Atlanta Symphony Rejects Two High School Choruses Because They‘re Not ’Racially Diverse Enough’
- Posted on August 18, 2012 at 6:57pm by
Becket Adams
- Print »
- Email »
(YouTube screengrab)
Two high school choruses will not be performing with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO) this year because they’re not “racially-diverse enough,” Fox News reports.
Apparently, it’s more important that you look like you just came from the set of “Glee” than it is to, you know, have actual talent.
“This year, the schools were informed by symphony officials that their choruses are not diverse enough, and that the symphony would be inviting a third, more diverse chorus [emphasis added],” said Cobb County Schools spokesman Jay Dillon.
Unsurprisingly, some Marietta, Ga., residents believe the symphony’s decision to turn away both Walton and Lassiter High School is discriminatory.
“I think it’s sad,” one resident, Shar Nicholson, told WSBTV.com. “I think if they have the talent and the desire they should be given the opportunity.”
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra President Stanley Romanstein argues that it’s one of the goals of the organization to “reflect the diversity of Atlanta,” adding that he is surprised at the outcry.
“It’s an interesting misunderstanding,” he said.
According to Romanstein, chorus directors at both Walton and Lassiter were “understanding” when they were told about the symphony’s decision two years ago.
Still, the fact that the symphony based its decision on physical appearance rather than merit has rubbed more than a few people the wrong way.
“It’s not necessarily fair to the students at all,” Cobb County resident Vashon Ramsey told WSBTV.com. “They should be allowed to perform regardless.”
But Romanstein stands by the ASO’s decision.
“There are at least 12 very talented high school choirs in Atlanta,” Romanstein said. “We gave Lassiter and Walton choirs an opportunity to perform for four consecutive years, and they were marvelous. We think it’s time to give other Atlanta high school choirs, who are very skilled and deserving, their chance to perform with the ASO as well.”
Both high schools were offered a chance to bring a select group of their choruses to perform with the symphony but both turned down the offer.
“Because the full choruses would not be able to perform with the symphony, both Lassiter and Walton have declined to participate this year,” said Dillon.
Follow Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) on Twitter
Popular Stories
MSNBC Host Snaps in Heated Segment: ‘What in the World Is Riskier Than Being a Poor Person in America?’ 689 Comments
Does Misstated Marathon Claim Prove Paul Ryan Is Dishonest? (POLL) 658 Comments
‘Jumah at the DNC’ Speaker: ‘Muslims Visited America Prior to Columbus’ & ‘It Was a Muslim’ Who Guided Him to the ‘New World’ 524 Comments
Obama: RNC Like Watching ‘Black-and-White TV’ Because Romney ‘Did Not Offer a Single New Idea’ 361 Comments
Roseanne Barr: Most Billionaires ‘Violent Pedophiles’ & ‘Heartless’ Cocaine Addicts 322 Comments
Faith
This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 203 Comments- Pakistani Muslim Cleric Accused of Framing Disabled Christian Girl in Koran-Burning Case Read More
- ‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 221 Comments
Meet the Controversial German Imam Accused of Brutally Beating His Wife & Pushing Sharia Law Read More
‘Self-Proclaimed Messiah’ & Unification Church Leader the Rev. Sun Myung Moon Has Died — Here’s His Life Story Read More
Business
- ‘Imperial President’: President Obama Issues Another Major Executive Order Read More
- Germany’s Upcoming Court Ruling Will be Huge for the EU Read More
Ford Looks to Beat Toyota for Best-Selling Car in 2012 With This Model 147 Comments
Bernanke & QE3: Here’s What You Need to Know Read More- ‘Extortion’: Why Did the Labor Department ‘Drop the Hammer’ on Oregon Farmers? 300 Comments
Technology
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 203 Comments
‘TaserDrone’: Hackers Weaponize Quadcopter With Actual ‘Shocking’ Technology Read More
Ever Heard of the Wild ‘Burning Man’ Festival in the Middle of the Nev. Desert? Here’s Your Primer Read More
Stanford Develops Technology ‘Better Than Steroids’ for Athlete Recovery Read More
Have You Pretended to Know What ‘the Cloud’ Is? You’re Not Alone Read More
Submitting your tip... please wait!
Comments (529)
AJAYW
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:28pmWith blacks making up 12% of the population they should have 88% positions of all jobs they way they look at it reguardless if they know anything or not. Give me give me race
If the 88% non black quit buying tickets to ball games or shopping at black stores, how do you think they would like it?
Report Post »ChiefGeorge
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 8:45pmSyria is led by a minority group of 10% called Alawites. They’ve held on by killing all their opponents and using a police state. With the numbers you cite, we are well onto our way in becoming such a State.
Report Post »chewspam
Posted on August 20, 2012 at 8:01amI went to Walton, and there were MAYBE 8 black people in the entire school of about 3,000. This is a great school with a great chorus. This is ridiculous.
Report Post »lobster
Posted on August 20, 2012 at 9:19amAtlanta is controlled by a majority of “blacks”, so what do you expect?
Report Post »David Sims
Posted on August 20, 2012 at 11:59amWalton is 77% white and 15% Asian. Lassiter is 84% white. The percentage of blacks at both of these schools is low. (And, not coincidentally, the scores of their students on standardized tests are high.) The Atlanta school district, on the other hand, is mostly (80%) black. The decision to exclude Walton and Lassiter choruses from the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra was probably made by racist blacks. And ASO President Stanley Romanstein is Jewish (as was his predecessor, Yoel Levi), so it’s hardly surprising that the judgment of racist blacks would be affirmed by such as he.
