Year: 2003

I was going to do this simply as a response in the previous thread, but I’ve seen it enough times that I’m responding to it separately here, in re boycotts:

As far as I’m concerned, it still comes down to a person’s right on where they spend their money. Nothing more, nothing less.

Gordon Bennett, no, it doesn’t. Why in the WORLD do people keep bringing it around to people’s “rights?” Show me one posting, in the history of this board–in the history of my giving public opinions–where I have *ever* said people didn’t have the “right” to spend their money elsewhere?

It’s a sidetrack, people. It’s a dodge, a shuck and jive. “Peter, you’re saying we don’t have the right to–” NO, I AM NOT SAYING THAT. For that matter, I don’t find anyone else offhand who has said that. So if anyone else wants to respond with “people have the right to boycott,” save it. It’s a NON-ISSUE, and I am sick of it. It seems self-evident to me, but I will now spell it out for the folks in the cheap seats: When I say something is “wrong,” that does not automatically equate with saying that people don’t have the “right to do it.” And if you don’t believe me, then next time you go to a job interview, fart loudly and repeatedly, and if the interviewer makes a face, point out you have the right to fart. And enjoy unemployment.

It’s the same muddy-headed thinking that declares if one is against going to war, one is in favor of bloody dictators. Or the time that I pointed out to John Byrne that his changing a private security guard to a police officer in his Spidey reboot was wrongheaded because a NYC police officer would never shout to a private citizen that he should have tackled an armed robber…whereupon John responded that I was supporting the idea of people standing aside and doing nothing while a NYC police officer was beaten to death. If that makes no sense to you, then you begin to comprehend just how bewildered I am every time I see another “but people have the right to boycott” wheeze.

I’m talking about pure, simple, appropriate, proportional response: If you disagree with someone, say it with words, because saying it with punitive, retaliatory measures proves nothing except that you are petty and intolerant.

Furthermore, boycotts are unimaginative. They got no style. If you’re going to do a boycott, do it with some flair. For instance: All those people who sit there contentedly and say, “I’m boycotting Dominos Pizza because the owner gives money to Project Rescue,” all right. Fine. Just for laughs: I wonder how many people then say, “And I’m taking all the money I would have spent on Dominos and making contributions to Planned Parenthood in the name of the Dominos Pizza owner.” Now wouldn’t that be a kick. Planned Parenthood getting thousands of dollars a week in unspent pizza money, all in the name of that guy. Doesn’t make boycotts right. But it makes it less wrong.

PAD

Since this was a topic of discussion on this board some time back–and I was particularly fascinated by those who somehow felt that boycotts and bannings were something the Dixie Chicks should have “expected” by stating their opinions regarding the war–I bring to your collective attention the following. Oh, and the Dixie Chicks are currently in fear for their lives, having received death threats for stating their opinions. How patriotic. Maybe that’s what spurred the attached:

The Dixie Chicks have taken a big hit lately for exercising their basic right to express themselves. To me, they’re terrific American artists expressing American values by using their American right to free speech. For them to be banished wholesale from radio stations, and even entire radio networks, for speaking out is un-American.

The pressure coming from the government and big business to enforce conformity of thought concerning the war and politics goes against everything that this country is about – namely freedom. Right now, we are supposedly fighting to create freedom in Iraq, at the same time that some are trying to intimidate and punish people for using that same freedom here at home.

I don’t know what happens next, but I do want to add my voice to those who think that the Dixie Chicks are getting a raw deal, and an un-American one to boot. I send them my support.

Bruce Springsteen

As for me, I’m going out and not only buying the latest Dixie Chicks album, but the latest Springsteen. Which is interesting considering I’ve never purchased albums from either…

A good episode, albeit playing a bit to the convenience factor…

Continue Reading “BELATED “ANGEL” THOUGHTS (Spoilers)” →

Family took a couple days off and we went into the city to stay over, see friends, and take in some shows. I took Ariel to see “42nd Street” at a Wednesday matinee. “What’s this show about?” she asked. “It’s about putting on a show,” I told her, and there’s really not much more to it than that. Lots of tap dancing, plus several songs that she knew. A fun time. That evening, while I tended to Caroline, Kathleen took Ariel out to a very different type of musical: “Hairspray.” Ariel said she liked it better than “42nd Street.”

PAD

I’m doing a column on what was the best superhero movie ever made (not counting the serials from the 40s and 50s.)

Any thoughts?

PAD

I’d been complaining a while back that Marvel wasn’t doing anything to advertise the fact that Spider-Man guest-starred in “Captain Marvel #10.” I felt it was a missed opportunity to prompt Spidey fans to sample my title. Well, CM editor Andy Schmidt felt my pain, and commissioned a new cover for #10 conspicuously featuring the wall-crawler, and pencilled by–get this–Alan Davis. Also, the cover for #15 is scheduled to be drawn by comics legend Neal Adams. As soon as I have visuals on either or both of these covers, I’ll post them here.

PAD

Been up to Boston the past few days where eldest daughter Shana did her senior recital, part of the graduation requirements for Berklee College of Music where she attends. Audience included family, friends, and even her boss from Comicopia where she works on Tuesdays. She sang mostly original tunes; she’s developed into quite a sharp song writer. The triumphant set was followed by a pizza party at her apartment.

We then stopped off in Connecticut on the way back to visit with my sister, Beth, her husband Rande, and their kids Sara and newborn Emma, whom we were meeting for the first time. She bore a striking resemblance to Caroline. We hung out, chatted, and were tormented with curious television choices, such as Rande and Kathleen watching a DVD of the Rankin-Bass “Here Comes Peter Cottontail” while Beth and I begged for it to stop. We also watched some rodeo on TV with cowboys riding on bulls. Whereupon I was informed that the reason the bulls buck so much is that there’s a tight rope yanking on their privates that they’re trying to throw off. Is that true? If it is, am I the only person in the world who didn’t know this?

PAD