I can spot a Brad Ford headline a mile away.
"Is Rapid City's Art Alley Just Another Form of Ghettoizing?" writes Gordon Howie's resident racist non-sequiturist. In Brad Ford's world, Art Alley is really just a trick used by progressives to "bottle up peasants and minorities in urban slums." In Brad Ford's world, Rapid City's elites use Art Alley to beat down the aspirations of young artists who, by being given a public space to express themselves, apparently are tricked into wallowing in curse words, Ebonics, and gansta rap.
Hmm... Derek Smith doesn't sound ghettoized:
Artist Derek Smith says, "Art Alley is essentially the best place to come for unbridled creativity." Derek Smith has been testing his creativity in Art Alley for more than seven years. While many spend their Saturday mornings sleeping in Derek is up early, looking to leave his mark in this downtown creative space. Smith says, "I love the art and I love the energy and vibe I get from coming down here."
Derek is one of several "regulars" who takes advantage of Art Alley's culture. He's not looking to paint profanity; he's not looking to destroy other's work or property. He comes armed with a paper outline and an idea of how he can positively contribute to the Alley. Smith says, "Art Alley is just like a world in and of itself. Everybody has a voice and it's their own voice that's given, and I believe these walls speak volumes to that testament" [Zach Nugent, "Artist Offers Perspective on Art Alley Issues," KEVN-TV, 2013.04.08].
Art Alley is about as far from a racist fascist plot as one can get. Complementing Rapid City's numerous art galleries, Art Alley offers a creative and democratic space that all Rapid Citians can enjoy. It has even inspired citizen cooperation to address the alley's problems and keep it a public good.
I read and publicize Ford's absurdity at some peril to my sanity and the decency of public discourse. But I tell myself there is some public service in dissecting this most grotesque, tumescent case of rhetorical cancer in hopes of helping others find a cure. Ford exhibits most clearly the dangerous tendency of ideologues to stretch every civic issue into an affirmation of their prejudices.
The downside of the internet is that whack-a-doos like Mr. Ford are given a forum to spew their paranoid, ignorant ravings to the world. Sad.
I disagree with hmr59. I think that it is the upside to the internet. It is better to know just what the whack-a-dos are thinking. Exposure of ideas helps the people to decide just who they want in powerful positions. Every time Brad Ford posts, Gordon Howie loses credibility.
Well, we're on a roll today, Cory. Once again there's that word "prejudice." Of course, it's applicable when used in reference to Brad Ford, including with a negative connotation.
With Karl Rove BFF Wadhams running the Rounds campaign I would expect that Wadhams will be running Brad Ford/Ed/Howie posts non-stop to show how the Tea Party opposition to Rounds is divorced from reality...
or not...
Gordon Howie is the Religious Right's version of a Tea Party, and I don't see much difference between Howie and a NeoCon who discusses the Constitution a little more often. I am a Christian, but I find the shoving of fundamentalist Christianity down everyone's throat to be arrogant and unnecessarily divisive. Yes, our country was founded on Judeo-Christian concepts and Christian Americans should protect and be proud of our heritage - but the Constitution does not mention the word "God" for a reason. The founders believed strongly in freedom of religion - they had differing religious beliefs and if I remember correctly Jefferson's were pretty "radical."
I walked Art Alley in March. Since the last time I saw it, the atmosphere has changed and it now has a much darker edge than before.
Prejudice: making a judgment before/without thinking critically and thoroughly about an issue.
Michael, any idea why that dark turn would have come about?
Barry, I'm with you on that exposure. The Internet doesn't make us dumber or more vile. People have been saying stupid things like what Brad Ford says forever in their barroom conversations. The Internet simply captures and archives more of those conversations via blogs, Twitter, etc.