There are things that can't be said, like "FIRE!" in a crowded room. Apparently, one can't post songs with possibly offensive lyrics to one's My Space account to promote one's band.
Ian Defeo had a job as a substitute teacher. He also has a band, Ian of Fire. He also has a My Space web site promoting his band. Put all this together, and somehow, it equals being fired from his teaching position.
What can we say, and how, and where, and through what medium, that someone, somewhere, won't find offensive?
Speeches, Lyrics, Posts, Blogs, Opinions, Letters to the Editor, Emails, where will it stop? When will someone who finds my posts here slightly offensive (and I'm sure there are many) lodge a complaint with Google, or try to find out who I am and for whom I work, and lodge a complaint with them?
How did we get to be such a thin-skinned society? When did we stop recognizing the right to speak one's mind, to voice one's opinion, however offensive, without censorship.
We have become a society where no offense can be tolerated, unless of course the offense is against Fundamentalist Christians, Global Warming Deniers, and Neoconservatives. No, there is no longer a right to Free Speech, no longer a right to voice one's opinion, or one's creative work, without the probability that someone, somewhere, is going to become so enraged as to file a complaint, a lawsuit, or even a threat.
What is even sadder is the propensity for our society's establishments to take action on such complaints. DeFeo lost his job as a substitute teacher because someone didn't like the lyrics in some of his songs. I might not like the lyrics either, but I recognize his right to write, post, and perform his songs without any interference. I also have the common sense to realize that, as a teacher with a band, students may find his music attractive, while parents find it repulsive. That however, is a problem between parent and child, not parent and musician, and should be addressed so.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Success in North Korea?
North Korea may be on the verge of standing down. Reports are out that, for a substantial amount of fuel oil, the DPRK would be willing to cease its nuclear activities.
Question is, will President Bush get the credit he deserves for pushing the diplomatic course of action when pretty much everyone who's currently criticizing him for NOT using diplomacy in Iraq has criticized him for sticking with diplomacy in North Korea?
The answer, of course, is probably not. In fact, look for someone on the left to float one of two ideas: that former President Clinton laid the foundation for successful negotiations, which President Bush almost ruined, or that the imminent ascension of Hillary Clinton to the Presidency, in Reaganite fashion, has prompted the DPRK to make such a shift back to sanity.
Either way, it's going to be someone else who gets the credit from the Old Media.
Question is, will President Bush get the credit he deserves for pushing the diplomatic course of action when pretty much everyone who's currently criticizing him for NOT using diplomacy in Iraq has criticized him for sticking with diplomacy in North Korea?
The answer, of course, is probably not. In fact, look for someone on the left to float one of two ideas: that former President Clinton laid the foundation for successful negotiations, which President Bush almost ruined, or that the imminent ascension of Hillary Clinton to the Presidency, in Reaganite fashion, has prompted the DPRK to make such a shift back to sanity.
Either way, it's going to be someone else who gets the credit from the Old Media.
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Black History Month
I'm all for learning history, and I believe the root cause of many of America's problems is the lack of historical perspective and knowledge evident in our culture today. The old adage is true; those who will not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. However, there is a great difference in learning history and learning from history. Black History Month emphasizes the gap between the two.
It is one thing to learn who Rosa Parks was, or George Washington Carver, Freddie Washington, Louis Armstrong, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King. It is another thing altogether to learn from what we know of them, and put it into practice. Great Americans, all, great people, each in his or her own way. But allow me one question. Are they great because they are black?
Is Ronald Reagan a great man because he was white? Is Mother Teresa a great woman because she was white? Obviously, the answer is no. Men and women are great because of what they do, not because of their circumstances of birth. No one of us can say we were responsible for how we were born, or to whom. No one of us can say, I am responsible for the color of my skin. Why then should we constantly append the color of a person's skin to a claim to greatness?
For decades, the black community has been led from racial segregation, thanks to Republicans, into a far more invidious slavery, thanks to its current leaders, and the American government has bought into the rhetoric wholeheartedly. Black America was freed from slavery and granted equality, only to trap itself in a self-imposed segregation of identity - African-Americanism - which has overflowed into all aspects of our daily lives. We are no longer Americans, no longer noble by virtue of living in a noble country. We must hearken back to our ancestors, we must proclaim our genetic heritage, and somehow, that makes us worthy of equality, respect, and a fair shake.
Martin Luther King knew that this was the wrong way to go. In fact, his dream, spelled out so eloquently in his famous speech, proclaims the opposite of today's practice.
"I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.' ... I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. ... And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: 'Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!'"
It was asked of Coach Tom Dungy of the Indianapolis Colts what it meant to him to be the first African-American coach to win the Super Bowl. Suffice it to say that his response has prompted me to switch allegiance among Pro Football teams. Recognizing the importance of his accomplishment, Dungy turned the issue into a much more controversial one, referring to the fact that he and his assistant coach are the first Christian coaches to win the Superbowl. To him, while there was a certain amount of historical import to the racial implications of his team's win, it paled in comparison to the faith implications. What a perspective. Unlike the current leaders of the "African-American" community, it seems to me Coach Dungy is truly free, for his words echo freedom from the slavery of a mind bent on segregating itself.
