council member Gwen O'Looney. She was a neighborhood activist and a woman; she was liberal politically, and she was in tune with the music scene that had been grow ing up downtown unnoticed by most of the people who made up the established political leadership. Electing a county commissioner or a city council member was one thing. Electing a chief elected officer countywide was something else—something that called not only for every ounce of grassroots energy but also for money. Leafieting door-to-door wouldn't be enough. This one required mailouts, newspaper and radio advertising and yard signs—lots of them. Nobody outside the establishment had ever had that kind of money to put into a political campaign, but Gwen O'Looney knew where to turn. Suddenly it became apparent that this upstart candidate had the money she needed to mount a seri ous campaign, and she was getting the money not from a bank but from a band. That band, R.E.M., made the difference— barely. After a hard-fought election and an even more hotly contested runoff, Gwen O'Looney headed the new government. For the first time, the "townies," the people from the down town music scene, played a significant role in the election of our government's leader, and for the first time we had a leader who was part of and understood the downtown scene. Since that time, the members and staff of R.E.M. have become synonymous with progressive politics and forward- thinking community projects, historic preservation and neigh borhood protection—never asking anything in return except good government. R.E.M. has provided the vital political counterweight that freed Athens to realize its potential as a haven for creativity, as an interesting place to live, unique in Georgia, known worldwide. With R.E.M. out of business, we don't know what the future will hold. Even with their support in the last election, Gwen O'Looney, in a comeback attempt, lost out to a much more conservative candidate. But the money never actually came from R.E.M., anyway. It came out of the personal pockets of Michael and Bill and Bertis and them. We certainly hope they'll still be around, and if they are, they will no doubt remain the same concerned citizens they've always been. She was getting the money not from a bank but from a band. Pete McCommons edilor@flagpole com THIS WEEK’S ISSUE: 1N1EWS <§2 FEATURES City Dope 4 Athens News and Views The breakup of R E M. is an event of worldwide significance, but what does it mean for Athens in particular? Comment 7 ‘‘Lincoln Up.” Mr. President If Barack Obama is to emulate Abraham Lincoln, which Lincoln should it be? EVE1N1T The Reader 10 Antebellum Pop A Dangerous Woman has a modern feel and goes down very easily —a pop read for a pop pioneer Art Notes 11 Grotesque, Comic Proportions A couple of local boys make good in the Netherlands. [MUSO© Cut Copy 15 Band on the Run Band from Down Under ventures across the globe to help us get down Von Grey 21 The Rockin’ Sisters Return to Make Some Noise This teen sister act plays tuneful Americana with a skill that's beyond their years CITY DOPE 4 CITY PAGES 5 CAPITOL IMPACT 6 COMMENT 7 ATHENS RISING 8 DU 1 8 KIDDIE DOPE 9 THE READER , 10 ART NOTES 11 MOVIE DOPE 12 FILM NOTEBOOK 13 THREATS & PROMISES 14 CUT COPY 15 REM 16 CRITICAL DARLINGS 20 VON GREY 21 THE CALENDAR' 22 BULLETIN BOARD 28 ART AROUND TOWN 29 COMICS 30 REALITY CHECK 31 CLASSIFIEDS 32 OPERA 34 EVERYDAY PEOPLE 35 EDITOR & PUBLISHER Pete McCommons ADVERTISING OIRECTOR & PUBLISHER Alicia N>ckles PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Larry Tenner MANAGING EDITOR Christina Cotter ADVERTISING SALES Anita Aubrey Velinda Edwards. Jessica Pritchard MUSIC EDITOR Michelle Gil/enrat CITY E0IT0R Dave Marr CLASSIFIEDS. DISTRIBUTION & OFFICE MANAGER NicoCashin AD DESIGNERS Kelly Ruberto. Cindy Jerrell CARTOONISTS Cameron Bjgue Missy Kulik. Jeremy long David Mack. Clint McElroy. Zaik Wood ADOPT ME Special Agent Cindy Jerrell CONTRIBUTORS Charles-Ryan Barber. Caroline barratt. Stephen Berry. Tom Crawtord. Kevin Craig. Foster Tyler Elrod. David Fit/gerald Chris Hassiotis. John Huie, Gordon Lamb. Kristen Morales. Emily Patrick. Jordan Stepp, D.erv Wheeler. Kevan Williams CIRCULATION Charles Greenleat. Nash Hogan. Jesse Mangum. Matt Shirley WEB 0ESIGNER Kelly Ruberto ADVERTISING t EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Jessica Smith ADVERTISING INTERNS Rebecca McGee Morgan Gunt/ MUSIC INTERNS Jodi Murphy Ryan Anderson COVER DESIGN by Larry Tenner featuring a photograph by Anton Corbijn STREET ADDRESS: 112 Foundry St . Athens. GA 30601 MAILING ADDRESS; PO Box 1027. Athens. GA 30603 EDITORIAL: (706) 649-9523 ADVERTISING: (706) 549-0301 FAX: (706) 548 8981 ADVERTISING adsYttlagpole.com CALENOAR: calendarkttlagpole.com COMICS: comics6flagpole.com EDITORIAL editorttflagpole.com LETTERS: lettersttflagpole.com MUSIC: musicttflagpole.com NEWS: newsttflagpole.com WEBSITE: webttflagpole.com Flagpole. Inc. publishes Flagpole Magazine weekly and distributes 17,000 copies free at over 275 locations around Athens. Georgia Subscriptions cost $55 a year. $35 tor su months 02011 Flagpole. Inc All rights reserved VOLUME 25 ISSUE NUMBER 38 @00 c ik> \ i \rit»\ | VERIFICATION | (III N C It ^Weekend O/i^fuir (at C h.irmjr) Please stop by and visit us! Our First Saturday of the month festival is October V 1 over 30 Vendor booths Antiques & Collectibles, Memorablia, Vintage Clothing, Retro odds and ends Come check out our new shipment of antiques NEW FALL PLANTS! Knock-Out Roses, Ferns, Camelias and Much More! in Join us on Facebook and Twitter for weekly updates about discounted items! www.weekendafair.com 790 Gaines School Road - Athens, GA 30605 • 706-830-5945 BF ny David W. Griffeth — ATTORNEY — 220 College Ave. Ste. 612 . " Athens. Georgia (706) 353-1360 Admitted to the Bar of the United States Supreme Court since 1976 And lesser courts % Auto Accidents. DUI. Drug Coses. Under-Age Possession Personal Injury. Wrongful Death. Criminal Defense. Credit Card Debt Relief ai m restaurant - bar Fresh Seafood, South Florida Style ON SITE PARKING! Free Wi-Fi Event Planning Private Room Reservations Accepted 706-353-TUNA 414 N. Thomas St. www.squareonefishco.com UGA vs. Mississippi State Happy Hour 4-7pm TUESDAY DATE NIGHT Appetizer, 2 Surf n Turf Entrees, Dessert and a Bottle of Chef's Choice Wine $ 40 SUNDAY BRUNCH llam-4pm OYSTERS ALWAYS 50C Price5 exclude tom & gratuity Moy not be combined with any other offers or promotions SEPTEMBER 28,2011- FLAGPOLE.COM 3
