Where have all the protest songs gone?

The attacks against the U.S. on 9/11 dried up the traditional protest song market. Suddenly Americans saw themselves as innocent victims and in such a mindframe songs protesting what some see as unfair social conditions seemed of little importance. As any reasonable person can see there are still a vast array of problems in the world (war, famine, plague, limited resources, etc.), but the righteous rage of a victim tends to limit one's empathic impulses. Time is probably the only thing that will allow things to return to "normal".

Dylan is still singing his protest songs. Some people ask why he's not writing more of them. Well, why should he? The ones he wrote decades ago are still relevant and he still sings them (2 or 3 at each concert). And "Lonesome Day Blues" from 'Love and Theft' is a pretty haunting song that is a protest of sorts, more so as the album was released on 9/11.

hey slipknot1, we are the problem (me included)....and as far as i can tell, this is as busy of a street as anyplace and if we always leave it to the other person to do the right thing, well then we can't complain, but should resign ourselves to sink deeper into the muck that we've created.

Brucegel,

I believe your attack on Avideo was unfounded. He didn't state MEANINGFUL discourse; his post said discourse. Meaningful is in the eye/ear of the beholder. You have given some insight into what you consider to be "meaningful" with an earlier post referring to "PBS, Bill Moyers and Ralph Nader". Let's just say I don't hold the aforementioned in high esteem. You are entitled to your opinion and I, mine.

Having lived through the 60's and experienced the anti-war movement first hand I can only speak from personal experience. Others may have been different from mine but my experiences were real. The majority of the protest participants were taking part in an activity that I found was social. Most of them didn't work, being students or simply unemployed hippies. It proved to be a great place to meet chicks and later get laid. Those I knew personally that participated weren't informed on the issues. It was simply the thing to do at the time.

Protest songs are a lot like my experiences above. There were only a handful of thoughtful, legitimate protest songwriters, IMHO. The remainder were just trying to further their carriers and get laid. I wish that we would get our meaningful discourse through dialogue with each other in a civilized fashion. This isn't going to happen in these forums. Every time something like this comes up in the forums there ends up being several "your mother wears army boots" snippets and it's downhill from there.

I don't really care what kinds of opinions an artist has. They may be great singers/musicians/artists but that shouldn't be a reason the accept their opinions as correct. Some artists earn my respect even if I disagree with their position. Bono of U2 is such an example. He puts his money and his energies where his mouth is. I respect that. My respect stops for him when he proposes government reaching into my pocket to fund his desires.

The civil rights movement would have run its course with or without a single note being written about the cause.

I've contributed several times in the Audiogon forums in defense of an unfair attack on Bush. Does that mean I'm a Republican that blindly follows his lead? Nope. I can't stand what he and Ashcroft are doing to my Constitution. My fellow Americans aren't the enemy here and the changes that both parties are responsible for aren't about our protection. It's about control. We need to face the fact that we citizens have no friends in government. That's a fact, Jack.

Patrick

Tic-
let me see if have this straight: Those of us here who have gone to school, worked hard, had some success, have homes and families that we love and take care of, are devils? We haven't sponged off everyone else, using our lot in life as our excuse, expecting others to house, feed and clothe us because we are too lazy, stupid to do it ourselves...
We are the bad guys because we have the personal responsibility to care for ourselves and our families? Maybe if more people took the responsibility to care for themselves and their families, people like you wouldn't have to see the children going hungry and dying. It's not in your best interest to support this theory because then you and other Chicken Little tub-thumpers would be lost and have nothing to do. I admire your desire to seek change. Yes, the world is a tough place, life is unfair. Always has been, always will be. The United States, for better or worse
has afforded EVERY citizen the right to an education and as such, the tools required to pull themselves up out of the muck (your words). The key is the ability to motivate people to care for themselves. People who are "comfortable" are not the demon. That argument is as old as the problem. The problem is uninformed people glomming onto causes and issues to make themselves feel better, all the while being part of the problem, believing that we have to "help these people". Following that rhetoric is the worst form of discrimination. That message says we (the folks who know what's best for you) will take care of you, because we know you can't take care of yourself. That is institutional slavery without the forced labor.
As far as this being a "busy street", that is true it is but it's not the street you should be working on. Want to make a difference? Join VISTA, spend more time worrying and working against Bush, and Adolph Ashcroft before all our rights to privacy are gone. Time is coming soon that you won't be able to speak out on the Internet or anywhere else without Ashcroft getting a verbatim transcript.