Sound Co-op cancels its events for the semester
This is its letter to the student body in full:
In light of the decisions made by Scott Backer and the SJB, and the subsequent appeal that was denied by Michael Roth (read here: wesleying.blogspot.com/2009/03/sjb-shuts-down-all-eclectic-events-for.html), I have decided that the Wesleyan Sound Cooperative will cease functioning as of Sunday March 29th until the Eclectic event-hosting ban is repealed or a satisfactory settlement is made between the school and the Society allowing for access to the venue. This means that all events currently scheduled are considered canceled until further notice. Shows this week (23rd – 28th) will still be happening, as there is obviously not enough time for organizers to plan around the shutdown. If you currently have a show planned later than this week, you will or already have received an email from a WSC member. Please do not contact me or any other co-op members regarding this decision, as there will be no special exceptions made and no questions to be answered except, ‘has the school overturned the decision?’ As soon as the answer to this question is ‘yes,’ the cooperative will run again as usual. We are still taking event requests on our website (wesleyan.edu/wsa/wsc) in the hopes that this situation is resolved quickly. If you are disappointed or concerned by the turn of events, I ask that you politely email either Scott Backer (sbacker01@wes) or Michael Roth (mroth@wes) to explain how the shutdown affects you and ask that they reconsider their actions so that an amplified and vibrant campus culture may continue at Wesleyan.
Members of the Eclectic Society founded the sound cooperative almost 20 years ago in order to facilitate musical events that would otherwise be impossible to fund using professional audio companies. The co-op allows anyone who is interested the opportunity to learn life long skills in technical audio production and event planning. As a result of its creation, and in spite of the fact that to this day Wesleyan refuses to create a viable administration-organized free event space, the Sound Co-op saves Wesleyan students somewhere on the order of $30,000 - 60,000 a year in professional audio service fees. This allows for many more events to be funded, which in turn means that the co-op runs slightly over one hundred shows every year. By this count, I have organized sound for over 300 shows during my time here at Wesleyan and am fortunate to have many talented people transitioning into control as I will be graduating this semester. The co-op has expanded during my tenure to include many events not related to live music, which I see as a great development.
Unfortunately, the decision rendered by Scott Backer and the SJB aims to discriminate between where and what type of event is allowable on campus, thus dictating the realms of campus culture. I personally find this detestable and am of the opinion that the full ramifications of the punishment levied have not been thoroughly considered. The shutdown of the co-op aims to help rectify this oversight.
I am basing my decision around the argument that if the Wesleyan administration wants to define campus culture and what is or is not allowable based on how ‘problematic’ or how much of a ‘liability’ they perceive an event to be for them then it is folly to have a student-run and student-funded business continue to facilitate a culture we ourselves are not in control of. The ethos of the co-op is one of absolute indiscrimination, as long as we have the equipment and someone signs up to work, we will work an event. Despite the fact that the shutdown will result in lost wages for co-op workers including myself, I feel that this is the only acceptably principled response to an unprincipled and poorly considered punishment.
Historically, the administration has been happy to allow students to organize and pay for their own shows and events because student-run and student-funded events increase Wesleyan’s social capital at essentially no cost to the school. Utilizing the WSA, SBC, and SALD for assistance allows for an incredible number of student-run events to take place every week. However, with the Eclectic shutdown, the administration is asserting that they do indeed have a say in how student funds are to be distributed and thus what events may or may not take place on campus. Eclectic is the only free student-run venue on campus that has a seating capacity of over 100. Therefore, unless the SBC has the funds to pay for pro audio services at other venues, I will consider the school to be the party responsible for funding and organizing sound services for student events. I do not report to any school administrator, I help run a club funded by the SBC in order to make campus life more exciting and vibrant. The co-op works in direct service to the student body but will not be coerced into accepting fluxuating social ethics determined ad hoc by the administration.
I’m sure you can surmise that the school has neither the resources nor the desire to take up the slack left over by the co-op (except perhaps regarding WesFest), so I will preemptively make the assertion that it is now YOUR job to organize and fund sound services for events you would like to have or plan to have on campus. Again, please understand that I am not doing this to punish the student body, but instead to force those who utilize the co-op and those that directly benefit from it’s existence to make their displeasure known to the administration. I know this decision will be incredibly unpopular but I ask that you fully reflect on the historical and ongoing relationship the co-op has to events held at Eclectic and consider this a sign of solidarity and not a dismissal of individual student groups or events. Regardless of your personal opinions concerning the Eclectic Society or the events held there, I urge you to consider that the series of decisions made by the administration are of a discriminatory nature regarding what types of events the school implicitly condones. The fact that the administration is now trying to dictate how students should spend their own money is nothing short of insulting. The more you make your displeasure known to administrators, the faster we can move on from this terrible decision and get back to having great amplified events across campus.
