TromboneChat

Leif (savio) has been posting a lot of polls lately. I'm inspired! I'm jumping on the bandwagon! I'm curious. Who are we?

Before voting, is having 5% hearing in one ear and 60% in the other, combined it 10% sight in one eye and 60% in the other considered 'differently-abled'?

Quote from: BillO on Jul 05, 2016, 08:40PMBefore voting, is having 5% hearing in one ear and 60% in the other, combined it 10% sight in one eye and 60% in the other considered 'differently-abled'?

I'll note that the Americans with Disabilities Act says:

QuoteThe ADA defines a person with a disability as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity.
If that fits...

My dad's side came from Iraq and my mum side from Ireland.  My English is good  though I prefer to speak Arabic when I'm with friends and family.  I also have Autism Spectrum Disorder which my difficulty is speaking properly to others and socialising issues.  Also I admit I could be Bisexual.

I am definitely differently-abled when it comes to trombone playing. Most others can only hope...

What is up with the choices in this poll? You ask: "who are we?" and then give a bunch of outlier choices? "Female" would have made sense if the other, opposite choices were available. This poll does not care about who is on the forum, just who fits the very specific choices you selected.

I'm Ukrainian / French / Irish / all American, male, straight, monogamous, and obviously not a part of the diversity enough to warrant anything other than "not worth caring about / none of the above"



I'm personally hurt that I couldn't check enough boxes to select "Xenomorph-Giraffe hybrid, pan-sexual with floraphiliac tendencies, inversely disabled Lovecraftian etherbeing"  I had to pick "none of the above" even when I decided to be that....

A strange choice of diversities, if indeed any of them are related to trombone playing, or belonging to a forum. For instance, how is being female diverse on TTF?

How does one decide what's "diverse" and what isn't? Damned if I know. I used the Philly Improv Theater's criteria for diversity scholarships as a starting point, because why not. It's simple and to-the-point:

Quotepersons of color, women, persons 40 years of age or older, members of the LGBTQ community, differently-abled persons, and active duty U.S. military service members and U.S. military veterans
But improv classes aren't a music forum, obviously. Maybe I should've included age and military members, but I don't see a shortage of those around here. Could be in my head, though.

Included the English-speaking thing 'cos Leif was feeling put out about his linguistic skills a while back, seemed relevant.

-----

Quote from: BillO on Jul 05, 2016, 08:40PMBefore voting, is having 5% hearing in one ear and 60% in the other, combined it 10% sight in one eye and 60% in the other considered 'differently-abled'?

I'm gonna go with Rob here. If it substantially limits one or more major life activity...

----

Quote from: harrison.t.reed on Jul 05, 2016, 09:31PMI am definitely differently-abled when it comes to trombone playing. Most others can only hope...

What is up with the choices in this poll? You ask: "who are we?" and then give a bunch of outlier choices? "Female" would have made sense if the other, opposite choices were available. This poll does not care about who is on the forum, just who fits the very specific choices you selected.

I'm Ukrainian / French / Irish / all American, male, straight, monogamous, and obviously not a part of the diversity enough to warrant anything other than "not worth caring about / none of the above"



I'm personally hurt that I couldn't check enough boxes to select "Xenomorph-Giraffe hybrid, pan-sexual with floraphiliac tendencies, inversely disabled Lovecraftian etherbeing"  I had to pick "none of the above" even when I decided to be that....

I figured for a Xenomorph-Giraffe hybrid, pan-sexual with floraphiliac tendencies, inversely disabled Lovecraftian etherbeing, you'd explain yourself in the comments. I'm glad you did!

----

Quote from: Graham Martin on Jul 05, 2016, 10:15PMA strange choice of diversities, if indeed any of them are related to trombone playing, or belonging to a forum. For instance, how is being female diverse on TTF?

Seems to me like maybe 3% of the posters here are female. That's also pretty close to the percentage of female trombone players I know. Could be in my head, though. Hence the poll!

Quote from: LowrBrass on Jul 06, 2016, 04:11AMSeems to me like maybe 3% of the posters here are female. That's also pretty close to the percentage of female trombone players I know. Could be in my head, though. Hence the poll!

Well the poll says 0.00%, so you're definitely wrong about these so-called and fabled "female trombonists". Next thing you'll be telling us that man has walked on the moon! 

