Sunday, June 7, 2009

Murder

A Broadway show that I think is under appreciated is Jekyll & Hyde by Steve Cuden, Frank Wildhorn, and Leslie Bricusse. This may be due in some part to the fact that Baywatcher and Knight Rider David Hasselhoff had the lead role when the show finally closed. He was, how shall I say it, NOT Robert Cuccioli or even Sebastian Bach, two others who played the lead.

Regardless of who played the lead, there were a bunch of good songs. For starters we have Facade:



There's a face that we wear
In the cold light of day -
It's society's mask,
It's society's way,
And the truth is
That it's all a facade!

There are preachers who kill!
There are killers who preach!
There are teachers who lie!
There are liars who teach!
Take yer pick, dear -
"Cause it's all a facade!

If we're not one, but two,
Are we evil or good?
Do we walk the fine line -
That we'd cross if we could?
Are we waiting -
To break through the facade?

Facade introduces the concept of "evil" and "good" coexisting. The subject is explored further in Good and Evil.



My philosophy
Any child can see -
"Good is evil -
And therefore
All evil is good"

How do you tell evil from good?
Evil does well - good not so good!
Evil's the one that is free everywhere -
Good is the one that they sell!
You must decide which is heaven -
Which is hell!

Evil is everywhere -
Good doesn't have a prayer!
Good is commendable -
Evil's dependable!
Evil is viable
Good's unreliable!
Good may be thankable!
Evil is bankable!

Where does it all lead? Murder, of course:



Try to ignore the influence of Mary Poppins in this scene...

Murder, murder -
It's a curse, man!
Murder, murder -
It's perverse, man!
Murder, murder -
Nothing's worse than
Bloody murder
In the night!

Murder, murder -
Or our doorstep!
Murder, murder -
So watch your step!
Murder, murder -
Take one more step,
You'll be murdered
In the night!


What drove me to Jeykll & Hyde was Jeffrey Feldman's article The Politics of Murder.

The violent killing of yet another American doctor at the hands of yet another right-wing political activist forces us to ask a crucial question: Why does the right-wing anti-abortion movement in America repeatedly give rise to people who see murder as a legitimate form of protest?

The answer does not lie in any single procedure (e.g. "late term abortions"), but in the violent rhetoric that defines a political movement.

The murderer of Dr. George Tiller is the product of a political movement that has so thoroughly expanded the definition of "murder" that it now includes everything and everyone who rejects or even questions the idea that a zygote is a citizen. Until that movement changes its focus, it will continue to give rise to activists who kill doctors.

...

No matter how many or how few late term abortions are performed, so long as the right-wing anti-abortion movement continues to fold dissent into an ever-expanding definition of "murder," then the right-wing will continue to give rise to activists who kill doctors.
These sentiments were echoed by Jane Ahlin in her column Abortion Debate: Poisonous Rhetoric, Mainstream Silence...

Be clear. No one wants to suppress free speech or compromise freedom of religion. But good people understand the power of language. And in a democratic society, good people don’t call other good people “murderers.”

...

As for the many Americans ambivalent on the abortion issue? Ambivalence is inadequate. Consider what common ground might look like, and insist on civility in achieving it.

Ambivalence IS inadequate. Insist on civility. We have a choice between good and evil. We can all do better. We must...