I agree there is a feeling of anonymity about emails that can easily lead to
such things.  Also, it is a tribute to the success of Greg's vision of the
Raleigh Drum Circle that it is so big many of us have never met and we have
emails coming in from California.

Ken







-----Original Message-----
From: Darren Gilley <bajea7@...>
To: raleighdrumcircle@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tue, Jul 7, 2009 11:32 am
Subject: RE: [raleighdrumcircle] Re: Fwd: Heartbeat for Worship: A
Multicultural Christian Worship & Percussion Event, September 5, 2009











I'm sure Wsir is a great guy.

I also think his thread on a controversial subject could open some

positive discussions ,if like Ken stated, we all knew each other better.

If we knew each others background we could better understand where our

comments come from and what they mean. I appollogize if my comments

angered anyone.





Sincerely,
Darren












To: raleighdrumcircle@yahoogroups.com
From: dadiok1@...
Date: Mon, 6 Jul 2009 21:02:36 -0400
Subject: Re: [raleighdrumcircle] Re: Fwd: Heartbeat for Worship: A Multicultural
Christian Worship & Percussion Event, September 5, 2009








You are projecting a lot onto Wsir and may wish to examine where it is coming
from.

I know Wsir well. We have eaten together often, played drums together often.
You could hardly find a more warm hearted person and he certainly is no racist.
He is a true studen
t of African music and his interests in musical traditions go
far beyond Africa, though he has been there often. Knowing him, his comments
were based on first hand experience with the people in Africa.

Wsir's email may have been aimed to bring up a contraversial discussion, but I
am sure he would not have wanted to unleash the amount of anger that has arisen.
His main point was that Christianity has a pretty dubious history in Africa.
You have to admit there is a lot of irony in someone putting on a show using
African rhythms to sell his belief system to "lost" people. It is ironic
because Christian missionaries systematically put such huge efforts into
dismantling the belief systems that gave rise to these rhythms in the first
place. Nonetheless, I share Greg's wish that the event be joyous to the people
there.

Ken Wilson

-----Original Message-----
From: Darren Gilley <bajea7@...>
To: raleighdrumcircle@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Mon, Jul 6, 2009 10:58 am
Subject: RE: [raleighdrumcircle] Re: Fwd: Heartbeat for Worship: A Multicultural
Christian Worship & Percussion Event, September 5, 2009

I also liked the Heartbeat for Worship because they say they want to use
percussion

to fight racism and bring people together. I also believe we all need to be
careful

with our quick comments. I also think that the older generation that connected
to

the 'African' drum back in the 60's and 70's, should consider that that is not
everyone's

connection to Afri
ca. These racial issues push teachers and the culture away
from

you.

I think Greg has a right to post everything that interrests him. And I think

he does a much better job of defending himself (kelly).

Differences of opinion are what makes things interresting but the

prejudice and racism don't have a productive place.

- Darren

To: raleighdrumcircle@yahoogroups.com

From: kwade005@...

Date: Mon, 6 Jul 2009 06:26:52 -0400

Subject: Re: [raleighdrumcircle] Re: Fwd: Heartbeat for Worship: A Multicultural
Christian Worship & Percussion Event, September 5, 2009

I don't think you owe anyone an apology. Those comments were totally

unnecessary and, as you stated, inflammatory. Why does everything have

to be so damn politically correct? If you want to go for the religious

aspect of the event, go and enjoy it. If you want to go for the drumming

aspect, go and enjoy it. If you want to make this into a racial

statement, go elsewhere- there's no room for it here. Tha
nks for

bringing this event to our attention, Greg, it is greatly appreciated,

no matter the reason for attending.

Kelly Wade

Gregory Whitt wrote:

>

>

> Apologies guys - I'm merely making an announcement about an event and

> not intending to start a cultural or religious debate. I don't wish

> for this event to be anything other than a success for it's sponsors.

> And while I cherish good discussion, inflammatory comments are quite

> likely to be confrontational even=2
0when you put a disclaimer in front

> of them.

>

> I believe that drumming is unifying, not divisive. That it crosses

> cultural barriers rather than creates them. If not, why would Darren

> be promoting and creating traditional West African music here in the

> US rather than back in Africa? And why would Wsir have devoted years

> of study to the evolution of African music by the slave cultures

> living in the Mississippi delta?

>

> Regardless of how people are introduced to world percussion, I'm

> simply happy that they are introduced. We don't have to be Christian

> or African to appreciate their music or the collaboration and

> combination of these heritages. So, if the two of you highly

> respected and responsible members of our long-distance drumming

> community want to debate religion, please do so off-line or on an

> appropriately-themed list. If you don't like world music-inspired

> Christian-based music, simply don't go to the concert, hit delete,
and

> move on.

>

> "I'd like to teach the world to sing, in perfect harmony...."

>

> -G

>

>

__________________________________________________________

Insert movie times and more without leaving Hotmail®.

http://windowslive.com/Tutorial/Hotmail/QuickAdd?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_HM_Tutorial_Q\
uickAdd_062009

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]









_________________________________________________________________
Windows Liveâ„¢ SkyDrive
: Get 25 GB of free online storage.
http://windowslive.com/online/skydrive?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_SD_25GB_062009

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



------------------------------------

Yahoo! Groups Links









[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]