WoO FAQ

Q: What is Woke on Oak?

A: Woke on Oak is satire.
It’s a mirror held up to reflect MBC’s actions and is a page out of their own playbook, utilizing prominent signage and satirical imagery to provoke attention (sound familiar yet?).
The aesthetic is a deliberate throwback to an earlier and more fun internet, before social media became a weaponized propaganda machine.

Q: Is this all just a political vendetta against Kirk?

A: Absolutely not, though that would be a very convenient narrative for MBC! It’s concerning that an assumption is made that by criticizing the actions of MBC, we’re with the other side.
The saga began when Kirk was disingenuous about his plans for the taproom, did his best to circumvent neighborhood input, and repeatedly ignored the rules laid out by the city at every step along the way. Advocating for ourselves and our neighborhood resulted in threats and antagonism.

Q: Why not just move if you don’t like it?

A: Because that’s not how community works and comments like this deflect legitimate concerns about how MBC manages its operations (and besides, we were here first!). We found a home in a neighborhood we love and could afford in a city where the cost of living is very high. Like anyone else, we have the right to live here without being pushed out by a business that ignores rules and thrives on conflict. Nobody should be told to “just move” instead of expecting fairness and accountability.

Q: Isn't it already noisy there?

A: Suggesting that our neighborhood is already plagued by noise or rowdy behavior so we have no reason to complain implies that quality of life is only entitled to those that can afford it. Progressivism is about lifting communities up and making them livable so people can thrive, not writing them off as places where disruption and exploitation to sell merchandise is acceptable.

Q: Do you just hate music or noise?

A: Quite the opposite. We’ve enjoyed contributing to the unique and vibrant fabric of this diverse neighborhood for many years and have had great relationships with other nearby businesses. We’re artists and musicians ourselves, and have enjoyed a handful of the performers that we’ve overheard in the beer garden ~20 feet from our house. The issue with music has been when it’s intentionally provocative or is repeatedly amplified without a permit. Our problem is simply with how this business operates.

Q: Why don’t you just call the police if they’re violating their permits instead of putting up signs?

A: Because that puts the wrong people in the crossfire. Some of the performers are clearly just there for their friends and family, it wouldn’t feel right to have their set cut short because the venue hid the permit denial. The sign was a way to make the point without dragging cops or artists into it.

Q: Is it true you rallied the whole neighborhood to oppose MBC’s amplified sound permit, the one the city ultimately rejected?

A: That’s an interesting way to describe having good relationships with our civically active neighbors! We were actually surprised by how many folks on our street were equally concerned with the business conduct of MBC.
The irony is that while MBC accused us of secretly rallying people, they were paying for targeted ads on social media (10-50k reach!!) specifically to recruit people to write letters and show up at city meetings. What business does this? That’s the dynamic we’re trying to highlight: dealing with a business that uses a propaganda machine is not a normal neighborhood issue.

Q: Isn’t MBC just using social media like any other business?

A: Not quite. What this business does is astroturfing, spinning narratives, and rallying an online echo chamber to drown out dissent. It’s not grassroots, but rather a PR machine. We think everyone benefits from pulling back the curtain on this sort of thing.

Q: OK smartypants, but why do I still feel so angry?

A: Because when someone builds a following on division, their crowd comes out swinging with no rational thought involved. We’ve already received vitriol from MBC supporters. The hate comes fast, and demonstrates how conflict can become manufactured and weaponized.