CROSBY, STILLS, NASH AND OLD NEIL YOUNG
by Andrew Williams
For the millions of Americans who couldn't get to see CSNY's latest tour because of schedule conflicts or the astronomically high ticket prices-as well as those who simply didn't care-I can report this: You didn't miss much. Even though this reporter did not attend, I scanned several reviews of the show as well as a recent profile on Neil Young to gather the data to file this report.
Neil Young has received much notoriety lately as the co-author of "Let's Roll," a song which supports our government's current anti-terrorist efforts. This may sit well with most rockers in this post-September 11th America, but not this one. You see, I remember the Neil Young who sang about peaceful, communal existence with nature and space migration (albeit of the "Childhood's End" variety). That Neil Young no longer exists. He's been replaced by the "Let's get those bastards who did this to us" Neil Young. His thought-streams have canalized along the lines of revenge. He is one with those who believe in Nicholas von Hoffman's "War Without End" and the Old Testament adage "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth"-'friends' and 'enemies' alike-until the world is blind and toothless.
When the Washington Post reviewed "Let's Roll" several months ago, the reviewer, Linton Weeks, noted that Dave Marsh, amongst other critics, had noted an increasing jingoism in Young's work. Weeks' response was to ask-rhetorically, one hopes-"What's wrong with a little jingoism?" While the answer should be obvious, I'll expand on this for Mr. Weeks' (and anyone else's) benefit.
A little jingoism, like a little of anything, is dangerous. It's what caused us to think of the Japanese as less than human during WW II and led to the relocation of hundreds of thousands of Japanese-Americans to internment camps in Western deserts. It's what caused us to think of German-Americans as less than human during WW I and led to the creation of such now-absurd neologisms as "Liberty Cabbage" for sauerkraut. It's what led folks in the North to think of Southerners as less than human during the Civil War. ('Course, a lot of Yankees still feel that way, but we just politely ignore 'em and keep our powder dry.)
So it's more than a little disturbing to see one of the writers of "Ohio" line up with our Know-Nothing government. It's like finding out that your vegetarian friend has been sneaking off to McDonald's everyday and scarfing down their world-famous fatburgers. Or that your fellow anti-War on Some People with Some Drugs activist has been supporting D.A.R.E. and narking out friendly pot dealers. You wonder just how much harder the dream will be to achieve now.
I'm one of that hardy breed of optimist that believes that, as long as one person supports truth, peace and justice in thought and action, then there is hope. And I think the other members of CSNY still believe in these ideals as well. And I will still listen to Neil Young's music, because it has always given me pleasure and much to think about. But there's a little seed of distrust been planted. And I've got to watch that it doesn't germinate-at least for my own good.
www.trebach.org
www.antiwar.com
www.greenpanthers.org