It is my belief that Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, Louis Farrakhan, and all those who promote the slavery of identity segregation are not so free. They, like so many others, know the history of race in America, but they have failed to learn from it.
It is one thing to learn who Rosa Parks was, or George Washington Carver, Freddie Washington, Louis Armstrong, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King. It is another thing altogether to learn from what we know of them, and put it into practice. Great Americans, all, great people, each in his or her own way. But allow me one question. Are they great because they are black?
Is Ronald Reagan a great man because he was white? Is Mother Teresa a great woman because she was white? Obviously, the answer is no. Men and women are great because of what they do, not because of their circumstances of birth. No one of us can say we were responsible for how we were born, or to whom. No one of us can say, I am responsible for the color of my skin. Why then should we constantly append the color of a person's skin to a claim to greatness?
For decades, the black community has been led from racial segregation, thanks to Republicans, into a far more invidious slavery, thanks to its current leaders, and the American government has bought into the rhetoric wholeheartedly. Black America was freed from slavery and granted equality, only to trap itself in a self-imposed segregation of identity - African-Americanism - which has overflowed into all aspects of our daily lives. We are no longer Americans, no longer noble by virtue of living in a noble country. We must hearken back to our ancestors, we must proclaim our genetic heritage, and somehow, that makes us worthy of equality, respect, and a fair shake.
Martin Luther King knew that this was the wrong way to go. In fact, his dream, spelled out so eloquently in his famous speech, proclaims the opposite of today's practice.
"I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.' ... I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. ... And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: 'Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!'"
It was asked of Coach Tom Dungy of the Indianapolis Colts what it meant to him to be the first African-American coach to win the Super Bowl. Suffice it to say that his response has prompted me to switch allegiance among Pro Football teams. Recognizing the importance of his accomplishment, Dungy turned the issue into a much more controversial one, referring to the fact that he and his assistant coach are the first Christian coaches to win the Superbowl. To him, while there was a certain amount of historical import to the racial implications of his team's win, it paled in comparison to the faith implications. What a perspective. Unlike the current leaders of the "African-American" community, it seems to me Coach Dungy is truly free, for his words echo freedom from the slavery of a mind bent on segregating itself.
It is my belief that Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, Louis Farrakhan, and all those who promote the slavery of identity segregation are not so free. They, like so many others, know the history of race in America, but they have failed to learn from it.
Monday, February 05, 2007
Who's to blame?
Who is to blame for the current state of our nation? The list is long.
The Media is to blame. Perhaps it began with Cronkite's editorializing in the news that the Vietnam War was lost. The Old Media is no longer a reporter of news, but has become a purveyor of gossip, rumor, slander, and blatant agenda-driven opinions, all masked as news. The Old Media has lost its nobility, and become the pimp of elitist pablum.
Atheists are to blame. Men and women unwilling to accept that they are not the ultimate authority have sought and partially succeeded in removing all traces of America's religious heritage, weakening our nation, destroying the very tolerance that allows them to be what they are.
Republicans are to blame. Republicans are to blame, for they have lost sight of the foundational tenets of their party, and have become profligate and careless. Republicans are the new Democrats.
Democrats are to blame. Democrats have allowed themselves to be co-opted be anti-American zealots who see a powerful America as unacceptable. Communists, Socialists, and Fascists dominate the Democratic party, demanding an anti-American agenda with the rhetoric of personal destruction.
Radical Leftists in Academics are to blame. Teaching opinion instead of fact, subjective perception instead of objective history, these radicals routinely take sledgehammers to the foundation of our nation, for in their world, a nation of right vs. wrong is unenlightened. The shades of gray must be thoroughly explored and accepted. Theirs is a Fifth Column, working tirelessly in pursuit of a Utopian society of their own making, twisted and intolerant.
Politicians are to blame. Politics has become the mud pit of our culture, as racism, jingoism, elitism, socialism, fascism, anti-Semitism, and all the other ism's more and more often rear their ugly heads. No longer led by statesmen relying upon principle, we now follow men and women who are gold diggers, with Uncle Sam as their doddering sugar daddy. Power is their blood feast, these vampires, and they fear no longer the light of day.
Congress is to blame. The Houses of Congress have long been hotbeds of corruption, at once the pinnacle of power and the deepest cesspool of filth. No longer do we have men and women working for our nation's best, honest stewards of a nation's trust, but thieves and two-faced liars, no longer cognizant of the grave responsibility inherent to their posts.
Bill Clinton is to blame. America's least effective president ushered in the era of irresponsibility, and left us open to attack from all sides. He gave us the semantics of sex in the workplace, a badly weakened and demoralized military, and Al Gore.
