Jimi Hendrix performing at Woodstock in 1969
During the time of the Vietnam War, the issues of racism and marginalization of many different types of people was taking place. An amazing event took place in the middle of August 1969. What was thought of as a hippie loving, drug infested musical festival that was going to ruin Bethel, NY, only brought music, love, and happiness, and a lot of money, to a small upstate town. Specifically the people of Bethel, NY itself thought the downfall of Bethel due to these drug-loving hippies. Bethel, NY is a small town in upstate NY that solely relied on many Jewish vacationers throughout the summer months. When the opportunity arose, Elliot Tiber, the son of his immigrant working Jewish parents, jumps at the idea of hosting the Woodstock festival, which was recently turned down at the idea of hundreds of thousands of high hippies roaming the town. Elliot gets the go ahead and sets off on this journey of creating an incredible 3 day music festival.
This event has been written about in many different forms over the last 39 years. However, recently a book, written by Rue Haute, and more recent than that a movie known as "Taking Woodstock" arose explaining in detail the history and the workings behind the Woodstock festival. The novel tells more in depth than the movie of the real true story behind the Woodstock festival. Both are based on a true story however, not straight documentary.
Elliot, who is not only a Jew, but also a closeted (at least at home) gay man, is forced to deal with discrimination everyday. Elliot was never openly gay at home, but he was when he visited the New York city and engaged with many different partners over his years of visitation. This was a particularly hard to time for LGBT individuals to deal with and live in for there was much discrimination wherever they turned. And being Jewish certainly didn't help Elliot with his conquest and eventual turnaround of the Woodstock festival.
At this time, Jews were very much a marginalized people in the United States. Even in a city such as New York where there are plenty of Jews to go around, Elliot in his small town was forced to deal with the discrimination against him and his family. In this book "Taking Woodstock" Elliot talks about how the town really turned against him blaming him and his Jewish parents for getting them into this mess. Jews, always looking to make an extra dime no matter what toll it took on the rest of the town. Of course, after the festival not one person complained because they were all rich as well, thanks to Elliot.
The article, "Woodstock; a Moment of Muddy Grace," further illustrates how power played a role in Woodstock. The government, police officials, and the town of Bethel itself, were terrified of what was to come with this 3-day music festival bringing what they called, hippies, lowlifes, and pariahs from society into this town. These kids at the time, were expected to be disrespectful, too high to function, and almost violent. Well after these 3 days of true peace and love, this New York police officer felt very different towards these kids, "“Not withstanding their personality, their dress and their ideas, they were and they are the most courteous, considerate and well-behaved group of kids I have ever been in contact with in my 24 years of police work,” Lou Yank, the chief of police in nearby Monticello, told The New York Times in August of 2009.
Cullen wrote about how the dominant elites wanted to control the views on popular culture. Well in a way, they did just that at Woodstock. By allowing this festival to proceed, businessmen all over the country, particularly in the area recognized this group of "students, artists, workers, and politicos" "as a potential army of consumers. There was more to sell to them than rolling papers and LP's." These dominant elites sure understood how to take advantage of hippie music loving teenagers and older.
At this festival, one could act and embrace life to the fullest. Many people of marginalized groups appeared at this Woodstock festival. Woodstock became a temporary community for marginalized people. People did not hesitate to show their real true identity. In discussion, we focused on a cyber culture and a means to actually hide our faces. However, Bell actually said that the Internet is a way for LGBT individuals to have a place to operate safely and without hesitation. One couldn't be marginalized as in real life. Even though many individuals who attended Woodstock were not gay (or lesbian) they were open to different ideas. Similarly to Bell’s Internet groups who were also not strictly gay or lesbian. It’s amazing to think about how this 3-day weekend was feared because of so much unknown. But this same feared festival turned out to be one of the most memorable and incredible to all those who were involved.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/09/arts/music/09pare.html
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