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| From | Paul Myers <paulm@shaw.ca> |
| Subject | Peace Love Understanding and Dimebag. |
| Date | Thu, 09 Dec 2004 19:57:29 -0800 |
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I want to followup on something that Ralph said about the Dimebag
killing and the safety and security of working musicians and club
patrons, and indirectly refer to something that Jamie said about gun
control in the USA vs Canadian gun attitudes (I have gone off list to
Jamie as well, as it veered away from Pop discussions but I had to
check in with a fellow Canadian about his posting).
You know, here in Vancouver, we've been somewhat beseiged by an
unusually high amount of "clubland" shootings, and now it's becoming
common to see metal detectors in certain bars. This is in Canada, I
remind you, so it's not something that we can be so glib about up
here.
I wanted to second what Ralph said, though, about the safety and
security of working musicians, bar staff and patrons. Is it lost on
anyone that this happened on the anniversary of another fan related
murder, namely that of Johh Lennon. I heard one guy on the radio
referring to Ted Nugent who is very pro gun and who has bragged about
having loaded weapons on stage with him. Although, in an unrelated
interview he once described an incident where a gunman appeared on
stage while Nugent was in the middle of an extended solo. His words
were, more or less verbatim, "When you're fucking the queen of the
forest you don't stop for anyone...gun or no gun." What can we
learn from this statement? Who is the queen of the forest and why is
Ted having relations with her? I guess we can learn nothing from this
quote, but I will say this.
You've no doubt heard a lot of parents freaking out about the Grand
Theft Auto computer game, where people car jack and murder and
generally run wild in the streets. I don't think that these games
CREATE the problem but man are they ever symptomatic of it. It's
wrong for me as a Canadian to judge US gun laws or even US attitudes
towards the "right to bear arms", like I said, stupidity and hate
exist on both sides of the 49th parallel.
But each of us has to look at our neigbours (or neighbors) and
ourselves. We need to ask and then demand the kind of world where
cheap ass gun stunts aren't as common as they have become. Where
people have the respect and security they need and where we give that
respect and support to those less fortunate among us. "Me first" has
become "every man for himself" and it didn't work. It does all
connect you know, terror, drug abuse, racism, homophobia, religious
fundamentalism. Humanity needs to get over the divisions and really
reach out to each other.
Yeah, it's a hippie dream from a guy who was too young to be one in
the sixties. But with Lennon's music still ringing in the ears and
the Pantera guy's fresh blood, and that of other innocents,
congealing on a Columbus stage, I am gripped with such non Pop
thoughts.
We gotta stop being stupid.
Love and compassion really work.
All people are worthy of respect.
What's so funny 'bout peace, love and understanding?
Who is the queen of the forest, anyway.
Sorry to stray off the Pop Topic.
It won't happen again.
Paul Myers
Sadville, BC.
--
Paul Myers
Musician / Writer / Broadcaster
paulm@shaw.ca
"There's room at the top, they are telling you still.
But first you must learn how to smile when you kill.
If you want to be like the folks on the hill."
-John Lennon "Working Class Hero"
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