Controversy in WGI and DCI

[MikeD]

Plus ça change? The following description of a father and son attending a professional baseball game in (I think) 1912 comes from a work of fiction, but one that is generally agreed to have been excellently researched. The book was subsequently adapted into a Broadway show whose music has been played in DCI:

"The game began and almost immediately Father regretted the seats he had chosen. The players' every ragging curse could be heard clearly by his son. The team at bat shouted obscene taunts at the opposing pitcher. McGraw himself, the paternal figure and commander of his team, stood at third base unleashing the most constant and creative string of vile epithets of anyone. His strident caw could be heard throughout the park. The crowd seemed to match him in its passions. The game was close, with first one team then the other assuming the lead. A runner sliding into second base upended the Giant second baseman, who rose howling, limping in circles and bleeding profusely through his stocking. Both teams came running from their dugouts and the game was stopped for some minutes while everyone fought and rolled in the dirt and the crowd yelled its encouragement. An inning or two after the fight the Giant pitcher Marquand seemed to lose his control and threw the ball so that it hit the Boston batsman. The fellow rose from the ground and ran out toward Marquand waving his bat. Again the dugouts emptied and players wrestled with each other and threw their roundhouse punches and beat clouds of dust into the air. The audience this time participated by throwing soda pop bottles onto the field. ....

Father remembered the baseball at Harvard twenty years before, when the players addressed each other as Mister and played their game avidly, but as sportsmen, in sensible uniforms before audiences of collegians who rarely numbered more than a hundred. He was disturbed by his nostalgia. He'd always thought of himself as a progressive. He believed in the perfectability of the republic. ... But the air in this ball park open under the sky smelled like the back room of a saloon. Cigar smoke filled the stadium and, lit by the oblique rays of the afternoon sun, indicated the voluminous cavern of air in which he sat pressed upon as if by a foul universe, with the breathless wind of a ten-thousand-throated chorus in his ears shouting its praise and abuse."

-E.L. Doctorow, Ragtime (1974), pp. 193-94

One of my favorite tunes in the Broadway show!

[CCorps]

Here is a question for all and gets to the heart of the matter of pushing the limits balanced with appropriate show design: WGI is attended by families, not just mature young adults or adults, but families. Was the Kama Sutra appropriate, really appropriate for a show design in which many of the members in the audience at each event were ‘children’?

Yes.

[HockeyDad]

I wish a WGI unit would do a show depicting the G7 PowerPoint presentation and the dci bod's reaction to it.

[BRASSO]

didnt I tell you Brasso there are those who would love the job of censor. The judgement passers of the world.usually those are the worst .

I think we are talking about the appropriateness of " the judgement " of adults to put together a show theme that knowingly will be shown to general audiences comprised of children that has as its theme a theme that almost universally, mature, responsible adults will agree is wholly inappropriate for a subject matter for viewing by children. So yes, the " judgement" of adults in positions of decison making is absolutely " the worst " when its decision making is as poor as this. Do you think its appropriate to show to children a theme re. Kama Sutra to unsuspecting parents with their children in tow ? Whats your mature, responsible judgement call on this, please tell ?

Edited April 16, 2014 by BRASSO

[BRASSO]

Yes.

Wow.. just wow.. if you'd allow your children to knowingly watch a show re. Kama Sutra then that is your choice, and your children. It is what it is, and so thats that, I guess,. But fortunately you are still in a very, very small minority in this country that thinks that this subject matter is appropriate for a child's viewing.

Edited April 16, 2014 by BRASSO

[GUARDLING]

I think we are talking about the appropriateness of " the judgement " of adults to put together a show theme that knowingly will be shown to general audiences comprised of children that has as its theme a theme that almost universally, mature, responsible adults will agree is wholly inappropriate for a subject matter for viewing by children. So yes, the " judgement" of adults in positions of decison making is absolutely " the worst " when its decision making is as poor as this. Do you think its appropriate to show to children a theme re. Kama Sutra to unsuspecting parents with their children in tow ? Whats your mature, responsible judgement call on this, please tell ?

