I’ve been writing about a lot of topical stuff recently, partly because the recent campaign season really got my political blood boiling, but also because in a broader sense, my politics are a big part of who I am. It affects the kind of music I listen to, the way I interpret it, and how I choose to write about it. I don’t usually make a particular effort to bring up this stuff, but it does tend to infuse things. I realize that for folks just looking to download some songs it’s probably annoying, but I make no apologies.
Music blogging is not just about downloading. At least, it shouldn’t be. Part of what makes this form of media so much different than more traditional methods is that I can be up front about who I am and where I’m coming from without having to hide behind the curtain of objectivity. Beyond that, this is a democratic space. Unlike P2P networks, blogs contain space for dialogue, an opportunity to learn from each other and move forward.
Don’t get me wrong. Music ought to be enjoyable for its own sake, and no one should feel obligated to have a deeper purpose in their enjoyment. When I say music blogging isn’t just about downloading, I do not mean to suggest that if you just listen to music you enjoy, you have a less authentic relationship to the songs. I only mean to say that we would be doing both music and politics a disservice if we pretend that the intersection of the two is insignificant. For many listeners and performers, they are inextricably connected, and that reality deserves attention.
This is particularly true in an era where political discourse has so much to do with how the message is presented. After all, who can better tap into shared emotions than musicians? I firmly believe there ought to be a public dialogue about the grand narratives of our nation and what they mean for our daily lives, and a significant part of that should include assessing the themes in our music.
Beyond that, for progressives, music should be a part of our political identity and message. It ought to include exhorting artists who think similarly to find ways to express the ideals we all share, to give voice to dreams, and to make clear the trials and tribulations we face along the way. And, it ought to include making these messages clear to the rest of the world. People often complain about Reagan’s appropriation of “Born in the USA.” And that is fair, but the problem is not that Reagan used the song, the problem is that we let him get away with it.
With all that in mind, today is the inaugural edition of Politics Tuesday here on Heartache With Hard Work. The rest of the week will be business as usual, but one day a week, I’ll wear my political heart on my sleeve, talk about topical issues (music-related or not), and focus on artists and songs that are not only good music but also good politics.
Hopefully this will be an opportunity for people to explore some of these issues, share ideas and good tunes, and learn from each other.
For those who couldn’t care less about this stuff, don’t worry. The rest of the week will continue to feature twee-pop, songs about hopeless romantics and broken hearts, and all the usual stuff. In fact, part of the impulse for Politics Tuesday is to give me an outlet for topical matters and prevent them from clogging up the tubes for the rest of the week.
Without any further ado:
John Kerry says he’s still a presidential candidate:
Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry insisted on Sunday his “botched joke” about President Bush’s Iraq policy would not undermine a possible White House campaign in 2008. “Not in the least,” Kerry, the Democratic presidential nominee in said when asked if the furor over his comment had caused him to reconsider a 2008 race. “The parlor game of who’s up, who’s down, today or tomorrow, if I listened to that stuff, I would never have won the nomination.”
No, it wasn’t the “botched joke” that will undermine your campaign – it’s the fact that you’re a terrible candidate who couldn’t win when handed the opportunity on a silver platter in 2004, and now the Democrats know better than to entrust you with anything close to that kind of opportunity again.
How many people have died in the Iraq war? A Lancet study conducted by suggests the number might be much, much higher than the official guesses. Their estimate is 650,000, with a 95% confidence interval that it’s well over 300,000. Obviously, these findings are controversial, but really, even if it is “only” 60,000, shouldn’t that still be deeply troubling? And if they are right, shouldn’t that be a huge story?
I Hate the War – The Ballet
From Think Progress, more proof that America has no idea what it might be getting into with “straight-shooter” and “moderate” John McCain: McCain Flip-Flops, Supports Immediate Reversal of Roe v. Wade. I’ll admit, I bought into the myth a little bit and told myself “it wouldn’t be that bad” if McCain were president. I’ve come around.
Scott Lemieux weighs in as well, with perhaps my favorite quote about this issue I’ve read so far:
And in case inexplicable McCain apologist Jon Chait once again mentions that McCain “said that if his daughter wanted an abortion, he would leave the decision up to her,” I note that the fact that McCain wouldn’t dream of applying general bans on abortion to people in his social circles doesn’t make him a pro-choicer; it makes him a Republican. John McCain’s daughter won’t have a problem getting an abortion whether Roe is good law or not, but a lot of other women won’t be so lucky.
Hello Birmingham – Ani DiFranco
As a sidenote, there are shockingly few songs about reproductive rights. This heartrending take on violence against abortion clinics (one of my favorite Ani songs) came to mind immediately, but I could only think of a few more. Are there some great ones I there I just don’t know about?
On a happier note, how about this story? Well, the story itself isn’t too interesting until you hear the conclusion (thanks to NPR’s Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me). The more I learn about Obama, the more I like him. His book is on top of my “to read” stack, so I’ll see how I feel after that.
And, in the spirit of affirming life, let’s all note that today is the 34th annual World Hello Day. Join 31 Nobel Prize winners and me, and tell 10 people “hello” today. What an awesome holiday…
Hello Goodbye – The Beatles
Finally, here are some links to a couple of my favorite past posts on political matters:
Here’s to the land you’ve torn out the heart of
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: democracy just doesn’t work!
There’s a whole lot of walking to do
Thanks for stopping by. I’d love to hear feedback about whether this is interesting or useful, or if I should just stick to talking about music and let everyone continue to get their news from reputable sources like the Daily Show.