Sincerely,
Yale Yng-Wong ’09, President of the Wesleyan Sound Cooperative,
Amanda Contrada ‘10, Co-President of the Wesleyan Sound Cooperative, and Max Krafft '09, Ben Bernstein ‘10, Tom Brewer ‘12, Adam Gunther ‘11, Bill Kirstein ‘10, Sam Long ‘12, Mary Longley ‘10, Sam Lyons ‘12, Dana Matthiessen ‘09, Howe Pearson ‘12, Jeff Rovinelli ‘10, Fareed Sajan ‘09, and Harrison Schaaf ‘11
70 comments:
despite your well worded arguments, this is still a punishment to students. There are other venues. Yes, they can't house as many people, but there can still be events. Now you are making it much harder for events to occur, which I think sucks.
there is more to the eclectic situation than the campus has been told and this push back isn't going to fix it.
This administration is clearly in the wrong regarding the eclectic controversy. I think that most students believe that, and are in agreement that this is an unfair move made by our school.
Regardless, what you are doing, Max and Yale, I believe to be equally harmful to the student body and music culture at Wesleyan as a whole. You are effectively shutting down the music scene at Wesleyan. Without sound co-op functioning, WesBands will essentially be paralyzed.
This decision privileges those bands who have the economic resources to afford their own sound equipment or hire an outside service. It weeds out up and coming bands from our music community, who do not have the resources to otherwise fund their ability to play. You are hence enforcing an inherent classism in the music community here.
I am a member of a band at Wes (who has in the past played eclectic as well), and though I am disappointed that we will most likely have to cancel shows because of this decision, that is not what most frustrates me about this move. I stand in solidarity with those protesting the eclectic band, just like you. But eclectic is not the only place where music happens on campus. To shut down all other music venue's ability to provide music, you are handicapping every member of the Wesleyan student body, in their right to enjoy live music by their peers and by some visiting acts.
I know that both of you, Max and Yale, are members of eclectic, so this ban hits you particularly hard. But I would ask both of you to look past that and see that we, Wesleyan, need you to be the conduit for our budding musical community. It is selfish to keep this amazing tool, sound co-op, to yourself by using it to forward your personal agenda against the administrations decision.
I urge you to please, please reconsider this harmful decision. It does nothing but cause more spite and frustration within the musical community, as well as the student body at large.
Thank you for all the time and energy you have put into sound co-op. You have made such a great contribution to this community through your involvement. Please don't ruin it now.
YOU ARE PUTTING PEOPLE"S THESIS AND THEIR WESLEYAN CAREERS ON THE LINE. THIS IS RIDICULOUS.
don't like it? email michael roth and scott backer, the two who have made really poor decisions to lead up to this decision. this is something students need to rally around. we cannot let the administration just casually dole out unwarranted punishments that are this harsh and let them get away with it. it sets a really terrible precedent in regards to what might happen in the coming years. fight the man.
sound co-op = eclectic.
this was to be expected.
this sucks, but i support you. and eclectic.
I support the sound co-op and eclectic. This is definitely getting our attention. I am a musician who has benefited from the timely and accurate service of the sound co-op several times, and never considered their inherent connection to eclectic until now. I hope the eclectic ban is overturned, because we need the independent music culture, both on the group and individual levels.
and Eclectic STILL hasnt come clean about why they were punished. yes, there was the noise complaint, but that was just the icing on the cake.
what is Eclectic hiding? why were they punished so harshly? and no, it's not some conspiracy theory involving Scott Backer and Michael Roth and any Williams-and-Amherst-izing... Eclectic did something(s) to warrant this punishment, and the campus deserves to know what.
come clean eclectic, for the sake of Wesleyan
They're like children throwing a tantrum...
Isn't the sound co-op's equipment university property? What right do they have to withhold university-funded equipment from the rest of the student body? Not a rhetorical question, I'm actually askin.
eclectic––stop holding the student body hostage, or we will abandon you.
eclectic just fucking die already, we're tired of this bullshit and you're not that cool.
this isn't exactly friendly, but it's a good way to get shit did. props to eclectic for being willing to force the issueue.
