The musicians haven’t gone anywhere

In his Monday column, “”Where have all the musicians gone?”” David Francis recycles the classically shallow argument that never fails to completely miss the mark: What ever happened to real musicians, “”timeless”” songwriting, the good old days? “”The sad truth is that most of today’s pop music is entirely devoid of any real meaning,”” he said. Cry me a river (Thank you, Justin). It’s pop music. No matter from when or where it comes, pop is by and large a corporate affair – manufactured, sellable and accessible. It is what it is, take it or leave it. Sometimes you get Michael Jackson’s “”Thriller,”” other times you get “”My Humps.”” In any case, generations of pop music have been scrutinized vis-Çÿ-vis the same short-sighted discourse: my grandfather was convinced my dad listening to The Beatles was, at the very least, a sign he was “”headed for obscurity,”” as Francis puts it. My dad thought my obsession with Nine Inch Nails and Soundgarden was indicative of depression. And at times, my middle school students scribbling hyperemotive My Chemical Romance lyrics on their binders leaves me feeling … wait for it … disappointed about their 12-year-old musical tastes.

In any event, Francis should stop waiting for someone to “”rise out of this decade to give future music lovers something to cherish.”” To bite back with another clichǸ, any so-called revolution will not be televised nor broadcast. MTV, network radio, the Billboard charts and overpriced concerts at sold-out areas aren’t necessarily going to deliver your answer to musical greatness. Your relationships with good music are like any other – they involve work and dedication! Support local bands, listen to your KAMP, your KXCI, go blogging and use the Internet as your ultimate resource!

By the way, since when did music become “”synonymous with sex?”” Ray Charles did the mess around, Bob Dylan and his lady laid across his big brass bed, the Beatles did it in the road, the Rolling Stones spent the night together…

Adam Schwartz
language, reading and culture graduate student
Spanish teacher, Paulo Freire Freedom School

Wildcat endorsements outrageous

The endorsement section featured yesterday was outrageous. All four candidates were Democrats. All propositions were ones that are widely supported by Democrats. Truthfully, as a Republican I was half expecting this. What I wasn’t expecting was the trite disclaimer stating that the editorial staff tried to be as nonpartisan as possible. This was not a nonpartisan review of the 2006 election, and to say it was is a lie. What is the point of even making a claim like “”That’s why this section is called ‘Opinions’ – not just ‘Opinion,'”” when only one political party was represented? Furthermore the Arizona Daily Wildcat editorial staff is guilty of the same mudslinging it claimed to disapprove of within the same endorsement for Jim Pederson: “”More a vote against Sen. Jon Kyl than a vote for Jim Pederson.”” I hope this same ridiculous display of pandering to the left doesn’t repeat itself in 2008, but if it must, at least have the courtesy not to lie to your readers.

Erin McMahon
junior majoring in Spanish

Courtesy is an act of giving, not receiving

I’d like to respond to a recent letter (“”Is chivalry dead?”” Oct. 25) bemoaning the lack of chivalry (courtesy is the more appropriate word in this case) on the UA campus.

I think the message that the writer of the letter intended to convey is that there is not a lack of courtesy, although that may be true, it’s that he felt his courteous acts were inadequately acknowledged.

An act of courtesy is always an act of giving, not receiving. If one holds a door for another person, it should be done as a show of respect for that person – a giving of respect, if you will. If a door is held open with the expectation of thanks, then the act becomes a selfish one.

From the other perspective, one should not expect a door to be held. But if it is, it would be polite to say, “”thank you.””

To the writer of the previous letter, I applaud your courtesy in a day when it is almost non-existent. I encourage you and others to continue.

John Nangle
math graduate student