What? Couldn’t take a complicated, but overall optimistic, post yesterday? Here goes some more:

Garret has asked, “where are the protest songs?”.

So has The Boston Globe, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and The NYTimes.

My answer has been in two parts: 1. They are on the way. 2. They are underground.

To support my first point: it took years before the 60s peace movement had great songs behind it. Years before muscians even noticed. Today we expect an instant artistic response.

Well it almost has been. Musicians have been making statements, both for and against war. Sometimes in very public ways. Even Bon Jovi recently took the state in a “Gore/Liberman 2000” Campaign t-shirt for example. In Washington D.C.

But my guess is, where you will find true protest (pro and con) music, isn’t on the pop charts. Look to country, metal, and hip-hop. If you’re still looking for pop music – fughetaboutit. Isn’t going to happen unless we venture into Vietnam territory. Although I wouldn’t put it past someone like Pink to put out an R & B inspired plea for peace.

Beastie Boys: In A World Gone Mad. There ya go.

And Alwin found a pro-war one too.

Time to start up a database. Anybody want to contribute?

Here goes some more good news: Oliver Willis takes note of The Rise of Patriotic Liberalism.

Sacramento Bee: The Rise of Patriotic Liberalism.

Related Link: The Metaphor Project.

The Metaphor Project reminds me of how Newt Gingrich molded the language of the GOP with his memo, “Language, a mechanism for control.”. Yes, you read that title correct. Gingrich was the GOP equivalent to Clinton. When you hear GOPers use the words mentioned – THINK.