Report Post »FreeUsFromOurselves2012
Posted on August 20, 2012 at 3:23pmThis is outrageous! White hate is on the rise. I find this appalling. This needs to stop immediately! Have we not learned anything from history? I want the best person for the position in the position. We are taking the best minds and pushing them aside so we can take a more colorful picture and look perfectly PC and it’s destroying us. Common sense….when I need my brain operated on I want “the best” brain surgeon not “the right colored” one. I didn’t believe it before but the more I research things the worse and worse it gets. Sicking!
Report Post »johnjamison
Posted on August 20, 2012 at 3:57pmIt’svery simple sue the atlantic symphony for discrimination. They just told that school they can perform becasue they are TOO WHITE. What if they told an all black chorus they could perform because they were TOO BLACK…WHERE WOULD THE MEDIA BE……..The children should sue I guarantee they each get enough to pay for college.
Report Post »AlphaRaider
Posted on August 20, 2012 at 10:39pmIf diversity is so inmportant to the ASO, you would thinkthey would have more than 1 (yes 1) black musician in the orchestra. What a hypocrite. Mr. Romanstein,there’s no misunderstanding. We understand exactly what you mean.
Report Post »The_Almighty_Creestof
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:27pmSo if you are in a car crash, or your house is on fire, or you have a burglary in progress…who do you want to show up? The BEST EMT’S? The BEST Firemen? The BEST police?
If you answered “yes…I want the best no matter what their color/religion” you are a racist oppressing minorities.
If you answered “no, I want Manny, Moe & Jack even if they are 2nd rate” then you are an enlightened human being.
Freaking hogwash.
These two choirs ought to show up anyway, have a permit and sing out on the sidewalk during the whole concert.
Report Post »R-Paulson
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 5:20pmRight! We all know that black folk can’t sing. The fact that these are from Georgia has nothing to do with it.
Report Post »Silversmith
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 5:40pm@putmoreonmyplate – Being involved in classical music myself it is distasteful to see the form “dumbed down” to fit a visual need. If you and JZS and the ASO all feel that music should be secondary to sociopolitical needs, then that is your choice. I feel that the music world has been moving towards falsehood and mediocrity steadily as technology, and policy moves in. It used to be that only the best were used to play in these venues. Now the criteria is changing, and with it comes a distinct loss to the form.
Silversmith
Report Post »Hugh Akston II
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 6:38pmR-Paulson Hatewatch? Narcissist. Man you have to put the mirror down to eat or maybe get a job. Something.
Report Post »stopspending
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 7:06pmFundraising for the ASO should be interesting. The parents and community around Lassiter and Walton are major supporters both with ticket sales and donations. After being told their shool is not good enough to perform because it is not “diverse”, interest in supporting the ASO might decline. Atlanta is always asking the rich people to open their pocket books while criticizing these same supporters.
Report Post »IndyMason
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 10:07pmWell, you don’t have to worry about there not being enough minorities on the fire department. At least not in New York. Because so many minorities were having trouble passing the entrance exams they just sued the NYFD. On July 5 2012, in Brooklyn, Nicholas G. Garaufis, a Clinton-appointed judge for the Eastern District of New York, issued a ruling that requires two of every five newly hired fireman to be black and one of every five, Hispanic — until the department has fulfilled the court-ordered quota of 186 black and 107 Hispanic hires.
Report Post »http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/528.382318-2-out-of-5-firemen-must-be-black-1-must-be-hispanic
Minnaloushe
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:26pmTake a gander at the image on their homepage. Notice much? Does it look like they “reflect the diversity of Atlanta”? pretty high albedo there, methinks.
Report Post »Idiots.
http://www.atlanticsymphony.org/images/440_IMG_9770_RJ.jpg
KickinBack
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:34pmGeorgia…That would be the state that once banned Ray Charles…Guess they’ve come full circle now.
Report Post »turkey13
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:54pmMaybe its time someone (ASO) gave a party and no one came. Hopefully one or both of these schools will have a symphony and all will come to it. These peoples P_oop don’t smell any better than anyone elses.
Report Post »doomytram
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:59pmDiversity in the schools means teachers erasing the ovals of the the wrong answers and replacing those ovals with the correct answers. Oh wait, that’s right, the Diversity Police didn’t want those teachers to get caught cheating for the students. Arne Duncan and Obozo are giving out doo doo dollars for all that good edumacation. Slap those teachers on the wrist and go out and get yourself some Brown, Black and Blue kids on your squad. How much of this diversity exclusion goes on the basketball courts? How much? Ozero?
Report Post »grayling646
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 8:23pm@ kickback:
That’s an outright lie. Georgia never banned Ray Charles. He refused to play at a segregated concert once and the lie was perpetrated from there.
“The Augusta Chronicle did some digging after the film was released, and found no evidence that a ban against the singer ever existed. They combed through the Georgia State Archives. Nothing. The records of the state legislature? Nothing. The archives of the newspapers whose front page coverage of the ban are depicted in the film? Nothing. Even Charles’s own memoirs make no mention of it, and in fact, describe some concerts in the state during the alleged ban.”
Search it, genius.
Report Post »ChiefGeorge
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 8:27pmJust turn it around!
Student Chorus rejected because they are too racially diverse or even too Black which better suits the discription here (that is, in reverse).