Hey, I can contribute to the diversity..
Both female and English is not my native language! 

Quote from: LowrBrass on Jul 06, 2016, 04:11AMI'm gonna go with Rob here. If it substantially limits one or more major life activity...

Well they are limiting, but I don't feel that they are substantially limiting, so I'll go with 'none of the above'.

I am disabled because of consequences of two falls.  I can't stand to honor the conductor and I need assistance to walk.  But other than that, I can still play (subject to my current broken ribs, which will heal).

I do find trombone players seem to be more of the oddball folks who wind up playing this instrument because nobody else seems to want to -- then we fall in love with it.

I usually enjoy the polls as they relate to trombone playing, but this one is just fishing for something...not sure what.
Do we now have to have so many of this and so many of that on the forum?   

Quote from: randyb on Jul 06, 2016, 07:09AMI usually enjoy the polls as they relate to trombone playing, but this one is just fishing for something...not sure what.
Do we now have to have so many of this and so many of that on the forum?   

I read it differently.  I have been hoping that not all the TTF posters are white guys like me. 

Hispanic, Spanish-speaking bisexual guy

Quote from: jmtheob on Jul 06, 2016, 07:13AMI read it differently.  I have been hoping that not all the TTF posters are white guys like me. 

What's wrong with white dudes? My history book is all about them and for the most part they seem OK unless you have something they want.

Seriously, there should be a true discussion on diversity between the members of this forum. I learned in Latin class that for a few hundred years in the Roman Empire it didn't matter where you came from or what race you were so long as you were Roman, and all you had to do to be Roman was act like a Roman and live within Rome's borders. Considering the time period, Rome did all right besides a lot of women's rights issues. Most of the people who flocked to Rome did so because they wanted to be joiners (or were freed and realized that Rome was still better than their previous cesspool), and didn't want to be different. There were latin, spanish, celtic and african emperors who ruled Rome and considered themselves Roman. Talk about diversity.

Today it's like a badge of honor to show off and parade social differences in order for people to feel important. To me, this is rude. Really rude. It's gotten to the point where people who were born unquestionably as either biologically men or women demand their own bathroom because they decided the one they've used their entire lives doesn't suit their own opinion of biological gender any more. That's not a social problem. That's a case of someone who's got nothing better to do than worry about themselves and think about their own ego all day.

Whatever happened to fitting in? Remember high school? That's what high school revolved around. Humans are wired to want to fit into a society. Fighting that after a certain point is kind of dumb.

We should be moving towards a reduced emphasis on these social diversities that we keep trying to categorize.

What gender are you? "Well, unless I'm blind, that's pretty easy to answer. If you want to make it a difficult question to answer -- who cares? What skills do you have and what will you accomplish in your life? That's all that I care about once you bring doubt up about your gender because at that point there is no interaction that involves gender that will happen between me and you, and I still value you as a human being."

What is your sexual orientation? "Really, no one cares, besides potential mates. Besides however many mates you get down with, nobody gives a damn unless you make it an issue, which is rude."

What race are you? "Unless you are really in the boonies or dealing with bigots who only see race and discriminate, this question is actually 'what race-stereotype social norms do you follow, and how committed to pideonholing yourself into a race are you?' If you only hang out with people who are the same race as you and share social norms based on race with that group of friends you'll be socially a very different person from someone of any race who chooses to associate with a racially diverse group of friends that share common social-norms. This is that part where I think Rome had it right. A country full of a diverse population of people trying desperately to be Roman is a lot better than a country full of segregated groups of people trying to stick to their roots to the exclusion of their society as a whole."

Are you disabled? "This is actually a question that matters, especially if the disability is not obvious. Some disabled people like to be defined by their disability and how they have overcome it, but this is no different from challenges that all people are proud of overcoming. I know that a lot of disabled people are a lot happier to just fit in and to have their disability just be something that is not a big deal. I went to high school with a deaf girl. After kids realized that her unique accent didn't have any correlation with the very normal and well-adjusted stuff she was actually saying and that she was really good at reading lips, it was a non-issue. Way better that way, especially since she was not in any way lacking friends and interested boys. And ironically, the one social issue where I think it's critical that everybody pitch in to provide equal opportunity, namely affording disabled citizens who have been dealt a tough hand every opportunity to contribute to and be a valuable part of their society, is trumped in the news by dumb issues like bathrooms and safe spaces. People born or befallen with actual disabling conditions get less attention than people who logic their way into a not disabling condition..."

