RTP-area local music and culture

[James Hepler <jameshepler AT yahoo.com>]

--- Phillip Grosshans
<phillipg AT NODAMNSPAM.duke.Spamfree.edu> wrote:

-snipped for brevity-

> I don't mean to criticize or insult anyone fighting
> the good fight
> against the Center, especially as I'm guilty of
> missing the meeting
> last night.  But, I do think an inordinate amount of
> attention has
> been lavished on "Clear Channel" in this fight, and
> I think your
> arguments against the center will be stronger if you
> never mention
> Clear Channel again.

I think there are a range of arguments to be made
against this facility.  And I think that Clear Channel
is a major part of it.  I share your fear that the
discourse be too focused on that aspect, but I think
that we have the opportunity to make labor issues and
heavy handed, monopolistic business practices a real
issue for our government.  

That said, I encourage you to look at the presentation
here:

http://www.unc.edu/~hepler/durham/

for assurances that you need not worry so much about
what's being discussed.  Ten out of our alloted
fifteen minutes last night were that presentation. 

And I'll add, if it makes you feel better, that none
of my angry correspondence mentioned the words Clear
Channel.  

But all of this is beside the point.  The point is
that the vote that took place was not about whether or
not to have a theater.  The vote was whether or not to
give a four month extension to this proposal, and
among those who proposed it was Clear Channel.  It's
wholly appropriate to protest their involvement.

One point made was that it's ludicrous to use public
funds to line the coffers of private businesses. 
Clear Channel has a track record in this regard.  I
don''t think it was wrong to bring it up in that
context either.

Out of curiosity, were you at the presentation the
developers gave a week ago today?

Hep




        
                
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