Comments on: Comments on 18046

Post number 18046

me3dia — Tue, 25 Jun 2002 14:17:14 -0800

Blue Springs, Missouri, is receiving federal funds for "Gothic Culture Research." "The funding for the proposed gothic program will supplement existing services already in place and allow the city to target additional 'at risk' youth in the gothic culture." Apparently, gothism is a "gateway" culture that may lead to harder stuff.

By: me3dia

me3dia — Tue, 25 Jun 2002 14:23:41 -0800

Whoops, jumped the gun -- they're seeking funds, not receiving them yet. The advisory headline was misleading. I predict bumper stickers saying things like "Goth is not a crime!" and protests involving a whole bunch of pale people in black clothes milling around the courthouse steps looking forlorn. (Via disenchanted, by the way.)

By: katieinshoes

katieinshoes — Tue, 25 Jun 2002 14:31:03 -0800

Sheesh. Only in the Midwest. [I live in Kansas, I'm not really surprised.]

By: ColdChef

ColdChef — Tue, 25 Jun 2002 14:35:46 -0800

I predict bumper stickers saying things like "Goth is not a crime!" and protests involving a whole bunch of pale people in black clothes milling around the courthouse steps looking forlorn. Sunlight would make them burst into flames.

By: insomnyuk

insomnyuk — Tue, 25 Jun 2002 14:41:23 -0800

I'm glad my tax dollars are going to something as crucial as this. Mrs. Lovejoy: "Won't somebody think of the children?"

By: patrickje

patrickje — Tue, 25 Jun 2002 15:06:53 -0800

Hmmm... will it stop them from convicting people based purely on their clothes?

By: insomnia_lj

insomnia_lj — Tue, 25 Jun 2002 15:18:42 -0800

"Apparently, gothism is a "gateway" culture that may lead to harder stuff." Industrial?! Or even worse... websites featuring gratuitous use of animated torches and spinning pentacles!

By: sigma7

sigma7 — Tue, 25 Jun 2002 15:50:47 -0800

I blame the goth/industrial community for my damagingly expensive CD-buying addiction. Those Ant-Zen buying sprees can bankrupt a person like nobody's business.

By: rebeccablood

rebeccablood — Tue, 25 Jun 2002 16:00:37 -0800

I linked to a story on this earlier this month. it's less scary than it sounds. kind of clueless...

By: Mars Saxman

Mars Saxman — Tue, 25 Jun 2002 16:26:01 -0800

Note the date - this is the same thing we discussed a couple of months ago. One odd thing about this press release is this quote: "The recent gothic culture movement in the area over the past two years" - so this is new to them. It's not like they're randomly deciding to pick on a subculture that isn't even particularly prominent right now. I guess if Blue Springs, Missouri is some small town in the hills that's never seen fishnet shirts and heavy eyeliner, I can see why they might be alarmed. It's kind of cute, in a way, to think of a place where a music-based subculture still has the power to shock and frighten.

By: 23lemurs

23lemurs — Tue, 25 Jun 2002 17:35:18 -0800

"It's kind of cute, in a way, to think of a place where a music-based subculture still has the power to shock and frighten." How cute depends entirely on how big the local population is and what prompted the project. This looks to me like an attempt to harass or label a small number of teens who are visible in the community... The fact that part of the money will go to "surveillance" and "youth and family counseling" to combat what is described as a "potential increase" in negative behaviors only strengthens this impression. In other words: your appearance upsets us, anything that upsets us can be labeled a potential problem, we therefore label you "high risk." That label - "high risk" - carries real consequences with it in many school districts...so this looks more punitive than cute to me.

By: alumshubby

alumshubby — Tue, 25 Jun 2002 17:52:44 -0800

Missouri, eh? I sense the hand of Gruppenfuehrer Ashcroft behind all this...

By: howa2396

howa2396 — Tue, 25 Jun 2002 18:02:06 -0800

Well, its official a witch hunt now. [STAMP]

By: animoller

animoller — Tue, 25 Jun 2002 20:08:33 -0800

They are asking for funds so they can research who are the "at risk" kids. That's not a bad thing. It sounds like they are trying to protect kids, not throw them in jail.

By: sigma7

sigma7 — Wed, 26 Jun 2002 06:17:46 -0800

animoller: while that's certainly a good and noble idea, I'm still scratching my head about what ties the goth subculture with at-risk behaviour. At risk for what? Owning too much PVC? From my six years "in the scene", I can't fathom what's ultimately so damaging. Drugs? Ok, there have been a few druggies that I've known over the years, but I could literally count them on one hand and still have a finger or two left over. Small potatoes in my book. Depression/mental illness? Every last person (myself included) that has had experience with depression and other maladies had them before, not because of, their involvement in the scene. If anything (and this is purely personal experience) it's less a glorification of the dark bits of the psyche, and more of a purging and reconciliation. But mostly it's just fun music. Underage smoking/drinking? That happens. But that happens everywhere. The scene neither facilitates nor condemns these behaviours. Perhaps I'm oblivious, or perhaps the scene here is too goody-goody, but for the most part, the constituents are generally well-behaved, intelligent, and respectful, though somewhat prone to gossip.

By: erogers

erogers — Wed, 26 Jun 2002 12:54:02 -0800

if you read the story that was originally posted and that rebeccablood refers to, you'll see that to some extent this was a well-meaning grant application that got hijacked by some clueless politicians. and Blue Springs isn't out in the sticks or anything, it's a typical suburb at the edge of Kansas City's sprawl area. i think it is more a case of some politicians seeing an opportunity to attach themselves to a big pot of money more than anything.