Am I nuts for dreaming of a society where people stop feeling sorry for themselves and just try to be a good member of that society without regards to the meaninglessness of diversity? I think getting hung up on it holds us back. Let's get unisex bathrooms, remind our friends that making a big deal about sex like it's a social movement is still rude and no one cares about what they do in private, and work on acheiving the type of society portrayed in sesame street and star trek rather than the socially segregated reality that we live in today.

Quote from: harrison.t.reed on Jul 05, 2016, 09:31PM
"Xenomorph-Giraffe hybrid, pan-sexual with floraphiliac tendencies, inversely disabled Lovecraftian etherbeing"

Gesundtheit!!


Eric

Quote from: bonearzt on Jul 06, 2016, 08:49AM
Gesundtheit!!


Eric


Cultural appropriation!

Jesus....

Quote from: Exzaclee on Jul 06, 2016, 09:25AMJesus....



Definitely differently-abled and non-native English speaker.

Quote from: Exzaclee on Jul 06, 2016, 09:25AMJesus....
Yes?  May I help you?


8P

Unless 1/4 Chinese counts as "non-white", I sit very solidly in "None of the Above".

You can talk all you want about "diversity" here, but where the rubber meets the road...where the work is..."diversity" doesn't mean anything. It's just another politically correct buzzword. Including token minorities...no matter how they are defined...in the mainstream workplace does nothing but placate the bureaucratic hive mind that invented "political correctness" in the first place.

Let us instead speak of "equality." An equal chance for everyone...at the earliest stages of their life and forever afterward...to excel at what they do best. We can blah blah blah about "diversity" just as do the politicians, but when it gets down to actually producing systems that guarantee "equality," they all run for the hills.

Look at the ITA for all you need to know about large organizations. I was just at the ITF in NYC. Now...I know for a personally observed fact that there are literally thousands of quite seriously gifted, hard-working trombonists all over the world who are not visually identifiable as being primarily of European ascent. Where were they at that gathering? A rough visual estimate would put them at about less than 1% there. I also know that there are not many female trombonists in the mix, Why? Are we not living in a PC world? That's what the media has been telling us for several decades. If "diversity" worked as it is presently presented, would females not have the same 50-50 chance as males to excel at playing the trombone? The fact that a large number of them have defied those odds argues pretty strongly against the possibility that they simply do not have the innate talents to learn the instrument. So...where are they?

Polls do nothing.

Politics does nothing.

Blah blah blah does nothing.

Bureaucracies rule, and only individuals can make a real difference.

Judge your fellow musicians by what and how they play, and forget about so-called PC. That's really all we can do. The rest will work itself out as it must in this imperfect world.

Later...

S.

P.S. Think about this as well:

Human ecology. We prattle on about "saving the environment." We pass laws protecting little-known species of firefly, etc. All the while, we simultaneously condemn a huge percentage of the world's population...USA included...to a societal position where the idea of developing their native talents is totally overwhelmed by the sheer terror of living in day-to-day, grinding poverty.

Human ecology. The first nation or society that actively and successfully promotes that idea...the saving of the human environment at least within the confines of their own domain...will become the most successful nation that the work has ever seen as long as it is not destroyed by the users that destroy everything in their quest for personal power and riches. If the U.S. could harness the power and creativity that lives within its own ghettoized worlds for even one generation...and I include in that idea the societal ghettos that disempower females and the other several sexes that do not fit under the strict male/female rubric...the results would be earth-shaking.

But NOOOoooo....instead we continue to further separate people into endless sub-categories.

Ron Paul on racism:

QuoteRacism is simply an ugly form of collectivism, the mindset that views humans strictly as members of groups rather than individuals. Racists believe that all individuals who share superficial physical characteristics are alike: as collectivists, racists think only in terms of groups. By encouraging Americans to adopt a group mentality, the advocates of so-called "diversity" actually perpetuate racism. Their obsession with racial group identity is inherently racist. The true antidote to racism is liberty. Liberty means having a limited, constitutional government devoted to the protection of individual rights rather than group claims. Liberty means free-market capitalism, which rewards individual achievement and competence, not skin color, gender, or ethnicity.

