Warning: Epic post ahead.

Well said Music Addict!

JAMES.t.ORR...
Just to add to Music Addict's excellent summary on the issue you raised, I think it's important to note too that all you're witnessing here is a select few persons' experiences and not the majority.
Some insects have a lifespan of mere days. That's how long it takes from hatching to adolescence to adulthood to old age (if they're lucky) and finally death. Now, their life experience of the world might lead them to believe something totally different from reality. For something like 6(?) years now, much of this country has not seen rain. How many generations of these insects have had no knowledge of rain nor heard of it from their forebears? Elsewhere in the world, related insects might have ONLY ever known rain and not known what it's like to not have to avoid getting pelted by raindrops.
In England, the first rays of the sun don't appear till late in the morning and by afternoon its already dark. In New Zealand, the sunlight hits early and the night sky doesn't appear till around 9:30 or 10pm. Someone who had lived their entire lives in either country would have had radically different ideas about how much sun there is to soak up in a day.
In each case, it is a select group of individuals. In the case of the forum, it just so happens that those who attend karaoke and who have access to a computer ...and know of this website ...and are inclined to post to the forum ...AND have time to post to the forum ...AND are willing to share their experiences with whomever cares to read, are the ones posting their horror stories here. That's a lot of prerequisites to fill so they can't represent your ''average'' karaoker any more than someone willing to audition for reality tv shows like Big Brother represents the majority of the human race (thank goodness!).
It's too limited a group to draw any accurate conclusions from about society. You yourself stated that you've not had any of the drama that has been stated by others here, so already, you can see that the data is flawed, thus there is no hard and fast rule as to see what's going on whether in the last 3 years or whenever. You need a bigger, more diverse group of people and their experiences to draw conclusions from. Remember that.

Karma Karaoke Kay...
That does sound horrible. What to do? You asked. As I said, whatever steps are necessary and practicable. I'm not a believer in Karma. Sounds like a nice fairytale that people's decisions are what keep the universe in motion but the universe was doing well long before we humans came onto the scene and will continue to do so long after we've departed. Our petty squabbles are meaningless in Universal terms. So many people who have done horrible things have gone unpunished and so many people who have done wonderful things have suffered needlessly. Seems to me the whole concept of Karma is ego-centric with its thoughts of people coming into your life for a reason (because YOU'RE the important one, remember). Pretty pathetic. ''Do good so that you will be rewarded. Don't do bad because you will be punished.'' Why not just adopt a philosophy of, ''Do good just because it feels good and don't do bad because you shouldn't (after all, you wouldn't want someone doing bad to you)?'' I as yet do not understand people's wish to embrace the notion of someone or something ''bigger'' than they are looking out for them. I say, ''No...... That was what your parents / guardians were meant to do when you were a child. As an adult, the responsibility falls to you to look after yourself and possibly others too (unless you are someone who requires constant care due to a medical condition).''
As for your question though (what can you do?). If you do something and it's not enough, you don't stop there. You look for more. You keep fighting. That's what you do. If you're relaxing and thirsty and so decide to serve yourself a drink, you don't serve yourself only a drop instead of a glass, do you? No. You fill till you have enough. Well, same goes for solving a problem. You shouldn't stop until it's solved. Fear of confrontation is so counterproductive. I'd suggest getting a recording of these people threatening you, then providing the police with a copy, then DEMANDING they act. If that's not the solution, I don't need to hear the whole blow by blow story. You just need to think of something else for yourself that could be done and act on it.
Don't get me wrong. I feel for you and find it despicable that someone would threaten a child. I'm just saying that if something isn't working, you don't give up. You try something else. So, don't just sit there thinking you've done all you can when clearly, you haven't because if you had, the problem would have been solved. It's like saying, ''I've looked everywhere but I can't find that item I lost.'' Well, if you HAD looked everywhere, you WOULD have found it, so obviously, the statement was not true.
I seem to recall your posting the whole story some time back now though the details escape me. If it is still an active problem for you, I say think on it some more and act accordingly. If it is not, then, move on (but remain vigilant) and in future dealings with any troublemakers, don't let things escalate as they did in this situation.
Karaoke is just another walk of life and so, is open to all manner of events just like any other social scene, good or bad. I've had run ins with gangs and even a mafia crime boss at karaokes. One just has to ''deal'' (to use the vernacular). That doesn't have to mean sitting there stewing like a helpless victim. I subscribe to the school of thought that the best way to deal with a bully is to belt them on the nose or cause them so much pain that they yield to you as the ''bigger fish'' in the sea. However, that may not always be appropriate so, if at karaoke say, have a word with security to get the troublemaker evicted. If there is no security or if they deem your request unworthy, screw the money and find some place better to gig. Don't treat every gig opportunity as if it's the last you'll ever get. There are others out there you can land which would serve you better. I'm not sure where in Queensland you are but one assumes a large area. A single competitor threatening you when you got started could not have had the whole city under their thumb, surely. So, finding venues they had nothing to do with might have been the wiser choice. Hindsight can be so much easier to have 20/20 vision but at least it can help prepare you for future scenarios.
The final LEGAL solution to your stated problem I can think of though is to move to another city / town. Drastic, yes but if it were my child's life in danger, I'd consider it more than worth the effort of changing property and work location, losing contact with some, starting from scratch elsewhere, changing child's school and suffering their wrath for a while until they make new friends and adjust to the change. No brainer in my opinion though like I said, it's far better to prevent things escalating to such a degree as to have to do all that.


Submitted by Johnny B on 29-11-2006

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