Thoughts From Boston 3: In Defense of Amanda Palmer

Amanda Palmer is one of our most consistently annoying public figures.  As such, I am predisposed to dislike most of what she does.

And yet, I can't find fault with her writing this.

I mean, it's a crap poem, but I honestly don't think she's done anything wrong in writing it.  

I'd like to address the criticisms one by one:

1.)She appears to be showing some sympathy and/or interest in a murderer.  

Well, yeah. So is everyone who is writing about him.  It's interesting to ponder how an ostensibly likeable pothead became a bomb-planting killer because it doesn't make a whole lot of sense.  Evil is scary and compelling and a legitimate source of artistic exploration.  Just ask John Milton.  It does not lessen or undermine our sympathy for the victims and their families to wonder how this person committed this evil act.

2.)She's exploiting the tragedy.

By giving away a free terrible poem?  Some exploitation.  She's done what she does.  The bombing happened, the shootout and lockdown and capture happened, and they're not off limits for anyone to make art about.

3.)She's making it all about  her.  

All artists are self-involved.  We keep our heads firmly up our asses in hopes of eventually pulling out something worthwhile.  But in this case, she's an artist trying to create something out of her thoughts and feelings.  Just like how everyone with every kind of platform, including our racist idiot morning sports radio morons, is telling the world what they think and feel about what happened. Even me!  My life was not fundamentally altered last Monday as it was for people who were injured, maimed, or killed, or knew someone who was.  But that doesn't mean I'm not going to share my thoughts and feelings.  

If you want to hate Amanda Palmer, don't worry--she'll do something else really annoying shortly.  But I'd like to suggest giving her a break for her bad poetry.