The attacks by crazy left wingers on music are back.
First, the NY Yankees have stopped playing "God Bless America" sung by Kate Smith during their 7th inning stretch. The reason given is that it was discovered that in 1931, Smith recorded a song that is considered "racist". The song was entitled "That's Why Darkies Were Born." Unbelievable!
I've looked at the 1931 song. The lyrics are certainly racist by today's standards. The key, however, is that they weren't anything special or offensive in that year. Indeed, the song was recorded by two different artists. One was Kate Smith. The other was Paul Robeson. Robeson was a prominent black singer who wasn't in the habit of recording racist songs. Of course, that's racist in the sense of that time, not reinterpreted for 2019. Since Kate Smith recorded that song in 1931, however, the PC Police say that she has to become a non-person.
Let's take a moment to consider "God Bless America." The song isn't racist. It was written by Irving Berlin during World War I and reworked into its current form in 1938, just prior to the outbreak of World War II in Europe. Berlin wrote the song as a hymn to peace and to keeping America out of war. When written, it was about the most inclusive and widely accepted expression of Americanism of its day. It was used by Franklin Roosevelt as his main campaign song in the 1940 presidential election. Interestingly enough, it was also used Republican Wendell Willkie at his rallies in the same election. It has been played at all manner of events. In the 1970s, the Philadelphia Flyers started playing it before many of the teams games. After 9-11, the NY Yankees started playing it during the 7th inning stretch in response to the terrorist attack. It's an iconic hymn of America. It's about a non-racist, non-bigoted and totally acceptable as any song could be. But, the PC Police say Kate Smith recorded a song that is racist by today's standards, so God Bless America has to go.
While the news about God Bless America is an idiotic expression of PC culture, the news about the song Edelweiss is even more idiotic (if that were possible.) One of the most important correspondents of the NY Times, Maggie Habermann, yesterday wrote about her shock to learn that the band at an event held by President Trump was playing "Edelweiss" as the people entered. Maggie was shocked that the presidential event would feature a Nazi song. (No, I'm not making this up.)
It's hard to believe the total lack of knowledge by Habermann about Edelweiss. The song is from The Sound of Music. It's about as far away from a Nazi song as one can get. In fact, in the show, the song is meant as a protest against the Nazis and it harkens back to an independent Austria before the Nazi takeover. But, hey, those facts don't matter. One of those important NY Times reporters says that Edelweiss is a Nazi song. It must be Trump exposing his Nazi loving roots again. It's White Supremacy! Yeh, that must be it, White Supremacy. Who knows what's next. Maybe Times op-ed columnist Paul Krugman can tell us how the Star Spangled Banner is actually a dog whistle that supports Russian intervention in American elections. Maybe the Horst Wessel Lied is actually a hymn to support civil rights. With morons like these, anything is possible. Anything, it seems except knowledgeable and accurate reporting.
First, the NY Yankees have stopped playing "God Bless America" sung by Kate Smith during their 7th inning stretch. The reason given is that it was discovered that in 1931, Smith recorded a song that is considered "racist". The song was entitled "That's Why Darkies Were Born." Unbelievable!
I've looked at the 1931 song. The lyrics are certainly racist by today's standards. The key, however, is that they weren't anything special or offensive in that year. Indeed, the song was recorded by two different artists. One was Kate Smith. The other was Paul Robeson. Robeson was a prominent black singer who wasn't in the habit of recording racist songs. Of course, that's racist in the sense of that time, not reinterpreted for 2019. Since Kate Smith recorded that song in 1931, however, the PC Police say that she has to become a non-person.
Let's take a moment to consider "God Bless America." The song isn't racist. It was written by Irving Berlin during World War I and reworked into its current form in 1938, just prior to the outbreak of World War II in Europe. Berlin wrote the song as a hymn to peace and to keeping America out of war. When written, it was about the most inclusive and widely accepted expression of Americanism of its day. It was used by Franklin Roosevelt as his main campaign song in the 1940 presidential election. Interestingly enough, it was also used Republican Wendell Willkie at his rallies in the same election. It has been played at all manner of events. In the 1970s, the Philadelphia Flyers started playing it before many of the teams games. After 9-11, the NY Yankees started playing it during the 7th inning stretch in response to the terrorist attack. It's an iconic hymn of America. It's about a non-racist, non-bigoted and totally acceptable as any song could be. But, the PC Police say Kate Smith recorded a song that is racist by today's standards, so God Bless America has to go.
While the news about God Bless America is an idiotic expression of PC culture, the news about the song Edelweiss is even more idiotic (if that were possible.) One of the most important correspondents of the NY Times, Maggie Habermann, yesterday wrote about her shock to learn that the band at an event held by President Trump was playing "Edelweiss" as the people entered. Maggie was shocked that the presidential event would feature a Nazi song. (No, I'm not making this up.)
It's hard to believe the total lack of knowledge by Habermann about Edelweiss. The song is from The Sound of Music. It's about as far away from a Nazi song as one can get. In fact, in the show, the song is meant as a protest against the Nazis and it harkens back to an independent Austria before the Nazi takeover. But, hey, those facts don't matter. One of those important NY Times reporters says that Edelweiss is a Nazi song. It must be Trump exposing his Nazi loving roots again. It's White Supremacy! Yeh, that must be it, White Supremacy. Who knows what's next. Maybe Times op-ed columnist Paul Krugman can tell us how the Star Spangled Banner is actually a dog whistle that supports Russian intervention in American elections. Maybe the Horst Wessel Lied is actually a hymn to support civil rights. With morons like these, anything is possible. Anything, it seems except knowledgeable and accurate reporting.
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