04/25/24
December 31, 2009
Who Are You to Ban Townshend From Super Bowl?: Beware, a sicko with a guitar is coming to town!
"Should The Who be banned from the Super Bowl?"
If you're willing to be duped into a knee-jerk reaction, you'll probably say yes. If you bother to look into what The Who's legendary guitarist actually did, the answer is not nearly so cut-and-dried.
My favorite band of all time - the only shame is that they don't get the Super Bowl halftime gig until half the original band members are dead.
posted by sbacharach at 07:42 PM on December 31, 2009
Depending on which way you look at it, Florida is either the first place that should be having protests over child abuse issues in relation to a major sporting event, or the last place.
There are so many children at risk in Florida at any given moment and (speaking as a longtime former Fla. resident) so many home grown sickos in the Sunshine State with children in their care and custody, that the advocacy groups ought to make sure that they have the safety of the state's kids assured before they put the time and effort into trying to make a case out of something like this.
I have worked firsthand with the Florida DCF and other social service agencies. They are frequently incompetent and always overwhelmed. And they were that way well before the funding cuts that followed the wreckage of the Florida real estate market and the state economy at large.
Put the effort where it matters. I'm tired of reading about kids being killed on the way home from school or kept hostage by a drugged out mom's lunatic boyfriend. Townshend puts a lot of effort into being a positive force. Instead of trying to demonize him, they should try to enlist his help. They could sure as hell use it.
posted by beaverboard at 08:48 PM on December 31, 2009
They really ought to be going after all those college bands and major-league venues that still play Gary Glitter songs.
posted by etagloh at 08:50 PM on December 31, 2009
Let the Who play. I think the children of Florida will be safe.
Myself, I would prefer a highlight reel of the season's most amazing plays and maybe "the most fabulous plays in Super Bowl history" or some other kind of football related color commentary.
posted by steelergirl at 10:27 AM on January 01, 2010
I love me some Who, but are they really a halftime show draw in 2010?
posted by Joey Michaels at 11:13 AM on January 01, 2010
My opinion will undoubtedly be an unpopular one, but I think the mere idea of a sex offender registry is wrong. For every other crime a person is found guilty of, there is a set punishment they must serve, and then they are allowed to live their lives having paid their debt to society. But sex offenders must live with the stigma long after their debt is paid. Why is there no arsonist register? Or DUI register? Or murderer register? If a sex offender is "sick" in the eyes of a mental health professional, then they should be in a hospital getting treatment. If the offender is a "danger to society," then they shouldn't be on the streets. And before any of you accuse me of having this opinion because I don't have kids or I don't know anyone who has been sexually assaulted, hear this: I have 2 children, and if anyone laid a hand on them, they'd never make it to trial. My sister was raped 15 years ago, and my niece was sexually abused by her step-father 8 years ago. That doesn't change my opinion on crime and punishment, however...