Cultural Segregation

With the upcoming “Beirut Rock Festival 2009”, certain schools ended up distributing papers addressed to parents that mainly request that their children do not attend such an event. Although this wouldn’t seem troubling if the school actually cared for the students, but this is more of a cultural attack on a certain culture, and especially on select people.

The Letter states that the event is “Dangerous”, and although they appreciate music and enjoy it, they claim that during the event, certain “Gothic” groups will attempt to spread it’s culture, referred to as “The culture of death”, and will spread and display dark thoughts. The letter also states that there will be a high risk of presence and distribution of drugs, and that there is a severely high probability that there will be practice of certain “satanic” rituals. Finally the note questions the event’s ban on cameras and filming affirming that this will only serves the purpose to have no witnesses. Therefore it advises parents to not let their children attend such an event to “protect and preserve” them.

This letter however tend to lack certain logical elements that tie the arguments all together, and seem more to adopt the fear to attack a certain culture using mainstream words and linking them unfairly to certain facts. Not only that but it shows a severe level of ignorance to the Gothic subculture and the bands that are coming. Here are some elements of the Gothic ideology (retrieved from Wikipedia)

“Goths, in terms of their membership in the subculture, are usually not supportive of violence, but rather tolerant. Many in the media have incorrectly associated the Goth subculture with violence, hatred of minorities, and other acts of hate.[...]The second impediment to explicitly defining a gothic ideology is goth’s generally apolitical nature. While individual defiance of social norms was a very risky business in the nineteenth century, today it is far less socially radical. Thus, the significance of goth’s subcultural rebellion is limited, and it draws on imagery at the heart of Western culture. Unlike the hippie or punk movements, the goth subculture has no pronounced political messages or cries for social activism. The subculture is marked by its emphasis on individualism, tolerance for diversity, a strong emphasis on creativity, tendency toward intellectualism, and a mild tendency towards cynicism, but even these ideas are not universal to all goths. Goth ideology is based far more on aesthetics and simplified ethics than politics.”

Is this the culture of death? Seriously?

These statements are enough to disregard the letter main argument that such things would actually harm the children. And to back up their claims of “high probability” of such things occurring one would rather ask for solid evidence rather than random talk shot through the air.

Furthermore, this event is organized heavily by not so random people, and also the effort put to bring in such bands, like Anathema, or other people like Yann Tiersen and Peter Murphy, would at least show a high level of professionalism. Add to that the known sponsors. Such popular, famous and professional people would not allow drugs in and that organizing committee would never allow such a things to happen.

… At least, that is what common sense dictates.

The final argument stated in the letter and which targets the ban on cameras, actually if you would try searching the internet for “Camera Bans in Concerts” you would be amazed by how many hits you will find and how many people would ask advice on how to sneak cameras inside concerts (here is a discussion topic on Flickr ) it appears that the permission to allow cameras in, is part of the artist’s choice. After all, cameras are also banned in cinemas and other great festivals and events (that usually take part in the Casino De Liban), it would be inappropriate to assume that satanic rituals do occur in movie theaters and high level organized events. So are we only targeting the bands and the genre foolishly without grounds?

As a personal statement, certain letters have been distributed on November 13, one day prior to the Anathema, To/Die/For, Tristmoon and Weeping Willow concert and hence it would seem to be targeting that genre and bands, even though the letter targets explicitly the entire event.

In conclusion, the letter sent to students in certain catholic schools appears to be a direct cultural attack on the genre and the bands. The letter lacks grounds on which to make such accusations and estimation and it seems to be spreading fear in regard to a genuine event that most people were looking forward to. It also shows of a deep misunderstanding of the culture and the nature of the event.

On a personal note, I am frustrated by the amount of ignorance that came with that letter. Not only that, but it makes me question the message that they themselves preach about and that is the acceptance and tolerance of the other cultures and opinions, hopefully that soon people will look into more in educating themselves about things they do not know of, before making random judgments that leads only in distorting the truth and promoting cultural segregation and fear.

Lord, in your mercy, hear my prayer

[..]

Help me.

Anathema, Crestfallen

Check Also:  Another Post About the subject by a fellow blogger (Independance 05, Liliane)

Filed under Lebanon, Opinion, Society | Comments (15)