Americans Disagreeing in Public!

Fighting it out for freedom is in America’s DNA but Mr. Kerry begs to differ

It’s already been an exciting day: no less than three signs that the ongoing fight for freedom in the West is coming to a head, all happening in the same time frame: The Death of Kris Kristofferson was the first thing. His most iconic song, Me and Bobby McGee is still ringing in my ears. I have always loved that freedom loving song, once upon a time knew all the words, and it has defined an entire chunk of life for my generation as well as others that followed. Perhaps the anthem for what we are losing, every day: a society that is okay with freedom, that lives and breathes it, isn’t afraid of it, doesn’t want to silence it, but celebrates it.

The second thing was the rousing speech Matt Taibbi delivered to Save the Republic gathering in Washington, DC. He began by thanking God, satirically, for allotting him a spot after Russel Brand, and then launched into what I can only describe as Matt at his most eloquent, incisive, lyrical and scathing, and that’s not nothing. He lays it all out, the shocking global, successful assault on freedom of speech in the West and what it’s going to take to fight it—good old American in your face fuck you, motherfucker attitude. (His words)

The third thing, even more improbable, was John Kerry’s lovely hair standing on the world stage at the World Economic Forum, and whining how hard it is to govern these days what with all those freedom loving misinformed complainers out there. And that the First Amendment is truly a terrible obstacle to effective, totalitarian governance! Yes, these old-fashioned and dangerous laws are here to try us, the brilliant leaders of the West.

Three Americans, each representing very different eras and mindsets, speaking their minds. It seems like one of those unlikely coincidental events pregnant with meaning, inviting everyone to take a moment and think about where we are and where we’re going, as a supposedly free people. The iconic line Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose, nothin’ ain’t worth nothin’ but it’s free’ could just as easily be written today as then. Except few lines like that show up in popular music today. Swifties, anyone? Freedom has always been the watchword in America, the very essence of what it stands for, fights for, and often, loses. America is losing its freedom to think aloud and speak its mind at this very moment. That’s why Taibbi’s speech will stand the test of time, it came at the right time when America is in turmoil, and we are all watching with alarm. Taibbi wasn’t the only one who noticed that Kerry was, to put it mildly, off key if not unhinged. James Howard Kunstler, another Substack ironist, said it best in his latest post:

Mr. Kerry’s hapless utterance tells you all you need to know about how the party of John F. Kennedy turned years later into a demon-driven cult seeking to smash everything that was once noble and upright about our country. If there is any such thing as disinformation — and the claim is dubious since, really, there is only truth and untruth — then the chief dispenser of it is our own depraved government. Every morsel it issues is some species of Orwellian counter-think.

It seems to me that sitting this one out is not an option: you and me and even Bobby McGee must decide whether we’re willing to stand up and say out loud what we mostly only think or fall by default into the clueless clutches of people like John Kerry, the WEF and the entire, corrupted ‘progressive’ Left. It was once the party of intellectuals, freedom lovers and honest brokers. What’s left of the Left is not pretty, a dangerous delusion that has always been the hallmark of megalomaniacs, dictators and oppressors: we know best what’s good for you, so shut up, schmuck. This is the day to tell them to go to hell, sing a song of freedom and argue the hell out of people who want to shut you up. It’s that time again.

PS…let me just say this: I would also trade all of my tomorrows for one single yesterday. Because it was a better day.

Busted flat in Baton Rouge, waitin' for a train
When I's feelin' near as faded as my jeans
Bobby thumbed a diesel down, just before it rained
And rode us all the way into New Orleans

I pulled my harpoon out of my dirty red bandana
I's playin' soft while Bobby sang the blues
Windshield wipers slappin' time, I's holdin' Bobby's hand in mine
We sang every song that driver knew

Freedom is just another word for nothin' left to lose
Nothin', don't mean nothin' hon' if it ain't free, no-no
And feelin' good was easy, Lord, when he sang the blues
You know feelin' good was good enough for me
Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee

From the Kentucky coal mine to the California sun
There Bobby shared the secrets of my soul
Through all kinds of weather, through everything we done
Yeah, Bobby baby, kept me from the cold

One day up near Salinas, Lord, I let him slip away
He's lookin' for that home, and I hope he finds it

But I'd trade all of my tomorrows, for one single yesterday
To be holdin' Bobby's body next to mine

Freedom is just another word for nothin' left to lose
Nothin', and that's all that Bobby left me, yeah
But feelin' good was easy, Lord, when he sang the blues
That feelin' good was good enough for me, mmm-hmm
Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee

La-da-da, la-da-da-da, la-da-da-da-da-da-da
La-da-da-da-da-da-da-da, Bobby McGee, yeah
La-da-da-da-da, la-da-da-da-da
La, la-la-la-da-da- Bobby McGee, oh yeah

La-da-da, la-da-da, la, da-da, la, da-da
La-da-da, la-da-da, la-di-da
Hey now, Bobby now, now Bobby McGee, yeah
Lord, oh Lord, oh Lord, lo-da-da, na-na-na, na-na-na, na-na-na
Hey now, Bobby now, now Bobby McGee, yeah

Well, I wanna call him my lover, call him my man
I said, I call him my lover, did the best I can, come on
Hey now, Bobby now, hey now Bobby McGee, yeah
Lord, a Lord, a Lord, a Lord, a Lord, a Lord, a Lord, a Lord, oh
Hey-hey-hey, Bobby McGee, Lord