Politics at Moogfest

[Mitchell Chastain]

Browsing facebook earlier today and noticed the "rally to restore sanity" link on the moogfest 2010 page. This makes me both angry and sad. I just can't believe moog would stoop to pushing their political agenda at an event such as this. It doesn't matter what side of the fence you're on, to me, this is not the venue for it. Don't they realize if they take a stand politically about half of their potential customers will be angered? (last polls still show the country split near 50/50). Besides all that, most people are aware of the problems with the country right now and this would have been a perfect weekend to just go hear some great music and forget all that for a minute....
What makes me the saddest is now, I will think 3 times before purchasing any more Moog gear, and believe me, I have a ton of it...new and old. I have trouble getting past these things. I'm sure I can't be the only one that feels this way.
This is just me expressing my feelings on this issue and in no way intended to spark a political debate. I couldn't care less what the forum's political views are.

[Sir Nose]

I can see your point. But the rally to sanity is a joke. Yes, there is a political slant and it's political humor. But a joke non-the-less. It not a serious rally, it's entertainment.

[EricK]

Well I surely can understand your feelings, but what makes that difficult is that Moog makes such quality products that have such a top notch sound, the only people hurt by boycotting Moog are the Boycotters.

My impression of Asheville as an outsider who has stayed a few days is that it is a pretty liberal town. I don't know anything about the local politics there but a community of artists and musicians isn't generally going to lean in a neutral fashion.

As an artist, what I try to do is to portray myself through my music as somewhat of a professional. Unless I just take a stand on something, I usually don't try to do things that would alienate a particular listener. I would try to bring together everyone. I can see how a link to the Rally to restore sanity (and or fear) might rub you the wrong way.

Sorry,
Eric

[mayidunk]

I suppose since it's their fest, they get to do stuff like that. As far as politicizing things, it seems you're the only one politicizing. You say that you have a problem getting past these things. You're saying that you'll think several times before you buy another Moog product. That's too bad, because since you choose to make such a public a stand on this, you then paint yourself into a corner of your own making. In front of all of us.

Listen, we all have points of view. We all have our particular champions. We all agree to live and let live. These are particularly difficult times for all of us. Moog may have contracted with Comedy Central to plug the rally to make some money, who knows?

There's an old saying, "Choose your battleground." Is this really the hill upon which you want to take a public stand? If Moog Music chooses to take a public stand on these things, it still doesn't alter their products in any way. And, at least in this collection of fora, we are really only all about the gear. And the music. But, mostly the gear. So, perhaps for just this once, you could just decide to cancel the battle? No need to retract anything, just decide that this may not be the best hill on which to stand. Especially seeing as no one else here seems to be is standing at the foot of that hill, waiting to take it!

All we want to do is talk about Moog synths. Posts like yours' can be misconstrued as being a troll, and can only result in your finding yourself with no one to talk to. People here don't usually let themselves get sucked into such conversations, and the moderators are usually pretty good about rooting out the trolls.

So, what do you say?

[Mitchell Chastain]

I was trying to express my thoughts without being political... guess i failed at that! You guys make good points. I guess what i meant is, why would they choose to even get involved in that when it's supposed to be a celebration of Dr. Moog and all his contributions. I understand what it's all about.... I've been watching Jon Stewart for years, but I know what the underlying agenda is here. The "show your support for a progressive future" is sort of a giveaway! Makes you wonder if they would have invited everyone over to a Glenn Beck rally if one had been going on down the street.....haha.
Probably should have kept that "think 3 times " comment to myself, so I take that back.
I do love that Moog gear.......

[theglyph]

FWIW a link on the facebook page for Moogfest likely has nothing to do with Moog Music. Moogfest is being run by AC Entertainment and there's a good possibility that the facebook page is being run by someone who doesn't even own Moog gear.

[anoteoftruth]

This is a rediculous thread.

[HB3]

No, it's ridikalus.

I have to think that rally may not be the cleverest idea anyway, in the face of the national mood....you know?

[mayidunk]

Ree-donkulous!