(also, 10:24, the equipment might be Wesleyan property, but the labor to operate it isn't)
Word on 10:30. This move has actually made me a lot less sympathetic towards Eclectic. Maybe I would feel differently if the co-op were all non-Eclectic members, but this seems like Eclectic is trying to FORCE us to support them, without even having given us the full story. And that rubs me (someone who formerly did support them), the wrong way.
Events are still happening, only quietly. Very quietly. Sound co-op didn't shut down events, they just took away the sound.
Whatever happened to Eclectic's "oh we're preparing a statement about what happened"? Why can't the student body be told what's going on here?
IF WE CAN'T HAVE SOUND, NO ONE CAN.
-eclectic
all of the equipment belongs to eclectic. its a leveraging tool. don't like being "held hostage" by eclectic? figure out how to buy all of your own high end sound equipment over the next 20 years, and you can put on a really great show when you're 40.
Eclectic will be issuing a statement today regarding the situation that will outline exactly what charges were brought against us and how we handle them. It should have been sent out before the Sound Co-Op statement but it didn't because we are student, too, and sometimes mistakes happen. We will also be releasing a timeline of events building up to the ban so that there is total transparency. We could not do so before because it was an SJB hearing after all. Please wait for our statement before you use this blog as a sounding board for an Eclectic witch hunt. The facts are forthcoming in a well-written articulate fashion.
Sound Co-op made this decision largely free of Eclectic and, frankly, since its conception in 1991 by Eclectic, Sound Co-op is a student group that has always been composed of largely Eclectic members. As you might take the time to notice, although largely composed of Eclectic members, Sound Co-Op also consists of five non-Eclectic members who agreed unanimously to go ahead with this action.
Please direct your anger and hostility at the administration. It is their decision that warrants unrest. To quote Yale, "Regardless of your personal opinions concerning the Eclectic Society or the events held there, I urge you to consider that the series of decisions made by the administration are of a discriminatory nature regarding what types of events the school implicitly condones. The fact that the administration is now trying to dictate how students should spend their own money is nothing short of insulting. The more you make your displeasure known to administrators, the faster we can move on from this terrible decision and get back to having great amplified events across campus."
You want a campus climate where students have a voice and can engage directly with the administration? Well, Eclectic is trying to get us there. Protesting takes sacrifice and, yes, makes people's lives harder. That's entirely the point. Perhaps, it might be worth noting how much of an effect Eclectic and its members have on this campus. Sound Co-op is not a right, it's a student group that provides an invaluable service to this school, much like Eclectic. 70% of events scheduled from now until the end of the year are scheduled at Eclectic. Doesn't that make you furious?
Please, organize to overturn this ban.
Sara'o Bery '09
Is the equipment owned by Eclectic? Yale's letter directly states the SBC funds the co-op. All in all, this decision will only alienate Eclectic from potential supporters. Considering their whole argument is, "Eclectic provides a music venue for everyone" it seems a little idiotic to "force" people to, essentially, whine to the administration at the cost of the student body coming together as one. I think it was a mistake to turn the argument from Student Body V. Eclectic Ban to Those effected by Sound co-op closure V. Sound Co-op/Eclectic
*%70 of student-organized events
"Please direct your anger and hostility at the administration. It is their decision that warrants unrest."
Except since we know little-to-nothing of the real situation, it's hard for students to really fairly side with Eclectic. Let's put some credit where credit's due: Eclectic's handling of this entire situation has been piss-poor. Your "completely transparent outline" should have been available 3 weeks ago, not now. I know personally my reaction is to be upset about the administration's decision, but canceling all events is serious enough that my only conclusion can be that there must be more to the story. Give us the facts, and then after we know everything you can complain about our responses.
YOU ARE PUTTING PEOPLE"S THESIS AND THEIR WESLEYAN CAREERS ON THE LINE. THIS IS RIDICULOUS.
this needs to be said AGAIN.
From this message: I understand that the administration did get involved (Roth apparently denied an appeal). But I am suspicious of the author's claim that the administration is trying to control the social scene. As it was pointed out repeatedly when this whole affair started, the SJB issues the stop-order on events at Eclectic. Some clarification? I agree with 11:09 - a couple of passionate diatribes from Eclectic members or stand-ins does not count as transparent disclosure. The details of the ban have not been made fully public, nor has the probably very long list of previous offenses by Eclectic. No one actually believes that the ban was in response to a single noise violation!
