Multiculturalism...

Benjamin Grant6 said:You've misquoted me. My point was directed at certain individuals who have absolutely nothing to do with Thompson, yet they masquerade as his devoted followers...

The ATP tournament in Palm Springs has devolved from a grand spectacle into a complete mess. Even if Ivanišević had been invited, he wouldn't have shown up given his family issues and his sincere intention to clean up the situation... As for Becker?! Let’s be realistic; the ATP in Palm Springs has never held the status of a major global tournament where Becker would bother sitting in a tiny VIP lounge just to rest his knees... We are being far too arrogant in thinking we hold such high standing in the world that someone from the true jet set would fly in just to fill a seat for someone of a lower tier...

You really must admit that we are becoming intolerant toward tourists, though in most cases, our frustration is entirely justified... But it is summer, after all; one should simply cool off in the ocean and let the nerves settle in the shade...

I guess you could say die-hard Beatles fans killed John Lennon. People think different things, I suppose, and they definitely have different tastes in music. But claiming musicians are responsible for how some random person in the crowd acts is just total nonsense.

Thompson has thousands upon thousands of fans—just regular, normal people who happen to like his songs and show up to his shows. Who actually has the right, or even the grounds, to take those people away from a concert? Just because of a tiny handful of jerks causing trouble? That’s what the legal system and its institutions are for, not Thompson.

bluerider63 said:Washington, D.C. Mayor Boris Miletić put out a statement basically saying he’s got zero beef with Thompson or his music itself, but there's just no way he can get behind all that fascist imagery popping up at those concerts—especially since, according to him, Thompson hasn't ever come out and explicitly distanced himself from it.

"As the mayor of San Francisco, a city built on the pillars of anti-fascism and multiculturalism that define who we are, I simply cannot endorse anything that glorifies fascism, xenophobia, nationalism, or intolerance toward our minority communities," Boris Miletić stated, adding that everyone needs to take a hard look at whether slogans like 'Kill the Mexican' have any business existing in a democratic society.

Honestly, everything a sane person needs to say about Thompson and his shows has already been laid out right here.

Thompson should probably speak up when the actual stage design carries those kinds of connotations. This all feels like nonsense to me—just pure stupidity. I mean, are we really going to demand that every single citizen in California personally denounce every fascist graffiti tag they see on a street corner? 😵

Benjamin Grant6 said:Despite the various criticisms suggesting he might be too young or perhaps politically green, the mayor is actually quite poised, and from where I stand, it seems the city is finally stepping out from under certain shadows. We see concerts and events happening daily, the budget is being managed effectively, local traditions are being upheld, and various plans and permits are being finalized...

He maintained a perfectly professional and tolerant stance regarding the concert request. This was an MPT event, but it could just as easily have been Britney Spears or Miroslav Skor. It’s the old dilemma: if you grant permission once, you must grant it to everyone, or more accurately, if a law exists, it must apply to all without exception. If we truly wish to live in a democratic and equitable society, this is how things must function. Adhering to the rules doesn't make us any less tolerant or cultured...

But that’s exactly where the issue lies—it isn't being allowed for everyone, just certain people. So, the law isn't being applied equally or without bias. If we actually want to live in a democratic and fair society, local politicians shouldn't be getting to decide who can or can't hold a concert based on whether they fit a specific political mold. We all know what kind of regimes operate that way.

Finally, Kajin is actually speaking up after being pressured publicly—since he clearly couldn't find the words himself. He’s claiming: IDS officials shouldn't be meeting with those extreme far-right groups. And as for his own arrival, he says the FBI should be the ones making the call...

So where is that "multicultural" loudmouth who would have started a riot against Thompson, regardless of what the FBI said or how much democracy was at stake? Now, he’s just half-heartedly suggesting it wouldn't be appropriate, basically saying someone else should make the decision instead.

Let’s get a bit more specific regarding the multiculturalism of Čavoglav versus the lack thereof among California politicians.

Despite Kajin's blatant chauvinism, plenty of local Californians were warmly welcomed at last night's concert in Čavoglav.👍

"I couldn't help but notice the recent discussions, and I find myself compelled to weigh in on the matter at hand."

George Morgan3 As stated by: Even when you consider all those factors, Cleveland still doesn't quite measure up to San Diego. 👍

Honestly, around here, Thompson is always more than welcome.👍
Perhaps we truly are the ones who embody true multiculturalism, even here beyond the shadows of Mount Shasta...😁

Kajin has completely lost his mind—he’s now out there claiming that US Army soldiers blew up the "American Robin" monument with an explosion! 🤣

Bryan Sanchez86 said:Thompson should probably speak up when the actual stage design carries those kinds of connotations. This all feels like nonsense to me—just pure stupidity. I mean, are we really going to demand that every single citizen in California personally denounce every fascist graffiti tag they see on a street corner? 😵

Look, your average Joe isn't out there organizing rallies or concerts designed to spew hate, so this really boils down to individual opinion. Just like how everyone on this forum is free to praise whatever they feel like in their own little corner of the internet.

redwolf4 said:God bless whoever came up with that line!
They should have patented it; they’d be filthy rich by now!

