But instead of being cowed, Vandelinde, Cockpit owner Scott Larson, and the shop’s patrons have decided to let it roll off with a little anger, and a lot of humor. All Sunday afternoon, Vandelinde – a clerk at the store – and Larson urged patrons to get their photo taken with the slur in the background in return for a 15 percent discount on any purchase made that day. Larson also suggested that a picture of the slur might be made into a t-shirt.
“I’m not the type to let things happen and pass me by,” Vandelinde told TheColu.mn.
“Especially not now, with all the bullying that’s been going on lately,” he added, referring to the many recent press accounts of “bullycide” deaths of many LGBT students, including Justin Aaberg, a student in the Anoka-Hennepin school district.
Vandelinde said this was the first time the store had been bashed in its ten years of existance, and Larson told TheColu.mn that relations with the store’s neighboring businesses have been positive in the past. However, both he and Vandelinde were quick to point fingers at at least one of the many people attending a hip-hop or rap audition at the neighboring Studiyo 23 shoe store on Saturday night. Vandelinde said the clerk who closed the shop on Saturday night reported “around 100” people were milling around on the sidewalk outside the two stores.
“You couldn’t stereotype the crowd,” he said. “It was black and white.”
“I’m not saying Studiyo did it – the couldn’t have done it,” Vanderlinde said, “but someone they brought here did. This is the first thing that’s happened since the store opened in 2000. I hate to use the word ‘coincidence,’ but it’s there.”
Larson said that in the last year, there had been an increase in confused pedestrians walking in, and realizing that the Cockpit Project sold fetish gear, walking out quickly while calling the business a “fag store.”
The owners of Studiyo 23 could not immediately be reached for comment.
Interesting that Lavender Magazine doesn’t see fit to cover news like this.
Thanks, Colu.mn!
How about selling the t-shirts with some sort of tagline about hate speech, then giving the proceeds to a local organization who provides support and encouragement to people in the queer and fetish communities?
We have already copied the tag and are planning on printing it on t-shirts. Yes, we plan to donate proceeds to local organizations. They will be available by next week.
Did i just read this right!? Are they basically accusing a neighboring store just because they had a rap/hip-hop event?! WOW! And this is coming from someone representing a group that is often oppressed, and now he’s doing the same thing by accusing a group of people who happen to like rap or hip hop! I was at the event next door at Studiiyo23 and it was a positive, feel-good event that ENDED at 5:30pm! The 40 people who were in attendance all went their separate ways. I’m a gay man who likes hip hop…was it me who did it??? think about it. It’s just very sad they resorted to accusing another group. shame on you.
Jason #2,
We are not accusing Studiiyo23 themselves of doing this, we are finding it a coincidence that some of the crowd made remarks at customers on that very night, the tagging happened. I am sure you had a positive experience at Studiiyo23.
You obviously did not read the article. The only generalization is that the Hip-Hop crowd was there. We did not say that Studiiyo23 did this, we said that it was a coincedence that the event was held and that our store got tagged.
Finally, I have no shame on voicing my opinion as you have the same First Amendment Rights.
Dear James,
I’d very much like to speak to you regarding your recent article in colu.mn as it pertains to Studiiyo23 and it’s patrons. I am the owner of Studiiyo23.
I’d also like to thank Jason #2 for his comments of support. We could not agree with you more.
In your article you stated that the owners of Studiiyo23 could not be reached for comment, however you made no attempt to contact us whatsoever. I am personally in the shop every day of the week and was present on Sunday morning when all the photographs were being taken in front of The Cockpit.
First and foremost it is shameful and distressing that in today’s society people still resort to vandalizing based on ”hate” or ”bigotry”. It is completely unacceptable and we, as the neighbors of The Cockpit, will not stand for it. We stand as one, no matter the circumstances.
James, unfortunately your article paints a very negative picture about the guests of Studiiyo23. Our guests come from every walk of life. Many of our wonderful guests are gay and lesbian. I find it very unfair to stereotype a crowd based on a genre of music. Many of the comments in the article which may sound factual are, in fact, false opinions. I’d love to discuss with you when you have time. In the end, Studiiyo23 accepts all people, without exception, and i’ve personally lead a life that is dedicated to human rights and the fight against bigotry, prejudice and racism in all it’s forms. I do everything within my power to provide a peaceful, all-accepting environment within Studiiyo23. I’ve been involved in walks/marches/sit-ins in front of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland for gay and lesbian rights. I’m an advocate of same-sex marriage. Hip Hop does not equal bigotry against the gay and lesbian community. Walk in our store and you will hear house, trance, techno, pop, spanish, arabic, hiphop, r&b, everything all under one roof. We bring people together…we do not divide.
Here are some facts James, all backed up with video proof: The event we had was for our monthly art exhibition. This time it featured hip hop from two of the premier artists in the Twin Cities who just a month ago performed at 1st Avenue and drew a crowd of over 5,000 without incident. We were blessed to have them agree to perform in our shop for an hour so support our local artists of the month. Last month it was wine, cheese and champagne. Our event on Saturday ended at 5:30pm. How is it possible that there were “100 people milling around” when the Cockpit closed shop at 8pm? As soon as our event ended at 5:30pm, everyone left. By 8pm we had our staff and possibly one or two people shopping around the store. Moreso, we only had 40 people in attendance in total! As stated we have video footage of the event as proof. As a journalist one of your main responsibilities and duties is to fair and unbiased reporting. Myself, my staff, my lawyer, and some of my contacts at local news organizations all found your article to be irresponsible journalism. All I ask for is fairness. Nothing more, nothing less. I do not place blame on anyone, or any group, without proof. Something more tangible than ‘they had a hip hop event’…in the middle of the afternoon no less!
Mr. Vandelinde said, “I hate to use the word “coincidence,’ but it’s there.” Why does he hate to use that word? Is it because that is all it is, mere coincidence? Hundreds of pedestrians walk by our windows every day James. I don’t see the coincidence. Our event ended at 5:30pm. they closed shop at 8pm. So the implication is that one of our customers actually went home at 5:30pm then came back in the middle of the night to tag their store? Does that make any sense to you, as a person and as a reporter, at all? Why blame the perfectly reputable patrons of a business? It could have been anyone, at anytime, who did it.
It’s just sad that any one person or group had to resort to another stereotype or generalization about another group, this time based on the fact that they enjoy hip hop. Does that really make sense? Isn’t that the same thing that ALL of us good natured human beings fight against?! I’ve personally reached out to the owner of The Cockpit on more than one occasion, the latest being this morning. I’ve even reached out and suggested we hold an event for the Gay and Lesbian community to help the cause of equality in our community as a whole. Each time my attempts to communicate are brushed aside and ignored. Completely ignored. It’s easy to accuse a group of something, but more difficult to face them. We should be working together and not be quick to lay false accusations on a group that enjoys a particular type of music. Please, let’s not resort to the things we ourselves fight so very hard to stop.
Would you please call me or contact me as soon as possible?
Thank you sir!
-Moh
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