Ron Paul, Government and Racism, April 16, 2007
Like dat.

Quote from: sabutin on Jul 06, 2016, 11:49AM I also know that there are not many female trombonists in the mix, Why? Are we not living in a PC world? That's what the media has been telling us for several decades. If "diversity" worked as it is presently presented, would females not have the same 50-50 chance as males to excel at playing the trombone? The fact that a large number of them have defied those odds argues pretty strongly against the possibility that they simply do not have the innate talents to learn the instrument. So...where are they?

Good question.  We recently did a series of performances with or in conjunction with the grade schools and high schools in the area.  Some 40% of those school age trombonists were female.  My daughter, when she went to HS was one of a 3-female trombone section in her year.  I know of only 2 adult female trombonists in the same area.  Women certainly try out trombones when they are younger, based on these numbers, but they just do not carry on with it.

Over the years I've noticed that when someone is complaining about "political correctness" (and they always use those irony quotes) it's usually someone who's bummed that they're not getting their traditional free pass to treat other people like they don't matter.

Equality is not the same as sameness. For example, men and women can be equal, but they will NEVER be the same. I can't give birth like my wife. She has difficulties lifting things that I have no problem with, and she's a pretty strong woman. On average, men are stronger. On average, women have better intrapersonal skills.

What we should be fighting for when we talk about equality is equal opportunity. Are girls allowed to pick trombone? Are girls allowed to try trombone? Are girls encouraged to choose trombone regardless of societal stereotypes? If so, then don't worry about it. There's equal opportunity but not necessarily equal results. If girls are given the same opportunity to pick trombone as the boys, there's no foul play.

The flip side is not allowing girls the ability to pick, choose, or play the trombone. Also, the flip side may involves stereotypes like "only fat girls choose trombone". Of course I don't believe that phrase, but it's a common stereotype girls choosing the trombone must deal with. In this case, it isn't equal opportunity. If they aren't allowed to choose the trombone, that's obvious lack of opportunity. Society also "chooses" for people through stereotypes, providing another blow to opportunity.

Like I said, as long as there is equal opportunity, there's no need to have to meet a quota.

I identify as short, old, a little too chunky, and white. Sorry, I can't change how I was born. Except that I wasn't born old or chunky.

Quote from: robcat2075 on Jul 06, 2016, 12:43PMOver the years I've noticed that when someone is complaining about "political correctness" (and they always use those irony quotes) it's usually someone who's bummed that they're not getting their traditional free pass to treat other people like they don't matter.

Feel free to correct me on that but I get the impression you just jumped on the term "political correctness" here without really considering the context in which it was presented.
Just doesn't seem to fit in this case if you ask me.


Quote from: BillO on Jul 06, 2016, 12:02PMGood question.  We recently did a series of performances with or in conjunction with the grade schools and high schools in the area.  Some 40% of those school age trombonists were female.  My daughter, when she went to HS was one of a 3-female trombone section in her year.  I know of only 2 adult female trombonists in the same area.  Women certainly try out trombones when they are younger, based on these numbers, but they just do not carry on with it.


I think the idea of letting children choose what they want to play (or other activities to engage in) and not shoving them into some stereotype is fairly widespread with parents now.
And kids in my experience generally won't find anything unusual about girls playing trombone (or boys playing flute for that matter) if they haven't encountered or noticed those stereotypes yet.
Also the difference between boys and girls won't matter that much to younger children.

As they get older they might get some weird looks, I doubt there will be too much outright hostility, but even neutral or positive recognition of doing something quirky, unusual can over time create a feeling of not really being where one belongs.
And where the determinded ones with a good deal of self confidence will be able tho deal with that, those who find it important to swim with the current and maybe just weren't that serious about playing anyway might switch or give up playing

Just an idea

Good poll!   

...but... I just sat on a wasp and It hurts...Could not find that option anywhere..

Sure I'm non native English too 

/Tom

Quote from: sabutin on Jul 06, 2016, 11:49AMYou can talk all you want about "diversity" here, but where the rubber meets the road...where the work is..."diversity" doesn't mean anything. It's just another politically correct buzzword. Including token minorities...no matter how they are defined...in the mainstream workplace does nothing but placate the bureaucratic hive mind that invented "political correctness" in the first place.