Now, the sound co-op, still without giving us precise and reliable information on the issue, asks us to blindly support the cause (in fact they don't ask, they demand).. I think we all understand that the ban is very bad news for student partying, because Eclectic has been a constant of the Wesleyan social scene, but I personally think we cannot support an opposition movement if we are not given the correct information. Let me also venture a possibility: who knows what the social scene at Wesleyan could become if Eclectic was taken out of the picture, for some time at least? - who knows what other venues might step up their game and become a new hot spot? Maybe Eclectic seems so indispensable because it has become so huge a venue - take the elephant down, and it's bound to be replaced sooner or later (perhaps by a slightly smaller animal, but that is not necessarily a bad thing). Eclectic does not have the monopoly on fun, nor should it necessarily have a preferred status as a fun venue. By shutting down the Sound co-op, its members are ignoring that possibility, and punishing the entire student body - most notably, as pointed out above, by creating a two-tiered model according to which those who can afford it get to perform, and those who can't simply don't.
If we are to support Eclectic, and the sound co-op, (truly, I want to) we need to hear/read the full story. The responsibility does not necessarily only fall on the students - maybe a RothBlog post or a statement from the SJB would help too (I understand the confidentiality issues, but they at least could acknowledge what is happening). But we need information, and we cannot simply be coerced into giving our support just because we are asked to, even less just because we are asked to by the very people who are most directly affected (no, I don't buy the Eclectic/Sound co-op separation)
Are you sure that sound co-op does sound for theses? Check their website. I doubt it.
Many members of the Sound Co-op are in campus bands, enjoy going to shows, and work for the co-op as their primary means of on-campus income, and will thus also be affected by this decision. Can you believe that, for us, this act is not selfish or spiteful, but a sacrifice?
Max
YES THEY JUST CANCELED MINE AND NOW I'M FUCKED. THANKS SOUND CO-OP.
this is a much better move than that online petition
shut up molly
I am in a number of bands, and will likely no be able to play a number of shows this year because of this action. I do however support Eclectic and the Co-op, and respect the sacrifices they are making to change the campus climate. People should realize that Eclectic members are In tons of bands, and are large consumers of live music on campus. They are not going to get to do these things either. This is what activism looks like.
This is both stupid and infantile. Quit whining and allow some shows to go on on campus. The hipsters on campus are quickly proving to be a bunch of childish bitches. Moving on is a much bigger fuck you to the administration than a bunch of passive aggressive protests. They're probably thrilled by your choice to essentially eliminate all shows on campus. It's more quiet for Roth to get some beauty sleep.
12:52
This is the stupidest post I have ever seen on Wesleying, congratulations for completely ignoring an extremely long and well worded defense of a position that surely was not easy to make and then making a completely inane contradictory post about how you obviously don't understand how anything in this entire university works. At all.
Hi everyone, let me state clearly that it was never my intention that this shutdown last though the entire month, or even at all. YOU do have a voice in this community and the only thing I can try to do is make you use it. If there is one thing you take away from my letter, it's that your voice, coupled with others' WILL make a difference. Before you freak out about not having shows on campus, consider actually writing to Roth or Backer and not wasting your precious anger slandering my name anonymously here like is the norm. If you would like to personally insult me for being a 'hipster' or an 'idiot' or an 'asshole' or a 'liar' please send it directly to my email address at yyngwong@wesleyan.edu instead of posting it on here where it gets absolutely nothing changed regarding the situation.
As much as I know you won't believe me, I am a PERSON with ETHICS and MORALS FIRST and a member of Eclectic somewhere much farther down that list. If you see this action as some coercive maneuver you should read my letter again, and this time read it like someone you respect had written it and was reading it to you. That is how I wrote it and I know I've served this community long enough to expect that that is how it should be read.
-Yale Yng-Wong
I'll put in my voice in solidarity.
There's this refrain that we have to wait to hear the real story of what happened at Eclectic. I am somewhat curious, but I think it's basically unrelated. The point here is that the punishment imposed by the SJB does not impose only on Eclectic; it eliminates a vital student run space. Eclectic does not get such joy from offering up their home 3 nights a week to get trashed by students that to deny them this is a punishment. Taking away this space, which until now Eclectic residents and members have generously offered, is a punishment to musicians and students who want to put on shows or see shows. Sound Coop is not nefariously forcing everyone to like Eclectic. Some people will continue to think Eclectic members are arrogant and pretentious, and that's fine. But Sound Coop is standing in solidarity because this campus deserves a student run concert scene. The message Sound Coop is sending is that they are not going to provide super discounted services if they have to work in a campus climate that restricts what a student run concert scene can be. Do not get angry at Sound Coop. They are simply standing in solidarity until a vital campus space is returned to the students.
