Activists demand performer apologize for his comments
Story By Jesse Fanciulli
Posted on Tuesday, July 09 @ 03:49:29 EDT
Hispanic activists are asking public officials to condemn inflammatory comments country singer Chad Brock made during his Stampede appearance last weekend.
Brock told a crowd of 7,000 that he was tired of having to adapt to immigrants and that the foreign-born should learn to speak English.
Most in the audience cheered the comments and a majority of respondents to an unscientific Greeley Tribune poll are saying they agree with Brock.
"I think it's an indictment on this whole community," Phillip Moreno of Evans told the Greeley Human Relations Commission on Monday. "It is sad."
Moreno, a member of the Greeley-Evans District 6 school board, and seven other Hispanic activists asked the commission to issue a formal condemnation of any "derogatory, inflammatory or bigoted statements" made at any publicly supported event. The city does not give the Stampede money, but it offers police protection for the event and owns Island Grove Regional Park, where the Stampede is held.
"Public funds should not be used to foster hatred, division and prejudice in this community," said Roberto Córdova, a Hispanic studies professor at the University of Northern Colorado.
The Human Relations Commission, which is an advisory board designed to foster appreciation between cultures, will consider whether to condemn Brock's comments during a special meeting Monday.
Hispanic activists say they will ask the Greeley City Council to issue a similar condemnation at a work session this afternoon. The group also may make the request of Weld County commissioners, Córdova said.
"I believe at the very least, the city needs to make a statement that Chad Brock will never be welcome here again," said Alberto Loya, a Greeley-area insurance agent.
Loya and others who are lambasting Brock are requesting the following:
· An apology from Brock.
· City assistance in getting a videotape of Brock's performance. None of the critics at Monday's commission meeting attended the concert.
· An apology from Stampede organizers for not pulling the plug on Brock's performance after he made the comments. n Support in the movement against Brock's comments from major Stampede contributors.
· Assurances from the Stampede that no more performers will issue offensive comments. One idea is to include a clause in performance contracts that the Stampede takes a no-tolerance approach to racially offensive commentary.
Stampede spokesman Kyle Holman said he doubts the Stampede would include language that bars artists from making offensive statements.
"A performer is an artist, and artists express themselves through words and music," Holman said.
He added that the sentiments of performers don't represent the opinions of the Stampede.
"I don't think it's our place to apologize on Brock's behalf, and I don't think we should apologize on behalf of the First Amendment," Holman said.
Holman added that the people who are pursing the apologies are likely seeking attention for themselves.
"There are some people in town who want their names in the paper. That's what this is about," Holman said.
Lucille Mantelli, a Kodak spokeswoman who will become a Stampede committee member next year, said Brock's comments were "very unfortunate."
Still, Mantelli said Kodak will not withdrawal its support of the Stampede because event organizers did not know Brock would make offensive statements.
"If the Stampede allowed this on purpose, we'd obviously take a lot harder look at it," Mantelli said.
As for the city, Greeley City Councilman Ed Phillipsen agrees that it's difficult to know what a performer will say. But Phillipsen said the city should be clear that Brock will not be welcomed back to Greeley.
The way Mayor Jerry Wones sees it, Brock's comments were in "very poor taste." Even so, the city is not responsible for them, Wones said.
"I don't see any logical connection between what some entertainer says on the spur of the moment and the racial policies of the city or the Stampede," Wones said.
Still, for some Greeley residents, Brock's comments were the latest in a long line of racial slights that get little reaction from white leaders.
"We are very disappointed in our community leaders," said Jorge Amaya, president of the Northern Colorado Latino Chamber of Commerce. "They are being cowards by not stepping up."
If Hispanic studies are anything like Womyns Studies or African Studies programs, wouldn't that be exactly what Prof Córdova is doing?
Also, note that the article uses the term "white leaders." Many Hispanics are "white." Hispanic is not a race. Neither is the Spanish language.
Roberto Cordova is a Professor in the Department of Hispanic Studies. Curriculum Vitae. Office: Cand 0040 Office Hours: MWF 9:00-10:00 Telephone: (970) 351-2227 E-mail: rcordov@unco.edu
Guess you should then quit your publicly funded job at UNC, Roberto.