Let us instead speak of "equality." An equal chance for everyone...at the earliest stages of their life and forever afterward...to excel at what they do best. We can blah blah blah about "diversity" just as do the politicians, but when it gets down to actually producing systems that guarantee "equality," they all run for the hills.

Look at the ITA for all you need to know about large organizations. I was just at the ITF in NYC. Now...I know for a personally observed fact that there are literally thousands of quite seriously gifted, hard-working trombonists all over the world who are not visually identifiable as being primarily of European ascent. Where were they at that gathering? A rough visual estimate would put them at about less than 1% there. I also know that there are not many female trombonists in the mix, Why? Are we not living in a PC world? That's what the media has been telling us for several decades. If "diversity" worked as it is presently presented, would females not have the same 50-50 chance as males to excel at playing the trombone? The fact that a large number of them have defied those odds argues pretty strongly against the possibility that they simply do not have the innate talents to learn the instrument. So...where are they?

Polls do nothing.

Politics does nothing.

Blah blah blah does nothing.

Bureaucracies rule, and only individuals can make a real difference.

Judge your fellow musicians by what and how they play, and forget about so-called PC. That's really all we can do. The rest will work itself out as it must in this imperfect world.

Later...

S.

P.S. Think about this as well:

Human ecology. We prattle on about "saving the environment." We pass laws protecting little-known species of firefly, etc. All the while, we simultaneously condemn a huge percentage of the world's population...USA included...to a societal position where the idea of developing their native talents is totally overwhelmed by the sheer terror of living in day-to-day, grinding poverty.

Human ecology. The first nation or society that actively and successfully promotes that idea...the saving of the human environment at least within the confines of their own domain...will become the most successful nation that the work has ever seen as long as it is not destroyed by the users that destroy everything in their quest for personal power and riches. If the U.S. could harness the power and creativity that lives within its own ghettoized worlds for even one generation...and I include in that idea the societal ghettos that disempower females and the other several sexes that do not fit under the strict male/female rubric...the results would be earth-shaking.

But NOOOoooo....instead we continue to further separate people into endless sub-categories.

Ron Paul on racism:

Like dat.

I like that Mr. Burtis, Thanks

Quote from: harrison.t.reed on Jul 06, 2016, 08:38AMWhat's wrong with white dudes? My history book is all about them and for the most part they seem OK unless you have something they want.

Seriously, there should be a true discussion on diversity between the members of this forum. I learned in Latin class that for a few hundred years in the Roman Empire it didn't matter where you came from or what race you were so long as you were Roman, and all you had to do to be Roman was act like a Roman and live within Rome's borders. Considering the time period, Rome did all right besides a lot of women's rights issues. Most of the people who flocked to Rome did so because they wanted to be joiners (or were freed and realized that Rome was still better than their previous cesspool), and didn't want to be different. There were latin, spanish, celtic and african emperors who ruled Rome and considered themselves Roman. Talk about diversity.

Today it's like a badge of honor to show off and parade social differences in order for people to feel important. To me, this is rude. Really rude. It's gotten to the point where people who were born unquestionably as either biologically men or women demand their own bathroom because they decided the one they've used their entire lives doesn't suit their own opinion of biological gender any more. That's not a social problem. That's a case of someone who's got nothing better to do than worry about themselves and think about their own ego all day.

Whatever happened to fitting in? Remember high school? That's what high school revolved around. Humans are wired to want to fit into a society. Fighting that after a certain point is kind of dumb.

We should be moving towards a reduced emphasis on these social diversities that we keep trying to categorize.

What gender are you? "Well, unless I'm blind, that's pretty easy to answer. If you want to make it a difficult question to answer -- who cares? What skills do you have and what will you accomplish in your life? That's all that I care about once you bring doubt up about your gender because at that point there is no interaction that involves gender that will happen between me and you, and I still value you as a human being."

What is your sexual orientation? "Really, no one cares, besides potential mates. Besides however many mates you get down with, nobody gives a damn unless you make it an issue, which is rude."

