Getting back to Alan's original question, it's a balancing act. Such songs SHOULD be written. Not to write them inhibits not only discussion of issues, but the individual artist's creative process. The question is how to write them to achieve the clarity of the artist's vision and insight. Two fine examples can be found (if you can find them at all) on the Album Tom Paxton 6. "A Thousand Years" is quoteing the drunken ravings of a man who seems covinced that the Third reich will rise again very soon. It is, of course, the ravings of a fictitious character. Although its structure and presentation make the character chillingly believable, I doubt that anyone would accuse Tom Paxton of wanting the return of the Nazis. Equally chilling (and from the same album) is "Good Morning, Mr. Blue"; a song about Orwellian mind control as told from the point of view of the controller. He crawled around inside that midset with terrifying effectiveness. Do we,then, claim that Paxton was advocating mind control? Of course not.
    We need songs, stories, movies, and all other types of art which humanize rather than demonize terrorists, pedeophiles, etc. Understanding them as other human beings is the only effective way we will have of understanding and dealing with such peolple and the problems that they and thier internal demons create. When discussing this with my wife, Ingrid, she pointed out that a more important question might be how, when, or where should such song be performed?
That is a much more delicate balancing act. I'm not sure that I have an answer for that one. does anyone else have thoughts on it?

Stephen Lee