-non-Eclectic, non-Sound Coop student who likes shows
It would be one thing if this were just a sacrifice on the part of the co-op members, who will be losing income as a result of this action. But additionally they are punishing the entire student body by removing the only cheap source of sound equipment and expertise on campus, which is not something that the entire student body has agreed to.
The equipment, furthermore, does not belong to Ecletic nor to the members of the sound co-op, but rather to the student body, as it was paid for by a combination of SBC funds (which we all contribute to) and income from renting it out (which was only made possible by SBC funds). Denying us this important resource, which is ours, is unconscionable and does little to inspire respect for their cause.
By coercing support through collective punishment, the sound co-op has become no better than the administration in this matter.
Isn't this blackmail or something? "Do this or else..."
Again, the sound co-op is a completely volunteer organization. I have worked, for you, for the past four years. Often giving up my entire weekend to run shows and deal with bands. I am under no obligation to work for you and neither is any co-op member. We do this because we want to, and you absolutely must respect our decision to stop when we don't want to. Anyone who is interested in having a show is welcome to contact an external contractor and negotiate a deal to then propose to the SBC. If you send an email to wes.wsc@gmail.com I will gladly assist you to try and find someone who is cheap enough for the SBC to afford.
It is absolutely not unconscionable to have a general strike of workers. You are welcome to scab and ask the SBC/WSA for control of the equipment to run the co-op yourself. In doing so, you will be willingly voicing your support for the cancellation of a large percentage of loud music events involving your peers on campus in favor of your own desires. If this is what you think is conscionable then by all means go ahead.
-Yale Yng-Wong
Yale is a fucking badass
2:14
I don't question the right of the members of the co-op to strike and refuse to work when their interests are not being protected and understood. However, if 1:44 is right, and the equipment was paid for by SBC funds and funds from their rental, the equipment IS the property of the student body and denying the use of the EQUIPMENT is unfair to those who rely on it for performances or other events. Even if the Co-op does not work at events, they should still allow the rental of equipment to those qualified to use it.
The party ban controversy aside, it is the responsibility of the Co-op to provide continued access to purchased using money that every student pays as part of their annual fees. If the Argus refused to print the paper for any political reason, it would be a clear misuse of student funds.
I have been to countless shows put on by the Co-op and thank them for what they do. Having read the statement by Eclectic today, I also agree that they were mistreated by Administration. There are a lot of separate issues here and it is important to separate them so that the wrong people are not affected.
1:48
Blackmail is when you threaten to do something to someone if they don't do something you want. The co-op is shutting down next week regardless of what anyone does, therefore this is obviously not blackmail.
If the co-op has promised its equipment and services to performances (especially theses), it may be violating its status as a student group to then withdraw these services without reason (as opposed to, for example, the second stage strike system that justifies the termination of various services depending on infractions made by the show).
also it is a real asshole move to do that to a person's thesis
There are no previously contracted thesis shows that will be canceled by the co-op. You can look at the calendar. Additionally, the co-op provides sound for thesis needs completely unrelated to it's service as a WSA sponsored club. Again, this is a bonus that the co-op provides for thesis students that is not even condoned by the WSA itself as a thesis event is technically the sole responsibility of the thesis writer/performer and not the student body at large.
Using the equipment for a personal thesis may even violate WSA rules but we do it anyway.
The reason stated expressly in my letter explains that the co-op and co-op workers will not work on a campus that restricts the type, size, and kind of show for no apparent reason as this is blatant discrimination and completely antithetical to the basis on which the co-op was founded. Imagine if the school decided that plays about black/white/asian people were too much of a 'risk' to take and banned them from the '92. Would the second stage workers still work? I know that this is a much subtler discrimination but as someone who is deeply committed to the Wesleyan music scene it is still disgusting in my eyes.
-Yale Yng-Wong
yale is one of the smartest people i know.
wow, eclectic 2.0. your stupidity, immaturity and selfishness is never-ending.
what is eclectic 2.0?
less than half of the coop workers who signed the letter are eclectic members.
coop does not have money allotted to them annually out of sbc funds. workers get paid by the hour and equipment buys are petitioned to the sbc just like anything else. there isnt any income made for the group.
it is worth noting that of people who had shows REGISTERED with coop during the period of the strike (none of which are thesis shows), none have complained to us about the cancellation of our services. We are, as Yale said, more than willing to help find a cheap alternative for sound, but sound for any shows we will not be working because of the strike -- especially for those that we had not accepted before the decision was made -- should be the responsibility of the school to find or pay for.