What race are you? "Unless you are really in the boonies or dealing with bigots who only see race and discriminate, this question is actually 'what race-stereotype social norms do you follow, and how committed to pideonholing yourself into a race are you?' If you only hang out with people who are the same race as you and share social norms based on race with that group of friends you'll be socially a very different person from someone of any race who chooses to associate with a racially diverse group of friends that share common social-norms. This is that part where I think Rome had it right. A country full of a diverse population of people trying desperately to be Roman is a lot better than a country full of segregated groups of people trying to stick to their roots to the exclusion of their society as a whole."

Are you disabled? "This is actually a question that matters, especially if the disability is not obvious. Some disabled people like to be defined by their disability and how they have overcome it, but this is no different from challenges that all people are proud of overcoming. I know that a lot of disabled people are a lot happier to just fit in and to have their disability just be something that is not a big deal. I went to high school with a deaf girl. After kids realized that her unique accent didn't have any correlation with the very normal and well-adjusted stuff she was actually saying and that she was really good at reading lips, it was a non-issue. Way better that way, especially since she was not in any way lacking friends and interested boys. And ironically, the one social issue where I think it's critical that everybody pitch in to provide equal opportunity, namely affording disabled citizens who have been dealt a tough hand every opportunity to contribute to and be a valuable part of their society, is trumped in the news by dumb issues like bathrooms and safe spaces. People born or befallen with actual disabling conditions get less attention than people who logic their way into a not disabling condition..."

Am I nuts for dreaming of a society where people stop feeling sorry for themselves and just try to be a good member of that society without regards to the meaninglessness of diversity? I think getting hung up on it holds us back. Let's get unisex bathrooms, remind our friends that making a big deal about sex like it's a social movement is still rude and no one cares about what they do in private, and work on acheiving the type of society portrayed in sesame street and star trek rather than the socially segregated reality that we live in today.
Well said, and politically incorrect, thank goodness.  Stop pigeon-holing people into "groups", for cryin' out loud!  Just be people! 
 

I detest Newspeak terms like "differently abled". What BS!
I'm disabled, as in I'm not able to do what folks without my medical problems are ABLE to do. Words mean things.

And besides, who really cares about this stuff anyway?

It matters because

(1) People who aren't exactly like me will have different perspectives on things. It's good to hear from different perspectives.

(2) If this place feels like a club for straight white American dudes, that can be offputting if you're not a straight white American dude.


I don't want to miss the perspectives of people who have something to say, who aren't saying those things because they don't come here, because they don't feel like they can belong to the club.

There are several people here venting their rage that "diversity" is a concept or even mentioned.

There must be some personal experience where your life or career has been derailed unfairly because of diversity?

Let's hear them.  Show me there's more to this that the word salad we've heard so far.

Names, places... give us some facts about how you personally have been affected.


Quote from: Saubohne on Jul 06, 2016, 02:37PMFeel free to correct me on that but...

OK, since you asked, since you said to "feel free"... you're wrong.

Quote from: robcat2075 on Jul 07, 2016, 08:53PMThere are several people here venting their rage that "diversity" is a concept or even mentioned.

There must be some personal experience where your life or career has been derailed unfairly because of diversity?
No.

I personally have defied the "diversity" meme on every level of my career. I have played in primarily white bands, primarily black bands, primarily latin bands...and...best of all, bet on it...totally mixed bands for almost 50 years in NYC at the highest levels of accomplishment. All I have to say is that it is the totally mixed bands...the bands that hire according to only one quality (great musicality)...are the ones where the real thing happens.

QuoteLet's hear them.  Show me there's more to this that the word salad we've heard so far.

Names, places... give us some facts about how you personally have been affected.
Go look at my resume.

Why would I have any reason on earth to complain because of how I have "personally...been affected?"

My complaint has to do with inferior musicians...black, brown or beige, male, female or "other"...being hired because of some PC notion of "inclusion."

Get with the program, robcat.

The musical program.

Give people equal opportunity at the beginning levels of education and then cherry-pick the best ones for further advancement. There's no other way to get things done.

Do you think that Miles Davis chose Gil Evans...or later, Bill Evans...over many other competing black musicians because of some sort of reverse PC ethos?

Get real.

He chose them because they were the best available in their field at the time.

Get real.

It works both ways.

Bet on it.

S.

