Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Reggae vs. Reggae
It was just a matter of time before the Bay Area alt. weeklies picked up the story of our local conflict. Eric K. Arnold of the East Bay Express offers a compressed history titled "Reggae vs. Reggae," but since, as he put it, "Neither the Mateel Community Center nor 2b1 Multimedia responded to calls and e-mails seeking comment," the story is pretty much told from the Carol/Tom Reggae Rising P.O.V.
That's the complaint of Georje Holpe of Redway, who wrote the EB-Express to say:
All is not irie
As a member of the Mateel Community Center, I wish to say a few things regarding your one-sided, biased article. For the Mateel Community Center's point of view, talk to their lawyers. The staff of the community center has been laid off, and does not have the funds to hire a slick public relations firm, like People's Productions takes advantage of.
A large majority of the population in South Humboldt and North Mendocino counties are outraged that "People's Productions" — a for-profit corporation — hijacked a two-decades-old community-sponsored event that benefited our local, nonprofit organizations. For all the years Reggae on the River has been in existence, the Mateel Community Center fronted the seed money to put on the festival. People's Productions reaped the profits without having to invest their own money. Carol and Tom's offer of $200,000 was not going to be paid up-front and was not guaranteed. Boots and 2b1 Productions made an offer of $350,000 up-front and half the ticket sales.
Most importantly, "REGGAE ON THE RIVER" IS NOT FOR SALE AND NEVER HAS BEEN FOR SALE. The community is not willing to sell. I'm sure Tom and Carol wish the whole little problem of an outraged community would go away, but all is not irie when Reggae on the River becomes Babylon Rising.
Many of Humboldt County's nonprofit organizations rely on having a food booth at Reggae on the River as part of their yearly income. Many local nonprofits, including schools, volunteer fire departments, the community radio station, environmental groups, feel so strongly that this year's reggae festival is unethical, they have chosen to stand in solidarity with Mateel Community Center by not having a food booth at the festival this year.
For anyone attending the event, be forewarned: All sorts of protests and actions are being planned by the community at large.
