Music News

Just reading through the latest batches of comments here about REM and guess what? Bill Clinton is absolutely correct about the extremists taking over the Republican point of view (NOT THAT THERE'S A SHORTAGE OF SAME IN DEMOCRATIC VIEW) - pointed vitriolic hatred not only of the band but particularly Michael Stipe. The decision of the band to withold permission for the PUBLIC use of their song must be within their legal rights as numerous other artists have successfully done the same in the past. Surely there are enough musicians/groups out there who support the Republican point of view that would willingly allow the use of their material.

What is now beyond any doubt is the willingness of the 'hard-right' in the Republican Party to deliberately distort the issue of Church and State. No effort will be spared to try and inflame the religious zealots once more for the upcoming election - as they have repeatedly done since the days of Ronald Reagan. The decision to conveniently ignore the wisdom of the Constitution & Bill of Rights, wherein Church and State are seperated, should have automatically raised concerns within the party itself - not so. Such is the grip that these power hungry extremists now exert! No one dares speak out for fear of loosing their position. So now the broadcast media is filled with LIES about Christian Faiths being under attack by the DEMOCRATS - the tiny matter of DETAILS of said attacks remains quite vague but it has proven sufficient to just raise the specter and use the tools of IGNORANCE & FEAR to produce the 'Sky is Falling' reaction.