BD organization in jeopardy

[ScoutMello]

Thanks for pointing this out. I did not know this. If true, this pretty much debunks one of my ideas about them not doing anything for the local community angle.

All from http://bluedevils.org/about/

Edited July 9, 2010 by ScoutMello

[soccerguy315]

Geez, are you bringing race into this as well?

are you disputing that most kids in DCI are white and upper middle class?

[Liahona]

Quote"Concord Council,

I am writing in support of the new bingo facility that is under discussion. It will be great to get a quality organization in the currently abandoned location. This will not only help improve the facility directly (surely a welcome site after three years of blight), but it will also help improve the surrounding area, as the bingo customers stop in at other local businesses. With the current economic situation, it can only be a good thing to have more people spending money in Concord.

It has come to my attention that the Blue Devils organization is trying to halt this excellent development and hurt the people of Concord. Even if this new bingo hall does impact the Blue Devils bingo operation, you should not worry. The Blue Devils are part of a large organization of drum and bugle corps, and no other group uses bingo as a fundraiser. Yet, all of these groups travel the country performing and are able raise a satisfactory level of funds. Even in the very unlikely worst case scenario of Blue Devils stopping their bingo, they will find success raising money in other ways, like every single other drum corps is already doing.

Please do not give in to the Blue Devils. They are a valuable community organization, but you must realize that most of their members come from outside Concord, and they spend the majority of their performance time outside of Concord. Do they really have the interests of Concord in their mind when they are fighting development and business? The people of Concord deserve development and the option of choosing which bingo hall they would like to play at. Please make the decision that is best for Concord. That is the decision you were elected to make.

Thanks,

- soccerguy315"

I guess if you spout this garbage, then I guess that you think you are clever. You certainly don't have many facts, have no idea what the BD fundraising is or even their budget, or how much community support they get. Can you name any other DCI organization with 3 corps? Your middle argument is rendered irrelevant by that mere fact.

How do you know that the development is excellent? By what standard can you make that statement? Who says what the people of concord deserve or want? Your only comment that actually makes sense is the second to last one where you admonish the council to do what is best for the city.

The rest of your comments would be sadly laughable, if not targeted to try to HURT an organization just because you do not like them, or are a fan of a competing one. You have shown the worst in competitive spirit, wishing the worst for your competition. You should be ashamed of yourself.

I am sorry to RAIN on the parade here, but EMAIL is not as effective as you may think.

[mobrien]

The touring Blue Devils World Class corps is only one segment of the whole BD organization. Granted, they're the highest profile part of the whole, but still, just one performing group that the organization has. So is anyone here really feeling they should oppose an attempt by Gibbs to protect the finances of the whole org, when there are a bunch of 10-16 year old local kids who are major beneficiaries of the organization's performing arts mission?

Even if you're not a fan of the G7 proposal (and very few of us are), it's still worth considering the big picture here. If BD ends up cutting programming, it likely won't be the more sustainable parts (like the WC touring corps). It'll be from the less self-sustainable elements, like BDC and other programs geared to younger kids.

Take a breath, count to 10, then ask what's really the greater good that you can support; showing your disregard for the G7 idea, or asking a local council to consider protecting a funding mechanism for a major local provider of youth activities. For me, even though I'm not a fan of most of the G7 proposal, it's not a close call.

[audiodb]

Several thoughts:

1. Regardless of how you feel personally about the Blue Devils organization, opening CA bingo up to more competition will hurt any CA corps that derives funding from bingo....so it is certainly worth speaking up about.

2. On the other hand, since competition (i.e. casinos, Indian gaming, etc.) has been increasing for years, a challenge like this is not exactly a surprise.

3. For those touting the more local membership of BDB, BDC or DWS, how many Concord kids (not Concord area) do they actually serve? If it is a significant number, highlight the contribution of those programs....and make sure they maintain visibility by performing in the community regularly.

4. I take Gibbs' tone of "the sky is falling" with a grain of salt. After all, a BD board member vowed that the BDB program would cease in 2009 as a result of the recent electronic gaming legislation....obviously, reports of their death were premature.

[soccerguy315]

I am sorry to RAIN on the parade here, but EMAIL is not as effective as you may think.

I know. This is why I suggest other methods in the G7 forum, but then people tell me I shouldn't do that, and I should write emails to directors instead.

In this case, this is the best I can do.

[garfield]

I'm sure it's nice to sit behind big brother DCI and do nothing, leaving us little people to try to fight the good fight and save drum corps.

I posted the email to people will know what I wrote. There is nothing wrong with that. It is a public topic that is open for public debate. Your scare tactics are not scary.

Here is the big point, which you obviously missed while reading my response. BD WILL BE FINE WITH NO BINGO... JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER DRUM CORPS... added to that, is they are not even killing their bingo!!!!

BD is trying to fight the free market, a founding principle of our country! That is unacceptable!

Wow, dems some big words there.

I agree with preserving drum corps and fighting for the American way, but it seems to me that BD is doing nothing more or less than any other organization would do in the same position. Appealing to your base of support to fight an unwanted intruder IS the American way.

You spoke of the free market, and I agree with you. But just because they argue the other side of the argument doesn't mean they want to destroy a founding principal of the country.

They're just trying to protect their interests. Can't blame them for that no matter if we see alligator tears.

Edited July 9, 2010 by garfield

[soccerguy315]

The touring Blue Devils World Class corps is only one segment of the whole BD organization. Granted, they're the highest profile part of the whole, but still, just one performing group that the organization has. So is anyone here really feeling they should oppose an attempt by Gibbs to protect the finances of the whole org, when there are a bunch of 10-16 year old local kids who are major beneficiaries of the organization's performing arts mission?

Even if you're not a fan of the G7 proposal (and very few of us are), it's still worth considering the big picture here. If BD ends up cutting programming, it likely won't be the more sustainable parts (like the WC touring corps). It'll be from the less self-sustainable elements, like BDC and other programs geared to younger kids.

Take a breath, count to 10, then ask what's really the greater good that you can support; showing your disregard for the G7 idea, or asking a local council to consider protecting a funding mechanism for a major local provider of youth activities. For me, even though I'm not a fan of most of the G7 proposal, it's not a close call.

It is also about free market economics, the driving force behind our country.

[84BDsop]

Might they both fail? Sure. But guess what... IT IS NOT BD'S JOB OR RIGHT TO PREVENT COMPETING BUSINESSES FROM OPENING

The main point of argument is that BD's bingo....which supports 3 drum corps (2 of them VERY large), the Diablo Winds, and a few other groups (I challenge anyone to find a single corps organization that has THAT many organizations to run under one roof) is a NON PROFIT deal....where the new hall appears to be a commercial operation, contrary to law (which doesn't apply to tribal gaming, since the reservations are tribal territory).

The community might be better served by a non profit that involves hundreds of young people from 8 to 22 every year rather than one that simply exists to make a profit (if that is the case).

By the same token, if the other hall weren't only 3 miles away (pretty close to BD....Concord's not THAT big of a town) it would probably be less of an issue. Distance could soften the blow, if the other hall were to open up in Walnut Creek or Pittsburgh.

[soccerguy315]

They're just trying to protect their interests. Can't blame them for that no matter if we see alligator tears.

I don't blame them for trying to protect their interests. Everyone acts in their best interest. And if the council wants to be reelected, they will act in the best interest of the most people. Which is against BD.