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| September 2001 | Vol. 5 No. 10 |  |
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New York, Washington DC United States of America 9/11/2001
"We have never met you. We will never forget you." God Bless America Since taking over this venture, I haven't been the most prolific writer when it comes to doing editorials. Most months I don't have a whole lot to say and, frankly, I know the vast majority of you are not coming here to read my rants anyway. When the fateful events of September 11 occurred, I knew I had to write something, but I just couldn't (and still can't) really put my thoughts into words that would make any sense. Today I received an email from the former editor of this fine 'zine, Mary Ellen Gustafson. She brought to my attention a list of 'banned songs', songs which, in light of recent events, are not to be played on Clearchannel radio stations. Clearchannel as you may or may not know is the Uber-Owner of the American airwaves. In my market they own something like 90% of the stations and, in almost every category, compete against themselves in almost every timeslot because... they own everything! I've always been very pro-Clearchannel, mostly because they syndicate one of my all-time favorite radio personalities, Phil Hendrie. Now I have to wonder... what the fuck??? Okay, if I put on my most PC-goggles, I guess I can understand Clearchannels not wanting their stations to play songs like AC/DC's "Shot Down in Flames" or Gap Band's "You Dropped a Bomb on Me" or even Steve Miller's "Jet Airliner" (though that's a stretch). But take a gander at a few of these: Hollies "He Ain't Heavy, He's
My Brother" For the whole list and the whole story, go here I'll say it again.. what the FUCK??? What does any of this have to do with the events of September 11? What does any of this have to do with ANYTHING? A great big, icy bucket of water has just been thrown into the collectively naive face of America. Life, as we know it, has changed -- maybe forever. So what do we do? Do we hoist ourselves by our proverbial bootstraps and fight back against this most evil of evils, or do we start the healing process by systematically eroding Freedom of Expression, one of the most basic and intrinsic tenets this great country was built upon? (and something the terrorists will never understand for, in their nations of origin, speaking out against the ruling way of doing things'll get you killed...) Did Jerry Falwell* choose these songs? (Rember Jerry Falwell, that absolutely insane megalomaniac who used to actually represent a sizeable faction of the Conservative Party? The guy who outted Tinky Winky? The guy who proclaimed (and I quote) ""[T]he pagans and the abortionists and the feminists and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People for the American Way — all of them who have tried to secularize America," Falwell continued, "I point the finger in their face and say 'you helped this happen.'" and proclaimed the WTC tragedy the work For the younger set, let's take a look at one of the oldies, Louis Anderson's "What a Wonderful World":
Yup.. that'll scar America all to hell won't it? Do us a favor, Clearchannel... stick to what you know: broadcasting, entertaining, selling advertising. Leave the social engineering to the bleeding hearts who, as we're all painfully aware, already have their heads firmly planted up their asses... right where they belong! Robert R. Lewis
THANK GOD Mr. Falwell that YOU have been outted for what YOU are, or more appropriately, for what you are NOT. You are neither moral nor the majority!
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