I think that downplaying the differences between people is the next logical step in the various civil rights movements, so that people's deeds and work ethic and talent are what really start to define an individual. As segregation, gender  discrimination, intolerance towards LGBT issues, and other such discrimination disolve, the rallies and protests associated with these civil rights movements (which act to define and socially segregate these groups) should erode as well. The new feminist movement that we see in colleges around the world today is a great example of such a movement that is actively working to increase gender discrimination. Priveledge checking, safe spaces, triggering actions, and man-hating are facets of this neo movement that acheive the exact opposite of gender equality. Every woman I know and work with thinks that this neo feminism movement is embarrassing.

I worked with an actual African-American (as in, he  changed citizenship from a country in Africa to US citizenship) in the Army. He was a stellar paratrooper, completed Ranger School, and was a great leader. He hated when people only associated with their own self-defined groups or when people performed less than their best and blamed it on their circumstances. His best quote and one he said very often in response to people asking him why he acted the way he did and associated with the people he associated with was:

"In Africa there are no "black people" --  there are just people"

He was saying quite a lot with that one statement. Of course, some countries in Africa have had some of the worst problems with racism and genocide, but he was making a statement about something else. Where he came from, bright people were bright, stupid people were stupid, and your place in life had nothing to do with race. He loved the Army because he was able to shine and he just had to act like a Soldier and do his personal best and the sky was the limit for him.

I think that diversity is bad in the traditional sense of what we think of as diversity. It's just as backwards to think "this group isn't diverse at all -- there's not enough giraffe-hybrid alto-trombone playing plankton in this group" as it is to think "who let the trombone playing female into the group? There goes the neighborhood!". They are both equally discriminatory. Especially in a music related forum. Like Sam said, if you can play or if you have good ideas about music, the rest of the details do not matter at all.

Quote from: robcat2075 on Jul 07, 2016, 08:53PMOK, since you asked, since you said to "feel free"... you're wrong.

Great explanation 
Maybe context doesn't even matter that much. To be fair I see more people in general complaining about PC than people trying to enforce it.

On the subject of diversity: I see it really more of an outcome of a fair society than a means to get there.
You certainly can look at  a group of people and if you find a very homogeneous composition maybe that hints at a problem with equality (which should be eradicated) or maybe you have issues that are beyond your control e.g. some groups are not that likely to choose a certain career path due to a lack of role models and so on.
This issue of course should be adressed but you don't have the same justification as with equal opportunities to just go in there and regulate everything. You need to take a more measured approach and that is where I think the real potential for conflict lies.

As far as Diversity is concerned, as a Musician, Diversity to me means..
I can play in any style that is thrown at me on any given night and sound like that`s what I`ve been doing my whole life.
I don`t care if I`m playing with an all Black Band , all White band, In a horn section backing up an all Female Band, Dixieland, Avant Garde,
James Brown, Glenn Miller or Renaisance music  , Beethoven or anything else. It`s all MUSIC and that`s what I do.
To really survive as a player you have to be diverse.

"non-native-English-speaking"

Taking the whole world into account should this not be "non-native-Mandarin-speaking" ? 

Ronnie

Quote from: Dukesboneman on Oct 11, 2016, 04:42AMAs far as Diversity is concerned, as a Musician, Diversity to me means..
I can play in any style that is thrown at me on any given night and sound like that`s what I`ve been doing my whole life.
I don`t care if I`m playing with an all Black Band , all White band, In a horn section backing up an all Female Band, Dixieland, Avant Garde,
James Brown, Glenn Miller or Renaisance music  , Beethoven or anything else. It`s all MUSIC and that`s what I do.
To really survive as a player you have to be diverse.

Me too.

Exactly that.

Thank you.

S.

Quote from: sabutin on Oct 11, 2016, 09:10AMMe too.

Exactly that.

Thank you.

S.
SECONDED !!!!

 

Thanks Sam for your words of reason and wisdom.  Sane words for an increasingly(and I believe in some cases deliberately) polarized world.  Cheers.

I just noticed this...

Quote from: sabutin on Jul 07, 2016, 10:44PMQuoteThere are several people here venting their rage that "diversity" is a concept or even mentioned.

There must be some personal experience where your life or career has been derailed unfairly because of diversity?No.

I personally have defied the "diversity" meme on every level of my career. I have played in primarily white bands, primarily black bands, primarily latin bands...and...best of all, bet on it...totally mixed bands for almost 50 years in NYC at the highest levels of accomplishment. All I have to say is that it is the totally mixed bands...the bands that hire according to only one quality (great musicality)...are the ones where the real thing happens.

