Jump to content

Where Have All the Anti-War Artists Gone?


Recommended Posts

When I was growing up, artists expressed themselves about the war in Viet Nam. John Lennon, Creedence Clearwater, Peter-Paul & Mary, Marvin Gaye and others sang for peace in the world. So where are the artists with a social conscience today? Why isn't anyone speaking up?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are still protest/anti war songs being written and performed... they just dont seem to be in the mainstream any more. That surely says something about modern pop culture and it's self indulgent fickleness.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That surely says something about modern pop culture and it's self indulgent fickleness.

Yes, indeedy, Umma - that is exactly my point. Clear Channel probably wouldn't play the stuff anyway. But where are the anthems - where are the songs - where are the Sean Penn's of the music industry???? Where are the dreamers and optimists? Has society become so cynical these days, that they cant imagine a world with peace?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It probably has a lot to do with this illusory correlation- Bush connects Iraq with the war on terror. He's also made it clear that he has a "you're either for us, or against us" approach. No one wants to be labeled as a proponent of terror..now do they?.. and it seems a lot of the public can't see through the bullshit... People that publicly disagree get attacked and labeled un-American. Look at what happened to the Dixie Chicks for God sakes.... Artist aren't willing to risk their careers to speak out... it's a shame that artists feel they need to keep quiet in order keep their careers

Link to comment
Share on other sites

believe it or not, I think most anti war demonstrators, artists, etc. are first patriotic americans, it's the patriotism that compels them to protest what they think will tarnish the reputation of america or abuse it's citizens. and from what I can tell from having a daughter (age 16) in high school, kids today aren't inspired by patriotism, I don't see the american legion involved with the schools anymore, plus in my era, we were bombarded with movies about WWII and korea, as opposed to what the next generation mostly sees, and that's vietnam, quite a difference in the tone of films and the wars themselves. the only anti-war protests that go on around my area, are organized by my generation. anyone agree?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

the only anti-war protests that go on around my area, are organized by my generation. anyone agree?

Only when their next door neighbor, or brother, or bud comes home in a body bag, will the impact be made. I think the recent shock and awe photos and tapes of our serviceman being involved with atrocities should wake some people up - this is not play, this is serious business...and its a national disgrace

Link to comment
Share on other sites

the only anti-war protests that go on around my area, are organized by my generation. anyone agree?

I completely agree. I live in Athens,GA, which is a college town of over 40,000 students. When there were war protests here, only about 1 in 50 people protesting were 'college age' people.... there does seem to be quite a shift toward apathy (or fear) in the younger generation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

right, recruiting in the high schools is still in full force, now that 18 yr olds are seeing what conflict is all about they may definitely wake up, I suggested to my daughter that it's possible that in the future there could be a universal draft, including women, she's so clueless she just looked at me like that was absurd, but I'm not so sure, lol I may take a canadian vacation this yr, just to familiarize myself with the country. lol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not the torturer will scare me

Nor the body's final fall

Nor the barrels of death's rifles

Nor the shadows on the wall

Nor the night when to the ground

The last dim star of pain, is hurled

But the blind indifference

Of a merciless, unfeeling world

Lying in the burnt out shell

Of some Albanian farm

An old Babushka

Holds a crying baby in her arms

A soldier from the other side

A man of heart and pride

Breaks ranks, lays down his rifle

To kneel by her side

He gives her water

Binds her wounds

And calms the crying child

A touch gives absolution then

Across the great divide

He picks his way back through the broken

China of her life

And there at the curb

The samaritan Serb turns and waves ... goodbye

And each small candle

Lights a corner of the dark

Each small candle

Lights a corner of the dark

Each small candle lights a corner of the dark

When the wheel of pain stops turning

And the branding iron stops burning

When the children can be children

When the desperados weaken

When the tide rolls into greet them

And the natural law of science

Greets the humble and the mighty

And the billion candles burning

Lights the dark side of every human mind

Each small candle

Each small candle

Each small candles lights the dark side of every human mind

And each small candle

Lights a corner of the dark

Roger Waters

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Has society become so cynical these days, that they cant imagine a world with peace?

Peace is only temporary, as nothing is absolute.

It's like a wave.

Someday, the sea of humanity will be filled in, and the waves will crash no-more.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Peace is only temporary, as nothing is absolute.

It's like a wave.

Someday, the sea of humanity will be filled in, and the waves will crash no-more.

truth is absolute

politics isn't truth... that is why there is no peace...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I feel yah on the apathetic thing...My university is nicknamed apathetic state university

When all the big protests of the war were going on last year our school had one, so I convinced my roomie (in the army...definitely didn't want him to miss out) to go

But alas...there was only seriously like 50 people...not one in fifty...but fifty...and thats a generous numbers. When your school has 50,000 people on the main campus alone and only fifty people show up (most of whom didn't look like traditional college students anyway aka: not in my age group) that is pretty sad. But was even sadder were all the protests I saw on TV and covered via the internet

I've seen videos of other war protests and they serious lay it heavy on you...I've seen Nam protest footage that makes me wanna jump out of my chair and join. But I see the stuff now and it's "no blood for oil" and "fuck bush"...thats it; not very inspiring. In fact, it makes me become apathetic like the rest of my generation...retards on both sides, don't quite know where I end up

p.s. awesome thread Dude :good job:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sung to the tune of "Where Have All The Flowers Gone"

Where have all the protesters gone?

