Darby Strong

Playing point. Delivering the rock.

Time To Wake Up

fascism1.jpg

The back of the postcard reads – “Based on research of seven fascist regimes including Hitler’s Nazi Germany and Mussolini’s Italy. The Bush/Cheney regime exhibits all of these traits. Work to stop them while you still can.” -Lawrence W. Britt of Syracuse Cultural Workers

I bought this postcard a couple of months ago at the bookstore Maloprops in Asheville, NC. I also just returned from Asheville a couple of days ago after seeing incredibly inspiring music by The Nightwatchman and Ben Harper. The message is clear. We must all rise from our slumber and become awake, and remain awake. And fight for justice.

The highlight of the evening, for me, was The Nightwatchman joining Ben for an electric rendition of Bob Dylan’s “Masters of War.” The Asheville audience was more than receptive, and it seemed some of the older fans were well aware of the roots behind this powerful song from one of our masters of poetry. The Nightwatchman ripped the guitar to beautiful shreds, at times with his teeth, a la his Rage Against the Machine days. Tom Morello, a.k.a. The Nightwatchman, may very well lead us into our much needed revolution, one man and woman at a time.

Masters of War
Come you masters of war
You that build all the guns
You that build the death planes
You that build the big bombs
You that hide behind walls
You that hide behind desks
I just want you to know
I can see through your masks

You that never done nothin’
But build to destroy
You play with my world
Like it’s your little toy
You put a gun in my hand
And you hide from my eyes
And you turn and run farther
When the fast bullets fly

Like Judas of old
You lie and deceive
A world war can be won
You want me to believe
But I see through your eyes
And I see through your brain
Like I see through the water
That runs down my drain

You fasten the triggers
For the others to fire
Then you set back and watch
When the death count gets higher
You hide in your mansion
As young people’s blood
Flows out of their bodies
And is buried in the mud

You’ve thrown the worst fear
That can ever be hurled
Fear to bring children
Into the world
For threatening my baby
Unborn and unnamed
You ain’t worth the blood
That runs in your veins

How much do I know
To talk out of turn
You might say that I’m young
You might say I’m unlearned
But there’s one thing I know
Though I’m younger than you
Even Jesus would never
Forgive what you do

Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good
Will it buy you forgiveness
Do you think that it could
I think you will find
When your death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul

And I hope that you die
And your death’ll come soon
I will follow your casket
In the pale afternoon
And I’ll watch while you’re lowered
Down to your deathbed
And I’ll stand o’er your grave
‘Til I’m sure that you’re dead

-Bob Dylan

One Word: Geostrategic

In this Sunday’s New York Times Magazine, the cover story deals with the “Greening of Geopolitics.” Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and seasoned Times columnist Thomas Friedman says that our next President will need to employ workable solutions to our global environmental crisis. And that by doing so, America can regain its international stature.

Right off the bat, he speaks to the terminology behind the “green movement.”

In the world of ideas, to name something is to own it. If you can name the issue, you can own the issue. One thing that always struck me about the term “green” was the degree to which, for so many years, it was defined by its opponents – by the people who wanted to disparage it. And they defined it as “liberal,” “tree-hugging,” “sissy,” “girlie-man”, “unpatriotic”, “vaguely French.”

Well, I want to rename “green.” I want to rename it geostrategic, geoeconomic, capitalistic, and patriotic.

I couldn’t agree more. It seems that the term “green” evokes such a knee-jerk response from certain individuals that may not see themselves as environmentalists, another term that is aligned with the left. It’s time for Americans to realize that the Earth’s health and ours, as a result, is not a Republican nor Democratic issue. It is neither a neo-con, liberal, leftist, nor radical idea. It is, in fact, a human crisis, but one that we can collectively solve.

One of the big ideas I see coming forth from inside the geostrategic movement is this: we must determine the cost of putting CO2 into our atmosphere, and then, charge companies the real cost of putting that CO2 into our atmosphere (presently, no model exists where the cost of pollution is built into the end product). By doing so, the companies producing goods sustainably will be rewarded, while the ones who are putting the most CO2 into our atmosphere, in both the production of their goods, as well as the end product, will be given incentive to reconfigure their process.

Under this system of production green goods will eventually become LESS EXPENSIVE than non-green goods. What a concept. This is the same idea that came forth when I heard Robert Kennedy, Jr. speak in Savannah.

I do believe we can act on this idea of real environmental costs. As always, it will need the support of the people. Us. You AND me. We must.

NOLA Jazz Fest 2006

Having been back from New Orleans for a while now, I have had plenty of time for that experience to sink in. As always, the amazing city of colorful people did not disappoint. First, the music was life-changing. Music often is, but for some reason, this weekend particularly moved me, musically and otherwise.

Living in a mainstream mecca may be part of it, but I declare that most of the energy I picked up on was true, raw, inspirational grit coming from the likes of local musicians and people that have been both directly and indirectly affected by Katrina. Add to it the political backdrop created by Katrina coupled with the war we fight overseas, and you have the awake and conscious contingent of this country taking notice. But mostly, there is the music.

The highlights, for me, were the Old Point Bar in Algiers (where parts of the movie Ray were filmed) on Friday night and Anders Osborne on Saturday night. Old Point Bar featured many local musicians, including Anders, as well as some good eats, provided by the Zu Zoo man. Anders played at this classic N’awlins bar called d.b.a., full of old, dark, mahogany wood and 1940’s era handblown wall sconces. Dark, but inviting. The lighting, however, didn’t matter much, as the hard rains shut the power down several times throughout the evening. A heavy situation, considering this was the first weekend of the first Jazz Fest since Katrina. The crowd banned together in silence, and the musicians kept playing, unplugged. This was a high time, for sure, and was especially symbolic of many things all at once; the power of music and people coming together in the face of darkness. And it, simply, rocked.

It would be irresponsible of me if I failed to mention Bruce Springsteen’s live debut of his new and completely impressive album, “We Shall Overcome – The Seeger Sessions”. Sunday afternoon at the fairgrounds, Bruce and band played songs from this album as planes flew overhead with anti-Bush messages. I would have liked to get closer, but the packed crowd and festivities of Friday and Saturday night combined with the N’awlin’s heat wouldn’t allow such a thing. It was, however, an amazing show. Long live The Boss.

In the midst of all of the music were the people of New Orleans, still learning to absorb the wrath of Katrina, and open and eager to tell their stories. It seems everyone wonders, still, what will be rebuilt, and when. And to see the ruins of an already depressed area is an intense sight. Still, the spirit of New Orleans is intact, and I believe it always will be. To heed the message of Mother Nature and the changing of our beloved planet would be the best first step in moving forward, but it seems that conversation is a ways off. Rebuild, I say, but consider the place and sustainibility, and pave the way for us all.

Click for a little fest flavor.