Lastly, for those who are complaining about the cancellation of any shows that may stem from the strike, I would like to ask you to apply that same indignation to the shows that will be canceled with Eclectic being off the table as a venue.
I can promise that I will be just as dismayed as anyone else, if not more, by any show cancellations, but if you would like to help get the student control of the music scene, and thus the shows, back on track please address these issues with Roth, Backer, or Whaley.
-Amanda
Are you comparing closing down Eclectic to the subjugation of minority cultures?
Congrats, you just lost my support.
Is there a way to take my name off the petition?
First of all, I am from a minority culture if by minority you mean within the United States. Secondly no, I am not directly comparing the subjugation (?) of minority cultures to closing down Eclectic. I am saying that discrimination is discrimination no matter what angle you view it from. There are certainly different levels of 'intensity' or 'seriousness' that can and are argued every day since the beginning of time but my point stands that discrimination as a word applies to both examples.
Look up the definition of subjugation, I don't think that's the word you're looking for, in fact, it isn't the word you're looking for.
Additionally, your ironic rejoinder 'Congrats' to your first sentence completely negates any seriousness you may feel regarding the subjugation (?) of minority cultures.
You are displaying a classic example of self-righteousness whereby you act offended as a guise to impose power over the person you are responding to. If you really wanted to take your name off the petition, wouldn't you first check the website of the petition instead of insulting me only to then ask me to do you a favor?
Additionally, you are a coward for insulting my name without posting your own. If I don't know your name, how am I to take it off the petition?
Please do not mock outrage anonymously just to feel better about yourself. It's embarrassing.
-Yale Yng-Wong
I'm the self righteous one? I'm not the one pointing you to the dictionary.
Subjugation refers to when a group or authority puts another group under their control in a subservient position. It's exactly the word I was looking for. African-American people were made submissive to the white people first through slavery, and then inequality in civil rights and liberties. I mean exactly what I say. I have just as much of a right to go to this school as you.
To me, what I find appalling is your belief that you are somehow being discriminated against. I happen to be a student of color here and I was offended by your comments. Explain to me how exactly Eclectic is discriminated against? The university has not said that hipsters aren't allowed to eat at the dining halls. They haven't said that Eclectic members are required to pay an additional 40,000 dollars to go here. How is there discrimination in play?
Allow me to provide you with an illustration that might shed some light on this issue. I have always enjoyed Eclectic parties. I have been to many, and found myself saying that these were, in fact, the best parties on campus. That's not to say I haven't had my differences with some of the membership, but on the whole, they are a group of standup people who are very nice. When the ban first was announced to the student body, I was angered and frustrated and wanted to make my voice heard: I signed the petition.
As the issue progressed, I found myself becoming more and more angry with how Eclectic was handling the issue. Telling half truths, or masquerading opinion as fact. Or inter-splicing reported fact with overheard conjecture while maintaining an air of "transparence."
Then, Sound Co-Op decided to discontinue the lending of equipment until the Eclectic ban is resolved. I became more frustrated and asked myself how this could help. I thought it was doing exactly what the administration had done. The brass took away Eclectic, ergo there would be fewer fun concerts and events. At least there are other options and these events could happen elsewhere, I thought. Then, sound co-op stopped lending equipment. There would be no technological structure in place to support those other locales, ergo there would be less fun concerts and events.
I still felt that as frustrated as I am, it was not fair what was done to Eclectic. But then you made your comment comparing Eclectic being shut down to an administrative ban on plays containing racial minorities, and I lost it. A comment like that would only be made at a school like Wesleyan with people so fortunate as to be able to attend parties at Eclectic and be outraged at their absence. I have parents who lived through the civil rights movement, and grandparents who were beaten and bloodied to stand up for something that was so clearly wrong but institutionally allowed. The right to party, sadly, doesn't even remotely make me feel sorry.
How does this relate to the Eclectic ban? A number of little frustrations and irritations can amount into something much larger than the sum of the parts. And the straw that breaks the camel's back can be something so simple as a not-entirely-well-thought-out-argumentative-conceit.
I want my name off the petition, because I no longer believe what it stands for. And excuse me for not wanting to give you my name, but after the way you've ravaged at the commenters here, I don't feel particularly safe divulging information like that.
Believe me: my outrage is very sincere. And you really shouldn't call someone self righteous when you have the tone that you did.
