vision2020
FW: FW: ironic, ain't it?
I am forwarding this from the President of The Moscow Mardi Gras Committee.
Jerry
-----Original Message-----
From: kathys@moscow.com [mailto:kathys@moscow.com]
Sent: Sunday, February 25, 2001 4:11 PM
To: Jerry L. Schutz
Subject: Re: FW: ironic, ain't it?
If these people really care about the youth why don't they offer an
alternative to the "bar hop"? I guess the fact that Frontier donated a
banner that would have otherwise cost the committee $900 doesn't
matter. Next year we can spend the money on an inoffensive
banner instead of giving it to Festival Dance or the nonalcoholic
senior party at Moscow High. Everyone wants something for their
contribution and thus far the beer distributors have been the most
gracious and least greedy people I have worked with. In addition to
his financial sponsorship Craig Kelson has volunteered his personal
time because he believes in what we're doing.
What is with people? Mardi Gras was originally just an excuse to
party away the late winter blues. I would have to ask Cope but I
don't think his original goal was to cure cancer or create world
peace. I don't think just having a good time is in and of itself an evil
thing.
We have added the kid's carnival so the kids can have some age
appropriate fun as well. We have all types of music happening in all
sorts of environments at night now. The event is so much more
than just drunken debauchery. I suppose the people criticizing it
haven't attended Mardi Gras recently enough to realize it has grown
since their own college days. Obviously some of the critics don't
know the true history of the event and weren't here when Moscow
had a downtown hardware store.
When someone other than a beer distributor is willing to make a
donation of $900 dollars with the only string attached being their
name I will consider retiring the current banner. If people are
concerned with gratuitous corporate sponsorship maybe they need
to take another look at the Jazz Festival poster. I am beginning to
wonder why I put in the long volunteer hours to benefit other
people's children when my reward is criticism for where the money
is coming from. Get real folks, Mardi Gras will continue as a bar
event whether the proceeds go to charity or not. If you don't like
where the money originates then keep your children away from any
group receiving Mardi Gras grants.
Mardi Gras board president and disgruntled volunteer Katherine
Sprague
"Jerry L. Schutz" <jschutz@moscow.com>
To: "Katherine Sprague" <kathys@moscow.com>
Subject: FW: ironic, ain't it?
Date sent: Sat, 24 Feb 2001 19:31:24 -0800
-----Original Message-----
From: Jennifer Swanberg [mailto:JJSwanberg@TurboNet.com]
Sent: Friday, February 23, 2001 9:20 PM
To: vision2020@moscow.com
Cc: Vision2020 (E-mail)
Subject: Re: ironic, ain't it?
I view this as being one step closer to transparency rather than being
ironic.
We allowed our local bars to play a large role in guiding the evolution of
the Moscow Mardis Gras celebration. The Beaux Arts Ball was once a single
site event. It grew too large to accommodate space downtown and when it was
moved to a alcohol free University of Idaho site, both the bars and drinkers
protested loudly. Mardis Gras has been not much more than a glorified bar
hopping event since. Many moderate drinkers began to stay home. It does
not surprise me that we have come to a point of juxtaposing beer commercials
to Mardis Gras celebration and youth benefit ads. I am saddened more than
offended. What benefit to youth are a few measly dollars if the adult
recreational role models around this event are primarily alcohol centered?
"Alcohol advertisements overwhelmingly associate
drinking with positively valued activities
and consequences such as romance, sociability,
and relaxation and create a climate in which
drinking is presented as normal, appropriate and
benevolent. More subtly, the use of alcohol is
linked to happiness, wealth, power, prestige,
sophistication, success, maturity, athletic
ability,
virility, romance, creativity, sexual
satisfaction, and other positive images.
Adolescents who are
heavily exposed to advertising were more likely
to agree that drinkers possess valued
characteristics such as being attractive,
athletic or successful." (US Department of
Health and Human
Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration, 1994.
Cheers,
Jennifer
Bill London wrote:
> Today (2/23) I noticed a large banner hanging across Main Street at
> Friendship Square in downtown Moscow.
> The banner was divided into two halves. The red half included the
> words: "Budweiser, King of Beers." The white half included the words:
> "Moscow Mardi Gras, First Saturday in March, Proceeds Benefit Local
> Youth."
> The banners across Main Street there are hung by the City of Moscow on a
> permit basis, and are restricted to community groups, not commercial
> advertisers. That city ordinance is designed to keep ugly billboards,
> especially those advertising commercial products detrimental to youth
> and the community, away from the downtown area.
> So, does anyone else besides me find this beer commercial masquerading
> as a community event announcement offensive? or ironic? or disgusting?
>
> letter to the editor from Bill London, Moscow
Bill London wrote:
> Today (2/23) I noticed a large banner hanging across Main Street at
> Friendship Square in downtown Moscow.
> The banner was divided into two halves. The red half included the
> words: "Budweiser, King of Beers." The white half included the words:
> "Moscow Mardi Gras, First Saturday in March, Proceeds Benefit Local
> Youth."
> The banners across Main Street there are hung by the City of Moscow on a
> permit basis, and are restricted to community groups, not commercial
> advertisers. That city ordinance is designed to keep ugly billboards,
> especially those advertising commercial products detrimental to youth
> and the community, away from the downtown area.
> So, does anyone else besides me find this beer commercial masquerading
> as a community event announcement offensive? or ironic? or disgusting?
>
> letter to the editor from Bill London, Moscow
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