I saw the program several times and there was nothing at all wrong with it. As I said I take more offence to other things and dont understand some how they feel about sex but no problems with guns , fighting and murder. Just like in many cases I am very sure judgement's are being made on a program which has not been viewed. I also feel that the over the top bible thumpers, those who feel they are judge and jury, those who feel that they make the rules for everyone, those who for no apparent reason other than their own personal agenda make judgements, those who value their own beliefs way above others, those who pre- judge, those who claim what they believe is what a RESPONSIBLE ADULT IS and ignoring what others may think are ALL far more dangerous to not only the activity but to society in general!!!!!! enough ?...lol

Do I think you hand a kid a book on the Kama Sutra? of course not was this show just fine...YUP more than fine.

Edited April 16, 2014 by GUARDLING

[GUARDLING]

I wish a WGI unit would do a show depicting the G7 PowerPoint presentation and the dci bod's reaction to it.

a DCP show would be far funnier but totally not acceptable for young minds for sure!

Edited April 16, 2014 by GUARDLING

[BRASSO]

I wish a WGI unit would do a show depicting the G7 PowerPoint presentation and the dci bod's reaction to it.

Or a DCI Corps adopting a theme of cloak and daggars, making decisions with others in the shadows, dark, black moods of plottings via a self concocted Secret Society made up of whispers, intrigue, and the like, with......with......

opps... never mind, forget it, HockeyDad, my wild imagination took me into an area that would be way too controversial and no DCI Corps would adopt for its theme, as its too fantastical and unbelievable for a theme ( lol!)

[BRASSO]

I dont understand some how they feel about sex but no problems with guns , fighting and murder. .

I can't speak for other adults here, but I like my sex and I like my guns...but yes, most mature responsible adults find fighting and murder inappropriate behaviors, while also recognizing that a child's sex education is not the same thing as a show in front of children on Kama Sutra, for example, a movie ( with fighting, murders, et ) such as a Clint Eastwood movie would be ok with 95% of people for their children's viewing... while a movie on Kama Sutra is most assuredly not ok by a similar 95% of people with children. Its all about levels, degrees, here, my friend. A movie introduced in theatres revolving around the theme of Kama Sutra is almost a guaranteed X rated, adult movie, rating ( ok, if not explicit, maybe a slight possibilty of an R rating ). Surely, you can appreciate the level of subject matter difference here. ( then again.. maybe not, who knows ) But you have company at least in some small tiny quarters, as apparently some misguided adults that concocted this theme for a show in the small and tiny world of WGI could not make the appropriate and responsible distinction apparently either.

Edited April 16, 2014 by BRASSO

[GUARDLING]

I can't speak for other adults here, but I like my Sex and I like my Guns...but yes, most mature responsible adults find fighting and murder inappropriate behaviors, while also recognizing that sex education is not the same thing as a show in front of children on Kama Sutra, as would be the movie Spartacus. Spartacus, with 95% of people, is ok for children... while a movie on Kama Sutra is most assuredly not by a similar 95% of people with children. Its all about levels, degrees, here, my friend.

again percentages based on what? a personal belief?..if 95% felt Spartacus was ok well 95% also felt the Kama Sutra show was...and we arent talking a movie were talking a drum corps show and a winter guard show

personal choices you see as much as you feel 1 way about exposure to sex verses guns I find IMO guns are detestable and IMO should be banned period.

That's just my view on it and won't take away anyone's personal choice to LEGALLY have one. Although I dont get it and dont want to.

So I guess ( no surprise where it usually goesas another poster said , not because of you but predictable ) the debate will leave a show and get into peoples personal views on Morals. Do some ever tire of being so pompous , claiming to know what majority want and feel , the keepers of the knowledge of what the world wants and needs judge and jury on all things people don't understand. Amazing but as another said very predictable.

There are solutions to things one doesnt like, you click to another channel , you dont go to the movie, you dont buy the book or you dont go to a show.That simple. Obviously that would be in the minority for sure . Especially how I viewed how the arena's flooded with fans when Fantasia did their show.

As a parent I would decide what MY child will or won't see or view, not anyone else or saddle them with the views of a select few. As I said , There's a certain TV news station I find offensive to most everything and would not want my child viewing that. Claiming morals is a side mouth proclamation with many who preach. IMO

Edited April 16, 2014 by GUARDLING