Tribe 8.
Now that I have your attention. . . .
I considered my role in the whole Tribe 8/censorship(?)/punk rock/Oberlin college image thing, and came to the conclusion that I have many. So I'll touch on all of them. I play punk rock. Depending on who you are, you may think is a disputable fact. Whatever.
I play punk rock, so it's part of my role to say "fuck off" to the establishment, or something. And I'm also a part of what some have deemed an "establishment" of sorts, that being a part of the Review managing staff. So I suppose the fitting role to take would be to fuck myself. Which in writing this I may well be doing - that has yet to be seen.
But enough about me, let's chat about this Tribe 8 for the smallest amount of time possible. If you've made it this far, then you most likely know at least the part about the dildo, and can skip the next few paragraphs.
For the two of you that've been under a rock, here's the skinny: Oct. 28, lesbian punk band at 'Sco, people see pictures of singer with fake schlong and bowie knife, the fake phallus was not touched (except by someone's mouth), some people find it humorous, some people don't. Then things get a little messy.
High standing admin-type-people actively deplore the actions that went on, and without full knowledge of what happened, take a stance. People link stance to censorship. People are mad, and justifiably. After some time and clearing up of what exactly happened, admin people ease off a bit. However, they do so in a closed General Faculty meeting, telling the 17 students inside and ignoring the 100 outside waiting to find out. Not exactly owning up in front of the opposition.
(All you people who knew everything can start reading again now).
Bottom line is that the administration felt people within our little Ohio-topian community would feel threatened, and that they had to take a stance to protect them. They also felt the "real world" view of the school could be tarnished. ("So, Nancy, heard you guys bring naked armed lesbian punks to campus for entertainment. Pretty interesting. You wanted how much money?") So everyone has to decide whether the administration can protect us from topless women with knives, not quite the leaders of violence in our community last time I checked, but I suppose it's a valid concern.
To backtrack for a little which, this is not the first time the concerns of the "community" have been brought between "entertainers" and the "people" being "entertained." There was a show last spring that brought it's fair share of controversy with it. The Crucifucks are a punk band from Michigan with somewhat of a large following, as Oberlin found out. The show was held in the basement of Harkness in late April. The crowd of approximately 300 people was made of a bunch of Oberlin students and a lot of punk kids from Cleveland and beyond, who came to see the Crucifucks' first show in nine years.
The mass amounts of "out-of-town people," who according to then Assistant Dean of Students Yeworkwha Belachew did not "know our culture."
So the protecting of Oberlin's culture happens again. Granted the punks toting 40's scared the Harkness residents. Granted some glass was broken, sure maybe the show was going at 2 a.m. when Belachew showed up and made the Crucifucks stop their set. Protecting the Oberlin community from the outside world.
The Tribe 8 and Crucifucks shows will have some long lasting effects, but mainly on the shows brought into Oberlin. The fact Harkness will now, and most likely for some time, avoid any kind of punk show like a meat entree is one. No more Citizen Fish, Anti-Flag, or Crucifucks in the basement, providing an alternative to the shows given by concert board. There are, and will continue to be shows in Harkness, but not the same.
Actually, you could lay bricks on the pulse of the shows that'll be taking place in the basement anytime soon.
Which brings our little journey to concert board. Concert board has bought a lot of shows to the 'Sco this year. This is a good thing, Ani DiFranco, Tribe 8, Stereolab, Shellac, Trans Am, Six Finger Satellite, Gaunt, etc. all in three months. I kinda doubt that anyone would trust the adminstration's taste in music to be brought to the 'Sco or Finney. Which is why the Student Union's authority over the shows is, thankfully, complete. And hopefully untouched.
There's a fine line between balancing the outward views of Oberlin as either morally depraved and twisted and letting everyone do what they want. The bands involved are not the issue anymore. An issue, yes. One issue is censorship.
Another is just punk fuckin' rock vs. the old (well, sorta) and stodgy (well, sometimes) administrative forces. I saw this movie once, anyone else? Punk's fun. Punk's sometimes offensive. That's part of the fun.
Related Stories:
Tribe 8 performance within the bounds of artistic expression
-Roger Copeland (Professor of Theater)
-November 22, 1996Censorship contrary to Oberlin's standards
-Jocelyn Curry (College Junior)
-November 22, 1996President acts in our best interests
-Booker C. Peek (Associate Professor African-American Studies)
