• About Pacificvs

Tag Archives: revolution

Beatles vs. Stones vs. Hitchens

31 Monday May 2010

Posted by Adrian Covert in Readings

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

beatles vs rolling stones, hitch 22, hitchens, revolution, revolution vs. street fighting man, rolling stones, street fighting man, the beatles

But which one is wearing REAL leather?

I was reading Hitch 22, Christopher Hitchens’ freshly published memoir, the other day when I came across this:

“I later vastly preferred Mick Jagger’s ‘Street Fighting Man’, which had been written for my then-friend Tariq Ali, to the Beatles’ more conciliatory ‘You Say You Want a Revolution’…”.

Two things about this Beatles vs. Stones comparison. First, the Beatles song (which is actually titled simply “Revolution”…come on Hitch),  is much smarter than “Street Fighting Man”, which is basically a long lament against “Sleepy London town”.

How Lennon’s grungy rejection of Chairman Mao and “Minds that hate” could be considered “conciliatory” I don’t know. Those same lyrics, presumably, would have been more contextually useful to the actual folks in the streets of 1968 than Mick Jaggers’ context-free killing of the “King and all his servants”. (Note how the English Rolling Stones, in what one might characterize as a conciliatory gesture, spare the Queen).

Second, as with all matters of Beatles vs. Stones, this probably has more to do with perceived cultural differences rather than actual musical ones. Above all else is the perception that the Rolling Stones were, are, in some way, the “edgier” choice. They are certainly the edgier brand. But beyond that I’m not so sure…

It was the Beatles, after all, who were working-class kids from the rough port city, cutting their teeth on the gritty streets of Hamburg and getting their original bassist, Stuart Sutcliffe, killed in a bar fight in the process. Meanwhile, it was the ‘Stones who were the upper-class London prep-school kids with proper accents. The Beatles wrote the Stones’ first hit (the rocker I wanna be your man) because the ‘Stones didn’t yet know how to write music. Add the fact that the heaviest track recorded between the two bands belongs to the Beatles (Helter Skelter by far) and the Rolling Stones’ “edge” begins to look more like a marketing gimmick. The marketing has been convincing though, and one for which Hitchens, ever conscious of his own “radical” brand, has taken a liking.

The only thing we have to fear is the status-quo

15 Wednesday Jul 2009

Posted by Adrian Covert in Readings

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

california constitutional convention, california politics, california state, consti, constitution, constitutional convention, government reform, reform, repa, repair, repair california, repaircalifornia.org, revolution

AS Californians begin demanding fundamental reforms to their state government, business-as-usual hunkers for a fight.

califailnia

Benjamin Franklin was said to have quipped that doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different result was the definition of insanity. Dr. Franklin, welcome to Sacramento. Where despite the shame, humiliation, and human suffering caused by California’s horrific budget catastrophe, proponents of doing the same thing have unleashed a campaign of fear against convening a Constitutional Convention, and in doing so have rushed to the defense of the status quo.

In a June 18 Op-Ed appearing in the Capitol Weekly, a union official representing the State Building & Construction Trades Council essentially called on Californians to fear their neighbors.

“Think about the person you know – a relative, friend, neighbor, colleague – whom you disagree with the most. That person may well be in a jury pool and could be selected. Is that the person you want spending the next several months…deciding how California should be run?”

This is not an argument against a Constitutional Convention, its an attack on the entire pantheon of American values, from trial by jury to universal suffrage.

And yet, this is only slightly more hysterical than the rationale given by a coalition of 6 taxpayer groups opposing a Constitutional Convention because of “fears that the process can and will be hijacked” by special interests, oblivious to the fact that special interests rule the entire roost right now.

While it is clear that those on the far-left and far-right fear a Constitutional Convention, and believe you should fear one too, their rationale is not so clear. For example, are they afraid that citizen guided reforms will make California’s schools the worst in the nation? They already are. Do they fear pan-generational neglect of our water infrastructure? That has already happened. Are they afraid that millions of poor children will suddenly go without healthcare? We’re already there. That our beloved state parks will close? That our prisons overflow? Done and done.

