There's lotsa undesirable types in the world: racists, sexists, homophobes, xenophobes. There's murderers, rapists, pedophiles, drug abusers, inveterate woman beaters.
The shelves that hold my CDs, DVDs and books contain works of art made by a variety of undesirable types. If Michael Jackson did in fact molest young boys--and it's amazing how many people are convinced that it is a fact, how they seem to want it to be a fact--then his albums remain a part of my rotation. I can no more get rid of it then trash books by Burroughs, music by Miles, or films by Polanski.
There's art. There's the artist. Inextricably linked? To my mind, no.
in fact? says who? were you there?
ReplyDeletePlease read more carefully, my anonymous friend...I said IF IN FACT. Did you notice the "if" before the "in fact"? Or are you too busy filling blogs with your indignant comments? I don't know if Michael Jackson did anything immoral with children, nor do I state anywhere that I know anything firsthand.
ReplyDeleteReading is fundamental, and so is comprehending what you read.
sorry, the if is on the line above on my screen, so it looks like the sentence starts with "Michael Jackson did infact molest..." I was reading quickly.
ReplyDeleteAh, understood.
ReplyDeleteI asked myself that same question when I went to the Biograph theater in Georgetown to see The Great Rock and Roll Swindle at age 16. While Sid Vicious draws a swastika on the wall I had to ask myself if I was going to continue creating my own hangups because of other peoples bad decisions? I decided that the asnwer was no, and as the stars began to warp and extend, I hydroplaned into punk rock infinity
ReplyDelete