Larry, I don't think anyone is descriminating against you "old bastards", but rather looking to see who will carry on the tradition. As I've said before, there are many young singer-songwriters who are doing the job.   Those who have said the youth of today aren't doing their share are wrong and not opening their eyes in my estimation. It may not come from a "folk" singer, but there is plenty of protest in today's youth culture.   Don't forget, our generation wasn't JUST listening to anti-war songs either. There was plenty of bubblegum music in our day too.

Johnfitz, you make a very good point about the role emotion plays in the music and how intellectual "purity" and predictability make for some lousy songs.   The protest songs that the general population remembers and responds to manage to get their message across in an almost subtle way. I've found that there are two basic types of protest songs - the "over your head with a hammer" approach which mainly works on protest lines and rallies to raise spirits. Away from that environment, those songs often fail to hold the same emotion. The more skillful songs, including many of Woody Guthries songs, were written with a different approach.   I find his "Talking Dust Bowl" to be one a great example of an effective approach. He uses humor and wit to get his point across and most importantly, he makes the audience think.   He doesn't have to list the injustices that were done to the Okies during the depression but he gets the point across. I still remember hearing that song when I was young, before I ever heard about the troubles of the times. He made me think.

Some of the artists mentioned, Joe Jencks and John Flynn come to mind, write in that same style. They can rally a spirit and teach us something.