Welcome to my page. Songs (six so far) are at the top, notes at the bottom.
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NOTES: 6/20/07 Something rather different The latest song, "Free The Benghazi Six," represents a departure for me in two significant ways. First, and obviously, "Free The Benghazi Six" is vastly different in musical style from anything else I've recorded. I decided that it should be a hard-rock song, because of the urgency of the subject matter, and because in this instance restraint and wit seemed not sophisticated but ineffectual, even cowardly. As I originally wrote it, the song was a quiet plea not unlike "Stand With Israel." Because I had no inkling how to make it sound as I wanted, I turned for help to the person who assisted me on "Stand With Israel," and who's finally chosen a nom de cyber: A. Mann Uensis (an altogether too modest pseudonym, I assure you). To whatever extent the result succeeds as a hard-rock song, Mr. Uensis deserves all the credit. Where it fails, please fault me. Second, "Free The Benghazi Six" urges a specific action—more specific than anything even in "Stand With Israel"—concerning a situation about which I've been able to learn less than I'd like. I believe Libya capable of any evil, however, and the reason so little information is available is that Libya is anything but a free society. I'm convinced, therefore, that the defendants, Kristiyana Valtcheva, Nasya Nenova, Valentina Siropulo, Valya Chervenyashka, Snezhana Dimitrova, and Ashraf al-Hajuj, are scapegoats for a ruthless regime careless with the lives of its own citizens. Here are some items that led me to that assessment: WikipediaI hope you can take the time to examine them yourself. * * * * * The appearance of QubeTV, which describes itself as "Starring The Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy!" (exclamation point in original), may hold consequences for this site. As some of those reading this will perhaps remember, my first song, "It's In The Koran," was banned by YouTube, though several energetic listeners made resourceful attempts to sneak it back on. I created this website so that the song, and any others I wrote, would be in no danger of disappearing from the Web. With QubeTV, however, I now have an outlet that seems unlikely to cower before those who would try to intimidate its owners. (For instance, "It's In The Koran" is prominently featured on the first page of QubeTV's video section. My thanks, by the way, to "matthias," who posted the song there.) I've now created a page as well on MySpace (please ignore the biographical information there—I had to put something). Eventually I'll use the MySpace page to provide notice of any new song I post. As a consequence, this site may not be necessary any longer. For now I'll keep it up. As a kind of test run, however, I've posted copies of the video at QubeTV, MySpace and YouTube. (Incidentally, I'd not have dreamed a few years ago that songs critical of the West's most fervent and deadly enemy—an enemy whose goal is to destroy or enslave all of us, Leftists included—would find no reliable host other than an avowedly right-wing site. The Left's refusal to oppose radical Islam remains a great sadness to me.) * * * * * Finally, I wish to apologize to all who've written me in the past several months, particularly to anyone to whom I appeared to vanish in the middle of an exchange. Personal matters called me away and prevented me from attending to my Patrick Henry duties. I still have tasks to complete in the world apart from cyberspace, and there's one more song I'd like to finish and post. After that, I hope, I'll have time to answer the e-mail I've been so rudely neglecting. 12/17/06 Change of heart My first song, "It's In The Koran," led some people to call me anti-Islamic. I answered that I was mocking not Islam, but rather the interpretation of it that permitted, even called for, the vicious jihad now bloodying much of the world: Islam is one of the world's great religions, and I don't believe that billions could have followed it if it weren't, at its core, beautiful and life-engendering.When I established this site, I reiterated that view: Radical Islam is a joyless sect, narrow and hateful. Were the whole of Islam no more than that, if it held no beauty along with its savagery and pride, it would've faded centuries ago.I'm saddened to write that I don't feel that way anymore, or perhaps to be more precise, that the emphasis of what I feel has changed. My opinion of Islam now is best expressed in this passage from the former Muslim Ibn Warraq: There may be moderate Muslims, but Islam itself is not moderate. There is no difference