Comments on: Marietta Cancels “Concerts On the Square”

By: BB

BB — Tue, 18 May 2010 21:13:06 +0000

Land, it strikes me that your solution to this problem is a form of entitlement (i.e. “corporate welfare”) – that businesses deserve money they haven’t earned. Like I said, I don’t have to cut Heliotrope a check for lost revenue when nobody shows up on, say, Christmas day, or when a parade on July 4th draws away customers. And I shouldn’t have to cut a check to Marietta businesses if I decide to go to a concert instead of buy some of their stuff. It makes no sense.

I am proposing a capitalist alternative: businesses have to compete for the money they earn. My solution is this: if businesses on the Marietta square want to make more money, they should find ways to cater to the folks who show up to the square, no matter who they are. The problem was that the people coming to the concerts didn’t buy stuff at the surrounding boutiques. You know what the boutiques should do? Figure out what those people would buy, and sell it to them. If they can find a way to sell things to the folks who show up to free cultural events, that is great. If not, then that’s something they need to fix by seeking to better meet the needs of potential customers, NOT by lobbying the city government to shut down arts programs in the hopes that different sorts of people will come by the square. Capitalism argues that businesses need to adapt to make money in the existing marketplace as best they can, and that manipulating the marketplace itself leads to all sorts of bad things (collusion, monopoly, etc.) A non-capitalist response is this: businesses should lobby the government to change the fundamentals of the marketplace to suit how their already-existing business plan. We’ve seen so much Corporate Welfare in the past few years, I think we’re starting to believe that it’s the norm.

No, I don’t have much empathy for businesses that manipulate the government to solve their marketing problems for them. I have tons of empathy for businesses that seek to innovate in order to survive.

By: cubalibre

cubalibre — Tue, 18 May 2010 17:39:39 +0000

I wasn’t operating under the assumption that you were comparing the two cities, per se– but you were comparing their cultural scenes. That’s what I was addressing when I discussed the population stats (because you really can’t compare the two cultural scenes if you don’t take that into the equation, and when you do, it becomes clear that the number of venues alone isn’t the sole indicator of how supportive one place is vs. another).

Like Brianc, I’m glad you’ve had a positive experience. However, I have gay friends, as well as friends of varied racial/ethnic background, who’ve had very different experiences than you– and not 16 years ago, either (they responded by moving ITP, and yes, some into Decatur). One can hope attitudes will change enough for the bigots to be in the minority in Marietta/Cobb County, but they’re not quite there yet.

By: Brianc

Brianc — Tue, 18 May 2010 16:53:53 +0000

I’m glad you have had a positive experience in Marietta. Things have changed a lot in 16 years, though people sometimes forget that. The kind of attitudes exhibited there then still exist, but they are slowly fading and mostly belong to the boobs.

By: Jim Warren

Jim Warren — Tue, 18 May 2010 16:22:49 +0000

Fair enough. The Strand is a non-profit, I believe but could be wrong. It was salvaged via private citizenry and corporate funds, and as theatre since its’ inception in the 30’s, It raises funds through supporters as well. Eddie’s is a fine business but more like a nightclub/venue. Hair splitiing perhaps, but that’s how I see it different than Eddie’s. Ditto with Theatre in the Square…and Strand and TITS (ha!) operate under the leadership of a Board of Directors.

And Cubalibre, as I stated at the beginning ( I think?) I am not comparing the two cities. And the tax base is smaller (boy I REALLY remember that), although I do remember that anyone who lives between 1-85 and 1-20 often say they live in Decatur. They differ in many ways. And I am gay and have had nothing but welcoming neighbors, friendly folks, etc. We all know (including my neighbors) that the ordinance SIXTEEN years ago was a disgrace.

Parker, here is a shout out to all my buddies and free-yuns in Decatur! Patio Party at the CCSD in Oakhurst is coming up in early June and hope to make that. EVERYONE GET YOUR TIX NOW!

Lump, you are right. Sorry to PUSH PUSH. Me memory, she ain’t what she used to be.

By: Brianc

Brianc — Tue, 18 May 2010 16:05:58 +0000

Also worth nothing is that Decatur is mere minutes from Atlanta and other neighborhood “scenes” (L5P, East Atl Vill.). Marietta has less competition.