My Country tis of Whine

These are two letters that were sent to the Editor of the Bay Area Reporter. They speak about a song called "Magic Snow" that my chorus performed on Christmas Eve to a sold out crowd. Following the two letters is my response that I have sent to the Editor as a rebuttal.

'Magic snow' misses mark

On Christmas Eve I attended the 9 p.m. SF Gay Men's Chorus "Home for the Holidays" concert at the Castro Theatre. Their special guest performers were the Lesbian/Gay Chorus of San Francisco, which sang a set of songs, including one entitled "Magic Snow," the premise of which was to answer the question of how Santa Claus is able to stay up all night delivering presents. The song attributes St. Nick's stamina to "magic snow," a euphemism for cocaine. Although the word cocaine was never used, the chorus members made snorting sounds and gestures as if they were snorting cocaine whenever the line "magic snow" was sung. At the end of the song the conductor turned to the audience and said that she was sorry (I assume for the song) and then continued the program.

Let me start by saying that I "got" the joke. As a recovering cocaine addict there is little that gets by me, and although some people will read this letter and tell me to "lighten up," I must say that I do not think that drug abuse or addiction are joking matters, especially in a community that has witnessed the disease of addiction obliterating relationships and ruining lives in epidemic proportions. One need not look far to see how drugs have ravaged the gay community from the formation of a special methamphetamine task force to public service messages encouraging users to get help. There is a connection between drug use and risky sexual behaviors, and as the nation's number one health problem, addiction strains the health care system, the economy, harms family life, and threatens public safety, making drug use something that should not be encouraged or joked about.

I think including such a song in the venue of "Home for the Holidays" was inappropriate and hope that neither chorus loses supporters as a result. A program that was so inclusive of all should not have included a song that makes light of drug use. Throughout the performance of "Magic Snow" I could not help but feel uncomfortable for the parents who brought their children to the concert, for all the recovering people present who had to hear drug use glorified, and for anyone in the audience that has ever cared about someone who struggled with addiction. I might have felt differently about the song if it had told the entire story of what will happen to Santa after some time of using magic snow: Mrs. Claus leaves him, he can't get an erection, he loses his teeth, he fails to keep his promises and the elves can't rely on him, he spends all his money on the stuff and compromises his morals, eventually disappointing children around the world when he doesn't show up.

With all of the other holiday songs that include humorous innuendo that could have been sung, I ask why this song, especially since it appeared to make the conductor uncomfortable?

Arthur Bosse, MNA, Executive Director

National Council on Alcoholism and other Drug Addictions

Bay Area Chapter

San Francisco

Intuition ignored for concert

There is a small, quiet voice within each of us that speaks with clear intention. It is known mostly as intuition. It tells us when we are on track, and when we are not. We choose to listen or not. The consequences that follow are based upon our decision to pay attention or not.

I wonder why Stephanie Lynne Smith made the decision she did when she included "Magic Snow" in the program presented by the Lesbian/Gay Chorus of San Francisco at the annual holiday program at the Castro Theatre on Christmas Eve. The song was about Santa Claus being on cocaine/crystal so that he could get through the busy night before him. The performance was enhanced by the "sniffing" of the chorus members to mimic snorting drugs.

How, you might wonder, do I know that Smith ignored her intuition? Because following the performance of the song, she turned and apologized to the audience. "I'm so sorry," she said. So am I, Ms. Smith. I thought that I could not be any more horrified by your decision until I read in your bio in the program from the performance that you are a clinician. I'll make some assumptions, as a clinician myself, that you have spent endless hours listening to the heartbreak, shame, lost possibilities, desperation and utter hopelessness caused by addiction. I certainly have and still do. In fact, there were many people in that audience that were wondering if they could get through that night, a very difficult night for many of us, without using.

That evening is a tradition for many of us, and a chance to be with our "family." I am sad that the inclusion of this song tainted the evening for me and well as a number of other people with whom I have spoken. It was inappropriate and disrespectful and you knew that. You've made your apology so I don't expect another. Please listen the next time your inner voice tells you that you have been presented with an idea that may not be such a good one, and proceed accordingly. A presence higher than our own never steers us in the wrong direction, and we can all be wise enough to pay attention.

Kim Grubbs

My Country Tis of Whine:

After reading the two letters about the song “Magic Snow” (performed by LGCSF at the Castro Theater Christmas eve); I can only feel disappointment and anger. I just want to know what I can laugh at that wont offend someone. Every day there is a new task force or human rights group dedicated to making this word, phrase, or content taboo. You can’t say black; the African-Americans might be offended. You can’t joke about drugs; drug addicts and recovering addicts might be offended. You can’t march with the lesbians in the Dyke march to show support because you have a penis that might offend them.

We have become a country of whiners, and our new national motto is “I don’t like that…It offends me…make it stop forever”. People today have become so overly concerned with what is politically correct and acceptable that I honestly don’t think they remember how to just smile and laugh. After all, isn’t being offended a choice? I have decided, I am going to laugh at whatever makes me laugh, and I don’t care who is offended. Sorry.

It was a three and a half minute song. It was clearly a farce. It was written by a local gay composer to be a tongue-in-cheek laugh about Santa needing drugs in order to stay awake while traveling around the world stopping at every house along the way in just one day. From where I was standing on the stage, the majority of the audience laughed heartily, including my Christian parents.

I know the gay community has problems with drugs. We also have problems with alcohol, but I didn’t see a letter denouncing all the audience members that were drunk in their seats next to those offended little kiddies. You said; “I do not think drug abuse and addiction are joking matters, especially in a community that has witnessed the disease of addiction obliterating relationships and ruining lives in epidemic proportions.” I want to know, how exactly did a three and a half minute funny song contribute to the destruction of lives in epidemic proportions?

I in no way apologize for singing the song “Magic Snow”. It is a funny song that we all thought would be well received. It is the committees of the chorus that decide songs, not just Ms. Smith. That means a community of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, straight, young and old, men and women (some of whom are in various stages of recovery themselves) all agreed on this song. If the offended parties want another apology, here it is. I am sorry our song offended you. Our intention was to entertain and make people laugh. If songs like this offend you, than in the future I suggest two things:

First, don’t come to an LGCSF concert. We are a strangely eclectic group of people in almost every walk of life that like to sing and laugh. We put on shows that could be perceived as risqué. Like our next show; the Annual Anti-Valentines day concert “Love Bites” in mid-February. We take all kinds of potshots at that silly little thing called love. Some of the things that we joke about would obviously offend those with a fragile sensibility. If you know these kinds of things offend you, do yourself a favor and don’t go.

Second, find an appropriate venue to fight for your cause. They are important causes; I would like nothing more than to see our community kick the habit. Arthur Bosses’ letter makes excellent points about drug addiction and the devastation it has caused. I just wish he could pick his battles with a little more thought on where his words will do the most good. A local community theater performance is not the arena to have a political discussion. So go out and join an activist group, write articles about what you have gone through with your own addictions or addictions of those you love. Take Action!

LGCSF is a singing dancing chorus. We sing songs that could offend, but they should also make you laugh. By the standard set up by these letters we would never be able to perform “Everybody Run, the Homecoming Queens got a Gun” because it deals with the subject of teen violence and death in school, the fact that it is hilarious is unimportant. Don’t forget that we are surrounded by tragedy every day. We offer a place where you can come listen to some music, socialize and have a few laughs before returning to reality. Sometimes the best way to deal with a tragic issue like drug abuse is to laugh about it. So next time you are about to be offended take a breath, and let out a good laugh. I promise, it will feel better than screaming at the wind.