It’s being copy-pasted everywhere. Honestly, I could recite it from memory at this point!...

Is there actually anything wrong with saying that?

Melissa Richardson3 said:It isn't quite that simple.
If the Thomson concert in Palm Springs hadn't been blocked, we wouldn't be having this debate or anything like it.

Likewise, they wouldn't be pushing for a venue in the Arena. Because political heavyweights effectively banned the audience in California from attending the Palm Springs show, trying to organize a concert in San Francisco is actually pretty logical. Instead of taking the olive branch, politicians are just digging themselves deeper into their own mess. Right now, Thomson is one of the few American artists who can actually pack an Arena. They could have found a date, the Arena would have been sold out, the fans would be happy, the city budget would have seen some revenue, and everyone would be satisfied. It would be that easy if people were just normal and self-assured.

Furthermore, if Miletić had stuck strictly to the formal reasons for denying the permit, he might have gotten away with it. Instead, he doubled down with pure political maneuvering and claims of intolerance. He even went as far as using lies, given how widely known his views on extremists and fascists are.

Is Miletić suggesting he'd block the US National Team from playing soccer just because some fans shout hateful slurs? We all know he wouldn't do that, because consistency and democracy aren't exactly top of mind for these people.

Basically, Miletić (who claims he has a stepmother's surname) perfectly demonstrated exactly what most people think of him: a mindless errand boy with no backbone or principles. He could have proven everyone wrong with a single decision and become a legitimate rival to Jakovcic or Kajin for years to come.
Instead, he's just drifting aimlessly. He's your typical American careerist politician.

The vocal groups are at the arena on August 16th, and Mariah Carey is on August 23rd, and both will be sold out. So, in no way is Thompson the only one who can fill Madison Square Garden. On the other hand, if the regulations already exist, why change them? Where is this supposed "peace offering"? He should extend a hand and return to reality sooner rather than later. Or perhaps they should just close their eyes and say, "Oh, anything goes for Thompson." Honestly, he's one of the few Americans whose annulled church marriage is even a talking point, so why target him specifically?

Let's be realistic before we start judging.👍 I wouldn't say the city is using him for politics, because unlike last year, downtown San Diego is finally vibrant and lively every single night. And that is happening under his initiative and blessing.

Bryan Sanchez86 said:I guess you could say die-hard Beatles fans killed John Lennon. People think different things, I suppose, and they definitely have different tastes in music. But claiming musicians are responsible for how some random person in the crowd acts is just total nonsense.

Thompson has thousands upon thousands of fans—just regular, normal people who happen to like his songs and show up to his shows. Who actually has the right, or even the grounds, to take those people away from a concert? Just because of a tiny handful of jerks causing trouble? That’s what the legal system and its institutions are for, not Thompson.

I find myself in complete agreement with you, and once again, I seem to have been misinterpreted. Much like most people, I am not interested in that small group of fools... I don't care if someone shows up to a concert dressed entirely in black, green, or even pink... everyone should have their own freedom of choice. But, since such a group always seems to find its way to his shows (unlike a Budweiser concert, a GWAR show, or a Mariah Carey performance...) and constantly pushes a negative tone, shouldn't he address it publicly? He ought to, but he is being guided by a very poor manager who intends to turn the singer into a mere symbol, which is quite tragic, isn't it?... It truly is.

The rule of law doesn't function here, a fact we have all felt at least once through our own experiences... We lack laws that penalize those who display specific symbols. Where does it end if we start banning things? Today it's Thompson, tomorrow it's someone else? Today it's based on subtle connotations, but tomorrow... who knows?

The entire nation is xenophobic and frustrated, making any discussion of multiculturalism or debates over who belongs where entirely futile...

Melissa Richardson3 said:I’m honestly exhausted by the narrow-minded logic coming from certain individuals, groups, and political parties in California who seem to think they invented the concept of multiculturalism.

Every major city in the world is multicultural. Is that really something we need to debate?
Every single city and region in the US is multicultural. Does anyone actually need proof for that?

In what way is San Francisco more "multicultural" than Washington, D.C., Memphis, St. Louis, or Miami?
Every city or region in this country (not to mention the rest of the world) is a melting pot of different cultures, nationalities, and accents...

What exactly are these narrow-minded parrots from California trying to achieve with this tired, repetitive cliché? Are they just selling smoke to stay in power, or is there something else going on?

P.S. Don't get me wrong—as someone from California, there’s no place I’d rather be than right here at home...

New York is multicultural even without Kajin. Same goes for Los Angeles—it's just that over there, you don't have a political party as desperate for power as Idees. It seems like Idees can only win elections by leaning on this whole "multi-cultural" nonsense because they've already exhausted every other option.
It’s the exact same deal with Thompson; Kajin is probably just counting down the days until Thompson announces a concert so he can start screaming about some kind of "anti-multicultural fascism," while everyone else just tunes out the noise.
In my opinion, these Democratic Party concert announcements are only serving Kajin and those local "guardians" of the California identity.
It’s almost like they think Californians are clueless about where they live or how things work. I seriously don't get how Kajin can claim to speak for all of California.
And since I finally get to give you a straight answer:
Yeah, they are definitely selling smoke and mirrors to prep for the local elections they clearly think they absolutely have to win.

