kelly_smock's Blog

    This past Friday I attended the Detroit Hoedown, which I thought was amazing.  I was able to see Lady Antebellum, Jewell and Josh Gracin all in concert in the same night and for absolutely no charge.  It was so nice to be able to see so many people in Hart Plaza enjoying the city.  There were literally thousands of people all enjoying the music together peacefully...well except for a few individuals.
    My friends and I were thoroughly enjoyed the concert minus one small incident.  We were just to the right of the stage in a grassy little area, and we had a great view of the stage.  A family had "staked" out the area in front of us, literally.  They had brought  about six lawn chairs to sit in, that way they could relax and enjoy the show throughout the day.  It was a great idea to bring chairs, and my friends and I even stated that we wished we would have brought some as well.  I am not going to complain about the fact that they brought chairs, but instead about the man's reaction to the people in the area. The father was fine during the first two performances, Lady Antebellum and Jewell, but things changed when Josh Gracin went on.  More and people began to crowd the area to see Josh Gracin.  The man with the family did not like this.  He thought that because he had been sitting in this area first that no one should be able to stand in front of them or beside them for that matter.  I think this is absurd!  It is a FREE concert.  Everyone else in the entire area folded up their chairs to make space for the increase of people in the area.  In this situation that seems like the polite thing to do, in order to allow everyone to enjoy the concert.  If everyone brought chairs only the first select few to attend the concert would be able to see the show and that is not the point.  I am not here to simply talk about the space issue but instead about the events which proceeded which were completely inappropriate and rude.
     Now mind you we were near a ledge in which people were sitting on to enjoy the view, with the exception of the ledge near this family which the man believed he had control of.  A young teenage girl attempted to walk by the families' chairs in order to sit on the ledge.  The man began to yell obscenities at the girl and told her "to get the blank out of there."  I am sure you can imagine what he said.  The young girl was stunned and of course left the area.  This situation was unbelievable to me.  What happened to respecting women?   I just do not understand how a grown man thinks that he has the right to speak to a young girl in this manner.  Has common decency  went out the window?  Now that women are more equal to men do we just disregard respect for women?
      The man continued to yell obscenities at everyone who entered the vicinity of  "his area." Of course a couple neared the man who were equally as aggressive as the man and a confrontation ensued...did anyone not see this coming??? Security had to break them up.  The man in response flew from his chair and went to the front of the crowd unopposed.  The situation has an unbelievable ending.  While standing at the front of the crowd, just moments after pushing through Josh Gracin decides to leave his stage and walk over to our section.  Which was amazing;)  Unfortunately, the unruly man got to shake hands with Gracin, definitely proving the saying "they will get what they deserve" wrong.   The man was rewarded for his horrible behavior.  Irony indeed.