Ralph Nader, you could’ve been a contender, someone who could effect some real change. A voice for the common man, if you will. A Michael Moore without baggage (physical or otherwise). But then you had to go and run for President.
Citizen Nader was in town last Wednesday, appearing along with former presidential candidate Alan Keyes, as part of Queens University’s 2003-2004 Speaker Series. The event was loosely billed as a debate, with Nader and Keyes speaking on the subject of “Big Business, Corporate Crimes, & Regulation of Business.”
Republican Keyes spoke first, opining that the problems facing big business in America were due to a lack of moral and ethical leadership. Keyes, perhaps the talkingest wonk I’ve ever seen, then offered his solution to the problem: a return to faith-based morals and values in government and leadership positions. This was best done from the ground up, filibustered Keyes, through the moral education of our young. Of course, Keyes gave no solution on how to instill said morals outside of making America a full-blown theocracy, further proving he’s a politician at heart.
Nader, perhaps best known for his book on auto safety, Unsafe at Any Speed, would not take questions about his ego-driven run for the Presidency, evidently because the speaking engagement was booked well in advance of his decision to once again screw everything up for the Democrats (er, run for office). The soft-spoken activist did manage to garner some laughs, however, even as he outlined his plan for corporate reform (unlike the current administration, who laugh at the very idea of corporate reform). “(Insurance companies and other corporations) try and wear you down so you’ll give up on pursuing anything with them,” Nader said. “You know what I mean — you’re put on hold and switched around dozens of times, and then a person comes on and says “We care about your business.’ It got to the point that if I was up late one evening and wanted to hear classical music, I’d just dial in my insurance company. Jazz? Call the credit card company.”
Perhaps the most entertaining portion of the evening came when CL freelance photographer Chris Radok showed up to snap a few shots. Clad in military surplus pants, baseball cap, and a “Hank III” sweatshirt replete with a cowboy hat-wearing skull, our man cut quite a swath in the otherwise button-down crowd, garnering more than a couple of stares from both Keyes and Nader. It was the first time all evening Keyes was rendered speechless.
What if they threw a show and everyone came? What if they paired a Triangle-area act on the climb (The Rosebuds) with one of our own (Pyramid), and tons of people came out to see it?What if this show, held at The Room, was a success, and they didn’t even serve dollar pitchers? What if the acts in attendance didn’t insult the crowd, and acted liked they actually wanted to be there, and made original music that didn’t rely on stupid bullshit rock star posing and audience sermonizing? What if the stars aligned and people turned out in droves, and folks in local bands stood up front and cheered and sang along, instead of skulking around the bar and grumbling?
What if I told you it was true? What if I told you a local show — in the same venue that featured an act earlier in the week, The Wildhearts, who are about to go out on an international tour with the mega-buzz band The Darkness — outdrew the party-hard, wee-crowd bemoaning Brits by at least two to one?
Whatever was in the air that night — besides the copious cigarette smoke — it was refreshing. So I and a few others got to thinking — what caused such a turnout? Was it the story in The Loaf about The Rosebuds? Perhaps it was Pyramid; at eight members strong, the band can draw a pretty good crowd just by inviting their buddies. Maybe the Chapel Hill contingent made a road trip? That couldn’t be it. Scenesters there wouldn’t make a road trip to the QC if the Rolling Stones reunited (What’s that? They’re still together?).
In the end, flummoxed, we settled on the fact that maybe people just dug the music. By God, there’s hope for us yet.
This article appears in Mar 31 – Apr 6, 2004.