The White Race is finished in America! It cannot appear to be grouped up together anywhere except maybe at a NASCAR event which is not threatening of course unless your the planet. Just joking!
But seriously, haven’t we heard of something like this before where minority leaders of cities were encouraging the break up of toooo White communities by forced re-zoning to allow for subsidized housing?
Its clear to me now, that the minority leaders see things a lil different now that they control major metro areas. Yes I believe they are racists because they are absolutely taken aback by the over representation of Whites in these choruses and even want to demand some hope and change here.
Our parents and grand parents fell for a lot crap jammed down their throats and now our kids must suffer for their lack of understanding and action. If this sort of thing does not get pushed up to the supreme court as it would if the roles were reveresed, then we are finished with living and being White in America.
And they call me a racist here at the Blaze….Shame on you!
How does reverse discrimination FEEL America?
Report Post »mikem1969
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 8:29pmAnd once again the PC BS ruins the day. These kids are talented and should be give the chance. Time to sue the ASO for discrimination and put them andntheir PC BS in it’s place.
Report Post »Walkabout
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 9:27pmThis is the work of multiculturalists. Multiculturalists are a cesspool.
Report Post »Independent4233
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 9:47pmStanley Romanstein doesn’t realize it, but he is a cult member.
Why?
He has been mentally conditioned to believe an illogical concept that has been repetitiously hammered into his mind over and over and over again, until he is as mentally conditioned as a lab rat that responds on cue, strictly as an instinctive reaction.
Diversity is a concept that requires a repetitious bombardment of illogical tenets in order to inculcate the ideology in a victim. It is similar in part to a process of brainwashing that caused 900 people to line-up and drink cyanide-laced kool aid in Jonestown and all the members of the Heaven’s Gate Sect to commit suicide when the mothership failed to arrive to take them to Jupiter.
Stanley Romanstein could just as easily be fanatically promoting a sect like Jonestown or Heaven’s Gate right now, but the diversity hounds got to him first, so it is diversity he mindlessly promotes as if it is the most important thing in the world, so important to him he places it ahead of everything else in importance, just as the Heaven’s Gate members placed the importance of emigrating to Jupiter more important than life itself.
Diversity is dumb, and it is indeed a decided weakness, as is evident from all the tribal factions in this country fighting for control. Every multicultural society in the history of the world has failed.
The only way to get the concept to take hold is by brainwashing the weakest and most gullible.
Report Post »normbal
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 10:11pmRacism, alive and well in America and acceptable to the left (democrats, progressives).
Report Post »They look at a person and see skin color. Look a little deeper and you just might see a human being, and hear the music.
Komponist-ZAH
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 10:17pmFortunately, the musicians do not share management’s views, and have volunteered to play with the choirs:
http://www.artsjournal.com/slippeddisc/2012/08/atlanta-symphony-the-conflict-takes-on-a-racial-dimension.html
Report Post »decendentof56
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 10:18pm@doomytram…”How much of this diversity exclusion goes on the basketball courts? How much? Ozero?”
Good point! Of course, the progressives/one-worlders/equal results crowd will tell you that blacks dominate in basketball because they are more talented. That same ideology shouldn’t apply to musicians.
Report Post »No hypocrisy there, just move along.
decendentof56
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 10:30pmAhhhhh, people……its just a little social-engineering. You ought to live here in NJ. Some N. Jersey socialist/progressive Dems have re-introduced a bill (defeated last year) to have the St. gov. procure low-interest loans for minorities to purchase foreclosed homes.
Report Post »Just think how wonderful it will be to have a family with children from different fathers living next to you in what was a stable neighborhood. Drugs, illegal guns, violence, loud music, break-ins perpetrated against homes in the neighborhood, etc. Throw in some gang violence and home invasions. It’ll be great.
Of course, the other option where people get an education, job, and work their way up the social ladder so that they have the same values as the neighborhood that they purchase a home with “their own” money would be too discriminatory.
Its about equal results, people. Don’t you get it?
whatahka
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 10:56pmFYI……your link is for the “Atlantic Symphony”….not the “Atlanta Symphony”
Report Post »GhostOfJefferson
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 11:37pmSo, white people need not apply. I coined that from taking “Irish need not apply” from a century ago. Funny how racism never gets new material.
Report Post »ChristmanWalking
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 11:38pmI do data for living: The Walton and Lassiter High Schools are two of the largest High schools in Cobb County as well as being in higher income areas. So… here are the breakdowns of the two schools from 2011-2012 school year.
Walton HS: Out of 2584 total students, 1855 were white (female/952-male/903) so 729 were other.
Of the other 28%: 679 or 26%, were a mix of Black/Hispanic & Asian, & 263 or 10% were Black/Hispanic.
Lassiter HS: Out of 1976 total students, 1511 were white (female/742-male/769) so 465 were other.
Of the other 23%: 409 or 20% were a mix of Black/Hispanic & Asian, & 319 or 16% were Black/Hispanic.
I haven’t had time to do the exact breakdown on all the schools but by the numbers showing from last year there is a much lower % of whites, or equal number and even a white minority in the other schools.
So, my question is…what is the diversity of whites/hispanic/asian in the majority other school choirs? Should the Symphony be looking at that?
Report Post »jzs
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 11:45pmCan’t the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra invite to perfrom whomever they chose? Maybe their goal is present talents that reflect the racial diversity of Atlanta. Actually that is their goal, they said that. Their goal is to show the how well racially diverse can perform.
