I have been revving my engines for a good month or two to write an election-oriented piece, but whenever I get started, I find SO MUCH to write about, it's difficult to know where to begin. I can only hope that the recent flap about the missing tonnage of explosives continues to damage the President's hopes come Tuesday, but at this point, I suspect minds for the most part are made up. I personally don't know any undecideds - my crew, my neighborhood, and my whole state are all solidly Democratic, or at least voting that way - but I can't imagine how at this point someone can really fail to see the choice at hand. Which, in my opinion is: (Bush) Corporate glad hander; Friend of the military-industrial complex's efforts to maintain a state of constant war; A failure as an economic leader; A "Christian" who sees no conflict in killing over 12,000 Iraqis, many civilians; An isolationist; An abject failure as a "uniter, not a divider;" Unable to see that "staying the course" works in sailing, but not in executing a military exercise in which change is a constant; Whipping boy of the international energy cartel. (Kerry): Not Bush.
I wish I were in love with Kerry, but I, like many Kerry voters, am more interested in dethroning Bush than in installing Kerry. I hope that I come to like him more after he wins - god, I hope he wins. The idea of "four more years of Bush - how bad could it really be?" did cross my mind, but then I realized that, free of the worries of re-election, four more years of Bush hands the powers of government (rebuilding the Supreme Court, forcing absurd constitutional amendment down Congress's throat, maintaining the aforementioned constant state of war, the list goes on) to Karl Rove, Dick Cheney (Larouche may not be wrong in calling him Satan's right-hand man), Donald Rumsfeld, et al.
If Bush were just the innocuous, ineffectual dullard the (so-called "liberal") media would have us believe, that would be one thing; our system of checks and balances is supposed to take care of situations like that. But with the ability to restructure one-third of that system in its own image (the judicial branch, rebuilt by an 8-year Bush reign, would no longer serve its role as a watchdog of the legislative and executive branches), and a pandering House of Representatives (the Republican-controlled 108th Congress has been rightly considered the least effective congress in this country's history), checks and balances no longer come into play for a second Bush administration. Electing Bush this time around hands a blank check to his cohorts to further isolate America in its efforts to throttle the global energy markets through cronyism (Israel, Saudi Arabia), war (Iraq), or threat of war (Iran, North Korea), while deluding well-intentioned conservative moralists who think they're electing the guy who gives a shit about gay marriage and the revocation of abortion rights.
The smoke screen of "family values" continues to be mind-numbingly effective in hiding the sinister, anti-Christian actions of the current administration. I wish Christian preachers would spend more time in the pulpit asking their congregations, "What would Jesus do if he were president?" Would Jesus declare a war on Rome, then attack the Samaritans, because they were easier to find? Would Jesus lie about it afterwards? Would Jesus declare that gay marriage is eroding the family values of this country, while ignoring a close to 50% divorce rate among heterosexual married couples? I am not a Christian, but I am sympathetic to the moral teachings of Christianity (and Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, etc. - organized religion has many problems, but for the most part, good intentions and a sincere desire to do the right thing is usually not one of them). It blows my mind how many Christians have been bamboozled by this President's smoke and mirrors. Talk about a diversionary tactic.
Anyway, I've gone on much longer than I had planned. Once I get going, I just start rolling, and I fear that my arguments become less effective the longer I go on - as I mentioned before, it's hard to know where to start; it's also hard to know where to stop. Vote your conscience on Tuesday, but see through the web of political tricks (Kerry is not without sin in this regard, too, but his are far less sinister and destructive) before you make your choice.
i agree with not being in love with kerry, but being in support of him.
we cant let ourselves lose sight of whats still important: being productive and being positive.
this bums me out, but lets use this time to share knowledge with each other, and educate ourselves and our peers, because if anything is clear, its that the enemy of the current administration is truth.
ive heard people say "well, maybe the problem is me, and im out of place living in this country". but that doesnt help the people who are marginalized by this administration.
im a musician and a communicator, and this shit is far from over because 51% have "spoken". the other 49% might not have installed a puppet in the white house, but we dont need one to speak our minds.