[Kevin Lightner]

I'm guessing it was a joke or something the writer assumed would be funny to most readers.
Obviously not and why it's usually better for a business not to mention religion or politics.
Some things can have a negative or dividing impact regardless of truth or intentions.

For example, one doesn't see "Moog uses many Chinese components- support China, buy a Moog."
It may be the truth, but it won't help sell synths.

And no, I'm not picking on Moog.
I doubt one can buy any piece of electronics today that doesn't have Chinese parts somewhere in it.

[Sweep]

I do see where Mitchell Chastain is coming from with this, and reading his initial post he was careful to say why he didn't think Moogfest was an appropriate setting for political statements - regardless of political orientation.

It seems his concern has been questioned, but his reasons haven't been sufficiently acknowledged.

Speaking personally, I couldn't tell which political party was supposed to be being promoted. Maybe if I'd been American and not British it would have been obvious, but nevertheless it seems that Mitchell's own political views aren't being pushed - merely his concern about any political agenda being pushed at a Moog event. And I'm with him on that. Likewise when he says how ill-advised it would be if Moog was pushing some political stance, since that would risk alienating half their supporters.

Overall Mitchell seems to have steered a careful and balanced course in his initial post, but nevertheless he's been dismissed for being overly political, which is ironic when he was in fact questioning the relevance of political allegiances.

I think this issue really needs a comment from Moog as a company to clarify whether the Facebook posting was the work of some unconnected individual or whether the company does indeed intend to take some partisan political stance in future. If there is a political agenda, how we each respond to it is our own business. Some will find it a matter for concern, while other's won't be bothered at all. But I think we do need to know what the real issue is so we can make our personal choices.

[HB3]

Ah, it's no biggie. But yes, as an American, I can tell you it's clear to most that the rally is "progressive" in the political sense. I don't think it really matters.

[EricK]

This is kindof funny.

You guys know im from Arkansas. Well last night on Anderson Coper 360, he called out this Clint McCance, who is the vp of some school board in some redneck town here in Arkansas EVEN I HAVENT HEARD OF. This Clint guy went on a horrible homophobic rant on his facebook page because they wanted him to wear a purple shirt to combat cyber bullying. He referred to the multitude of recent suicides of homosexuals, and celebrated them essentially but indirectly condoning and even taking part in a way in the cyber bullying himself, as this all went down publicly on his facebook profile.

Basically, Anderson Cooper called this guy out, showed his facebook page, showed his picture, said and repeated his name, all in the spirit of keeping him honest. While the guest on Cooper's show was about stopping bullying in all forms, CNN was actually indirectly encouraging people to go to Clint's facebook page and vent their anger on him.

Hoards of people logged on to his profile page and proceeded to vent their anger and frustration on him , esentially engaging in the type of harassment and cyber bullying that they so rallied to combat.

This thread sort of reminds me of that lol.


I have got to get the hell out of the south lolol. Oh my yankee heart that yearns for Niagara Falls....

Eric

[museslave]

There's a good chance many of the people who design, manufacture, or fund the things you love have political or religious views you don't agree with.


Unrelated:
mayidunk, it freaks me out every time I see your avatar- it reminds me of how challenging it was to vacuum that carpet under that thing.

[Sweep]

There's a good chance many of the people who design, manufacture, or fund the things you love have political or religious views you don't agree with.

Of course. But publicly campaigning for those views as a company policy is quite different, I think?

A few years ago I unsubscribed from a board for a certain synth maker who used his site to promote various Creationist ideas. I have no objection to his reigion or his right to follow it - I've also bought other isntruments from a guy whose Christianity has a definite evangelical/fundamentalist slant to it. But there was no way I was going to fund deliberate propaganda and misinformation in the case of the Creationist guy. Private views are one thing, but misinformation that causes problems in society is quite another. The same would apply to active political campaigning. I'd have to be sure the politics in question was beneficial and much needed before I'd want to be funding it. And right now I'm sorry to say I can't see any poilitical party in my own country that I could say that about, and America doesn't seem much different.