Now given that’s your goal, you don‘t invite groups that aren’t racially diverse.
So, what’s your problem? You don’t like the idea of an organization holding an event to showcase racially diverse groups? Promoting racial harmony isn’t against the law. You agree with that I am sure, or at least hope. An organization has a right to choose who they invite, you agree with that I hope.
So what’s the gripe? This event is designed to promote and show racial harmony, and so they only invite racially diverse groups. So what part of that do you disagree with?
Report Post »Brasil2520
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 11:57pmIn the early 1970′s I was looking for a High School to attend, my mother and I went to Oceanography High School to see if it was a good school, the school was mostly black, the play ground looked more like prison yard, on the way out a colored kid sitting on the school steps, said “you‘ll better keep your white a as’s out of here“ my mother asked me in Portuguese what he said I just replied ”lets leave”
That was 40 years ago and I can still hear that colored kid saying that.
Report Post »If a school is all black it’s a none issue, if a school is all white then blacks have to destroy it
GhostOfJefferson
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 12:07am@JZS
If diversity doesn’t reflect the native population of a given area in a given event, then it’s nothing more than propaganda.
As I‘m sure you don’t have children in any events, this means nothing to you, politics first as always. As the father of two blonde haired children (mine hair is brown, wife’s blonde), this would upset me greatly, since diversity is MORE THAN RACE. How about talent ? How about struggling against income levels and succeeding (there are poor white towns, after all)?
You people are all racist to the core, to your very soul. You disgust me.
Report Post »FstEti
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 12:18amWould they change their mind if the boys promised to wear jeans with waists at thigh level and their underwear hanging out along with obnoxiously colored ankle high basketball shoes that cost $400?
Report Post »The girls could just dress like hookers.
Wouldn’t that show empathy for the lack of “diversity” membership?
Also, the symphony could allow several “diverse” kids to parade around the stage while they played, shouting nursery school level rhymes laced with four letter epitaphs which i GUARANTEE would be somewhat lacking in “diversity”.
And everyone could wear baseball caps backwards or sideways like morons, embracing the culture of the missing group, thus showing their “diversity”.
Just trying to be helpful here………..
colt1860
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 12:47amWhy stop at race? Next they‘ll say there isn’t enough h-mosexuals, Buddhists, Muslims, atheists, Wicca members, four eyes, red heads, the physically disabled, mentally challenged, ETC. That ain’t America, that’s a cesspool of social Marxists and their multicultural agenda being shoved down our throats. Should the two high schools start drafting Hindus and Philippines just so that they meet some diversity quota, and intentionally reject students because of their skin colr? LOL. Our country is doomed. Thanks a lot for nothing you ignorant, arrogant, pathetic, radical liberals.
Report Post »Pigpen
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 2:10amJZS posted: “You don’t really know anything about the racial composition of population of the groups who were invited or not invited to this event do you?”
Oh, so I can have a public event by an VERY publicly funded entity like a city orchestra and ONLY invite certain “racial compositions”? Please, JZS, enlighten us ignorant “aryans” about proper racial etiquette. Because I always thought that we had to be ALL INCLUSIVE ALL THE TIME. I didn’t know that maybe we could hold an event like: The Atlanta Symphony Hosts An Evening with the Honki3s! And then not allow any Gospel Choirs who are “too c0l0red” to participate. BECAUSE THAT’S GREAT IF TRUE. You can KEEP your “c0l0reds only” event if I can have a “whites only” one! Or maybe that isn‘t what you meant and maybe YOU are the one who is hopelessly mistaken about what is racism and what isn’t.
Report Post »Kenszen
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 2:53amExcellent point, @Minnaloushe!!!
Report Post »Thor64
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 2:54amYou mean the heroin addict Ray Charles.Bros and hoess tread lightly the second time around is a one way ticket to that cesspool of a continent you like to call home.I here it is a lovely place to raise a family….
Report Post »Kenszen
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 2:58amTo anyone new here, please ignore JZS. As you can read, he is just a troll. There really are not people that actually think as irrationally and devoid of fact and common sense as he does.
@Independent4233 Excellent, well-thought out, rational post.
Report Post »USAMama
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 3:01amWhy did they try to change their story when the heat was on? If it was really that this choir had performed for 4 yrs and they just wanted to give others a chance why not just say that? Just say we have decided to use these other choirs. But they actually said this was “not diverse enough” as the reason. I thought it was wrong to discriminate based on race? Is that still the case? Because this is pretty cut and dry. They are discriminating based on the race of the members.
Report Post »USAMama
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 3:19amNormbal, right on! When I look at a choir or a community I don’t think “wow there aren’t very many black people here!“ or ”Gee, where are all the white guys?” I usually think more about the beauty of the music I am hearing. Period. Nothing else crosses my mind. And if someone next to me made a comment such as that I would be shocked, because it’s never happened. Most normal people in America have gotten over the racial divide a VERY long time ago, I think these people need to realize that and catch up with the times! Also for my children’s sake. I take them to the park and they will play with any kid there. They don’t see skin color at all. When my son learned in 2nd grade about segregation he looked at me & said “Why would they do that? That’s so stupid!“ and I just said ”yes it was. But we’ve realized that now, thank God.” I wish these people would stop bringing race into everything because kids are born color blind. These people, in the name of “diversity” are teaching them to see color and keeping racism alive. Give it up! That was so last century.