10:15
I don't argue that I'm not being completely self-righteous because I am totally being self-righteous. You would be too if people were calling your an idiot and a liar and and asshole anonymously because you made a decision that you think is justified. How else am I supposed to defend myself than to respond incredulously to such a swath of people that have no respect for fellow students that they take advantage of every weekend only to shit on when they get fucked by a decision that largely has nothing to do with them.
I'm sorry that I've offended you by making a self admittedly 'wide' analogy but you cannot deny that discrimination is a loaded word and there was little chance I wouldn't take heat somewhere from someone for using it casually. However, you simply cannot in one breath accuse me of being a privileged hipster with no understanding of the woes of the world past and present when you've taken my words completely out of context. I appreciate the fact that you responded with a much more real post than your initial one, but it's really still wrong to play the race card here as you are taking my words completely out of context. I did not say, what if the school didn't allow black people in plays, I said what if the school didn't allow plays about black/white/asian people because it was too 'risky' for them. My point was not to pull on the history of each respective culture but to put out three examples that are equally ludicrous to be openly 'discriminated' against in this day and age. My point was that there is simply no reason why the school should treat loud nighttime events any differently from daytime events.
I simply cannot respect your decision to play the race card this way, and I don't appreciate you referencing your history as though this is some game of 'oneupmanship.' Some people's families had it even worse than yours and sometimes those people don't feel the same intensity towards race as you do. Does that mean that they are less worthy of mentioning race analogously or that their feelings concerning race are less 'adequate' or 'correct?' I would argue no. Again, I appreciate your response because it makes your feelings clear and believable and I'm sorry for offending you, but we are both students of color and I have no idea why you think that as an Asian American I would be less sensitive or understanding of the plight of modern American minorities and their respective histories than any other person that has grown up with a similar identity.
My apologies for being short with your first post, but I hope, after reading through the mess of this comments section why my fuse would be far past its end at this point.
I think we are now satisfactorily completely past where we were supposed to be so, here's to the internet, destroyer of everything good and rational. Consider this my farewell.
-Yale Yng-Wong
Yale, your argument makes absolutely no sense. Actual discrimination based on real racism and sexism and classism have NOTHING to do with a group legitimately getting in trouble for having certain events. This isn't a matter of randomly deciding someone is "risky," this is a matter of you guys throwing a lot of super-loud parties that got complaints from neighbors of the campus.
Stop making strawmen--the more you talk, the more you LOSE sympathy. Dumbass.
12:23
gross.
blah blah blah blah eclectic still sucks
At least this is the first time Eclectic (because WSC = Eclectic) has done anything except ask the rest of the student body to do everything for them.
Maybe if they continue to take actions instead of demanding actions of others, they will accomplish something other than pissing everyone off.
The assumption that the Sound Co-op is inseparable from Eclectic is pretty disrespectful to co-op members who are not part of Eclectic. It's embarrassing how the discourse on this subject has devolved into a pissing contest about fairness, who has a right to the equipment, who has a right to feel discriminated against and whether Eclectic/Wesleyan deserves to be punished.
We're all students. Where's the whimsy? Where's the supportive spirit I raved about as a freshman? The socially coded vindictiveness present in many of these posts is something I know we all wanted to leave behind in high school. Regardless of how angry you are, if we all started being nice to each other there might be some interesting results.
If you came to school here, on some level you probably thought it was going to be at least a little bit fun. I heard Wesleyan used to be an activist campus. I'm surprised we can't join hands now (please forgive the cliché) and try and have some fun fucking with the administration. Collective action is both rewarding and effective. If you want to continue bickering, fine. Still, I encourage you to try being a little less serious, look for some common ground, and see if we can make things a little more exciting around here.
I think this is an immature and silly move.
There are two possible things that could happen:
1) The appeal is granted. In this case, the Sound Co-Op's decision to cancel its events for the semester certainly didn't contribute to the granting of an appeal, and probably harmed the case. If you were the administration, wouldn't you be far less likely to grant an appeal now, now that you'd be rewarding immature behavior / people not going through the proper channels? It sets a bad precedent that's not good for an administration to set - that throwing a temper tantrum will help you get your way. This will detract rather than add to the case for granting an appeal. If an appeal is granted, it would have been, anyway.
2) The appeal is not granted. In this case, the entire student body is out a Sound Co-Op. In this case, the Sound Co-Op took what was a sucky situation for the student body (not having Eclectic as a venue) and made it worse voluntarily by sabotaging other attempts to organize musical events on campus.
