tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post7939182899883526732..comments2024-03-28T15:05:10.372-05:00Comments on Every goddamn day: 03/28/24: Why I'm not writing about "The Death of Klinghoffer"Neil Steinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11468057838260476480noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-68386511856493451362014-10-22T16:04:59.679-05:002014-10-22T16:04:59.679-05:00That's particularly silly. The hijacking of th...That's particularly silly. The hijacking of the Achille Lauro was not a "private grief." If I wrote a play about 9/11 am I shanghaiing the "private grief" of the victims' families. Does "Schindler's List?" If creative sorts had to get the families to sign off, there'd be no art at all. Neil Steinberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11468057838260476480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-16399099851125450102014-10-22T14:32:21.203-05:002014-10-22T14:32:21.203-05:00An important (belated) point from Walter Russell M...An important (belated) point from Walter Russell Mead: "John Adams’ Klinghoffer may portray Leon Klinghoffer’s murderers in a more sympathetic light than many might prefer, but it is neither an endorsement of nor an apology for the murder. It is, however, a morally questionable production, as the composer and librettist turned a family’s private grief into a public spectacle—against their will."Anon-not-Anonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-40755977103218447582014-10-21T11:58:40.955-05:002014-10-21T11:58:40.955-05:00"Third, there's nothing to say." We..."Third, there's nothing to say." Well, that's a bit of a tough sell in the midst of all those paragraphs. ; ) Seems like you had SOMETHING to say, and you did so, effectively, and in your inimitable style.<br /><br />"the three hours of atonal moaning that is John Adams music." Though I agree with you about the "cowardice" of the Met's decision to nix the national broadcast, I don't think a whole lot of folks will feel deprived in missing out on the chance to take in this particular work, whatever its political implications.<br /><br />I also agree that the Mormon Church's response to "The Book of Mormon" was masterful and impressive. The most clever corporate "lemons into lemonade" response I've seen lately is this letter from POM Wonderful to John Oliver after he ripped their health claims on his show. I don't think one needs to have seen the original segment to enjoy this 4-minute video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bml8KwCmob8 <br /><br />Finally, back to music, say what you will about those of us shouting "Free Bird!" at this point; at least it's a crowd-pleaser! <br /><br />Damn! Politely ignored, again... Jakashnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-40487935427639226732014-10-21T11:36:14.357-05:002014-10-21T11:36:14.357-05:00Technically true. From its Roman origins the term ...Technically true. From its Roman origins the term has been associated with official action, but in this instance "private entities" have managed to keep people from seeing a good representation of the stage action, so the result is the same. Seeing an opera on a movie theater screen is not quite like having a seat in the opera house, but viewing it on the internet comes in a very distant third place.. Tomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09641357239788323783noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-27634792261101545172014-10-21T11:20:45.609-05:002014-10-21T11:20:45.609-05:00I wonder if Darren Vann was just a man with a grie...I wonder if Darren Vann was just a man with a grievance...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-31518099120404129292014-10-21T10:48:33.923-05:002014-10-21T10:48:33.923-05:00THough I generally agree with yoru take Mr. Evans,...THough I generally agree with yoru take Mr. Evans, one pet peeve is that these kinds of things are "censorship." I don't think these protesters would care that much if some off-broadway company was putting on this opera and not "The Met." Censorship is when the government prevents free speech from happening, not when a private entity decides something is offensive or not. With the internet there are more ways than ever to let the world "judge for themselves" (stream the CD, for example) if the copyright owners so choose. When the Sun-Times stopped running Joe Sobran's column years ago, it wasn't because they wanted him silenced, it was because they didn't want to be associated with giving him a platform - that's a type of freedom too.Anon-not-Anonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-32269323719368640412014-10-21T09:34:01.295-05:002014-10-21T09:34:01.295-05:00I was one who wondered if you would address the su...I was one who wondered if you would address the subject but said I wouldn't blame you for giving it a pass. However, I think you had to do it, and your commentary was both eloquent and wise. The kid going to college can wait a day.<br /><br />I do disagree with your comment that it's unimportant, being only an opera in New York that most of your readers don't care about. No opportunity to decry wrong-headed censorship anywhere should be passed by lightly, and, the Met's craven decision to cancel the broadcasts, has denied operaphiles worldwide an opportunity to judge for themselves. (And this morning's New York Times review suggests we will be missing a good show.)<br /><br />Jimmy Walker's famous comment about no woman ever being ruined by a book has a sexist ring to it these days, although it makes a point. I like what Thomas Hardy, who endured attempts at censorship from church, state and a bluenosed public had to say on the matter. "A novel which does moral injury to a dozen imbeciles, and has bracing results upon a thousand intellects of normal vigour, can justify it's existance; and probably a novel was never written by the purest minded author for which there could not be found some moral ivalid or other whom it was capable of harming."Tomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09641357239788323783noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-89581592664124638202014-10-21T09:28:00.198-05:002014-10-21T09:28:00.198-05:00I read the article in the New Yorker and it was de...I read the article in the New Yorker and it was delightful! The computer Gods decided that an ad for getting your ESA animal certified was the most appropriate one for this particular article :)Kimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-74984632839071051072014-10-21T09:00:18.569-05:002014-10-21T09:00:18.569-05:00At least the "vile Klinghoffer daughters"...At least the "vile Klinghoffer daughters" aren't murdering the Opera's writers or the people who run the Met. Anon-not-Anonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-5712069717605808622014-10-21T08:37:24.472-05:002014-10-21T08:37:24.472-05:00For not writing about Klinghoffer, you said a lot....For not writing about Klinghoffer, you said a lot. Me, I'm looking forward to the "rowing in Lincoln Park Lagoon."<br /><br />Johntatehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06215684866966011198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-87881737004864110862014-10-21T08:35:42.738-05:002014-10-21T08:35:42.738-05:00Reminds me of protests over the Last Temptation of...Reminds me of protests over the Last Temptation of Christ, a great film.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16528933631707846476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-28500726846626060842014-10-21T05:37:34.924-05:002014-10-21T05:37:34.924-05:00There are a number of videos on You-Tube with port...There are a number of videos on You-Tube with portions of this opera, which accurately portrays the justice of the Palestinian struggle against Zionism. Shame on the Met for caving into the fascistic demands of the ADL and the vile Klinghoffer daughters. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FTafFgwoCg&list=PLkzyBE-GRz604O9z4aYatvd-KRjapQaDEAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-58239427392272990112014-10-21T05:08:54.289-05:002014-10-21T05:08:54.289-05:00At one time I owned both Mein Kampf and The Commun...At one time I owned both Mein Kampf and The Communist Manifesto. I didn't buy them to subscribe to an ideology, I bought them to try and understand history and what moved people to reshape their societies. But I remember having to sign some papers when buying one of them in the late 70's. I thought nothing of it then, but now I wonder what that was about. ??Paul Fedrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04384556977324071639noreply@blogger.com