What if you learned that a popular musical venue’s policy included a ban on pre-concert tailgating at shows that attracted a predominantly Black audience? Now then, what if you substituted the word “Black” for the word “young” in that statement? Would the policy invoke the same outrage and public outcry? Apparently not because the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, which owns the PNC Bank Arts Center, is getting a pass for its tailgating policy for the upcoming 2008 concert season. Adding to the absurdity of this policy, tailgating will be allowed at concerts that attract a more mature audience. No matter how you slice it, the tailgating ban at some shows but not at others is discriminatory, ageist and highly hypocritical. Read the rest of this entry →