between Islam and Islamic fundamentalism: at most there is a difference of degree but not of kind.I still believe that there is beauty in Islam that can thrive without hate, and that, as I wrote, "hundreds of millions of practicing Muslims wish not to live under fundamentalist regimes." But it seems that in order to be Muslim and not hate, one must ignore central tenets of the prevailing doctrine. As Islam now exists, a devout Muslim, I very much fear, must be an enemy to all that lies outside Islam. I hope that moderate Muslims begin to speak up, and wrest control of Islam from the deranged murderers who now rule it. As yet I've seen little evidence that they possess the will to do so. "It's In The Koran" was aimed at what I considered, not the "tiny minority of extremists" Charles Johnson rightly derides, but the fanatical portion of a powerful faith that would soon come to its senses. To my regret, it appears that the target I struck is far broader, and not at all ready to listen to reason. 7/3/06 Fred Flintstone has set up a mirror site here. If you see a picture in the background on this page, you'll know that I stole the idea from Fred. My thanks to him. UPDATE 7/4/06: Theft complete. 7/1/06 Sorry about the site's absence these past couple of weeks. It should be up for good now. 5/17/06 My sincere thanks to all who responded to the offer/request below. After some thought, I've decided that it makes sense for me to keep using the synthesized voice. The reason is that I tend to revise songs long after I first think they're finished. Were I to use a human vocalist on a song, either I'd have to keep asking for new takes, which would be unfair, or I'd have to settle for a less-than-best version of the song, which would frustrate me. Whatever his deficiencies, a computerized singer stays cool no matter how many changes I ask him to make or how late I need him to work, and he never has to choose between indulging my quirks and sleeping. Still, if anyone would like to record any of the songs on this site, feel free to do so and send me the track, and as long as I have spare bandwidth, I'll post it. In the meantime, Karridine of Brain-Surgery with Spoons has recorded an a cappella version of "It's In The Koran" and made it available free here. 3/26/06 PART OFFER, PART REQUEST, PART WARNING When I recorded "It's In The Koran" I settled on using a synthesized voice as the best available option. What I really wanted was to have someone sing it, but I couldn't figure out how to find a vocalist while remaining anonymous. Tonight it occurred to me that among the visitors here might be someone who'd like to be, well, the voice of Patrick Henry. If you're interested, please email me so that I can get a sense of whether this idea is worth pursuing. Feel free to omit your name from the message, so as to keep the anonymity mutual. Remember that "Koran" has made a lot of people angry, and "Hey, Bin Laden" might do the same. Consider whether you want to risk being closely associated with either or both. (Note: see update just above.) 3/24/06 After I posted my response to critics of "It's In The Koran," several people emailed to argue that it was too generous to Islam. They were probably referring to the first paragraph: Commenters have argued that the Koran doesn't say what this song claims the Koran says. To everyone who holds this view, I answer - and this is very important, so I'll be stating it again below - that I agree with you. I agree that the Koran says what you claim it says. Islam is one of the world's great religions, and I don't believe that billions could have followed it if it weren't, at its core, beautiful and life-engendering.I used that phrasing, despite the objection it might (and did) provoke, because it expressed my belief about Islam. I still believe it. Radical Islam is a joyless sect, narrow and hateful. Were the whole of Islam no more than that, if it held no beauty along with its savagery and pride, it would've faded centuries ago. I know that radical Islam is consistent with the Koran's text and with powerful Islamic traditions. I also know that hundreds of millions of practicing Muslims wish not to live under fundamentalist regimes. Whether those Muslims constitute the majority of their faith, and whether they'll fight to create the kinds of societies they want, I don't know. In the meantime the fight falls largely to us. To the men and women facing the enemy in battle, I offer my gratitude. To everyone who shares my conviction that we should wage this war with determination and without apology, I offer whatever pleasure these songs give. Tell someone about this site Go to the top of the page |