BEATLES FANS are sensitive! I didn't even write the blessed thing, yet my admiration for Matt Welch's column on George Harrison has earned me the enmity of at least one zealous guardian of the sanctity of the Quiet Beatle's memory. At least, that's my best guess as to the explanation for an email from one "A. Naughtie" to the effect that I have less talent in my whole body than George had in "a single one of his under arm hairs."
I'm not going to argue with that. For one thing-- ew! For another thing, I think the point of the GH portion of the dreaded column was not to attack a defenseless Beatle, but rather to suggest that not all those who mourned his passing necessarily subscribed to each and every element of his "legend." In other words, to say "I like George" is not necessarily to say that you firmly believe that "you can't find Lord Krishna in a bottle." (Aside on the Lord Krishna/bottle controversy: I'm pretty sure you can...)
Similarly, supporting the war does not automatically make you the bloodthirsty, right-wing psycho that the SF Bay Guardian would like to think you are. Nor, I suppose, does reading the Nation, or knowing what ZNet is, necessarily mean that you lack moral sense or cognitive functionality (though in the latter case, it might be arguable...)
That's all. For the record, I love the Beatles, in the usual order of preference. Favorite album: Revolver.
Posted by Dr. Frank at December 9, 2001 11:24 PM | TrackBack