Posted on 10/31/2018 1:36:19 PM PDT by yesthatjallen
Neil Young is taking on the National Rifle Association (NRA) and pushing for “common sense gun laws” ahead of the midterm elections, releasing a new video for his 1970 protest song “Ohio.”
“’Ohio’ was written back in 1970 after seeing the cover of a magazine with a young girl kneeling beside her fallen friend. When the National Guard murdered four students at Ohio’s Kent State University for protesting the Vietnam War, it was a pivotal moment in our history. It was a pivotal moment for me,” Young wrote of the inspiration behind the Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young song in a Wednesday message posted on his website.
“Today we see what we have become,” Young said.
“With no real laws protecting us from guns, and with politicians supporting the NRA because the NRA supports them, we are not well represented,” Young, 72, wrote under a video of him performing “Ohio.”
In the video, images from the aftermath of the 1970 shooting are interspersed with sounds of footage of news coverage of recent school shootings. Clips of protesters chanting, "Never again!" and holding signs saying, "Listen to the kids," are also shown.
“Today’s students are brave, demanding change in violent times,” Young wrote.
“We stand with them. They are us. We are them. This has been going on for far too long.”
The Canadian-born songwriter said he created the video with his wife, actress Daryl Hannah, for viewers to “reflect on.”
“Support the students. Support our children. They want protection. Not more guns,” said Young.
“Give us common sense gun laws that protect our people, in schools, in places of worship, in the workplace and on the streets. VOTE.”
NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch has lobbed barbs at Young before, once comparing the Grammy Award winner’s voice to a “dying cow.”
The NRA didn’t immediately return ITK’s request for comment.
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Why haven’t they deported this ***hole yet?
“The Canadian-born songwriter said he created the video with his wife, actress Daryl Hannah, for viewers to “reflect on.”
Hopefully, Neil Young isn’t beating her like Jackson Brown did.
an lefty idiot canadian who’s been here in the US for 50 years who hates this country. My apologies to our Freeper canadians who love America..
“I Hope Neil Young will remember, a southern man don’t need him around anyhow.”
NRA=The subversives newspeak for gun owners.
Useless has-been Canadian.
So he wrote a song years ago about unarmed civilians being shot by the National Guard ... which means he should be 100% behind the NRA. Am I missing something here?
Shoot at military troops, win stupid prizes.
“Why Do I Keep F-ing Up?,” by Neil Young: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvRmBUEwtZg&frags=pl%2Cwn
Good question, Neil.
The National Guard at Kent State would have had to perform executions for months on end to challenge the death toll racked up by mexican and chinese fentanyl.
I would nominate your post for "post of the day" if there was such a thing.
Yes.
Modern audio analysis definitively proved that a weapon was fired upon the National Guard from the back of the crowd.
Unarmed civilians don’t carry shootin’ irons.
I sincerely doubt that Neil Young is unaware of this, just as the Episcopal Church is likely cognizant of the fact the Matthew Shepard was actually killed by a former lover in a methamphetamine deal gone wrong.
There was a T.V. movie made in the early 80’s about Kent State.
I was watching it with two of my buddies, one of them was a newly minted Army 2nd Lt going to Armor school. As the movie ended he said, “Typical Guard operation...hundreds of rounds down range and only 4 dead.”
Yeah, why DON'T we have any laws about guns ? ?
You would think that after 250 years, this country or one of the states could come up with AT LEAST ONE gun law.
...
What?
...
Oh...
...
Never mind.
Neil, we love your music, but the part of your brain that makes you a gifted artist... Well let’s just say nothing comes without a price my friend.
STFU about politics, you don’t have a clue, and you’re not even American. As far as “OHIO”, I thought it was a cool song when it came out. I didn’t know the context of the times.
Now I do.
The ROTC building was burned to the ground the day before. Culminating in weeks of protests, riots, and worse across the nation. The National Guard wasn’t deployed to that campus in a vacuum. Shame on you for inserting yourself in this business.
Shut up and sing. Enjoy your hundreds of millions of dollars, your California ranch spread, bought with dollars provided to you by your fans. Stay out of politics. No good can come of it, unless you want to be used as a contrary indicator.
Like many musicians and actors their political leanings are naive, leftist and predictable. It’s a shame these people can’t just shut up and do their thing without demonstrating their ignorance on political matters.
Nonetheless Neil Young is an interesting bird. A Has-been but quite different. Here is one story from Graham Nash.
“I was at Neil’s ranch one day... and he has a beautiful lake with red-wing blackbirds. He asked me if I wanted to hear his new album, Harvest, and I said, ‘Sure, let’s go into the studio and listen’. Oh no, that’s not what Neil had in mind. He said, ‘Get into the rowboat... we’re going to go out into the middle of the lake’.
“Now, I think he’s got a little cassette player with him or a little, you know, early digital format player, so I’m thinking I’m going to wear headphones and listen in the relative peace in the middle of Neil’s lake.
“Oh no! He has his entire house as the left speaker and his entire barn as the right speaker. And I heard Harvest coming out of these two incredibly large loud speakers, louder than hell. It was unbelievable. Elliot Mazer, who produced Harvest, came down to the shore of the lake and he shouted out to Neil, ‘How was that, Neil?’ And I swear to God, Neil Young shouted back, ‘More barn!’”
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.