Racist Republican Senator Invited to WHITE NOISE at NYMF- Page 2

[RyanDavis]

Posted: 8/17/06 at 4:21pm

Ahh.. A NYMF insider! Very cool. I wasn't even aware we'd sold any tickets yet. But that's fantastic. :) Enjoy.

Do you have a show I can come see at the fest?

[MissNY]

Posted: 8/17/06 at 4:35pm

I saw the show at one of the readings a couple of months ago and loved it. It was amusing and quite obviously not promoting racism, but at the same time scary to think that people actually say those things and believe them. The songs are a lot of fun and it was an excellent production--even at the first reading.

[VonTussleGirl]

Posted: 8/17/06 at 4:40pm

It was GQ. You're right. Great article by Aaron Gell. The GQ and Primetime LIVE stories on Prussian Blue really helped us create WHITE NOISE.

The GQ article was...illuminating...indeed.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 8/17/06 at 4:58pm

I do not, thanks for asking, did not submit.

I selected the shows yesterday that I received with my paid membership and yours was one of the four. Otherwise I could not have bought a ticket yet.

I do recommend that you see River's End as the music is gorgeous and the story good; I saw it in workshop so I picked other shows. I may buy a ticket to it later when ticket sales open up.

[RyanDavis]

Posted: 8/17/06 at 5:37pm

Hey hon!

KRAD pushed our interview back to next week. I'll keep you posted when to listen.

Ryan

[exedore]

Posted: 8/17/06 at 6:15pm

Disclaimer: Ryan's a personal friend.

That said, I wish the production all the luck in the world, and congratulate the team on all of their coverage, including an upcoming appearance on ABC.

Hopefully they'll use songs that aren't on the website for it...I really liked the songs, but want to hear more since I can't make it to NYMF.

And good luck to all the other productions as well!

[RyanDavis]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 3:12am

ahh.. You shouldn't be breaking news on BroadwayWorld! But yes, off the record - WHITE NOISE will be featured on ABC Primetime Live, on Tuesday, Aug 22nd at 10 PM.

They recorded some of our reading and they are also doing an update on the real Prussian Blue girls.

[gavrochegirl]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 3:15am

Oh, my.

[ZONEACE]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 3:37am

I'm going to White Noise. I can't wait.

[RyanDavis]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 12:01pm

Left wing Bloggers loveee that we invited Sen. Allen!

:)

http://xnerg.blogspot.com/2006/08/its-snark-tastic.html
http://leftword.blogdig.net/archives/articles/August2006/18/Free_tix_for_George_Allen.html
http://americablog.blogspot.com/2006/08/free-tix-for-george-allen.html
http://maxblumenthal.blogspot.com/2006/08/will-mr.html

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 12:23pm

I hope that your invitation to the Senator is not tongue in cheek, because I think it is not just a good, but a great idea that you engage him.

Anyone remember George Wallace of the segregationist rant who later did a 180 degrees?

"In the late 1970s Wallace became a born-again Christian, and around the same time apologized to black Civil Rights leaders for his earlier segregationist views, calling these views wrong. He said that while once he had sought power and glory, he realized he needed to seek love and forgiveness. It was because of this change in his worldview that Wallace realized the harm his earlier segregationist rhetoric and views had caused. His final term as Governor (1983–1987) saw a record number of black Alabamians appointed to government positions.
...
Wallace rose to power on the politics of racism, but he was not simply a racist. A lawyer recalls, "Judge George Wallace was the most liberal judge that I had ever practiced law in front of. He was the first judge in Alabama to call me 'Mister' in a courtroom." Later, when a supporter asked why he started using racist messages, Wallace replied, "You know, I tried to talk about good roads and good schools and all these things that have been part of my career, and nobody listened. And then I began talking about n*s, and they stomped the floor."
George Wallace

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 12:33pm

Now you're writing this musical to prove a point, right? Are you expecting a great deal of controversy?

[JoeDrymala]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 1:02pm

"Now you're writing this musical to prove a point, right? Are you expecting a great deal of controversy?"

We're writing it because we think it will be a really thrilling and provocative musical. There's actually not much of a political message behind it; it's more about how powerful propaganda can be, especially when the messengers are attractive and appealing.

We hope there'll be controversy (it's always good press), but we're not doing it for that reason, and that's not the only trick up our sleeve. We're pretty excited for people to see it, really; especially folks who think it's just a one-joke high concept piece.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 1:15pm

We like to think of our message boards as a community of artists.

So while you visit, it would be polite to visit other threads and engage (they don't have to be my threads) in other topics in addition to the promotion of your show in this thread.

We have a Broadway Board and an Off Topic Board, plus others.

[RyanDavis]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 1:43pm

Totally. I'm a big fan of internet communities, after spending too much time working for Howard Dean.

I tend to be more of a “troll” on these things. I’ve gotten myself in lots of trouble in the past talking on-line publicly about politics and theatre – that I tend to avoid it as much as possible.

So, forgive the shameless promotion of my show and if you want to engage me in a topic – I’m all about private messaging.

Ryan

[birdlives]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 3:49pm

You should also invite Robert Byrd, the senator from West Virginia. He's a former KKK head in WV, and just a few years ago was fond of saying there are "white n*****s and there are black n*****s". He's a reach peach a human being.

[2]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 4:03pm

Prussian Blue, huh? Never heard of them. What, are their lyrics like:
"The blacks are evil and the Jews asweeeeeeeeeelllll-
those Mexcians can go screw themselves!"?

Lol, loverly...anyway, good luck with your play/musical, RyanDavis.

[JudasIscariot]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 4:15pm

WHITE NOISE sounds like my kind of musical!

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 4:59pm

So in this show, will there be moments revealing the consequences of this group? I'm just wondering.

