A benefit for our wounded troops in an opulent pleasure palace in NYC at the Beacon Theatre. Well dressed diamond encrusted cocktail carrying Patrons some paying upwards of $5000 a ticket seated on the first rows just behind three front rows of "Troops" seemingly on display as a prop for the evening. Well intentioned "Stars" performed to raise money by donating 100% of their fee to the Bob Woodruff foundation.You know how this is gonna go if you truly respect our troops. Suddenly, someone just kicked your conscience.Pounced on your patriotism. You feel like a voyeur to the victims, a quite accomplice to a crime.Mission Accomplished. Shock and awe.
Stand. We are playing the National anthem. Stand.
We are embedded. We are always embedded.
I know I should have expected it all. I should have anticipated the implication that Supporting our "Heroes" means supporting our Wars. But I didn't. I felt that if Bruce Springsteen was performing then the benefit would be in the proper perspective. Empathy for the wounded but not unquestioned silent complicit inplied patriotism. I was an enabler of the lies that killed and wounded these men and women in the first place as well as untold millions of Iraqis, and Afghans as I shamelessly went back for another cocktail.
Lee McConaughy Woodruff, Bob Woodruff's wife was an apologist for the war profiteer sponsors, the government and an hyperbolic defender of the status quo for "these brave volunteers who have risked their lives for our freedom."Bob Woodruff spoke of the dwindling percentage of our troops who are sacrificing for our freedoms: WW II 17% of all families had a member involved in the war effort. 11% in Viet Nam. Our current war efforts? Less than 1% of families have a member involved in the war. Can anyone spell DRAFT Bob? I felt like an ancient Roman safe in my imperialism while paid mercenaries fight wars for the empire.
Palace, Elites,Troops and Plebeians.
But after Bruce played something happened that really sent me over.Suddenly it was auction time to those in prime seats.. Are we bid $50,000 for Bruce's guitar? $75,000? $100,0000? No wait %150,000! And on top of this it would be hand delivered by Bruce himself. What did Bruce think of this? Had he truly wanted to Support our Heroes maybe he should have given a concert against sending these troops, these 1% in harms way for a lie. I kept imagining Bush with that smirk on his face "looking" for the WMD"s at the National Press Club dinner and I was sickened.
This wasn't fun anymore it was obscene.I didn't stick around for the whole event so just take my comments as my own.
Visiting NYC is always a pilgrimage to me. Always to find John Lennon. To hear what he would tell us now.
What he said made me feel good about walking off:
"For those of you in the cheap seats I'd like ya to clap your hands to this one; the rest of you can just rattle your jewelry!"
Your way of life is a political statement.
John Lennon