(04-29-2013 09:37 PM)ODUsmitty Wrote:  I am going to very cautiously wade into these racial waters........and probably regret it at a later time.

While I do not agree with JF's stereotype about the academic pedigree of the participants of both Greekfest and last week's "festival", many of us with ties to South Hampton Roads remember too well the Greekfest riots from years ago. I, too, was a student and bartended at the Ocean Front during that time period, and remember the very racial overtones of the "exuberance" shown by the rioters during that event. It was downplayed by the media, of course, but the event was for minorities, and the rioting was performed by minorities. Whether they were students or those that congregate around students really did not matter, only the fact that distinctions were made based upon skin color, with violent consequences.

Fast forward to this weekend. My cousin (actually half-brother as our fathers were identical twins) owns a bar on the south end of the oceanfront. Due to "local knowledge" that this event had the potential to get out of hand, they added additional security for their business over the weekend...and needed it. The hotel to which the bar was attached sustained a couple thousand dollars of damage, and the extra security was well-placed to prevent the bar patrons from enduring anything more than violent and colorful language at the bar entrance.

I could not care less if this was a Shriner's conference or HBCU Spring Break, but two times in our memories, violence has ensued from catering to a specific demographic that found the Oceanfront a great place to loot, vandalize, and partake in a gang mentality detrimental to public safety. I loathe the mentality that justifies any behavior such as this.

So feel free to make your sweeping generalizations about my motives. But experience shows this type of event has been linked to issues with a certain demographic. I wish it were not the case, but such is the case.

So while JF may have made some assumptions that many of would take issue, the fact that incidents took place are not disputed. ANd I would prefer that "business" to take their business elsewhere.

I don't dispute the incidences and I'll never try to justify that behavior. I do take issue with the fact that JF made the statement he did without addressing what he said.

That being said, this sh*t happens across the nation featuring different races and none of them will ever be harped on here. In fact, there are more events that cater to a certain other demographic and they all make a sharp increase in crime--violent or not. You'll never hear vast generalizations about them that affect the entire race. I guess I'm gonna have to post it when they come out.