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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsHey Jude/ Revolution
"Take a sad song, and make it better." -- Paul McCartney, 1968.
It would be sad, indeed, if the November election were to serve as democracy's swan song. I'm confident that it isn't going to be. I am not concerned polls or "experts" predicting otherwise. As long as people are getting out the vote, we should win the majority of the contests.
It is a strange day in a strange week in a strange time. The news of Mr. Pelosi being attacked by a thug with a hammer is being reported on the news. I talk with some friends when I pick up tickets for my son and I at at event tomorrow night. A couple say we must win elections to stop the violent maga crime. I respond that it is important to recognize the violence will actually pick up -- at least initially -- if we do win.
The reality is that we are experiencing a dangerous level of a massive shared psychotic disorder. Somewhere near one and three Americans adults believe Trump. It is important to understand the nature of our opposition. Many of these people believe that "God" wants them to engage in a holy war -- and while most of these people are not going to commit violent crimes, there are those in every community, from small towns to large cities, who are on edge.
Much of the media plays sad songs. Kanye West's display of the manic symptoms of bi-polar is substituted for news. Herschel Walker is the republican candidate for Senate in Georgia. The public is frequently exposed to his attempt to tell a story about cows and a fence. And there are actually people who listen to this and think, "That man has my vote! He speaks for me!" I expect Walker to recite Mother Goose's "Hey, diddle, diddle" at some point, for the cow has jumped over the moon. But he doesn't care for children.
A bit later in Paul's classic "Hey Jude," he notes that, "The movement you need is on your shoulders." That's a better image than the weight of the world. It keeps me going when the fatigue of post-covid advocates otherwise. Besides local contests, I've focused on working for Josh Riley's campaign for the House of Representatives. This brief clip from his campaign explains why:
"Following his clerkship, Josh returned to Washington to serve as General Counsel to U.S. Senator Al Franken on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Despite partisan gridlock and division in Congress, Josh successfully ushered two bills through the legislative process from introduction to the Presidents desk, where they were signed into law. One of those bills created new rights for survivors of domestic violence to protect them from homelessness. The other bill provided new funding for addiction treatment and mental health programs."
There is more, of course. Because I exist in an upstate New York region where registered republicans, followed by independents, I have focused more attention on reaching those who are independent and to the left of the Democratic Party. For the flip-side of that first Apple 45 release was Lennon's "Revolution," complete with the lyric, "You say you'll change the Constitution, well, you know, we all want to change your head." I ask my progressive leftist friends if they really can't see any difference between Al Franken and Herschel Walker?
As I walk door-to-door, I hear myself thinking, "C.S. Lewis was right! Chesterton was apologetic! His saying we make 'God mad, for all (our) wars are merry, and all (our) songs are sad'. Fucking Chesterton even got the title wrong -- it's "The Ballot for the White House'." We take sad songs and make them better.
greatauntoftriplets
(175,700 posts)Otherwise, we fucked.
H2O Man
(73,333 posts)I remember Peter Tosh noting that the night is darkest shortly before sunrise.
MagickMuffin
(15,893 posts)Thanks for the thoughtful post and your work within the party.
This song has been playing in my head.
Shame by Depeche Mode
Do you ever get that feeling when the guilt begins to hurt?
Seeing all the children wallowing in dirt
Crying out with hunger, crying out in pain
At least the dirt will wash off when it starts to rain
Soap won't wash away your shame
Do you ever get that feeling that something isn't right?
Seeing your brother's fists clenched ready for the fight
Soon the fighting turns to weapons and the weapons turn to wounds
So the doctors stitch and stitch and stitch and stitch and stitch and stitch and stitch
Surgery won't improve your pain
It all seems so stupid
It makes me want to give up
But why should I give up when it all seems so stupid?
Do you ever get the feeling that something can be done
To eradicate these problems and make the people one?
Do you ever get that feeling something like a nagging itch?
And all the while the doctors stitch and stitch and stitch and stitch and stitch
Hope alone won't remove the stains, shame
It all seems so stupid
It makes me want to give up
But why should I give up when it all seems so stupid?
