Saturday, September 02, 2006

There Is Silence in the Streets; Where Have All the Protesters Gone? - New York Times

There have been protests; millions have protested.

Protests are no longer covered in this country.

There Is Silence in the Streets; Where Have All the Protesters Gone? - New York Times:

It was almost painful the other night to hear Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young sing about a war whose purpose Americans never really understood, started by a president who didn't tell the truth and then waged the war ineptly. And that was before they sang about Iraq.

The audience rose for Neil Young's blast at George Bush, 'Let's Impeach the President,' and sang the words displayed on a huge TV screen, even the 20-something in front of us who had been text-messaging throughout the concert. That same screen also displayed thumbnail photos of slain soldiers while a counter ran up the most recent toll. It takes longer than you might think to count to 2,600.

It was a surprisingly political moment for a rock concert in 2006. But when those four men sang their protest songs four decades ago, their lyrics echoed and personified a powerful political movement sweeping America. Now they are entertainment, something to leave behind in the concert hall.

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