Is the SNBA promoting gratuitous sex, homosexuality and obscene language?

For those of you who attended the Short North’s Got Talent show earlier this month, you witnessed the ladies (and James) of the SNBA re-enact a scene from the TV show Glee.

But according to The Parents Television Council, quoted in an article on Christwire.org, Glee is chock full of “gratuitous sex, explicit dialogue and obscene language” as well as “homosexuality,” “steamy shower scenes” and “drug use.” The author goes on to also say “Additionally, the show has far too many musical numbers.”

Anyway, if you stumble upon this site, as I have, you can only gather that by re-creating a scene from Glee, the SNBA promotes those values. So I say “Let’s hear it for the SNBA crew!”

What I find so amazing (and entertaining) is the skewed perspective and paranoia of this group. Another quote from the article says “How many middle-aged men will find themselves in a dead-end Glee-based lifestyle? Will they be ostentatious and sensitive… Crying out to have that giant hole in their souls stuffed with some musky foreign thrill?” By the way, “musky foreign thrill” in the article links you to another article titled “Sodomy Is Never The Answer.” (Musky Foreign Thrill sounds like an opening act for Bare Naked Ladies. - ed.)

I have to say, this author is a never-ending source of entertainment! But paranoia is not new for this author. It would not be fair, or humorous, if I didn’t share one more tidbit from this article… so here goes. The author continues by saying: “Recently, I wrote about studies that revealed the dangerous influence the tv show ‘The Golden Girls’ had on American men now in their 30s, 40s and 50s… and increased risks of homosexual behavior. In a nutshell, the Golden Girls turned a generation away from procreation.”

Damn! I’m just glad no one from this group was at “The Short North’s Got Talent” show! (The Bea Arthur impersonator would have given them the vapors. Just kidding - there was no Bea Arthur impersonator this year. - ed.)

Decide for yourself how sinful song and dance can be.

Check out the youtube videos of Short North’s Got Talent!

In both movies: “It’s a Wonderful Life”, and “Back to the Future 2″, there were parallel universes that showed what those respective communities would look like if a difference sequence of events happened.

And in both movies, the alternate reality wasn’t pretty. Curiously, both had striking similarities showing their alternative futures consisting of greed, corruption and really bad signage.

Why was I thinking of this? Well, in an alternate reality, the Short North could’ve been a very different place as well.

If the Short North Business Association didn’t (or didn’t continue) to exist, we would all see very different views outside our front windows than we do now. That alternative reality would be one where blatant commercialism takes over the Gallery Hops, homeless folks begging on High Street would be more prominent, the cost of parking meters would be more and, oh yes, really bad signage would be the norm.

Every day the folks at, and volunteers of, the SNBA work to make a difference. But unfortunately, it seems like not every Short North business owner sees the benefits… unless they’re paying close attention. I’m not sure everyone realizes just how much the SNBA does on their behalf, because if they did, way more people would be involved. At a minimum, simply by supporting the SNBA by being a member.

As Collin Castore, owner of Bodega, puts it: “For a relatively small contribution there is an entire staff of talented individuals who bring publicity & opportunity to the neighborhood.”  So obviously, Collin is paying attention. And granted, so are lots of other businesses, but not enough, because I think only half of the business in the area are supporting the SNBA by being members.

The SNBA works to make the Short North better, safer, and more prosperous for the businesses here. The work they do benefits all our futures.

So if we want to continue having a wonderful life right here in the Short North, let’s support the SNBA.

And that’s the view from my window…