Comments on: Busking: Americans Don't Like Street Performing

By: Sabrina Messenger

Sabrina Messenger — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 05:14:33 +0000

Excellent article. Seems that war has declared on performers, for sure. We’re having a similar issue in Corvallis, Oregon. Some have the misconception that all street performers are “indigent” or troublemakers. Not true. I am a mom, a grandmama, a full time gainfully employed law abiding taxpayer..and yes, also an occasional street performer. As far as I’m concerned, any attempt to limit, curtail or ban street performance is an assault on the 1st Amendment of the US Constitution and I for one won’t stand for it!

By: cathy Davis

cathy Davis — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 19:59:46 +0000

What a great site! We are fighting for free speech in Canada as well.

If you google “busking in Nanaimo’ you can catch what our city is doing and has done to buskers.
Peace love and laughter to everyone.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:06:18 +0000

Thank you for your post anm support of buskers! I totally agree. Buskers enhance a city – they attract tourists to an area. You would think shop owners would welcome buskers, because there would be more foot traffic in an area where there are buskers.
Buskers also make people feel safer – not alone in a street or on a subway platform. Are you familiar with the ‘Saw Lady’ – a NYC subway musician? Her blog where she tells what happens when she plays in the subway shows how people open up to buskers and how a dirty subway platform can become a nice, friendly space when a busker sets up to play there.
Smart cities should encourage buskers in stead of stifle it!

By: Accordionist Documents Cambodian Communist Hell « The Website of Dallas Vietty

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:41:46 +0000

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Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:10:09 +0000

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By: anonymous

anonymous — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 00:23:22 +0000

Before the advent of recorded music and personal electronics buskers were known as minstrels. Minstrelcy was the most common form of employment for performers back then. American free speech laws were written then and have not been recinded by any means.

Free speech is an essential civil right of every person. People who conspire to violate a persons or class of persons free speech rights are commiting a crime by violating Title 18, U.S.C., Section 241 Conspiracy Against Rights and law officers and government officials who seek to quash buskers are violating Title 18, U.S.C., Section 242 Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law.
Some of these anti free speech criminal types should be taken to task for their un-American behavior. Perhaps people who don’t like free speech should move to someplace like communist china.

Where would this country be if artists like Louis Armstrong, Joan Baez, Roni Benise, Irving Berlin, The Blue Man Group, Pierce Brosnan, Jimmy Buffett, George Burns, Cirque du Soleil, Judy Collins, Bob Dylan, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Béla Fleck, The Flying Karamazov Brothers, Stephane Grappelli, Woody Guthrie, Bob Hope, Howling Wolf, Burl Ives, Jewel, George Jones, Nora Jones, BB King, Leadbelly, Heuy Lewis, Bernie Mac, Steve Martin, Joni Mitchell, Jimmy Page, Penn & Teller, Charlie Parker, Dolly Parton, Madeleine Peyroux, Edith Piaf, Gerry Rafferty, Jimmy Reed, Lou Reed, Carlos Santana, Pete Seger, Sheilds& Yarnell, Simon and Garfunkel, Rod Stewart, Joe Strummer, Stomp, Hank WIlliams, Muddy Waters, Robin Williams and the thousands of other stars who started as buskers were trashed and derailed as beggars ?

One of the truly great things about America is that
a person with talent can use their talent to earn a living and lift themselves up.

PS.Also just because some bumb or enibriate gets his hands on some bongos or a guitar does not necessarily mean they are a busker either. When the forefathers wrote our free speech laws they assumed people would have enough common sense to determine who is and is not a legitimate artist.

By: West Coast Accordion: Punk Rock and Alt-Accordion « The Website of Dallas Vietty

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 13:31:21 +0000

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By: Suzan Bartels

Suzan Bartels — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 16:53:33 +0000

Thank goodness our area is more supportive of performers and busking- First Friday, The MusikFest, etc. are all about appreciation of street performance . . .