June 20, 2005

Live 8 Back Story


Here's an interesting back story to the Live 8 Concert.
Geldof made headlines this weekend when he told Live-8 stars appearing at the concert series that he didn't want partisan rhetoric on stage, especially regarding George Bush and the United States. That's a smart move from a smart man who understands the need to work with people like Bush and Tony Blair, rather than rail against them in public.

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Will the Left listen to Geldof, or will they remain in their BusHitlerHalliburtonRove-a-GoGo conspiracy theory mindset and shrug their shoulders at Bush's efforts? While I think that Geldof (and Bono, who sounded a more critical note but acknowledged Bush's efforts) has enormous credibility, the anti-Bush antipathy has curdled into a belief system so irrational that even Geldof won't make a dent in it.
I share that conclusion. I don't know much about the performers at the Philadelphia show, but I'm guessing Geldof knows when it's time to try and head folks off at the pass with respect to those in London. Still, once the mike is live there's no telling what will happen. The temptation will undoubtedly be high, and the the track record isn't encouraging.

Posted by Peter at June 20, 2005 09:35 PM
Comments

First, let me say that when I go to a concert I want to hear music, not talk. Now, if you are going to a concert that is a benefit for some specific cause (examples: the No Nukes concert, or the Bangladesh concert), a case could be made that the concertgoer should expect to have to put up with some rhetoric from the stage.

Geldof is probably doing a good thing by asking people to lighten up with their rhetoric. He's doing a service to the concertgoer.

But that author's terminolgy: "BusHitlerHalliburtonRove-a-GoGo conspiracy", I'll be honest with you, makes me want to pee my pants. The reference to Hitler is particularly funny, considering what the righties are now doing to Dick Durbin for his statements--its as if the author is saying "Oh those irrational Dems, always invoking Hitler and the Nazis at every turn!"

If I was Dick Durbin, I'd go on one of the talk shows and give the right the collective finger, and tell them that if they want to attack me for invoking Hitler/Nazis, even to the point of censure, then in the interest of fairness, the following also has to happen:

Ken Melhman must also resign as chairman of the Republican National Committee for defending a Republican ad that compared Democrats to Hitler.

All Republican elected officials must refuse and return any money from organizations associated with Grover Norquist for directly comparing Democrats to Nazis.

Senator Rick Santorum must step down from his leadership position within the Senate for his comments comparing Democratic use of the filibuster to Nazis.

Senator James Inhofe must step down as Chairman of the Committee on Environment and public works, for his likening of the Democratic supported Kyoto treaty to Nazism.

Senator Jeff Sessions must be censured for his likening of a Democratic sponsored bill on stem cell research to Nazism.

Representative Steve King must also be censured for comparing those who support abortion rights to Nazis.

A sense of the Senate resolution rebuking former Senators Tim Cole and Phil Graham for their comparisons of Democrats to Nazis must also be passed.

OK?

And by the way, anti-Bush antipathy isn't pretty, but it isn't irrational either.

Glenn

Posted by: Glenn at June 21, 2005 07:48 PM