Michael-Patrick Harrington's Blog, page 20

Clapton & Morrison

It’s difficult to like/love musicians who harm themselves with drugs & alcohol. Of course, as far as classic rock (and other genres) go, this self-harm generally occurred in the past. But now Eric Clapton & Van Morrison are revealing themselves to be ignorant, walking commercials for the anti-vax movement, as well as Trumpism (even though they’re not American). I can’t listen to their music, which is sad because I love Cream. But recently I’ve been able to watch Mel Gibson movies. I suppose art transcends the artists being losers & racists. I don’t know. It’s confusing. Eric Clapton Isn’t Just Spouting Vaccine Nonsense--He’s Bankrolling It Eric Clapton went from setting the standard for rock guitar to making ‘full-tilt’ racist rants to becoming an outspoken vaccine skeptic. Did he change? Or was he always like this?

“What Women See When They Look at Gabby Petito” by Holly Thomas

“What Women See When They Look at Gabby Petito” by Holly Thomas

Opinion: What women see when they look at Gabby Petito Holly Thomas says Gabby Petito’s story crystallizes both how common the threat of violence at the hands of someone they know is for women and the horrifying reality that the violence endured by women of color so often goes unacknowledged while the crimes against them remain unsolved.

Book ban

A book ban? What’s next?

Students fight back against a book ban that has a Pennsylvania community divided Students in a southern Pennsylvania school district are battling the latest example of panic spreading over how history and race are taught in schools across the US.

The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down

This is my 2nd favorite song of all time, specifically this version from Martin Scorsese’s film The Last Waltz: “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.” I suppose it’s not a very politically correct song these days, especially if you think it’s a “message song,” but the Band were storytellers, and this is a great story, sung by the only Southerner in the group, rock’n’roll’s greatest drummer, the late Levon Helm. (The rest of the band were from Canada, including its songwriter, Robbie Robertson.)

The Last Waltz

From the beginning of Martin Scorsese’s film on the original version of the Band’s farewell concert, The Last Waltz, here are the boys playing the last song of the night, a cover of Marvin Gaye’s “Don’t Do It.”

 

Norm MacDonald

RIP Norm MacDonald, one of the greats to come from Saturday Night Live.

Norm Macdonald, Stand-Up and ‘Saturday Night Live’ Star, Dead at 61 Comedian had been privately battling cancer for nearly a decade

Robert E. Lee

General Robert E. Lee on slavery:
“The blacks are immeasurably better off here than in Africa, morally, socially & physically. The painful discipline they are undergoing, is necessary for their instruction as a race, & I hope will prepare & lead them to better things. How long their subjugation may be necessary is known & ordered by a wise Merciful Providence. Their emancipation will sooner result from the mild & melting influence of Christianity, than the storms & tempests of fiery Controversy. This influence though slow, is sure,” he wrote in 1856.”

History doesn’t jibe with Trump’s characterization of Robert E. Lee as a unifier and premier war strategist Opponents of honoring the vestiges of slavery fought for years to change the face, or faces, of Monument Avenue, a promenade in the former Confederate capital memorializing military leaders and a politician who led a rebellion against the United States.

Get vaccinated

To not get vaccinated, to not wear a mask in certain public places, puts my already compromised health at risk…and my mom’s & my sisters’ & nephews’ & nieces’. So…thanks.

Not getting vaccinated against Covid-19 is like driving while intoxicated, health expert says As the US averages more than 1,000 Covid-19 deaths daily, not getting vaccinated is akin to driving while intoxicated, one health expert said Friday.

Michael K. Williams

RIP Michael K. Williams

Michael K. Williams, ‘The Wire’ and ‘Boardwalk Empire’ Star, Dead at 54 Celebrated actor who also appeared in Lovecraft County found dead inside his Brooklyn home

Texas abortion law

I know the new Texas law bans abortions after the 6th week, but Trumpers/pro”lifers” must believe that SOMEWHERE in Texas illegal abortions are being performed, or else they wouldn’t be forming their little web sites and such to try to catch a woman who is, say, 10 weeks pregnant.Which brings me to my questions. But first I will admit that I cannot tell how far along someone is just by looking at them. Maybe some people can. Now these pro-“lifers” can sue anyone aiding & abetting an illegal abortion. But how would they know the woman is past six weeks? They cannot walk up to the front desk of a women’s care facility and ask. HIPAA protects the privacy of all patients everywhere. It is a federal law, which supersedes state laws.Unless someone has personal information about the woman in question (and by personal information I mean they live next door to her or know her from work, that sort of thing), how will these pro-“lifers” know?