We at MDS feel it necessary to respond to Zachary's comments regarding the "fraudulent, racist" nature of the Canton Idol program. We are saddened that the spirit of the event didn't translate into Zachary's experience and know his sentiments are not widely shared. The program is in its 5th year and is attributable to many good things in the community. It provides critical funding for the programs of Multi-development Services (http://www.mds-sc.org) including our homeless shelter, the LIFE youth program which serves as a safe haven for socioeconomically challenged children in the Stark County area, transitional housing, amd emergency assistance. All of these programs are intended to uplift the community and are all-inclusive of the ethnically diverse population of Stark County.
We don't keep statistics on the ethicity of the participants nor have individual scores been available. The judges, as well as nearly everyone except staff and sound technicians, are volunteers that were selected based on musical background and community involvement. Understanding the culturally diverse musical selections from the contestants, the panel has consistently been comprised of folks from varying cultural backgrounds.
The bottom line is a bias in the scoring of the Canton Idol contest would go against everything the event stands for - a shared love and appreciation of the talents and creativity our community has to offer. We invite anyone who may question its intent to attend our event and see for themselves. From the emcees to the audience to the judges and contestants, the spirit of community, a common purpose, and joyful entertainment is everpresent. We feel blessed by the success of Canton Idol and the wonderful experiences we continue to share with the audience and contestants... And hope that in time Zachary might come to understand that there is nothing to gain by promoting an ethnic divide.
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