Re: [Callers] Shutdown-related dances?

It is interesting. By in large, contra dancers tend to be on the liberal side of the spectrum. And, judging from this discussion, even the reasons for not bringing up current events are because we want to get away from the message ("denying people healthcare is so important that they'll shut down the government..."), not because we hold the opinion that "Obamacare is going to destroy America and everything we hold holy...". Though I tend to be on the extreme left, (like, I think of NPR as National Pentagon Radio...) and sometimes I can't help but comment by giving my dances titles like: There is No Way to Peace; Peace Is the Way Malcolm's X Black Wednesday (the day after Bush II's second stolen election...) and occasionally making comments, I want the dance to be a place where people of all political persuasions and colors are welcome. So, if a card carrying Tea-Partier, or an anti-women's-right-to-choose fundamentalist Christian, or a fundamentalist Muslim, or a nazi-white supremacist, or a flat-earther, or a "God made the Universe in 7 earth days exactly 10,000 years ago...", or a person with any sort of ridiculous belief structure comes to the dance, and finds joy in sharing the dance with others, I am happy they are there and don't want to drive them away with my ideology -- even though I'm Right! Granted, if this variety of people all showed up at the same time, we might end up with fireworks, and that is something we must watch out for. I once had to tell a man that his racist comments to a Black dancer were not welcome at the dance, and if we heard him say anything like that again, he would be immediately asked to leave. Still, if someone has those belief structures, and can come to the dance and not show them, it should be a chance for us to revel in the humanity of all, regardless of the ridiculous beliefs they -- or we -- might carry. So, I guess I'm saying that there should be at least a caution before extolling certain ideas from the podium. Let's find other places to carry out political and social discussions and keep the dance a place where we can connect with people and see beyond their beliefs and find their humanity. Now, it's back to our generally White, mostly liberal dance community... ~erik hoffman oakland, ca PS, if anyone wants to discuss things political, I'm happy to, but privately! On 10/4/2013 2:36 PM, Dave Casserly wrote: