Musical Artists Cave to Cancel Culture

I read recently that, according to Rolling Stone magazine, certain musical artists, including Cher, Joni Mitchell and The Rolling Stones themselves, have started censoring their own work by excluding songs or artwork that may be seen as being politically incorrect.

Cher chose to omit her 1973 hit, Half-breed, from her soon-to-be-released anthology, entitled Forever.

Joni Mitchell recently released a boxed set of her albums from the seventies, including one entitled Don Juan's Reckless Daughter.  Although the album was included, the cover art, which originally showed Mitchell wearing blackface makeup, was completely replaced with a new image of Mitchell hiding behind a wolf.

Don Juan's Reckless Daughter: Original Cover Artwork vs Revised Woke Artwork

 

Let me just state here that it wasn't even clear to me, just looking at the original cover art, that Mitchell was even wearing blackface.  She looks, to me, as white as the child to the right of her.  If Rolling Stone magazine hadn't said that she wore blackface, I'd have never known.  If I were to criticize the album cover for depicting a racial stereotype, it would be the black guy dressed as a pimp that I would single out.

 

As for the Rolling Stones, they removed their classic hit, Brown Sugar, from their concert play list back in 2021.

 

I've written before on this blog about radio stations removing Dire Straits' 1985 hit, Money for Nothing, from their play lists because a handful of woke malcontents took exception to the line, "That little faggot with the earring and the makeup".  While this may, at first, seem different, given that it wasn't the artists themselves who pulled the song, front man Mark Knopfler has since taken to substituting other words, such as "trucker", for the word "faggot" when he performs the song live. 

At risk of digressing, I'm sure that, for a while, after all the outrage on social media, YouTube posted an edited version of the Money for Nothing video with the offending verse edited out.  Since then, however, they seem to have restored the full original video.  Good for them!

While I respect the right of any musician or group to revise or even eliminate their own work from the public domain (after all, they own it), it's disappointing that they have decided to prioritize political correctness over the message that they were attempting to convey.

It seems we're neglecting to take context into account when evaluating artistic content.  If you listen carefully to Cher's Half-breed, it's a song about a despondent young girl whose only crime was to be conceived by a native American mother and a white father, and who was never accepted by either race as a result.  The song not only illustrates the emotional harm that racism can do, but it also points out that racism is a two-way street.  Even those belonging to a minority race can be guilty of racist attitudes toward the majority.  Here are the full lyrics for that song:

My father married a pure Cherokee
My mother's people were ashamed of me
The Indians said that I was white by law
The White Man always called me "Indian Squaw"

 

Half-breed, that's all I ever heard
Half-breed, how I learned to hate the word
Half-breed, she's no good they warned
Both sides were against me since the day I was born

 

We never settled, went from town to town
When you're not welcome you don't hang around
The other children always laughed at me
"Give her a feather, she's a Cherokee"
 

Half-breed, that's all I ever heard
Half-breed, how I learned to hate the word
Half-breed, she's no good they warned
Both sides were against me since the day I was born

 

We weren't accepted and I felt ashamed
Nineteen I left them, tell me who's to blame
My life since then has been from man to man
But I can't run away from what I am

 

Half-breed, that's all I ever heard
Half-breed, how I learned to hate the word
Half-breed, she's no good they warned
Both sides were against me since the day I was born

Now do we see the context?  The racial slur, "half-breed" isn't used maliciously or frivolously.  The song makes it clear that the epithet hurts the singer and it condemns not only the white race for using it, but the Cherokee race as well, for doing the same.  

As for the Stones' Brown Sugar, Keith Richards is the one band member who says that the song is about the horrors of slavery and hopes to some day reintroduce it to their concert line-up (assuming the Stones do any more concerts).  I have to admit, the condemnation of slavery isn't as obvious to me when I read these lyrics.  I can see where they might be misconstrued as a celebration of same (the repeated "Yeah, yeah, yeah, woo's might be a bit misleading).  But Keith Richard said "horrors" and, being one of the song's co-writers, he aught to know.  To save space (and some copy-pasting on my part), I'll just provide a link to the lyrics, rather than repeating them here, so that you can read them or even sing them and decide for yourself.

And, finally, at risk of repeating myself (and I am) the word "faggot" in Dire Straits' Money for Nothing is not being used maliciously or even directly by the singer, but is merely being quoted as having been spoken by a delivery guy who, by his manner of speech, doesn't come across as being the sharpest knife in the drawer, exactly.  In my opinion, the song is ridiculing the speaker for using the term.  It's like front man Mark Knopfler is winking at his audience and saying "Okay, folks, I think it's clear what sort of mentality it is that we're dealing with here."  I'm going to paste in the full lyrics, rather than just a link, because I particularly like this song.  So, here they are and, if they offended you before, keep in mind as you read them that the whole song is merely quoting this nameless delivery grunt and that, far from glorifying him or even agreeing with him, is depicting him as the under-educated, ignorant fool that he is.  Oh, and feel free to sing the words out and play air guitar while you do so.  I know I will!  

 

Remember, context is important.

Now look at them yo-yos, that's the way you do it
You play the guitar on the MTV
That ain't workin', that's the way you do it
Money for nothin' and your chicks for free

 

Now that ain't workin', that's the way you do it
Lemme tell ya, them guys ain't dumb
Maybe get a blister on your little finger
Maybe get a blister on your thumb

 

We got to install microwave ovens, custom kitchen deliveries
We got to move these refrigerators, we got to move these color TVs

 

That little faggot with the earring and the make up
Yeah, buddy, that's his own hair
That little faggot got his own jet airplane
That little faggot, he's a millionaire

 

We got to install microwave ovens, custom kitchen deliveries
We got to move these refrigerators, we gotta move these color TVs

 

We got to install microwave ovens, custom kitchen deliveries
We got to move these refrigerators, we got to move these color TVs
 

Looky here, look out

I shoulda learned to play the guitar
I shoulda learned to play them drums
Look at that mama, she got it stickin' in the camera man
We could have some fun

 

And who's up there, what's that?
Hawaiian noises?
He's bangin' on the bongos like a chimpanzee
No that ain't workin', that's the way you do it
Get your money for nothin', get your chicks for free

 

We got to install microwave ovens, custom kitchen deliveries
We got to move these refrigerators, we gotta move these color TVs

 

Listen here
Now that ain't workin' that's the way you do it
You play the guitar on the MTV
That ain't workin', that's the way you do it
Money for nothin' and your chicks for free
Money for nothin', chicks for free
Get your money for nothin' and your chicks for free
Ooh, money for nothin', chicks for free
Money for nothin', chicks for free (money, money, money)
Money for nothin', chicks for free
Get your money for nothin', get your chicks for free
Get your money for nothin' and the chicks for free
Get your money for nothin' and the chicks for free

Look at that, look at that
Get your money for nothin' (I want my, I want my)
Chicks for free (I want my MTV)
Money for nothin', chicks for free (I want my, I want my, I want my MTV)
Get your money for nothin' (I want my, I want my)
And the chicks for free (I want my MTV)
Get your money for nothin' (I want my, I want my)
And the chicks for free (I want my MTV)
Easy, easy money for nothin' (I want my, I want my)
Easy, easy chicks for free (I want my MTV)
Easy, easy money for nothin' (I want my, I want my)
Chicks for free (I want my MTV)
That ain't workin'

Money for nothing, chicks for free
Money for nothing, chicks for free

Parkinson's Update

It's been over a year and a half since I wrote in this blog about having been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.  I had said, at the time, that I didn't intend to turn this blog into a "Parkinson's blog" and, true to my word, I haven't dwelt upon the subject (as the virtual hecklers in the audience point out that I haven't dwelt upon or even written about very many subjects at all!  Well, this post may over-compensate for my reduced verbiage of late.  All I can say is, you asked for it!)

Well, more than a year and a half has gone by, so I thought perhaps my regular readers (both of them!) might like an update, so here it is.

Overall, my condition has stabilized somewhat, although there has been some notable deterioration.  While I never kept track of my typing speed in words per minute, I'm certain that it has slowed somewhat.  I unintentionally type a lot more double letters than I used to and my fingers just don't move as quickly and gracefully over the keyboard as they once did.  For a computer programmer who has been touch typing throughout his career and even before then (I did take a typing class in high school), this has been noticeable.

Related to the typing problem, my use of computer mice has developed an irritating problem as well.  I'm constantly clicking my right mouse button unintentionally.  I tend to rest my right ring finger on the right mouse button as I move my cursor around the screen, but that finger has developed a tendency to twitch, or to rest on that right mouse button just a bit too heavily.  Most computer users will understand that right-clicking one's mouse is often used for alternate functions such as popping up menus or cancelling commands, which means that I often end up doing things that I absolutely did not intend to do.  Thank heavens for the undo function!

While I've always had a slight tendency to stutter or stammer somewhat, this seems to be getting worse as well.  Speech impediment is another common Parkinson's affliction.  In my case, I think it's a combination of a reduction in the ability to coordinate my mouth and tongue movements, as well as an increased tendency to grope for words that used to be at the tip of my tongue.  Sadly, Parkinson's can affect cognitive functions as well.  I'm hoping that isn't the case with me (hey, we all have trouble thinking of words from time to time, especially as we get older).  Interestingly, I've had very little trouble formulating this blog post which suggests that it may be more my mental speed that's been affected rather than my mental capacity.  Sitting here, typing, I have more time to compose my thoughts and form them into sentences than I would if I were speaking off the cuff.

Perhaps most annoyingly, that embarrassing symptom of uncontrolled drooling that I'd mentioned in my original post about Parkinson's has worsened.  This is a common Parkinson's affectation, medically referred to as sialorrhea.  See, everyone's mouth constantly generates a certain amount of saliva, even when we're not eating, and most of us just swallow it automatically without even being consciously aware of doing so (yes, that includes you.  Have I grossed you out?)  Parkinson's can interfere with automatic reflexes like this so, in my case, if I don't make a conscious effort to swallow my saliva every so often (sounds even more gross, doesn't it?) it runs out of the right side of my mouth.  The problem worsens when I'm focused on a task (like doing my job at work) and not paying attention to what's happening in my mouth.  This can be embarrassing even if no-one actually sees it happen, because the saliva tends to land on my shirt and leave faint rivulets and trails as it dries.  I've actually started preferring to wear shirts with fabrics and patterns that don't show these as clearly as others.  I must say, the medical establishment hasn't helped by giving the condition an embarrassing sounding name.  Quick, what other medical conditions can  you think of that end with "...orrhea"?  I can think of two, right off the top of my head, and neither is usually mentioned in polite company.

My neurologist has suggested a few remedies for this.  First she prescribed a medication called Cuvposa.  This is a liquid, originally intended for people afflicted with cerebral palsy, which reduces or eliminates drooling by inhibiting the production of saliva.  Trouble is, it apparently inhibits the production of all sorts of bodily fluids.  Just a few of the long list of potential side effects include constipation, bodily heating (because the sweat glands stop working), dry mouth, nasal congestion, headache, vomiting and shallow, rapid breathing.  In short, Cuvposa dehydrates the person taking it!  I quickly decided that the side effects were likely to be worse than the drooling, and rejected that option without even trying it.  I filled the prescription, but the bottle sits, untouched, in the medicine cabinet.  

Because I did fill the prescription, I also learned that a 473 ml bottle of the stuff costs $700!  No, you did not misread that.  Seven hundred! That's an expensive way to dehydrate myself.  Fortunately, the cost was covered by my employer's medical plan, but it does have a yearly limit and, at $700 a bottle, it wouldn't take me long to get there.  This smacks of a drug company that's recouping the cost of making a medication that has a low sales volume on the backs of those few people who require it and therefore have no choice.  Jeers to Merz (makers of Cuvposa).

The second thing that my neurologist recommended was a nasal spray called Ipravent.  This is intended to stop a runny nose but I guess my neurologist reasoned that if it reduces nasal mucous, it might also reduce saliva as well.  I was directed to spray it under my tongue rather than into my nostrils.  I agreed to try that and I can report that I've not had any undesirable side effects, nor any desirable ones, such as reduced drooling.  It simply doesn't seem to work.

The third option suggested by my neurologist was Botox injections into or near the glands that produce saliva.  I guess the idea is that Botox can reduce the flow of saliva by puffing up the saliva ducts in the same way that it reduces wrinkles by puffing up the skin.  I read up on it.  It has been shown to be effective and seems a low-risk option which can always be reversed by simply stopping the Botox injections (which need to be repeated every three to six months).  I'm considering trying that.

So, how have I been managing my Parkinson's, you may wonder?  Well, I regularly take levocarb, which is the go-to medication for Parkinson's.  That helps to mask the symptoms by giving my brain an infusion of the dopamine that it seems incapable of creating in sufficient quantities on its own.

More interestingly, I've been referred to an organization called CARESPACE Health & Wellness where I've enrolled in a special exercise program for Parkinson's sufferers called PD SAFEx.

CARESPACE is a privately run organization which offers programs to improve both health and wellness  with the help of physiotherapists, kinesiologists, chiropractors, dieticians and psychologists, to name but a few.  It's not exclusively for Parkinson's sufferers but it is run by Dr. Quincy Almeida, who has specialized in the study and treatment of Parkinson's for several years, and who developed the PD SAFEx program.

PD SAFEx is a twelve week program designed to slow the progression of Parkinson's disease through the use of physical exercises aimed at retraining the brain to correctly interpret the sometimes distorted feedback that it receives from the body's proprioceptors.

Proprioceptors are sensory receptors that provide the brain with feedback about what the body is doing, including where everything is positioned in space, what muscles are in use, what parts of the body are moving and how they are moving.  Dr. Quincy's theory is that the central problem with Parkinson's is the brain's inability to correctly interpret the information that it's getting from the proprioceptors.  

This has caused Dr. Quincy to see Parkinson's in a different light from that of the traditional medical establishment.  For example, he doesn't see a trembling hand, one of the most common indicators of Parkinson's disease, as a "symptom" but, rather, a coping mechanism that the brain is using to counter a lack of feedback.  With Parkinson's, the brain is unable to determine the hand's position in space, so it sends out signals that cause the hand to tremble (sort of the brain's way of asking the hand "where are you?")  This trembling strengthens the feedback signals sent by the proprioceptors until the brain says "Ah!  There you are!"

The exercises in the PD SAFEx program are designed to teach the brain what feedback to expect in response to specific movements and thus improve bodily control as well as reducing the need for over-compensation strategy such as tremors.

So, for the TL;DR version (which, admittedly, I should perhaps have given at the beginning of this post), I've accepted Parkinson's as a permanent part of my life.  I'm learning to cope with the symptoms as best I can, while working to control or reduce them wherever possible.  I do feel that fate has led me to the right professionals who are helping me to succeed in this.

I'll close with a special shout-out to Dr. Quincy Almeida who, besides being extremely knowledgeable about Parkinson's disease and empathetic to those living with it, seems to be just a nice guy in general.

Give Us Back Our Rainbow

Today I wish to bring to your attention a heinous wrong that must be righted. It appears that in the grand tapestry of life, the LGBTQ movement has made a sinister usurpation, snatching away an iconic symbol that has, for centuries, belonged exclusively to leprechauns—the illustrious rainbow.

Oh, how the leprechauns must be feeling right now! Their beloved and cherished symbol, the radiant arch of colors that has adorned their pots of gold and shimmered through the misty landscapes of folklore, has been shamelessly snatched from their grasp. It is a travesty of mythical proportions, an outrage that deserves our full condemnation.

For far too long, the leprechauns have been marginalized and relegated to the shadows of fairy tales and folklore. They have dutifully protected their pots of gold, maintained their mischievous ways, and gleefully danced along rainbows when they saw fit. But now, in a brazen act of cultural appropriation, the LGBTQ movement has pilfered this age-old symbol and draped it around themselves, leaving the leprechauns in a state of bewilderment.

It is simply unacceptable! How dare those who identify as LGBTQ utilize the rainbow to represent their diverse community and their struggles for acceptance, equality, and love? Can they not create their own symbol? Must they trample upon the traditions of the leprechauns, a proud and mythical people who have watched over rainbows since time immemorial?

If we allow this affront to go unchallenged, what will be next? Will leprechauns be stripped of their treasured green attire, only to see it paraded around by eco-warriors? Shall their pots of gold be confiscated by bankers, leaving the leprechauns destitute? Will we witness a horde of unicorns prancing about, demanding their rightful place as the symbol of purity and grace?

I implore you, dear readers, to stand with me in this grave injustice. Let us rally behind the leprechauns, who, in their solitary existence, have brought joy and whimsy to our lives. It is time to reclaim the rainbow on their behalf, to restore it to its rightful owners. For without the leprechauns, who will guide us to our dreams? Who will leave a trail of gold at the end of the rainbow?

In conclusion, I beseech the LGBTQ community to find it in their hearts to relinquish their claim to the rainbow. Let them devise their own symbol, one that speaks to their unique experiences and aspirations. Unless LGBTQ stands for Leprechauns, Goblins, Banshees, Trolls and Qilin, their community has no claim on the rainbow!