[RyanDavis]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 5:22pm

Sen. Byrd has a problem past, but has come out and apologized many times. He's been on the front line against George Bush's radical agenda and as far as I know even voted for Civil & Voting Rights acts in the late 60s... Can you show me a recent quote from him?

[RyanDavis]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 5:23pm

Matt –

There are different kind of consequences..

What happens to society because of the group is the main one we explore….

Ryan

[VonTussleGirl]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 7:12pm

Prussian Blue, huh? Never heard of them. What, are their lyrics like:
"The blacks are evil and the Jews asweeeeeeeeeelllll-
those Mexcians can go screw themselves!"?

Basically.

In different terms, hahahaa.

[birdlives]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 11:33pm

"They are much, much better than they've ever been in my lifetime," Byrd said. "I think we talk about race too much. I think those problems are largely behind us ... I just think we talk so much about it that we help to create somewhat of an illusion. I think we try to have good will. My old mom told me, 'Robert, you can't go to heaven if you hate anybody.' We practice that. There are white n*s. I've seen a lot of white n*s in my time. I'm going to use that word. We just need to work together to make our country a better country, and I'd just as soon quit talking about it so much."

That's from 2001, an interview with Tony Snow. He absolutely voted AGAINST the Civil Rights voting act, is the only American senator to have opposed BOTH black supreme court justice nominees, and again...he headed up the Ku Klux Klan.

I think you should invite him, it's only fair that racists from both parties are represented at your show.

[RyanDavis]

Posted: 8/19/06 at 3:59am

Birdlives –

I just want to make sure facts are presented accurately.

The CIVIL RIGHTS and VOTING RIGHTS acts were two different things. Not being in anyway a lawyer, I won’t delve into the differences in this forum.

Byrd voted against the Voting Right Act of 1965 (A Move he is said to regret) and voted FOR the Civil Rights Act of 1968. So, there you are HALF right.

You are correct in the fact that Byrd opposed both black supreme court nominees. But, you cloud at least half the argument by using only race.

Thurgood Marshall by all accounts is a wonderful man and in 1967 Sen. Byrd was wrong to not support him.

Clarence Thomas on the other hand is an absolute nightmare of a person and Byrd was within all ground, moral, ethical etc…, to oppose his nomination. He’s not that bright and probably doesn’t support Roe. Disaster. We should thank Sen. Byrd for his opposition.

As far as his KKK membership: It’s horrible, regrettable and Sen. Byrd has expressed many many times his remorse for his actions. You seem to say he “headed up” the KKK. You are making this up completely – and I’d love to see where this information comes from. The best I can find he was a member in 1942 and 1943, less than a year total. (That’s over 60 years ago if you can’t do the math.) He was a recruiter, which is a massively low post in any organization. Think one of those crazy scientologist you see on the street hanging out flyers.

Since 1952 he has been apologetic of his membership. Again, that’s over 50 years. A long time. Sen. Allen used racist terms LAST week as a 50 + year old man, not as a 20 year old.

Byrd's current voting record was given a 100% by the NAACP for Civil Rights.

George Allens record is another story. Full of hate.

• • Opposes requiring companies to hire more minorities. (Sep 2000)
• • Opposes "Sexual orientation protected by civil rights laws". (Sep 2000)
• • Voted YES on constitutional ban of same-sex marriage. (Jun 2006)
• • Voted NO on adding sexual orientation to definition of hate crimes. (Jun 2002)
• • Rated 20% by the ACLU, indicating an anti-civil rights voting record. (Dec 2002)
• Supports the death penalty. (Sep 2000)
• Rated 0% by APHA, indicating a anti-public health voting record. (Dec 2003)
• Voted NO on establishing a Guest Worker program. (May 2006)
• Voted NO on allowing illegal aliens to participate in Social Security. (May 2006)
• • Voted NO on giving Guest Workers a path to citizenship. (May 2006)
• Supports privatizing Social Security. (Sep 2000)
• • Rated 0% by the ARA, indicating an anti-senior voting record. (Dec 2003)

I can’t say much in Allen’s defense. George Allen hates old people, black people, gay people, sick people, children, immigrants.. Please step up and continue to defend him by linking Sen. Byrd to stuff he did 60 years ago…. Please LINK them, it really makes you look silly.

Smart. Real smart.

The interview you bring up with George Bush's best friend TONY SNOW is real. Byrd said sorry. 'I apologize for the characterization I used on this program,' he said. 'The phrase dates back to my boyhood and has no place in today's society. [...] 'In my attempt to articulate strongly held feelings, I may have offended people.'

He's an old man. He says dumb things. He votes the right way. America could do worse... they have.. America has George Allen and birdlives will do and say anything to defend him....

Ryan Davis
Former Staff Member:
Dean For America
Mark Green For Attorney General
etc...

Updated On: 8/19/06 at 03:59 AM

[birdlives]

Posted: 8/19/06 at 4:16am

Ryan - you're going a little overboard here. I haven't said anything about George Allen, and I certainly haven't defended him. He's a despicable human being, just like Byrd is. Just like Mel Gibson is. Just like anyone who is a racist. He is an indefensible human being.

You're drawing conclusions about me and what kind of person I am, my politics, etc, because I pointed out that you could also invite another high profile racist to your show, and represent both parties. But, you're willing to live and let live with Byrd, forgive him, he's old, etc. I guess it doesn't jive with what you're attempting to do with your invite to George Allen, which is, I presume to bring some publicity for your show.

And, I never meant to say Byrd was the head of the KKK's national organization, but I believe he did form the chapter in his area and headed it up for awhile. Sure, it was fifty years ago, but I think he's still a miserable piece of s**t for doing it.