Posted on 05/22/2004 12:12:01 PM PDT by FreeManWhoCan
BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. (AP) -- Almost half of a $273,000 grant awarded in 2002 to fight the Goth culture in Blue Springs has been returned because of a lack of interest -- and the absence of a real problem.
Blue Springs received the grant two years ago from the Youth Outreach Unit, money the city and U.S. Rep. Sam Graves trumpeted proudly as a way to fight a perceived Goth problem.
But $132,000 of the grant was returned because officials never found much of a problem with the Goth culture, which some students called a fad that most people eventually outgrow.
Slightly more than $118,000 of the money was earmarked for therapy, assessment and case management, and the plans also included a series of town meetings to discuss the issue.
"It never happened because referring someone for looking, acting Goth is not a concept that ever got imbedded in people's heads," project manager Allyce Ford said of the therapy proposal.
The town hall meetings didn't happen, either, she said, because there wasn't enough interest in the community to conduct them.
About halfway through the project, the focus shifted from Goths to counter cultures and negative influences facing children, Ford said.
"You have to admit if you saw one, two, three, four or more people dressed in traditional Goth, it would be discerning," she said. "Those kids have every right to be there. I hope the lessons you're teaching are tolerance and understanding."
Assistant City Administrator Eric Johnson said despite the change in focus, the project helped dispel myths and stereotypes associated with the Goth culture.
"That was part of the goal," Johnson said. "If we were able to accomplish that, we are able to accomplish something effective."
The program was such a success that they eliminated the problem with funds to spare!
"U.S. Rep. Sam Graves trumpeted proudly as a way to fight a perceived Goth problem."
Glad to see a brave member of Congress is finally going to stamp out this plague of pale youths who wear too much mascara.
Convert them to peace-loving Muslims, that'll solve this problem.
Is this a joke? It's not? Why am I laughing? I'd rather have Goths running through my neighborhood than people wearing bulky clothes with wires hanging out from their waistbands.
Sigh.
No, you let the Goths do what they like, and the next thing you know the Mongols start pouring in over your borders, and then your mercenary legions start turning against you. I'm telling you, its just asking for trouble...
http://wwwimage.cbs.com/primetime/navy_ncis/images/cast_pic04.jpg
They want to stop this?
If this was an article about $273,000 being spent to suppress the “Gothic” culture, I would have sworn it had to be from the Onion.
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