Rosa Parks Returns as White Photographer in Halifax

Lido Pimienta, a pop singer, brought self-righteous identity politics and political correctness to an audience at the Halifax Pop Explosion. And explode it did. She directed brown people to come up to the front of the stage and for everyone else to make room for them by moving to the back as if it was an ill conceived parody of a 1960’s bus ride in Selma, Alabama. She segregated the audience on the basis of colour and misused her power as an entertainer with her 2,000 watt command over a PA system to intimidate a festival volunteer who refused to go to the back of the venue as directed by Ms Lido from the stage.

A quaint, time honoured notion has it that the GIFT OF MUSIC is supposed to bring people together, not divide them. Cripes, whatever happened to Peace and Love? Forty years of neoliberal political economics, that’s what and young Lido is one of its narcissistic and unknowing products. Shame on Lido Parmienta for misusing her role and crossing into a demoguery which can only bring out what is base in people. Shame on the Halifax Pop Explosion for reducing entertainment to identity politics by supporting her actions. The festival’s board of directors promised to make changes to improve “anti-oppression and anti-racism training” over the next year. “We are sorry that one of our volunteers interrupted your art, your show, and your audience by being aggressive and racist,” said Halifax Pop Explosion vice-chairman Georgie Dudka.

It would be more honest and less manipulative for Lido Parmienta to perform for a brown audience only at a venue specifically for brown people (that would be against the law) rather than initiating an act that led to anger, division false pride and tactless stupidity. It sure isn’t Peace and Love. It’s an unwitting Theatre of Cruelty in a world of all against all.