I have a friend who thinks I’m horrible, because sometimes I write critically about the left. I also write critically about the right. In fact, I have written much more critically about the right, but that paused since returning to school where many classmates and some teachers, subscribe to a leftism that isn’t what I thought was the left. They make me feel as though asking questions means I am a racist, sexist, homophobe, transphobe, anti-semite head of A & R. Recently, I watched a conversation between two young conservatives, Amala Ekpunobi and Gothix, both were on the left most of their lives. Gothix said she was a leftist until the left, left her. That resonated with me as well. My friend’s disappointment towards me stems from the annoyance that I question things. As if that is proof I must be on the wrong side. Makes me think about the banjo player from Mumford and Sons, Winston Marshall.
.
After finishing new books, he regularly tweets his thoughts, but after he finished “unmasked”, by Andy Ngo, and tweeting his praise, he found himself in a firestorm of social media attacks. How could he call it a good read since it was critical of Antifa’s violence? This made me wonder about the book and its author, Andy Ngo. He’s American and the son of refugees who left Vietnam in the 70s, boat people, fleeing corruption and totalitarianism by the communists. His family has real stories. I can understand why a guy like that would write a book like that.
.
My friend thinks political violence is only about right wing people. I’m surprised he doesn’t know political ideologies practice a lot of murder, all sides. In fact I’ve even heard him sing Nick Lowe’s What’s so funny about Peace, Love and Understanding. Maybe he was joking. I admire how Frank Zappa showed up when government censorship threatened popular music lyrics. The concern in the media was lyrics influenced behavior. Zappa replied most songs on the radio are love songs. If lyrics influence behavior why aren’t more people practising love?