I think what's most disheartening about Bush's win is not the fact that he won: once again, our process, shot through with flaws though it may be, worked, and conspiracy theories notwithstanding, he seems to have won fair and square. More popular votes, and more electoral votes, is what makes a president in this country.
Rather, the gut buster for me is how he won: by perpetrating the biggest snow job in the history of snow jobs on a well-intentioned but ultimately clueless public. I know that sounds condescending, but I can't think of any other rationale for how a substantial percentage of 59,000,000-odd Bush voters - people I assume to be of moderate or better intelligence - fell for it. Hearing poll after poll indicate that Bush won based on "moral issues" - read, anti-gay marriage, anti-choice, pro-family, pro-Christianity - makes me ill; the Republican political machine succeeded remarkably in convincing - duping - these voters that their guy was the "moral" candidate.
They succeeded in convincing so many voters that the war in Iraq was being fought on "moral" grounds; that Bush's support of a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage was a "moral" stand in favor of the institution of marriage; that his failed economic policies supporting the wealthy and ignoring the poor presented a "morally superior" choice to Kerry's alternatives. It was brilliant, really, that the diabolical Karl Rove and his cadre of shady Republican strategists, succeeded in redefining the word. "Moral" doesn't mean what it used to, friends.
"The deputy sheriffs, the soldiers, the governors get paid, And the marshals and cops get the same, But the poor white man's used in the hands of them all like a tool. He's taught in his school From the start by the rule That the laws are with him To protect his white skin To keep up his hate So he never thinks straight 'Bout the shape that he's in But it ain't him to blame He's only a pawn in their game."
Wow I am baffled at the views of many musicians and how dedicated they are to the democratic party. As a die-hard lover of progressive music I find that people like me are somewhat of a dying breed. I myself am a Republican and actually voted for the first time in my life at the ripe age of 30. I have always viewed politics as a negative yet necessary thing. Then I finally came to the conclusion - How can I dislike something when I know absolutely nothing about it. Bill, I can honestly say that you have alot of really really strong points concerning the state of the nation. I generally try to avoid politics of any sort and stick to one gun--- Good people stay that way until their negative thoughts become words and then action. Thing is, you have to respect everyones views because after all we are all in this world together. As a republican I will say that war is a terrible hideous thing and I just hope and pray that some good comes out of this mess we are causing. Anyways, mad props on Jawbox and props on burning airlines. Not only do you guys rock, but there has always been an underlying lesson/message in the music!!!!! You guys are "the goods" Props on the label as well-- Oh and one more thing. I know this is asking alot because the scene down here is stale but get some of these great musicians down to Fl. every now and then! ha ha. OK man take care!-John
I live in Los Angeles and the day after the election this town was grieving. Everywhere you went people just had this stunned look on their face: did that really just happen?
I'm originally from Ohio. I now tell people I'm from Pennsylvania (okay, that's not true, but still).
I think the bigger issue (something Jon Stewart has really driven home since the election) is the divide that obviously exists in America. I'm just saying, when the war comes we control the coasts -- and the rest of the world will help us.
Bill, glad to see the rants back -- you should write more!
In response to the question about why so many musicians are "dedicated ... to the Democratic Party." As with most things, it's not that simple. Most musicians I know - myself included - aren't dedicated to the Democratic party at all; rather, I (I'll stop trying to speak for the group here) am dedicated to honesty, fairness, forthrightness, individual freedom, and while I'm at it, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I don't find all of these things in one particular party, but I find more of them with the Democrats. My vote for president this time around was a vote for change, not for the Democrats. John Kerry provided the most realistic, viable alternative to George W. Bush, the unseating of whom I saw to be more important than the prospect of spending the next four years with Kerry, warts and all. So, from the get-go, let's separate a vote for Kerry from a de facto vote for the Democratic Party. Democrats can be as unfair, dishonest, restrictive of freedom, disingenuous, etc. as Republicans at times, but on the whole, Democrats represent an alternative that is more closely aligned with my values.