Report Post »brickmoon
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 3:21amRegardless of Romanstein’s assertion that one of the goals of the organization to “reflect the diversity of Atlanta,” after a casual examination of the Atlanta (not “Atlantic,” as in the second reference in the article) Symphony’s website, it is apparent that such a goal doesn’t seem to be reflected there. There is no mention of anything about diversity, even on its Mission & History page. Indeed, virtually all of its scheduled concerts seem to feature classical composers of white, European descent, although there seems to be a little more variance in the ethnicity of the featured performers.
“Sorry for all your wasted effort, kids — you sound great, but you just aren’t racially diverse enough. Next!”
There’s something wrong here.
Report Post »charleyrocks
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 4:47amLet the judge decide, there should be a law suit stand up and be counted!
Report Post »spikebu
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 5:30amI have three very talented kids. One understands wood. It obeys him. My second is in visual art. The drawings and paintings my second has produced, stun me. My third is self taught. It’s musical, and it’s kinda blowing me away. Point is, they look all white, but they’re not. They are probably as racially diversified as you can get. They are true mutts. I am, too. The people calling for diversification, want to see different colors. That means they don’t want diversification. They just want to accuse you of being…white.
Report Post »spikebu
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 5:52amThey really want separation.
Report Post »D-Fence
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 6:02am@CHIEFGEORGE There is no such thing as reverse discrimination. Just discrimination. I agree with your logic though. I’m so done with the PC world I could puke. Did they provide the appearance that it was based upon merit and not someone picking winners and losers? This is not the culture that we want to foster in this country. We want all peoples to have the same opportunity, and not to be discriminated upon, but rather to strive for those goals by which THEY see fit. In otherwords, individualism, and pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps is what has made this country, and its people exceptional. Not by some bureaucrat or progressive knucklehead.
Report Post »spikebu
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 6:22am@ChiefGeorge…My Parents and Grandparents didn’t bring this on. We did. Neither my Parents nor my Grandparents went into debt. Debt is for the believers in the world. It is our generation that failed God. Our generation that failed our own children.
Report Post »spikebu
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 6:48amLack of understanding and lack of action belongs to us! Not our Parents or Grandparents. I know where I fell down. I’m connected to the world.
Report Post »oldguy77
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 8:12amTake a look at the congresinol black caucu,or maybe the black miss america pagent,or maybe the naacp,or how about the united ***** collage fund.See any diversity there?
Report Post »4truth2all
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 8:24amYo JZS:
What’s that matter with really, really white people with blue eyes ? … sounds like a racist comment to me or are you just being contrary …again
Report Post »Surprise, surprise … I agree , their symphony , their choice …and I personally have no problem with it as long as it is not another foolish attempt at PC. Having said that, it’s still their choice Mr. brown eyes.
4truth2all
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 8:28amYo Spikebu:
Being connected to the world is not the problem. You can not effect change from the moon … being FRIENDS with the world would be a problem …peace
Report Post »drbage
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 8:36amHe is only following typical liberal logic: “do as I say, not as I do.”
Report Post »4truth2all
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 8:43amYo JZS:
I find that really, really, black people could use a little diversity in the music they listen to for enjoyment, so encouragement of that is a good thing … and no, that is not racist … that is a fact because I’m a really, really, white guy that hangs with really, really people of diversity … but then this is kind of really, really white music … so maybe they are really, really trying to make them blue eyed really, really white people … clever, those demonic people of the white race …really!
Report Post »yougottabekidding
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 8:51amjzs
Report Post »You are absolutly right we have to celebrate diversity.
You know what really gets my goat is those racist people that mob to steal and beat people.
There is not one white person in those mobs they must be made to be diverse!
You are a racist IDIOT!
Or we can dumb down requirements so we can be diverse (wait we already do that), I do not care what color the person is saving my life or what ever, but I certainly want them to be the most qualified for the job.
Tell you what you take the one that is there to fill a quota to do the brain surgery you need (or for anything), I’ll opt for the most qualified if they happen to be green I do not care
Silversmith
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 9:22amWith JZS’s expected contrarianism aside – ASO is becoming a major letdown on the classical music scene. They seem much more concerned with how things look, rather than how they sound. In fact they recently pulled a Milli Vanilli in a conert with Il Divo.
Sad state when music is determined by the look of the players and orchestras become a prop!
http://www.artsatl.com/2012/08/atlanta-symphony-forced-pantomime-pre-recorded-tracks-sunday’s-il-divo-concert/
Silversmith
Report Post »patricius
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 10:17amYou have the wrong symphony’s website. Here’s the correct one:
http://www.atlantasymphony.org/
Report Post »PutMoreOnMyPlate
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 12:22pmI am new on this site, with a handful of posts. And I have seen JZS’s comments here and there. And while I admit I can’t agree with most of the points he makes and a few were a little on the side of inciting other adverse remarks. On this thread though he asks a question and some have answered it and others have just written it off as him being “contrarian.” You don’t have to agree with his reasoning but just writing him off instead of answering the question is more trolling to me than the question he posed. Just IMHO as I’m still learning my own political identity and I am an idiot to most things, I just wish people could see the hypocrisy in general on this site that states that liberals oppose opposing views and conservatives do it too. So lower the pitchforks and realize that the Internet is a big playground some kids just want to sit in the corner and debate peacefully without the bullies coming in. At least that‘s what I’m looking for. I respect other’s perspectives and I would hope other people did the same.
