We Interrupt This Jazz Blog for a Brief Political Statement

I am for Barack Obama. You should be, too, especially if you are reading a jazz blog. If you have ever cared about race relations in America -- and, make no mistake, the history of jazz is the history of race relations in America -- you’ve simply got to be for the President. He’s hip, intelligent, and points the way to a more lenient and discourse-friendly future. 

Mitt Romney is not just a cold-blooded Mormon sworn to protect the rich. He is the most recent product of a long-standing American tradition:  powerful whites determined to silence smart black people. I’m convinced that the automaton Romney has a chance in the upcoming election only because upper and middle class whites are scared to take orders from a black man for another four years.

[read  "Fear of a Black President" by Ta-Nehisi Coates]

But, honestly, scared white people, y’all can just relax. The revolution is still years from now. The status quo is unthreatened by conservative Obama and his whole team. You can let this relaxed black cat run the fool’s show for another term and be just fine. Obama won't agitate about redistributing wealth. When the revolution finally comes, it will be the poor white American farmer’s and working person’s boot on your neck.

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I was shocked when Clint Eastwood came out for Mitt Romney. Of course, Clint is protecting his money. But I thought Clint liked jazz! He’s made enough movies with or about the music... 

In this moment, you can’t like jazz and be for Romney. Jazz has always taught something profound about the American melting pot. Obama embodies that melting pot, Romney is its antithesis. I’ve really loved some movies that Clint starred in, but now they are instantly downgraded. Maybe Pauline Kael was right, Dirty Harry really was right-wing propaganda. 

As for his son: Sorry, Kyle. I've heard that you are a jazz player, but your dad blew it. I’m never going to check out any Kyle Eastwood music -- unless you come out with a strong anti-Romney statement before November.

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UPDATE: The bit about Kyle Eastwood has offended some on Twitter. Daniel Johnson said, "C'mon man let not the WTF of the father be visited upon the son."

More amusingly, Jacob Garchik said, "I take it you are not a fan of Romano Mussolini?"

I doubt if Kyle Eastwood's career thus far can be extracted from his father's fame. Now his father has done political harm. This is Kyle's chance to distance himself. If Kyle is a serious jazz musician, he should come out against Romney.

The election is a close one. It is also extremely vital. Life under Romney would be near intolerable for anyone with some swing and soul in their hearts. It is not too much to ask for every single jazz person to be vocally pro-Obama, no matter who their father is.

I've just been listening to a little Romano Mussolini on YouTube. He's not anything special as a jazz pianist, but he had a notable career in Italy. According to the Atlantic essay by Mark Steyn, "He Made the Refrains Run on Time," many of Romano's fans were those were those kinds of Italians that still liked Benito: "At least Il Duce got the trains to run on time."

Steyn says, "If you asked him, Romano Mussolini would cheerfully concede he agreed with '90 percent' of his father’s policies...In the last couple of years, he began turning out coffee-table books about Daddy that proved big sellers. "

No, I'm not a fan of Romano Mussolini. Kyle Eastwood, step up.

09/13/2012

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