The IRA

Gena was a real woman. She had a flair for fashion, because her husband worked for a notable clothing store chain. She was able to buy clothes at a substantial discount. Not far in the distant past in America, fashion was in. The venue of pop music was the stage upon which fashion statements were broadcast. Fashion was and has been a major tenant of the music business, because without an appealing image people have difficulty relating to you. They need a tangible image to connect them with your music. This is why advertising has always been important in America. Cheers to the forthcoming movie “Ad Men” for recreating some of that nostalgic Americana. A “logo” is important for selling a product, because it becomes part of the product. Music the same way cannot exist alone. It needs things to augment its message. Whether it is an “Achey Breaky Heart,” “Friends in Low Places,” or a “Billie Jean,” music needs a stage upon which to present its drama. This drama is a necessary part of music’s existence. The shallow sexual imagery of today’s pop music is nothing but an aural suggestion for partying. Is this an accurate representation of our youth culture, or is it like television has done in the past influencing our youth? No matter what anyone says television like no other public medium has influenced our children. It has set trends. It has made stars. It has provided inspiration and fellowship. Today it is breeding Generation Jihad. If an ad agency wasted a minute summing up the client of Al Qaeda, it would be represented by towel-headed, AKG toting, lunatic fanatics. American culture and music is at a loss understanding, integrating, or representing these Extreme Islam ideals. It is more difficult than Viet Nam, because of the higher likelihood of getting killed. For this reason popular music is being stymied, because even if it wanted to, it would be difficult to characterize Jihad. Until an artistic medium confronts this bizarre movement, we will continue to be its prey. Although Hip Hop originally dealt with urban violence, it pales in comparison to the extremist movement of the Iraq. Even the sonic angst of Speed Metal can not compete. For popular music to continue it has to get its head out of the native American sand and approach issues that face everyday Americans globally. In this way only shallow, self-serving, glam escapism will have relevance. How can citizens continue to watch children produce soft core pornography in a vacuum? Folk music was bred in the l960’s when sociopolitical movements were powerful and volatile. If anyone took the time to look around, these times are becoming every bit as volatile. The firm groundwork that was laid in the Clinton administration has been systematically dismantled by a nihilist presence that is operating on two levels. One is Extreme Islam, because it is attempting to overthrow U.S. world domination by rejecting our value system using terrorist acts. Consequently this dramatically has effected our entire country’s belief system. What used to be solid, tangible, philosophies are being torn apart by self doubt. If Time magazine ventures far enough to publish an article questioning the existence of God, then there is a nihilist philosophy at work. When a major corporation mounts an advertising campaign to contradict global warming, then there is a nihilist philosophy at work. If media continues to capitalize on Extremism, then we as a country will move further away from our own ideals which constantly need to be reinforced by being seen and heard. The culprits of Extremism are all ready embedded in corporate America and our government, and The War on Terror has become a smoke screen to divert our attention. Why else would corporations continue trying to buy the country? Citizens must organize and protest publicly what we demand in our country from our government, and elected officials must begin legislating policies to ensure these demands are met. Its seems a coup is imminent. Americans like the Irish just need to be briefed on who the enemy really is.