I just found out that Tom Morello, guitarist for Rage Against the Machine ("a politically charged rock band" and my grand daughter's favorite group) until they broke up and now playing in Audioslave, has recently begun performing folk songs as the Nightwatchman.

This, he says is "..an extension of my politics. Then again, some of the songs are not explicitly political... Once you prick the vein you never know what is going to come out."

Two years ago he formed Axis of Justice, an organization to "…bridge between progressive-minded musicians, fans of rock & rap music, and local grassroots organizations."

There's an interview in the January 2004 issue of The Progressive and that's where I got all this.

He says "People will read a book or pamphlet only once, but a song they can sing again and again in their heads."

Sounds to me he's on the right track; I want to check him out farther.

And it seems to me it's the men with pens who give instructions to the men with swords. For instance, all our soldiers in the Near East didn't just suddenly decide to go there on their own; our Fearless Leaders are well known to have "other priorities" than using the sword themselves. And they're dangerous.

clint