“There are at least 12 very talented high school choirs in Atlanta,” Romanstein said. “We gave Lassiter and Walton choirs an opportunity to perform for four consecutive years, and they were marvelous. We think it’s time to give other Atlanta high school choirs, who are very skilled and deserving, their chance to perform with the ASO as well.”
So let me ask my question, what is wrong with that statement that implies racism, hate, sec
Report Post »fieldwork
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 1:16pmNoticed that myself. There arn’t many raisins in that vanilla pudding.
Report Post »shootski
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 1:18pmhttp://www.accessatlanta.com/AccessAtlanta-sharing_/aso-must-slow-tempo-1494346.html
Next up: A new campaign to get people to donate money to the ASO…focused on mailings to the very parents of the kids they don’t want to perform for.
This is easy…cut their funding.
Report Post »richard40
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 2:39pmHow about a really simple rule. Let groups perform based on their talent, regardless of race. Anything else is discrimination, and evil.
Report Post »sixtysix
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 2:55pmI doubt we can know whether any more minority students have the talent to sing in the Chorus. I do know that when a basketball team shows up, no one wonders why there are not more white boys on the team. If the schools chose their chorus members by talent only then it should not be an issue. And, I don’t see how the symphony people know either. Looks like guilty without any real evidence and discrimination against the schools. Let them bring in minority kids and audition them if they want to know whether there was discrimination. Of course, we could do away with ability, talent and initiative and force balance whether the students want to compete or not.
Report Post »brickmoon
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 3:19pm@PutMoreOnMyPlate — There’s nothing wrong with giving other choirs a chance to perform with the symphony, but the argument here is whether the organization should base its selection on anything but merit and talent. In this case, at least, according to Cobb County School spokesman Jay Dillon, “This year, the schools were informed by symphony officials that their choruses are not diverse enough, and that the symphony would be inviting a third, more diverse chorus.”
Assuming that Dillon’s assessment is accurate, why should “diversity” have anything at all to do with their selection? Why not hold a competition among the schools, with objective judges, and pick one or two choirs to perform with the symphony?
And spare us from the “participation trophies.”
Report Post »mecanic
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 4:13pma little reverse racism, no wait that does’t happen in america.
Report Post »PutMoreOnMyPlate
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 4:30pmKenszen
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 2:58am
“To anyone new here, please ignore JZS. As you can read, he is just a troll. There really are not people that actually think as irrationally and devoid of fact and common sense as he does.”
Hence “participation trophy.”
Maybe these two high schools were old news anway and they wanted to try something different. I don’t see anything wrong with that. Now if every year these two high schools were rejected or other schools rejected for not having enough “color” then I could see the point in being mad.
Report Post »Ohello
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 5:53pmThis is what you get when you get a bunch of liberation theologists in local government.
Report Post »mecanic
Posted on August 20, 2012 at 12:47pmanyone that thinks ther isn’t a race war coming to a city near you soon….well i have some ocean front property in az. for you.
Report Post »mecanic
Posted on August 20, 2012 at 12:56pm@jztroll….troll along skippy.
Report Post »KangarooJack
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:26pmMore like the Rose Bowl Parade with bands that dance and beat drums like I saw as a young kid watching Johnney Weisenmuller play Tarzan???
Report Post »swamp_donkey
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 9:17pmyeah besides we all know da darkies cant sing , buddy can you be anymore racist ffs
Report Post »spikebu
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 5:48amI remember Weissmuller doing swimsuit ads for Jantzen. I remember him as Tarzan. I don’t think that memory is racist. If you think it is, you need therapy.
Report Post »BDL1980
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:26pmThis is pretty much Racism? Is this lost on the left and the ASO?
Report Post »Chuck Stein
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:40pmWe have become a national socialist nation. The racial policy of Germany 1933-1945 was outright murderous. Our racial policy is less cruel — but it is what we have. While I wish that we had NO racial policies, I will try to look at the bright side of this story: high school is for learning and these kids are getting an education about 21st Century American racial policies. Thus, their education is being furthered.
Report Post »Excuse me now, while I get some more Soma.
Displacedsoutherner
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 11:18pmIt’s forced Affirmative Action. The choruses who agreed to increase diversity were strong-armed into recruiting chorus members based as much (or more) on ethnicity as on talent. So now the incoming students have a quota system for the empty slots left by graduating seniors; the net result being a reduction in talent but numbers that make the ASO happy.
I can assure you the same system has been in effect for years in Atlanta when it comes to distributing commissions for artworks funded by the city’s 1% for art law. If 10 commissions were awarded maybe 1 would be to a white male and the rest were spread around to anyone else regardless of the level of talent displayed by many of the applicants. Color first, talent second, definitely no color blind judging . And once awarded the level of professional conduct and responsibility demanded by the “quota artists” was shockingly low in many cases with endless deadline extensions, excused cost overruns and shoddy workmanship a common theme. “Quota Art” has become a separate sub-class easily recognized among the few truly worthy pieces in the Atlanta 1% art collection. Timeless is ain’t.
Like BHO and friends have made clear: “now it’s our turn to get some”.
Report Post »MetalPatriot
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 11:34pmSoma for everyone!
Report Post »HumbleMan
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 11:05amHow about some diversity in the NBA?
Report Post »IMCHRISTIAN
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:25pmThey are judging by the color or their skin instead of the content of their talent. Do they have to hide behind curtains so nobody knows what anyone looks like anymore. Morale must be so low. That is discrimination. If I was them I would sing together and put on utube.
