Well some of this is all too familiar . . I think it was McGrath who said almost all there is to say on this subject by observing that Folk song is song that has something to say. Which may give you a love song, but also encompases a lot of political output (and OF COURSE any song about a hungry child is political . . .)

But someone complained "I find it a little disheartening that, in a lot of circles, folkies who refuse to climb on the liberal bandwagon are somehow stigmatized" - utter bullshit, my friend, I stigmatise ALL non-liberals, regardless as whether they are (clearly non-listening) folkies.

This person also said: " . . dozens of old work songs during the 20s and 30s . . . passed on on to me when I was barely big enough to . . " demonstrating his non-listening attachment to Folk, 'cause if work songs of the 20s and 30s aren't political then I'm a Pinochet supporter.

I'm not going to waste time arguing that this individual is an archtype of the upper class exploiter (whatever class he claims to belong to), but I will indicate the way his post - to me at least - illustrates the opposite of what he claims.

For when he says there's an "institutionalized notion in folky circles that all pain and suffering is somehow either 'the guv'ment's fault' or promulgated by evil corporate types . ." he misrepresents "folk circles" to his own ends. Sure, some folk songs - justly - criticise governments, corporations and those who put money before humanity. A few criticise unjustly. But most don't even touch on such matters (I'd guess broken hearts are the most common suffering in Folk songs . . )

And I'll skip his ignorant (in the literal sense) defamation of the Green Party in his rush to defend the "If it moves shoot it (especially if it's black" lobby (OK, I have a jaundiced view of the US right). And while there's a certain irony in his describing the sentiments of "Who's Side are You On" and "Talking Union Blues," as "outdated" in a post which, taken as a whole, illustrates exactly why those songs have such a contemporary resonance, what really sticks in my throat is his lofty suggestion that we should "celebrate instead the virtues of hard work, self-reliance . . ". As I've noted, he can't have been listening to those folk and work songs, if he's not noticed any celebration of those virtues . .

"We lived upon nettles

When nettles were good

And Waterloo porridge was the best of our food . . "

THAT's self-reliance. Not whinging at the prospect of having to pay a little more tax, out of your excessive income, in order to help those less fortunate than yourself.

(As for celebrating "entrepreneurship" - that's rather like celbrating gamblers, which Folk does pretty often!)

He seems to believe one can appreciate folk music in isolation from the folk who created it and the circumstances of their existence; to me that's blatent hypocrasy.

He then says:

" Anyone see the flaw in that logic?

I do, and it is embodied in this cold truth:"

PARDON? You see the flaw in your own logic?

Except, of course, the "cold truth" (or, more accurately, conservative cliche) which followed had absolutely nothing to do with the logic of what had preceded it (or any other discernable logic, except that perversion of logic which passes for right wing self-justification).

And someone then complemented this individual on a well-argued article.

G.