H2O Man
(73,333 posts)Two days ago, my older daughter released her first music video. She wrote the song about the process of showing her SO the door when he began to think he could tell her what to do, and place limits on her favorite activities. In my mind, that is mighty similar to the republican religious right trying to control women ..... which is a great reason to vote for Democrats.
I came to DU to send the video to one of my long-time friends here, and saw that another friend had left me a message asking my thoughts on "current events." Thus, this OP.
MagickMuffin
(15,893 posts)It makes me proud to know that there are a lot of women not willing or wanting to play by mens rules. You resisted a free thinker, Im sure you are extremely proud of her.
All this bs about women need not worry our pretty little heads over details about the economy, elections, birthing their babies, etc etc. and I thought of all the women who worked on the space programs and without their input not much progress would have taken place. And yet the men claimed all the glory, until decades later we find out the truth. The men took credit for something they had nothing to contribute.
Weve come a long way baby!
H2O Man
(73,333 posts)Both of my daughters are strong young women. Social workers, social activists, and raised to participate in the political realm.
https://player.vimeo.com/video/761181919?h=1321cbd2f9&fbclid=IwAR394rLOm6ffZ73kFCp-TCEEWG-ZaCbAZaKxgcQjQiItYp7o36HgScc-xgo
MagickMuffin
(15,893 posts)Your daughter is very talented! Lovely voice, excellent music production.
Is she wanting to break out as a professional?
Was the video production done on location near your estate?
She kinda reminds me of me!
Very lucky women to have you as their parent, teacher, friend, and how to box!
H2O Man
(73,333 posts)She lives in Boston, and recorded a CD in a studio there. The video was made in NYC. She had been there to appear on a radio show, playing one of her songs live.
Right now, she stays busy with her job, serving "at risk" children & youth in MA. She had worked at a law office and teaching (part-time) at a college there.
If I remember correctly, she wasn't quite ten years old when one day she asked if she could play my guitar. Within a couple hours, she played her favorite Bob Marley song for me. Thus, my guitar immediately became her guitar.
She had, by age five, decided to marry Paul McCartney, based entirely on film of him as a young Beatle. Got frustrated when she saw an older Paul on TV, as he looked too old to marry a 5 year old. But, whenever something seemed to be going poorly, believed me when I quoted him singing to "take a sad song and make it better."
So the break-up of her first serious relationship led to her writing a half-dozen songs about the process. Now, obviously I'm not objective, but I like her music. She's also a gifted artist, and I have some of her works hanging on my walls. She likes to play at coffee houses, and at political rallies. I tell her to enjoy what she is doing at whatever level she is at.
spanone
(135,637 posts)H2O Man
(73,333 posts)karynnj
(59,475 posts)In addition to the lines you mention, it has a great balanced commentary on involvement:
And when you feel the pain, hey Jude refrain, don't carry the world upon your shoulders, but don't you know that it's a fool who plays it cool while making the world a little colder.
My interpretation of this has always been the NEED to make the world better, but to avoid letting the effort destroy you .. maybe taking breaks when you need to.
However, the very beginning, taking a sad song and making it better, and the line countering looking for someone to perform with by saying that "hey Jude, its you, the movement is on your shoulder" both argue for action, even if it is as an individual.
H2O Man
(73,333 posts)the 45 was released. By late August of 1968, we knew it was not a typical year. Everything seemed to be spinning out of control. And your interpretation of Paul's song both was and is the same as my own.
Lennon's song was also great. The video of the group playing each song had stark contrasts. And soon, of course, came the release of the "White Album."
(I remember reading that the Rolling Stones were having a party to celebrate the release of something or another. Paul brought a recording of "Hey Jude," which was obviously superior, great as the Stones were then.)
hunter
(38,264 posts)... so I'm kicking it back up.
The longer more thoughtful posts on DU deserve more attention than the tweet storms.
H2O Man
(73,333 posts)Easterncedar
(2,129 posts)Thanks, H2O Man!!
H2O Man
(73,333 posts)malaise
(267,847 posts)Great post - as always
It's a busy time. A discussion with one of our friends prompted this, and today's conversation gave me an idea for a pre-election OP.
Easterncedar
(2,129 posts)I was looking for it, too, and since Ive become seriously obsessive about doom scrolling lately I cant imagine how it got past me. I bet you and I werent the only ones.