Report Post »turkey13
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:48pmIt may be discrimination but as long as Holder is head of the DOJ, the blinders have been pulled off lady JUSTICE and the only color she can see is black..
Report Post »IMCHRISTIAN
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 8:19pmtrue
Report Post »merd01
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:23pmJust wondering . . . Is there a picture of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra available? I would like to see their idea of “diversity.”
Report Post »RANGER1965
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:31pmAbout 96% white, 3% asian, 1% black.
Their desire for diversity is a product of being embarrassed by their own “Whiteness” Since they seem to have difficulty finding black people to play in a Symphony, they are doing their best to darken their appearance by putting the burden on the schools they invite.
Report Post »HumbleCitizen
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:34pmhere ya go…
Report Post »https://www.atlantasymphony.org/About/Newsroom/Photos.aspx
DisillusionedDaily
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:51pmIf they want more diversity in the Symphony all they have to do is learn to provide back-up orchestration for Rap, blues and mariachi performances.
I am getting tired of intelligent and talented Americans having to reduce their standards in order to comply with the idea of “diversity.” It’s a bit like boycotting B.B. King or Ray Charles for not singing enough Country or Opera music. Should I avoid listening to Beverly Sills because she doesn’t do rap?
Report Post »joncannard
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 9:05pmIs it at all possible in this day and age that these choirs are less diverse than the Symphony? Am I to believe that there are schools in Atlanta that have less than 1% black students? Color me skeptical.
Report Post »Komponist-ZAH
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 10:28pmDisillusioned—
Yeah, they’ve already done that: http://www.artsjournal.com/slippeddisc/2012/08/in-atlanta-the-orchestra-is-shamed-at-a-pantomime-concert.html
Sad, really; another fine orchestra ruined by bad management.
Report Post »decendentof56
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 10:45pmRead everything about the UN and its agenda (including agenda -21) that you can get your hands on. This crap is tied directly to that ideology!
Report Post »If you don’t believe me, go to the 912 Patriots of Bucks Co, Pa, and listen to a feminist, lesbian, liberal, Dem who did not vote for Obama explain how your rights of land ownership is being planned to be taken. This is an example of what you have to look forward to in America. Forced integration is a tool of that mindset. Its all part of the big puzzle.
You could go back to sleep and forget about it if you want.
That daily update was around the Aug 11-13 time-frame.
dwilco77
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 2:39amGoogle Atlanta Symphony Orchestra images- looks pretty white to me
Report Post »USAMama
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 4:32amDecendantof56 you are absolutely right!! I have read up on Agenda 21 and this fits. Scary stuff and happening everywhere! Get on ICLEI website to find out if they have infected your local gov’t and if so do WHATEVER you can to get them OUT!!
NO to Agenda 21!!!
Report Post »oldguy77
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 8:26amWant to see “diversity”get a picture of the miss black america pagent,or maybe the congressional black caucus oe even the united black collage fund.naacp,all in the name of diversity.When you breed animals do you seek diversity or purity?
Report Post »tothepoint
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:21pmMaybe the symphony should ask the New Black Panthers to come sing about how they want to kill white babies, homosexuals, and all white people.
Report Post »Then, maybe they would be accepted by this racist symphony.
Shameful.
Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 8:04pmNow, don’t be giving them ideas, they just might like that.
Report Post »pissantno.10
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 9:56pmya but it is a good one. then they can go beat me kill me i a guilty white person. i from dulth mn. ya beat me
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on August 20, 2012 at 1:00pmThe ASO is $20 million in debt. A lot of those Walton kids sing in my church. Why sing for the ASO when you can sing for the King of Kings!
Report Post »tothepoint
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:20pmRacism against those who are not “minorities” continues.
Report Post »Again, America – this is what Obama and his gang foster.
Vote Obama and all those lefty “politically correct” racists out.
Skrewedretiree
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:20pmAnother reason to be ashamed to be an American!
Another reason to Remember in November!
Report Post »oldguy77
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 10:47amTwo more reasons to vote:Van Jones, Frank Marshall Davis,That is unless you like avowed communists.
Report Post »JL9999
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:19pmThat is what happens when Democrats run the show. THEY are the bigots.
Report Post »alpha2omega47
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 8:31pmWe need to vote every stinking liberal out of our government; then go after the RINOs like John McCain.
Report Post »Skrewedretiree
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 10:26pmDitto!
One of the problems with the Republican party is they keep foisting RINOs on us (Republicans In Name Only, for those of you in Rio Linda) and are afraid to put forward REAL Conservatives!
Well, I’m not wild about Romney, but his pick for Paul Ryan goes a long way to helping.
Remember in November, or see US go under!
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:18pmRacism come Full Circle… riding upon Minority Civil Rights… to claim only certain Ethnic Groups contribute to Diversity! It is the… Criticize Obama is Racism movement… turned upon School Children!
Report Post »GhostOfJefferson
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 11:46pmWatch television. People like me (white, male, straight) are not welcome in what I’m figuring on 70% of advertisements and the majority of television shows (where people like me get to become either villians if we’re smart, or more likely clueless idiots and the butt of every joke, if we’re not). Been keeping track for a while now. My wife fares only a little better (white, blonde, straight). It’s strange to see the majority excluded in the name of some kind of fake “tolerance”.
