Boss Time in the Big Easy!
http://video.msn.com/v/us/v.htm?g=312f0735-0a0d-4bcf-9e78-d815dbfa3bad&f=jazzfest&fg=copy
I've done my best not to get political on this blog. As I've said in the past, there are plenty of other blogs for that. However, the situation in New Orleans, has me very angry. Not annoyed or upset but ANGRY!
This is an AMERICAN city we are just leaving to rot. It hasn't even been cleaned up, let alone rebuilt. We send billions to Asia and Iraq to rebuild their cities (as I believe we should) but then allow one of our own to remain untouched for months on end.
It's pathetic!
Also, it goes a long way to show how far we still need to come in regards to race in this country. After all, if this was the Hamptons under water I'm positive the reconstruction would be well under way.
This past weekend was the annual Jazz Fest in New Orleans. Along with the many great local artists that played were some outside guests including Bob Dylan, The Dave Matthews Band and Bruce Springsteen.
Now people who know me know I have some serious love for the work of Bruce Springsteen. In recent years he has assumed a very Dylan-like role in current politics and has stuck his neck out a bit in regards to the direction the country is heading.
This past weekend he came to New Orleans with his latest project, "The Seeger Sessions." A blue grass, country, folk band covering the works of Pete Seeger and other folk standards. The album came out last Tuesday and is fantastic! One track that didn't make the album was a tune called "How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live" An old Ray Cooder tune that Springsteen wrote three extra verses for to reflect what going on in New Orleans. The band performed it last night and the performance, including his "on target" introduction, can be found at the link above.
Enjoy the music, listen to the words and get angry! Remember what happened/is happening to these poor Americans and vote your consciences in November.
"The country we carry in our hearts is waiting"
-B. Springsteen
Anyone want an MP3 of the song? Here's a link....
http://beta.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=BE93D942720266E3
posted by Mr. A at 9:11 AM
4 Comments:
including his "on target" introduction
Misguided is more like it. It's shameful that rebuilding isn't moving along more efficiently NOW; but blaming President Bush as "President Bystander", when the problems of New Orleans, a city run for decades by DEMOCRATS, and blaming FEMA (which does deserve reasonable criticism) whose role is that of 2nd responder, is insane, and just more Bush derangement syndrome that so many on the left seem to be suffering from. The majority of responsibility, if you arm-chair first responders want to point fingers and push the blame, rests squarely on the shoulders of state and local government.
And the media hysteria was shameful! Did you read the Times-Picayune, that provided a laundry list of all the media distortions and lies?
And to make this a race issue when blacks were no more highly affected than whites, is just more race-profiteering by the likes of Farrakhan.
If not for the levee break, this hurricane would have just been another one out of many, for which the response time was normal.
Great photo of Springsteen by the way, and yes, I am in love with that song! If it's on a b-side or released anywhere, please let me know.
Nantucket Wordsmith:
I am a New Orleanian and a conservative. What the Boss said is the truth - criminal incompetence. You have been drinking from the poison Kool-aid cup too long. Come to New Orleans and see with your own eyes. LEADERSHIP is missing at all levels, but Mayor Nagin is the head of a city that is broke. What do you expext him to be doing? And if it is just the city's problem, how come MS. is in the same state of negligence? (My Mom lives in Pass Christian, MS.) It is not just FEMA, it is the SBA also. Keep reading the Times Picayune, but include the articles about sub-contractors and see how the government is wasting tons of money while making sure their political bigwigs get their share while not actually doing any work. I am ANGRY. I am angry because a government I believed in and voted for (TWICE!) is MIA while a city I LOVE with all of my heart suffers and is left vulnerable to future storms while Republicans and Democrats fight the death fight of who is to blame. We have been abandoned by this nation. We will do what we can on our own because New Orleans is too wonderful a place to go down without a fight .
To doctorj2u, Sorry the Feds have let you down, but as a fellow conservative, I have to tell you I did not vote for Bush, either time. I never vote for anyone unless I know for sure they are competent, and are a strait shooter. As for New Orleans, wouldn't it be nice if we stopped spending so much money over seas, and channeled it to our own cities and states, especially those like MS and the Big Easy that could at least use some tax incentives to motivate rebuilding. Then the government could just get out of the way and let the market do it's thing. If you wait for government to rebuild you are in for a long wait for an inferior effort.
Post a Comment
<< Home