Rednecks capped them one by one.

When will they ever learn?

When will they ever learn?

:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When all the big protests of the war were going on last year our school had one, so I convinced my roomie (in the army...definitely didn't want him to miss out) to go

But alas...there was only seriously like 50 people...not one in fifty...but fifty...and thats a generous numbers. When your school has 50,000 people on the main campus alone and only fifty people show up (most of whom didn't look like traditional college students anyway aka: not in my age group) that is pretty sad. But was even sadder were all the protests I saw on TV and covered via the internet

You dont go to my school do you? The anti-war protest walked by me when i was going to class, id say maybe about a few hundred people, many of them didnt look like they went to the college either. Considering my University is one of the largest in the country(3rd largest i think) it did look pretty sad. Some of them people smelled really badly when they were walking by me too which is what i remember from it the most.

Anyways to the thread in general.

There are/were some "anti-war" bands.

There was Rage Against The Machine which broke up.

There was System of a Down with its bombs video that was being played on mtv and some radio stations no freaking stop and havent been herd since.

The latest one to "go political" is Incubus with its Megalomaniac song which gets played on the radio(yes on clear channel stations) non stop and on tv alot.

That and of course there is punk rock but few punk bands get played on the radio and many dont get alot of exposure because that would mean "selling out."

I think the real reason why there is no anti-war artists like in the past is that its more underground like with punk, or with rock bands it seems they are just doing it to get exposure and selling cds because its not many are doing it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The above was probably the most specific answer to the question, but I wonder about the observation: "Some of them people smelled really badly when they were walking by me too which is what i remember from it the most"... If they had cleaned up their act (assuming what you say is true) and still protested, then what would have been your thoughts? Taken out of context, this kind of statement could be misconstrued as a global remark--and I would personally find that offensive and scary

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dude.....you know you "damn liberals" smell bad!!

If they took a bath and cleaned up their act......they would probably get a job and wouldn't have time to protest. Once they had a paycheck, they would buy guns and ammo to protect themselves from the new bunch of smelly protesters. At every election they would vote Redneck!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

a year after 11. september, alabama 3 released 'Woody Guthrie/Flag' on their 3rd album, 'Power in the Blood' (they're very political and we all think this helps keep them off mainstream radio). as well, although you can't hear it, this is like an anthem:

Another psychopath in Iowa

loading up another round

While the NRA in Columbine

hunt Marilyn Manson down

Powder in the Pentagon

cruel letters in the mail

Some KKK white supremicist

cooking up a dose of race hate

CHORUS

Don't need no country

Don't fly no flag

Cut no slack for the union jack

Stars and stripes have got me jetlagged

Some baby in Afganistan

crying for its' mama now

while the BNP scare refugees

senseless up in Oldham town

Hypocrites in Downing Street

pouring petrol on the name

Satpal cries, asks Paddy

why do we always get the blame

CHORUS

sing a song for the asylum seeker

for the frightened baby on some foreign beach

you'd better bang a gong and pray

they reach a safe harbour

Some mother in Jakarta

lays down her weary head

in some free trade zone compound

here they work you 'til you're dead

Hunger stalks the corridor

famine and disease

I seen the multinationals

walking hand in hand

with globalising marketeers

CHORUS

Link to comment
Share on other sites

this is the album cover, we thought the label and management would change it for release in the states and were so happy when they dint.

post-41-1084088091_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If they had cleaned up their act (assuming what you say is true) and still protested, then what would have been your thoughts? Taken out of context, this kind of statement could be misconstrued as a global remark--and I would personally find that offensive and scary

Wouldnt have changed nothing, i didnt and still dont agree with their opinions. From what i see alot of people believe in the idealism too much and many on both sides are kinda pushy, that they dont sound realistic at all. I suppose thats just because they are inexperianced.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Our picks

    • Wait, Burning Man is going online-only? What does that even look like?
      You could have been forgiven for missing the announcement that actual physical Burning Man has been canceled for this year, if not next. Firstly, the nonprofit Burning Man organization, known affectionately to insiders as the Borg, posted it after 5 p.m. PT Friday. That, even in the COVID-19 era, is the traditional time to push out news when you don't want much media attention. 
      But secondly, you may have missed its cancellation because the Borg is being careful not to use the C-word. The announcement was neutrally titled "The Burning Man Multiverse in 2020." Even as it offers refunds to early ticket buyers, considers layoffs and other belt-tightening measures, and can't even commit to a physical event in 2021, the Borg is making lemonade by focusing on an online-only version of Black Rock City this coming August.    Read more...
      More about Burning Man, Tech, Web Culture, and Live EventsView the full article
      • 0 replies
    • Post in What Are You Listening To?
      Post in What Are You Listening To?
    • Post in What Are You Listening To?
      Post in What Are You Listening To?
    • Post in What Are You Listening To?
      Post in What Are You Listening To?
    • Post in What Are You Listening To?
      Post in What Are You Listening To?
×
×
  • Create New...