Report Post »Brasil2520
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 1:32amGHOSTOFJEFFERSON
A few years ago Schlage lock Co. was running TV commercial’s about how strong their locks are, the commericial went like this they would have a white male with blonde hair blue eyes try to break one of their lock’s with a crowbar at a home at night, each different commercial they had always had a blonde – blue eyed man dressed all in black like a night burglar.
For the commercial to always have a white male as the burglar is statistically ridiculous, but this is what America has come to – white is bad – black is good.
Report Post »Bobaz
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:17pmI don’t think there are any choirs that rap about shooting cops, raping women, smoking crack, or killing Whitey.
Maybe if they did, more people of color would join in. That is, of course, if there are any who haven’t quit school.
Report Post »AllLost
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:17pmAh diversity…maybe if they went in black face it would be okay. Where there all black choruses accepted?
Report Post »jackact
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:17pmEven choral music has been enveloped by social engineering.
Report Post »Nothing to do with music and talent evidently?
If American individualism cannot overpower the destructive diversity ideology then we allow the elite to transform our country, as planned.
There is a solution.
Vote in November.
Skrewedretiree
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:23pmWhat does musical talent have to do with anything?
It has to do with Diversity and Socialism! Why can’t they just rap instead of sing? All they have to do be to get da beat an’ learn the cuss words and s**t.
Great to see where the people’s educational tax dollars go, isn’t it?
Report Post »capitalismrocks
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:16pmSo they’d rather pull a bunch of faces together vs. talent…
Welcome to the world of the Progressives, where its how you look not if you are qualified.
Report Post »Skrewedretiree
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 10:34pmRemember the Riverdance video? All about Celtic music, and some Spanish Fandango mixed in, which is all right, I suppose, as they are all Catholics, then here come the Black Choir with singing about when will they get their freedom, with a backdrop of the Brooklyn Bridge.
So, what does anyone expect these days?
Don’t be too upset, folks. People have been voting Democrat all their lives! The thing to get upset about is NONE of them can tell you WHY with any coherency! Ask them: They will immediately attack the Conservatives, the Republins and the Christians. Otherwise, you will never get a straight answer. I know; I have asked many Democrats many times.
Remember in November!
Report Post »GoMomGo
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:13pmWow. Unreal. Whoda thunk political correctness would have permeated a SYMPHONY?? Guess I won’t be going to hear them anymore.
Report Post »liesnomore
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:34pmOf course political correctness would permeate the symphony- They get thier funding from the city/ county….they know which tunes to play to keep the money coming
Report Post »dozer71
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:10pmI am a shamed this is Atlanta but not surprised! what happen to judging a person by the content of their heart not the color of their skin or in this case judging them based on their voices not the color of their skin!!!
Report Post »Quiata
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:09pmThis is the very definition of racial bias and discrimination.
Report Post »Charles
Posted on August 19, 2012 at 9:22amAtlanta has had black racists at the helm for 30 years or so. Czechcongo even longer than that. Both cities are places to avoid unless you‘re one of the black racists or you’re suffering from the mental illness or cult brainwashing of modern liberalism.
Report Post »cemerius
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:05pmWelcome to the New United Socialist States of America where the color of your skin is what you are judged by!! Silly me, I THOUGHT that was the base definition of racism?? Guess it’s only “racism” when you are a white person trying to do this!!!
Report Post »Kupo
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:04pmI think there’s only one logical solution to this problem!
Affirmative Action in high school choruses!
Report Post »trinklefinder
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:04pmwait, doesnt that make THEM racist?
Report Post »patriot30-378
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:03pmThere is an easy way around this. Boycott the Atlanta symphony. They are reliant on the public for their income. All conservatives need to make a statement with their wallet. Now is your chance to be heard. It would be nice if everyone could be made happy, but sometimes minorities just might not be interested, now your are artificially adding people to the group to satisfy someones arbitrary wishes. Absolute horsecrap and un-American at best.
Report Post »obfuscatenot
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:19pmMy thoughts exactly! Is the symphony itself racially diverse enough? Perhaps the audience should be the correct proportion of color. ABSURDITY!
Report Post »Chromo200
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:42pmExcellent point … Stop going to the Symphony and let us see if the divers part of our society will fill in the void. I bet the Symphany boars will be asking teh Sate of Georgia for money.
Report Post »pissantno.10
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 10:02pmthey have to all ready thats why the diversity deal is going on any way. whos gong to see them any way
Report Post »randy
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:02pmAnd yet, The NBA and NFL are is still allowed to be on TV?
Report Post »Quiata
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:09pmTouche.
Report Post »AJAYW
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:20pmThey shouldn’t be with these standard. Obama the great divider thinks that blacks has it all coming to them without earning it- Racist bastards
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:01pmIt’s Affirmative action in action. It doesn’t matter how good you are, you have to have a certain percentage of minority members. So it will mean kicking out a better white student or even any other minority in order to represent the nation’s percentages. I’m against cutting anyone to let another culture be represented. What if the NBA did that? I’m sorry, but we’re not going to hire so many black players because we need more white faces on the court….yea, I won’t hold my breath.
Report Post »jcizarter
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 7:12pm” Oh, I love affirmative action! That is how I got to where I am today!
Report Post »I am Condoleezza Rice and I approve this message. How do I get to the ASOles perfomance?
Smokey_Bojangles
Posted on August 18, 2012 at 8:33pmGuess if you are actually born that way,it does not count? Maybe they should have just said they were all gays and lesbians.
Report Post »