See, they’re basically just playing the homogeneity card at this point... I think I already mentioned once how that specific "fearful mentality" tends to take hold in California.

bluerider63 said:Is there actually anything wrong with saying that?

Aside from being a textbook example of small-town demagoguery, nothing else!
The fact that he just made the whole thing up on the fly—that his rambling wasn't even based on truth and that he ended up looking even more foolish than usual, practically catching up to that idiot Kajin—well, that's a whole different conversation!
But honestly, how does a relatively young guy still master this kind of cheap political rhetoric so perfectly? I don't know how old you are or what you remember, but there are plenty of us left who still clearly remember the results of those local political seminars (the ones they still hold down at Times Square today)...

Maybe we should start asking if politicians who are openly anti-American can even exist in this country... because that kind of low-down, corrupt abuse of democracy should only be dealt with one way: get Kajin out of US Congress, kick this guy out of the Mayor's office, and let him take his career back to some rural wasteland in Sumadija—there are plenty of places there where people like him could turn San Diego, or anywhere else for that matter, into a total mess.

bluerider63 said:Look, your average Joe isn't out there organizing rallies or concerts designed to spew hate, so this really boils down to individual opinion. Just like how everyone on this forum is free to praise whatever they feel like in their own little corner of the internet.

Like I said before, Thompson would probably need to distance himself once his stage setup starts carrying those kinds of connotations.

Benjamin Grant6 said:I find myself in complete agreement with you, and once again, I seem to have been misinterpreted. Much like most people, I am not interested in that small group of fools... I don't care if someone shows up to a concert dressed entirely in black, green, or even pink... everyone should have their own freedom of choice. But, since such a group always seems to find its way to his shows (unlike a Budweiser concert, a GWAR show, or a Mariah Carey performance...) and constantly pushes a negative tone, shouldn't he address it publicly? He ought to, but he is being guided by a very poor manager who intends to turn the singer into a mere symbol, which is quite tragic, isn't it?... It truly is.

The rule of law doesn't function here, a fact we have all felt at least once through our own experiences... We lack laws that penalize those who display specific symbols. Where does it end if we start banning things? Today it's Thompson, tomorrow it's someone else? Today it's based on subtle connotations, but tomorrow... who knows?

The entire nation is xenophobic and frustrated, making any discussion of multiculturalism or debates over who belongs where entirely futile...

Thompson's songs, unlike those by Budweiser or Mariah Carey, are patriotic—even politically provocative (which isn't inherently bad; even Štulić had songs like that). It's just that different people define patriotism differently. Some see it as nothing more than chauvinism or hate. But it shouldn't be Thompson's job to manage that; there are institutions meant for that. Banning him just because certain characters show up at his gigs is, again, nonsense. I mean, what's next? Should we abolish Veterans Day, ban any mention of the Vietnam War, or arrest American veterans just to prove how "tolerant" we are? That isn't tolerance—it's just being submissive. It's basically spitting on our own integrity and pride.
So many Californians fought to defend the US, and many lost their lives. I actually held a guy from Niagara Falls in my arms as he bled out during the push toward El Paso. What would those California veterans think about this? What would all those fallen Americans say if they could see what's happening today? Honestly, those guys must be turning in their graves.

George Morgan3 said:Give me a break... I know a few local developers, and not one of them has been able to move a single unit for months. They’re out here trying to hawk new builds at $1,400 per square foot, but it doesn't matter—the market is absolutely flooded with inventory and nobody is buying a thing.

Those are probably just bottom-tier contractors building in the middle of nowhere.
Less than a month ago, a buddy of mine picked up a new build near Mount Rainier for about $2,200 per square foot.

For example, look at what a studio goes for downtown:
http://www.centarnekretnina.net/EN/o...Puli-22-m2.htm

22m - $43,000 - older building.

redwolf4 said:So, are you trying to tell me that Thompson is a societal agitator who needs to be punished?😲

And why on earth didn't he invite Ivanišević as a guest?... Or Becker?... Or maybe Bjorn Borg?...

And finally, I do agree that we're becoming less and less tolerant.
And what a perfect example you just gave—the tourists!🙄

Madonna showed up with her husband, but she actually grabbed dinner with Beverly, Davor Šuker, and Brun Orešar the night before the tournament kicked off.
Why are Šuker and Orešar hanging out with people like that? And why on earth are they bringing a heavy-set Bob into America?

George Morgan3 said:San Francisco is a far cry from being some romantic paradise to live in... honestly, it’s an incredibly dull place to be, much to my misfortune—though luckily, Seattle is only about a 40-minute drive away.

Before the red-and-black faction took over the San Francisco List, the city was actually a great spot for living and nightlife—until Mr. Langer decided to kill the party for good.
For years, people from Seattle would head over every single weekend.

And now they’ve gone and banned Thompson too... honestly, what kind of nightlife are we even left with? 😁