Just last week a colleague of mine gave a teary-eyed account of the real cost of the ruined California government. Driving with his two small children, they passed a elementary school weighted down with chains and shackles. The marquis read:

“Sorry, no summer school. Budget cuts. Have a great summer.”

As we approach the moment of truth, we expect the fear mongering will only increase. This is unfortunate because history teaches us that when you give citizens the responsibility to reform their government, the American people rarely disappoint.

When Illinois voters called for a Convention in 1968, delegates drafted a short document that established basic rights, established the “Home Rule” principle that gave cities and counties more control over their own resources, and created what is all-around considered to be a model constitution.

Likewise, Michigan held a Constitutional Convention in 1963 that brought it into the modern era. Hawaii alone has convened two Con Cons since 1960. All told, there have been 232 State Con Cons in US history. In each of these and other states, Constitutional Conventions are regularly debated on the merits of the moment and by the facts on the ground, not by fear, mistrust, and misinformation.

During the 1963 Michigan Con Con Wayne State teamed up with Michigan State University to produce what has since become a classic black and white documentary about American democracy. At the closing moments of “Michigan Can Lead the Way”, the narrator summarizes the experiment:

“Perfection is never an outcome of human enterprise. There had been fears the convention would be too conservative; fears that it would be too liberal; fears that it would be racked by politics…Pro-labor or pro-farmer or pro-business…Favoring the present, trapped in the past, lost in the future. The convention had been all of these, it was not an assemblage of angels. It was a convention of men and women. Taking the best it could agree on for our time and for our people…This was the process. Sometimes calm, sometimes not so calm. Either way, it was the people’s way. It was the way of a free democracy.”

For California, doing nothing and expecting different results is the worst option of all. And defending the status quo is not only scary, it’s insane.

The Campaign Begins

03 Wednesday Jun 2009

Posted by Adrian Covert in Readings

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

California, california state constitutional convention, jim wunderman, reform, repair california, repaircalifornia.org, revolution, www.repaircalifornia.org

photo

“The current system neither has nor deserves advocates.”

-James Madison on the US Government under the Articles of Confederation

On Wednesday, May 19, concerned citizens from across the state formally unveiled a plan to repair California’s broken system of government by calling for a State Constitutional Convention. Since the announcement, our in-box and website have been flooded with support from across the political spectrum and the campaign has received valuable, high-profile media coverage.

The effort was on the front page of the New York Times, was given an official endorsement of the Los Angeles Times, and thanks to some intrepid bloggers, we found out that almost all of the candidates for Governor have endorsed the Constitutional Convention. (This follows a great story in The Economist, which was published in more than 200 countries)

Last week’s press conference brought together a politically diverse group of supporters to call for fundamental reform. A special thanks to Democratic State Senator Mark DeSaulnier and Republican Assemblyman Brian Nestande, who agreed to try to place two propositions on the ballot through the power of the legislature. While they have a near impossible task, we all appreciate their patriotism. If they are unable to succeed, we will use the initiative process to convene a Constitutional Convention.

If you have not already done so, be sure to visit our newly revamped website at www.RepairCalifornia.org . There, you can locate events near you, access multimedia, host a meeting, and view recent media coverage. In addition, you can also join our ever-growing facebook cause, Repair California: Call a State Constitutional Convention. There, you can contact and share ideas with other supporters, comment on popular threads, and suggest links. Be sure to invite your freinds to help this campaign go viral.

Again, this campaign would not be possible without the dedication and concern of regular Californians. Check often for updates, and stay-tuned for further notices on this historic campaign.

  • Artwork
  • Readings
  • Projects

Recent Posts

  • Anti-Gentrification Art in San Francisco
  • HITCHENS POSTERS HERE
  • California Water Map
  • Six Californias?
  • Bay Area tech boom not cause of region’s problems

Also Visit

  • Home
  • Adrian Covert Art
  • Shop
  • Molly Covert Design
  • Facebook

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • pacificvs.com
    • Join 29 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • pacificvs.com
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...