Monday, May 21, 2007
"Stand down" stands down (and whatever happened to "whatever happened to"?)
Just for the halibut (as an uncle of mine used to say), I decided to see whatever happened to that old alleged American strategy in Iraq, "As Iraqis stand up, we'll stand down" (something I once analogized to the fake town of Rock Ridge). Well, a search of the White House news site says the last time George Bush used that phrase, but only in response to a question, was on Sept. 15, 2006; the last time he spontaneously used the phrase was on June 6, 2006, nearly a year ago.
And, segueing, I switch to the frivolous question, "Whatever happened to those VH1 specials entitled 'Whatever happened to [insert forgotten rock star name here]'?" One of the ones that sticks in my mind was about Sweetwater, a group whose first, self-titled album from 1968 is still on my regular play list (even more so now that I've digitized it). In their honor, we'll spin their biggest hit, "Motherless Child." Not overtly a political song, but the theme ("Sometimes I feel like a motherless child, and I'm a long way from home") is one that easily applies to political activists, as they grow up, leave the comfort (mental if not physical) and "comfort zone" of their home and go out in the world on their own, to chart their own path through life.
Labels: Music