Nevertheless, I'll make an attempt to speak for "punk rock" for a moment: many of us got into this particular flavor of rock and roll as much for its dissatisfaction with the status quo as for the rhythm and the noise. Yeah, Black Flag and Minor Threat were as much about raw rebellion as they were about particular political views, but the overall message - open your eyes, think about what you're being told and use your mind to challenge what's been given you - is one that tends to align us with progressive, as opposed to conservative, politics. Note that I avoided "Democratic" or even "liberal" to describe my politics - many of my views could be labeled heretical to hard-line Democrats. But what you saw in this last election was many independent thinkers like me - again, like a lot of the musicians I consort with - understanding that our "guy" (in my politics, a philosopher king, not an elected president, but I digress) wouldn't make it in the current horribly broken state of two-party, cash- and big-business-driven hegemonic US politics. John Kerry (or Howard Dean or Dennis Kucinich or Carol Moseley-Braun, for that matter) is not a progressive, but he's close enough, especially when compared to the alternative.
I'd be interested to hear from any other conservative and/or Republican readers, if I have any ...
Bill, great views of your "political" stance. I can def. relate with your feelings. Why not do a rant on your stance as far as the "state of music" Right now I find that only a few bands are holding the fort down - so to speak! Sonic Youth, Spoon, Merge, Desoto, Matador labels, Etc... etc... Music for me is slowly degressing and would be curious to know how you feel about the subject. Also, one of your former band mates has just about the hottest thing going with The Jealous Sound and actually had the chance to meet Adam in Orlando! He is a great guy!!! Super friendly and very in touch with the "state of music". So 3$ WHat is your stance on the "State of Music"!!!! P.S. Thanks to Desoto records for intoducing me to the greatness of Les Savy Fav- The Inches "singles" release was the intro to the band for me and after about 7 or 8 rotations in the c.d. player THEY ROCK OUT!!!!! GOOD STUFF DESOTO! John
In response to Jrobbins.net. I do not hate freedom! I do not hate anything for that matter. That is a bit of a harsh term. There are things that I dislike agreat deal but hate does "breed" and is a manifestation as is war. The liberal media does have a stronghold to those of us "typical" americans that are usually glued to the t.v.. I do not fully understand the relating the bush ad. actions to fixing a light bulb. What does the light bulb stand for in that reference? I was always taught that America is a free country cause it differs from a socialist or communist gov.. It seems as if the democratic party is leaning towared a socialist gov. which I can honestly say I know very little about. I am at a loss for words as far as gov. is concerned. After all it is less than a year into the term and all I see on the news is Aruba. Washington is not up for a change within. It is all smokescreen! As far as freedom goes I am a free man in my country but the choices I make in my own life are the ones that eventually lead to freedom in my mind ultimately feeling free. In other news, can not wait for the Life and Times album. The medications are an incredibly intense live act. One of the more interesting I have seen in awhile. Play on desoto. John
this, worldly and knowledgable people, is just a scam. the two party system.. it's all a wash. it's designed to keep the un-enlightened dark. there's not a thing that can be done to stop it. when the day comes, will you fight back? or will you submit?
my bet is that you'll submit. because for one, you won't stand a chance.
i digress.. will you submit, or become a martyr for peace? it's going to take alot of death to defeat the death/war machine. but, while all these deaths are at hand either way you look at it, continuous death, never-ending, aversively so.. rife with corruption. can we stand the pain that this will most certainly unravel. and can we conquer the pain?
these are questions that we'll all have to face someday. until that day, we, you, me, everyone, will continue to be sheep, mindless sheep who don't even realize it. B'AAAAH . go drink your pabst. play your shows.. write dumb lyrics about 'fake people'. it's all very sad, and, ALOT of you, aren't contributing anything but to your own fears and loathings and societal tendencies. when the leash is tugged, will you speed up? or put on the brakes and do something for something more important than yourselves?
Mike, Mike you have it all wrong, Independent musicians are making music based on their love for music. A crash course of awareness and wellness for your everyday trooper! We are all not mindless sheep my friend! When the leash is tugged I hold it to let it be known that I am where I am which is a good place thanks to a life full of lessons and no thought of digression! Play On!