Jimmy Carter is to blame. With words and tone, America's worst president inspired us to believe hope was lost, and our enemies to believe we were lost. Consistent to the end in his banal ineffectiveness, he has now proved to be the best friend of some of our worst enemies, and the worst enemy of one of our best allies.
George W. Bush is to blame. As strong as President Bush has been on the War on Terror overseas, he has been weak on protecting our nation's borders against the invasion of illegal immigration. As visionary as his economic program and his hopes for a united, democratic Iraq may be, his shortsightedness regarding our nations borders is disturbing.
Black America is to blame. Blacks have not sought freedom and equality as Americans, but have instead sought, and found, a dismal replacement, an invidious slavery without shackles, the slavery of identity segregation. They have allowed themselves to be bamboozled by political pulpiteers into thinking that being American is not enough, they must be less, in order to be more.
The commonplace American, like me, is to blame. I am one of a majority, silent for so long, who allowed a ballot to speak for me instead of standing up and giving voice to my anger, resentment, and disapproval. The Old Media, corrupt politicians, radical leftists, environmental wackos, socialists, fascists, atheists, communists, Republicans, and Democrats should have heard from us long ago. "NO MORE!", we should have shouted. "NO LONGER!", we should have voted. But we did not. The Silent Majority stood by, afraid to break that silence, lest we be thought radical and intemperate.
The time for temperance is gone. Who will shout with me?
The Media is to blame. Perhaps it began with Cronkite's editorializing in the news that the Vietnam War was lost. The Old Media is no longer a reporter of news, but has become a purveyor of gossip, rumor, slander, and blatant agenda-driven opinions, all masked as news. The Old Media has lost its nobility, and become the pimp of elitist pablum.
Atheists are to blame. Men and women unwilling to accept that they are not the ultimate authority have sought and partially succeeded in removing all traces of America's religious heritage, weakening our nation, destroying the very tolerance that allows them to be what they are.
Republicans are to blame. Republicans are to blame, for they have lost sight of the foundational tenets of their party, and have become profligate and careless. Republicans are the new Democrats.
Democrats are to blame. Democrats have allowed themselves to be co-opted be anti-American zealots who see a powerful America as unacceptable. Communists, Socialists, and Fascists dominate the Democratic party, demanding an anti-American agenda with the rhetoric of personal destruction.
Radical Leftists in Academics are to blame. Teaching opinion instead of fact, subjective perception instead of objective history, these radicals routinely take sledgehammers to the foundation of our nation, for in their world, a nation of right vs. wrong is unenlightened. The shades of gray must be thoroughly explored and accepted. Theirs is a Fifth Column, working tirelessly in pursuit of a Utopian society of their own making, twisted and intolerant.
Politicians are to blame. Politics has become the mud pit of our culture, as racism, jingoism, elitism, socialism, fascism, anti-Semitism, and all the other ism's more and more often rear their ugly heads. No longer led by statesmen relying upon principle, we now follow men and women who are gold diggers, with Uncle Sam as their doddering sugar daddy. Power is their blood feast, these vampires, and they fear no longer the light of day.
Congress is to blame. The Houses of Congress have long been hotbeds of corruption, at once the pinnacle of power and the deepest cesspool of filth. No longer do we have men and women working for our nation's best, honest stewards of a nation's trust, but thieves and two-faced liars, no longer cognizant of the grave responsibility inherent to their posts.
Bill Clinton is to blame. America's least effective president ushered in the era of irresponsibility, and left us open to attack from all sides. He gave us the semantics of sex in the workplace, a badly weakened and demoralized military, and Al Gore.
Jimmy Carter is to blame. With words and tone, America's worst president inspired us to believe hope was lost, and our enemies to believe we were lost. Consistent to the end in his banal ineffectiveness, he has now proved to be the best friend of some of our worst enemies, and the worst enemy of one of our best allies.
George W. Bush is to blame. As strong as President Bush has been on the War on Terror overseas, he has been weak on protecting our nation's borders against the invasion of illegal immigration. As visionary as his economic program and his hopes for a united, democratic Iraq may be, his shortsightedness regarding our nations borders is disturbing.
Black America is to blame. Blacks have not sought freedom and equality as Americans, but have instead sought, and found, a dismal replacement, an invidious slavery without shackles, the slavery of identity segregation. They have allowed themselves to be bamboozled by political pulpiteers into thinking that being American is not enough, they must be less, in order to be more.
The commonplace American, like me, is to blame. I am one of a majority, silent for so long, who allowed a ballot to speak for me instead of standing up and giving voice to my anger, resentment, and disapproval. The Old Media, corrupt politicians, radical leftists, environmental wackos, socialists, fascists, atheists, communists, Republicans, and Democrats should have heard from us long ago. "NO MORE!", we should have shouted. "NO LONGER!", we should have voted. But we did not. The Silent Majority stood by, afraid to break that silence, lest we be thought radical and intemperate.
The time for temperance is gone. Who will shout with me?
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