The Backlash Begins

You know, we're not at all surprised by the reaction we've received here at Thrasher's Wheat regarding the recent update to the sidebar.

We Neil fans are funny folks. The punches came fast and hard.

Four years ago, we did extensive coverage of the Vote For Change tour where Neil toured with Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam and many others for John Kerry.

"Neil Young, wearing a T-shirt with 'Canadians for Kerry' joined the Dave Matthews Band concert at the Vote for Change Concert Tour on Sunday at the Palace in Auburn Hills, MI. The concert was one of six sold-out shows in Michigan organized to get out the vote on November 2.

Dave Matthews introduced Young by saying 'a good friend of ours,' before launching into a 15 minute electric performance of Bob Dylan's 'All Along the Watchtower.'

Young said to the audience of more than 13,000:

'Some of you may know I'm a Canadian, and I'm here representing Canadians for Kerry. The rest of the world couldn't be here, but they say hi.'"

And we continued election coverage in 2004 as the tour progressed with Bruce, REM and Neil in St. Paul, MN, and Pearl Jam and Neil Young in Toledo. All the way until the tour culminated in Washington, DC where we went and enjoyed, photographed and reviewed the final National Anthem Concert which was broadcast nationally.

And you know what? No one. Not a single person ever wrote and said Thrasher, don't comment on the election. Don't cover Neil playing concerts where he endorses Senator John Kerry for President. Don't speak out for the end of the Bush regime. No one.

So what has happened over these past years? We can only begin to wonder.

Here's a little sample. From Anonymous:

Don't even know who I'm voting for, but I know I'm done with this blog.

I read it every day, but I will not give my support (via hit count) to any partisanship shown on a completely inappropriate site.

I'll scrap together Neil news elsewhere."

We won't even begin to explain that, Hey, it's our friggin' blog and we'll do what ever we flippin' feel like.

But not all is lost. Here's Dan:

I am going to vote for McCain/Palin but in the spirit of free speech those that are livid about your comments probably don't belong on the blog anyhow. If Neil takes it upon himself to make political statements here and there why shouldn't you have that right on your excellent blog? Yes, its more fun to debate all things Neil than politics but extreme times for call for extreme measures and most of us can agree that the upcoming election is a pivotal point in our nation's history. The name calling and negativity though is disappointing ... I hope the name callers either shape up or walk on ...

Thanks Dan. We're glad to have you as a reader of TW.

The powers that be do not want average citizens involved in politics. That's why we're discouraged from discussing politics at work, school, or neutral social settings. Don't go out and be politically active. Sit at home and watch TV.

There are agent provocateurs at work with their straw man arguments of "Shut up and sing". Witness the 'Deja Vu' film scenes where "fans" are shocked that a CSNY concert has "political" songs?! Folks, these are not fans but agent provocateurs attempting to create backlash among fans. It is as if they fear that a song might actually change the world or something.

Well, it won't work here at Thrasher's Wheat. We won't back down.