The Sound Co-Op is certainly underappreciated on campus - I've definitely used you guys before for events when I had no idea how to otherwise acquire a speaker. You do great work and it's amazing that you do it voluntarily and for free. I respect that the Sound Co-Op has the right to make this decision - I just think it's not a good decision.
The sound co-op is an independent organization and therefore has the right to cancel its shows in protest if it sees fit. Blame the administration for your failure to produce a substitute, not the co-op. Keep fighting the good fight!!
From what I can tell off-campus, Eclectic has mostly stayed within the "proper channels". But really, "proper channels" only work when the school wants to give you what you want, other wise it's how they fuck you. Somebody finally pushed back but all anybody else wants to do is bicker about it over the internet. Wesleyan activism is dead.
If you define Wesleyan Activism as a small group of students deciding a good way to try to hurt the administration is to punish all of their fellow students for their own inability to not get in trouble, then I'm glad it's dead.
This is not activism. This is a bunch of hipsters throwing a tantrum because they don't like being punished for blatantly breaking all kinds of rules.
1:44 - They had a party! Jeez louise!
THAT'S FUCKING IT! I'VE HAD ENOUGH!
1:55
They are in trouble for A LOT MORE than just "having a party." They are too chicken-shit to bring it up themselves. I cannot say the specifics of the charges as I might get in trouble or my sources might, but rest assured there is much more to this than just "a party."
-Someone who knows
2 parties? drug trafficking? 3 parties?
2:05 (aka: "Someone who knows")
Hi! I am a member of Eclectic. I would love to know what you know that I don't know considering I just walked our appeal with all of the charges against us enclosed over to President Roth's office, met with Roth yesterday and know far more about the situation than you do. If you want you can hit me up in a private email at sbery@wesleyan.edu since I can imagine this is embarrassing for you.
I am also available by phone at 617.548.1465.
Sara'o Bery '09
Wesleying ought to do away with anonymous posts.
2:05 (aka: "Someone who knows")
Hi! I am a member of Eclectic. I would love to know what you know that I don't know considering I just walked our appeal with all of the charges against us enclosed over to President Roth's office, met with Roth yesterday and know far more about the situation than you do. If you want you can hit me up in a private email at sbery@wesleyan.edu since I can imagine this is embarrassing for you.
I am also available by phone at 617.548.1465.
Sara'o Bery '09
Wesleying ought to do away with anonymous posts.
2:05 is completely right. I too have information of Eclectic's full run in with the SJB from last semester, and the fact that the Eclectic society is not coming clean with all of this information is simply misleading.
And no, Sara'o, I'm not going to reveal who I am, no matter how much you whine. There's a role for anonymous posting - it's when you don't want an entire greek society targeting you personally for standing up for the truth.
eclectic isn't greek and you're a chicken shit.
I'm also a member of the society, and would also love to know the details that you know that we don't. Please tell me about all the violations that Eclectic was charged with. And then, after that, you can go to Scott Backer's office and ask how many SJBs the Eclectic society has received this entire year. The answer will be one (1).
Additionally, the co-op does not equal eclectic, get it out of your stupid brains, it is a group that does all the student-sponsored events on campus that need that sort of equipment. Eclectic needs that sort of equipment a lot. so they work there a lot. That does not mean that sound co-op members have to jump for fucking joy when more than half of their potential pay is totally nixed because eclectic gets shutdown after one event that had nothing to do with the co-op. I wish there was a stupid checker that you had to go through before being able to post on here. I also can't believe that you are even students here.
Anyone know how many times the individual members of ecclectic or people living there have been SJBed?
I heard that ecclectic generally has a policy of their individual members taking SJBs so their organization doesn't have to so they can try to avoid punishments as a house. The fact that the individual members responsible weren't allowed to be individually sjbed seems to back this up. If this is true I find the fact that ecclectic is trying to deceive the student body in the same way as they deceive the administration rather objectionable. Anyone know if there's any truth to this?
No, no individual member of Eclectic has been SJBed this year in order to 'take the fall' for the society because the Society hasn't been charged once for an event they sponsored except for the December event. Eclectic has, much to the surprise of everyone I suppose, been essentially flawless this year regarding University rules. I don't live in the house but I'm pretty sure no one or maybe a couple people have even been personally SJBed this year. Stop making up conspiracy theories that literally slander something you don't understand, it's really unhelpful for everyone.
"Someone who knows"
The Shadow posts on Wesleying?
We're in for it now.
Post a Comment