Column: Don't forget the Klezmer
Published Oct. 25, 2005
"Next time you are out at a club scene in Columbia, count the number of black people around you ... You will find there are few or none at all ... Last Friday, I entered the Field House with two black friends hoping to groove to hip-hop. Upon our entrance, all we heard was techno. My black friends immediately turned around and left the club ... whether or not this was intentional by the owners of the Field House or Déjà vu, this is detrimental to the black population of Columbia. We have a long way to go if this is not recognized as segregation." — Oct. 18 letter to the editor
Next time you are out at the club scene in Columbia, count the number of Jews around you.
You will find there are few or none at all. The reasoning behind this is that the Field House has changed its policies regarding Klezmer music. They simply refuse to play it before 12:45 a.m.
Last Friday, I entered the Field House with two Jewish friends hoping to swing a mean shoe to some Klezmer. Upon entering, all we heard was techno. Now, it is a well-known fact that Jews can only dance and have a good time when Klezmer is playing. They simply refuse to dance to techno. For these reasons, my Jewish friends immediately turned around and left. When the dance floor became packed later that evening, it was predominantly by non-Jews. I felt this was unusual for a Friday night at the Field House.
Sidebar: Reflecting on this situation, I recall quite a feeling of déjà vu. It reminded me of the time my two Mexican friends and I went out to the Field House hoping to hear some ranchero, got disappointed and left in a huff.
That in turn reminds me of the time my two German friends and I went out trying to hear polka, but our endeavors were fruitless.
Then there was that time my two Native American friends (a nice couple, the guy is half Cherokee and half Choctaw and she's a Chippewa — one of a kind) and I went to the Field House hoping to hear tribal music. Suffice it to say, the music played made it clear that my non-white, Jewish and German friends were not welcome.
What the manager and owners of this club fail to understand is every racial and ethnic group has a specific genre of music they must hear when they go to a club. If a member of a certain group doesn't hear the type of music that matches his or her race or ethnicity, he or she is experiencing victimization from the racist system. The owners are basically saying, "We don't want no Jews here. That's why we don't play Klezmer."
This is not a matter of personal choice to be left to the management of privately owned companies. Laws should be enacted to dictate that every club be required to play equal parts Klezmer, ranchero, polka, tribal music and even techno. It's ridiculous. The only place I can hear any good Klezmer on a consistent basis is Athena.
It is important that you realize that whether or not this is being done intentionally by the proprietors of the Field House, this is detrimental to the Jewish, Mexican, German and half-Cherokee-half-Choctaw population of Columbia. We have a long way to if this is not recognized as segregation.
Contact Dan FriesenHere.