This seems to be a shining example of my previous post. 35 years ago this guys story would have been on all the networks and would have been published as the absolute truth and very few would have known otherwise. Instead the “alternative media” is tearing him a new one.
Somewhere in all those descriptions, you’ll find the motivations that led TNR to publish the writings of Scott Thomas Beauchamp but not J. D. Johannes, Pat Dollard, Michael Yon, Michael Totten or any of the writings published by those of us who have been to Iraq for whatever length of time and have things to say about the troops and the war. TNR sought out a war critic, but not any war critic: TNR sought out a war critic whose writings either smeared the troops or exposed serious discipline problems among the troops.
Shoprat’s entirely correct — and so is Mr. Preston and Say Anything. And folks, that’s just one minor example.
Which is why the Demorats certainly cannot much compete with the Conservative Base and, by logical extension, why it must regain control of the media, regain control of the newspapers (which are bleeding readers), obtain control of the internet and regain control of radio by way of the so-called “Fairness Doctrine.”
A truly FREE society EMBRACES free speech in its most true of forms: spoken and written. The internet enables this. Certainly, the internet can be a bit of the Wild West; it can also be a marvelous, wondrous communications tool.
Why is that, you might query?
Because it seems to be sapping his profits, that’s why!
He claims it is destroying good music, saying: “The internet has stopped people from going out and being with each other, creating stuff.
“Instead they sit at home and make their own records, which is sometimes OK but it doesn’t bode well for long-term artistic vision.
Omigawrsh! People seem to be finding an outlet for their musical creativity on the internet? Huh; imagine that! Might, then, this newfound outlet for said musical creativity possibly be funneling new hairpiece money away from Mr. John? The nerve of these creative people! How dare they think their paltry little unwashed notes could come remotely close to Elton’s creative potential?
That evil, evil internet!
Providing people with an outlet for their creativity, competing against “certain individuals”!
That evil, evil internet!
Providing people with another outlet for their thoughts, opinions, and allowing people THEMSELVES to vette what they read and make decisions for themselves!
HERESY! BLASPHEMERS!
(And I haven’t even begun to write about free speech and Islam.)
BZ
He’s a Luddite alright. At least he’s honest about that.
He’s dreaming.
Shop: yes, I can appreciate that bit of honesty. But his arrogance and that of many others, is astonishing.
BZ
There’s arrogance, and then there’s ARROGANCE! I believe he thinks he’s a king.
I had to look up the definition for the word “luddite”. Yep, it really fits.
Gayle: arrogance and, if I might, remarkable condescension.
BZ
Where the heck can I get one of those T-Shirts that was hilarious!
I am with Jenn, I want one of those shirts.
I love your avitar, BZ, and the picture of the Zeppelin. The avitar is a great improvement! Was the picture of the Zeppelin here when I came in here this morning? I came back just to get your url to give you credit for a picture I stole from you for Fractured Friday.
Gayle: thank you for your public comment about the zeppelin on my new header. I am an HTML boob, so I somehow managed to convince Robert from Bushwack to PERFECTLY place a photo I tinked around with in Photoshop. Robert is ALSO responsible for the great multiple topic areas underneath The Usual Suspects. Robert: check it out! POSITIVE comments dude, and THANKS once again!
And also, Gayle, I got a number of actual e-mails from people who thought my last avatar was too scary; so I gave in. I’ve always wanted a Yellow Lab, so. . .
BZ
Elton John is now on the list…
Henry: hey, very nice blog indeed! But of what list do you refer?
BZ
I’d say Ole Elton thinks his crap don’t stink; but only his male lover would know for sure…
Ewwww Gunz — I’ll just let that lay where it lays. . .
BZ
Ha! I’m going to embed a link to this post in my next political cartoon post.
Wordsmith: hey thanks! Liked the T-shirt, didn’t ya?
BZ
The same list contains “entertainers” like Danny Glover, Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Alec Baldwin, Cameron Diaz, Dixie Chicks, The Police (this one is painful), Harry Belafonte, Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews Band, Sheryl Crow, CSN, REM, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Jamie Fox, Linda Rondstat, Eric Clapton, John Mellencamp, John Fogerty, James Taylor, Don Henley…
Need I continue?
Henry:
A very heavy sigh resounds with your list. These are the musical artists I listened to when in my formative years. In my dotage, I’ve had to delineate those I wish to purchase digitally and those I ignore on vinyl.
It’s, sadly, been severed politically. Thanks for your honest portrayal.
But they, in my estimation, continually buttress my primary argument: they support far Left regimes because they THEMSELVES feel GUILTY due to their financial SUCCESS.
BZ