I have to say that I never expected my post about my Neil Young session to cause the flap that it did. or reach such a wide audience. The idea that I would ever be quoted in NewsMax is astonishing to me.
I started this blog mostly as an outlet for my frustration with the current Administration and a chance to learn to express myself in writing, not as a challenge to those who don't think as I do. Along the way I have made many friends from all over the world. I don't spend a lot of time trying to promote it, because that was not particularly my goal. I enjoy having a blog of the size that I can get to know each poster that stops by.
That changed, if only temporarily, when I wrote about my recording session with Neil Young. Make no mistake; I do not know him other that having spent one day on his beautiful record, and having one very brief conversation with him, along with 99 other singers. But, through his music, he has expressed his viewpoint throughout his life, and pissed off both the right and left at times. No one can 'claim him for their own' politically. I have a deep respect for that. For good or bad, he says his say. In fact, during the session there was a question of pitch on a particular note he sang, which the choir was being asked to sing in unison with. When asked what note he sang, he said, "I don't remember; but, whatever it was, I stand by it!" Everyone laughed, but there was a point there that I would do well to pay attention to.
I am not a confrontational or argumentative person by nature. I've seen the blogs that have 'flame wars' going on, and people insulting each other back and forth, but that was not my intent for this blog. My view is, if you don't like my point of view, pass on by. That's what I do. The reason for that is that it doesn't change anyone's mind.
I draw a distinction between the people I am furious at (this Administration) and the people who visit this blog. My writing and graphics on the subjects I feel strongly about can be pretty harsh, and some people are offended by it. My response to opinions I don't care for is to ignore them. And I've asked for courtesy in person-to-person discourse here. But Opus, who told me to 'thicken my skin or close my comments', has a point.
The reality is, that if I have a point of view that I believe in, I need to be able to withstand the 'slings and arrows', so to speak. What kind of activist do I expect to be if I can't deal with legitimate challenges, or accept the fact that by speaking out I will be a target for haters?
If I want to stand for something, I need to stand by something.
And I want to stand for peace.
So, thank you, Neil Young.
11 comments:
Keep doing what you are doing and don't let the noise of the nay-sayers get you down!
Thanks, JM - I intend to do just that.
Intelligent people must stand for reason and against oil trash evangelicals.
Congrats, I see this just got linked on MetaFilter. Hope this doesn't cause the flamefest to continue.
Well, I'll be. Never heard of it before, but it's an interesting site. Lots of back-and-forth.
I really dig what your saying, but how the hell did you get on a neil young record? I think my brain would explode if I was on a neil young record...maybe that would sound cool on the next crazy horse album?
I'm just laughing at you. Two more years of Bush to go, sweetheart. And the real war, coming to Iran soon. All the pieces are falling into place for the NeoCon LoveFest 2007. Look for the first nuke to be thrown on the first day of the impeachment hearings. That'll be the only headline for months. Question is... who thinks they can stop Bush before then? Good Luck.
rob, I got a call from a girlfriend of mine who is a very well-known session singer. She was the contractor on the date. It was out of the blue.
Kirk is very close by. I followed the trail of bread crumbs here and I'll follow them farther on. The fact that Kirk has not yet righted his wrongs shows that is not much better than TexasFred.
Kirk may not care what happens on his blog, but I'm sure he? has concern for the people whose blogs will suffer if this problem (that he has caused) is not remedied. I have apologized for using the "F" word that has double "G" in it. I even deleted the comment containing that word.
Don't be like George Bush and play stupid. The volume control is in Kirks hands. I can be muted or I can be loud. There are many innocent commenters here. It's up to you and Kirk.
There's a difference between discourse and personal attack. I suppose that typing as a means to conversation creates so much distance in some people's minds that they think they can be insulting. Anyway, keep doing what you do.
I agree, Diva - I usually don't have to deal with trolls on this site, because I don't engage with or encourage them, nor do I go to the kind of sites that do. It's really only since the Neil Young thing that that sort of thing has come up, since for a day or two this blog was all over the internet. Fortunately, it's died down and things are more or less back to normal.
Nobody's opinion is ever changed by spewing vitriol or invective. The people who do that aren't interested in changing opinions, even thogh they may say they do. They're just interested in harassment.
So I'll just keep on talking with the people who are interested in discourse.
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