Thank You Steven Colbert | Main | More behind the scenes tech
In September 1985: Frank Zappa's Letter to His Fan Club
In 1985 Frank Zappa sent a letter to his fan club to warn them about the "Wives of Big Brother" - the PMRC.
There is very much I agree with Democratic party on, but whenever some of its leaders find common cause with social conservatives, most likely in pursuit of middle America, it drives me to a place where I find both parties bereft of principal and unworthy of my vote. The 90s seemed to be a time we were past such things, even if I know people who didn't vote for Al Gore because of Tipper Gore's involvement in the PMRC. But the echoes in Hillary Clinton's Family Entertainment Protection Act are too strong to ignore. The legislation Senator Hillary Clinton, Senator Joe Lieberman and Senator Evan Bayh is sponsoring would fine the sale of labeled games - it does not propose labeling. No one would argue over the constitutionality of labeling these days. Our view of our constitutional rights has grown far narrower.
Following is Frank Zappa on Crossfire in 1986, debating censorship and rock music. It's an eye opener. He called himself a conservative. Do you think he still would consider himself one since the fundamentalist wing of the Republican party holds so much sway? Since the non-invasive government, balanced budget, rule-of-law conservative is effectively extinct (they're Democrats now)? For humor, the exchange between Washington Times columnist John Lofton and Frank Zappa over the "obscenity" of Van Halen's "Hot for Teacher" is priceless. Or then again, you could find it depressing.
The exchange from 08:45 in the video to 11:40 is as timely today as it was in 1986. Zappa said that America was on a march toward a "fascist theocracy". Well what do you think?
link
This exchange should speak to many locally involved folks I know:
Q: What would you tell a kid he aught to hope for now a-days Frank?A: What I tell kids and what I've been telling kids for quite some time is first, register to vote, and second as soon as you're old enough, run for something.
Damn straight. And that's just what is taking place. Look out establishment.
More at Metafilter. Read the testimony committee testimony on record labeling from back in September 19, 1985.
- Karl on Tuesday, May 2, 2006
Trackback Pings
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.paradox1x.org/cgi-bin/mt/mt-tb.cgi/704
Comments
Hey Im just wondering whose Frank Zappas family
is.
Because my last name is Zappa and im not sure
if im related to him or not.
Posted by: Sara Zappa at September 30, 2006 9:43 PM
Hey Im just wondering whose Frank Zappas family
is.
Because my last name is Zappa and im not sure
if im related to him or not.
Posted by: Sara Zappa at September 30, 2006 9:43 PM
For what it's worth, Frank was blisteringly hateful to the Reagan Republicans, even as he styled himself something of a small-government conservative. We can only imagine the uncharted levels of contempt he'd have for the Bush Republicans.
Posted by: Cole at November 12, 2006 1:52 AM
OMG my last name is ZAPPA that is so cool
Posted by: Sara M. Zappa at January 31, 2007 5:49 PM
Hating Bush is so clich�. Zappa was a conservative. If he were alive, he would be too smart to fall victim to liberal media propaganda. What you say about conservatism is kooky.
Posted by: Pining Tor at April 3, 2007 10:12 PM
Zappa was a pure Libertarian...Not Republican not conservative not democrat not liberal. He fell into a central area of a 2-D government description not the nowadays 1 dimensional right and left black and white bulls*&%...He believed every man has a right to do what he pleases...read the last couple chapters of The Real Frank Zappa Book (an autobiography...OH and the media is not liberal. Just because a truth comes out every now and again and it happens to be about a true crook president doesnt mean it's one sided it means it sought the truth.
Posted by: maggot at May 31, 2007 1:10 AM
