RE: [Harp-L] Politics and Blues Harp

["Stephen Jennings" <harpfixer@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I'm not entirely sure why this discussion is going on - surely the simple
act of getting out of bed in the morning is a "political statement" of some
kind - at least indicating that one agrees with the mores of the society in
which one lives. I too, am a Christian - conservative, right-wing bothers me
enormously - surely the preaching of Jesus tells us that the status quo, and
a "preservationist" approach to the ordering of society isn't good enough???
Any road up - everyone is entitled to (and has to take responsibility for)
their own choices, and their own actions - as my late mother used to say;
"Actions have consequences, Stephen - remember that"

FWIW, and I'm sorry if I've misunderstood, some words have different nuances
in so-called "British English"

In harps

Stephen Jennings

-----Original Message-----
From: harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of 46long Blake
Sent: 15 December 2011 6:24 PM
To: Larry Marks
Cc: harp-l harp-l
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Politics and Blues Harp

I would argue that the idea of "pontificating orthodoxy" is a highly
subjective term. There's a big difference between an artist singing an
original anti Iraq war song, especially if it has a particularly
haunting 3rd pos. harp solo, and an artist ranting about Ron Paul, or
demanding to see the president's birth certificate between songs.

 I also think that most people wouldn't have such a hair trigger,
jumping at shadows, that they would leap up and leave if, for example,
 the same artist followed said song with a thank you to the president
for ending the war.  I have somewhat strong poitical beliefs, and that
means that roughly 50% of Americans disagree with me most of the time.
As an artist, I try to be respectful of this, as I am in my classroom,
and would never assume, in a public gathering, that I am preaching to
the choir. I've been at clubs where artists have "pontificated
orthodoxy" a bit, and my usual reaction, regardless of whether I agree
or not, is to roll my eyes, and wait for the next song. If it takes
too long, I'll go get a drink or use the toilet.

One last thing, PC isn't aligned with the left or right. Although it
can sometimes be cartoonishly extreme, mostly what is called
"political correctness" is simply thinking about someone other than
yourself when you speak. That's about being humane and courteous, not
political.

Insurance harp-content opinion palate-cleanser: Musselwhite's "Christo
Redentor' off of "Tennessee Woman" is the greatest harp-centered
composition ever. There. Fight over that instead of politics.......

On 12/15/11, Larry Marks <larry.marks@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Full Disclosure:  I am a progressive Democratic Party activist and a
> Wiccan. I suspect I am about the same age as Mr. Kumpke (~70). I suspect
> that we disagree about almost everything except our love for the
> harmonica and our disdain for politics in music.
>
> While I find most right-wing and/or Christian music incredibly insulting
> and obnoxious, I find most left wing music incredibly insulting and
> unbearably sappy. I really am not interested in this stuff. It does not
> float my boat.
>
> For entertainment, I prefer non-political blues with its combination of
> Christianity, sex, drugs and pagan magic. In the average blues
> performance (including mine,) there is something to offend everyone.
>
>    -LM
>


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