QuoteLet's hear them.  Show me there's more to this that the word salad we've heard so far.

Names, places... give us some facts about how you personally have been affected.
Go look at my resume.

Why would I have any reason on earth to complain because of how I have "personally...been affected?"

My complaint has to do with inferior musicians...black, brown or beige, male, female or "other"...being hired because of some PC notion of "inclusion."

Get with the program, robcat.

The musical program.

Give people equal opportunity at the beginning levels of education and then cherry-pick the best ones for further advancement. There's no other way to get things done.

Do you think that Miles Davis chose Gil Evans...or later, Bill Evans...over many other competing black musicians because of some sort of reverse PC ethos?

Get real.

He chose them because they were the best available in their field at the time.

Get real.

It works both ways.

Bet on it.

S.


So, short version...  you personally have been quite a beneficiary of people being open to diversity and yet don't want anyone talking about the concept.

Yeah, that makes sense.

QuoteSo, short version...  you personally have been quite a beneficiary of people being open to diversity and yet don't want anyone talking about the concept.

Yeah, that makes sense.
In my experience, "talking" about diversity only deepens the problem. Talk is cheap. So are laws supposedly enforcing diversity. What happens is that legislated "diversity" actually cheapens the system on which it is being applied. Only achievement should be rewarded. Achievement and the honest desire to learn. There was no talk about "diversity" when Thad Jones and Mel Lewis started their band. The only talk was about who could best do...and wanted to do...the job. Ditto in the NYC latin scene. No one hired Barry Rogers because he was of Irish/Jewish ascent; he was hired because he could do the job better than anyone else. No one hired Joe Wilder and Victor Paz...the two Jackie Robinsons of the NYC mainstream, working music scene...because they belonged to some sort of minority ethnicity. They were hired because they were flat-out the best at what they did.

Ron Paul on so-called "diversity" pretty well sums up my own position. (Emphasis mine):

QuoteRacism is simply an ugly form of collectivism, the mindset that views humans strictly as members of groups rather than individuals. Racists believe that all individuals who share superficial physical characteristics are alike: as collectivists, racists think only in terms of groups. By encouraging Americans to adopt a group mentality, the advocates of so-called "diversity" actually perpetuate racism. Their obsession with racial group identity is inherently racist. The true antidote to racism is liberty. Liberty means having a limited, constitutional government devoted to the protection of individual rights rather than group claims. Liberty means free-market capitalism, which rewards individual achievement and competence, not skin color, gender, or ethnicity.

Ron Paul, Government and Racism, April 16, 2007
If one believes (as do I, on extensive personal experience) that intelligence, honesty, talent and work ethic are evenly distributed amongst all races, cultures, creeds etc...then rewarding achievement will of its own effects promote "diversity."

If on the other hand some set of legislated racial quotas is imposed, all that happens is that the level of achievement within that particular field is inevitably mediocritized. Free up the monies needed to provide a good education for all people and the cream of the crop...of all colors...will rise to the top.

S.

P.S. This goes equally strongly to sexual discrimination. In my world, if you can do the job better than anyone else immediately available...the whole job, including dealing with other musicians in a manner that promotes great music...then you have the job no matter to which of the 7+ sexes you may belong.

P.P.S. By the way...I have "profited" only musically from his idea. I have actually lost a great deal of work because of legislated, PC bullsh*t and sheer, boneheaded racism.

Bet on it.

I think it makes sense to look at the diversity of a group.  If it turns out to be one sided, we should be curious as to whether we are making it uncomfortable for the others to join.

We may be subtly discouraging them, whoever they may be, and that would be bad.

Or, we may be quite inclusive, and what we offer just isn't of interest to them. 

I usually attend ETW/ATW each March, the big trombone conference in DC.  The audience tends to be overwhelmingly white, male, and long past eligible for AARP.  (I fit that demographic myself.)  I think that should be a concern. 

I want to point out that this is a very diverse group here.  We have tenor trombone players, bass trombone players, alto trombone players, and even people who play lesser instruments. 

I want to point out that this is a very diverse group here.  We have tenor trombone players, bass trombone players, alto trombone players, and even people who play lesser instruments.