Uncle Neil's Two Shout Outs/answer to those who cry "hypocrite".

brianlux

Neil Young has gotten some flack here and there for being a hypocrite because he fights big oil but also flies and uses buses. Here's his answer to that (from Neil's Facebook page):

Two Shout Outs
01.28.14
From The Passenger*

Dedicated to Didi who knows one of life’s great lessons: sometimes it’s okay to lose your shit.

Shout out one. To the people who’ve sent their love and wishes: Thank you very much.

Shout out two. To the people who’ve sent their anger and hate and spewed their bile (please note this one’s a little longer):

First you shout derogatory clichés. We say Honour The Treaties. So you curse some more. Then you shout “hypocrites” because we sometimes fly on planes or use oil-based products. You ignore the fact that biodiesel has fueled the buses and trucks for a decade or more. You avoid the fact that Lincvolt – the most beautiful car I have ever known – is electric and charges using cellulosic ethanol. Fuel grown by farmers. Our farmers. And she’s big and she's fast. You moan that we drove up to Fort Mac in Lincvolt last August and ignored the “whole story.” Like we drove from San Francisco to the tar pit to do a feel good chamber of commerce piece. Like we were doing a progoganda film about CAPP’s stewardship of the land. We were shooting for a film about CO2. A film about Lincvolt. Something she knows a little bit about. Remember she shook her fossil fuel addiction. Fort Mac (the tar sands) is one of the planet's largest contributors to CO2 emissions. CO2 emission is the single largest cause of climate chaos. Vehicles burning fossil fuel are the single largest cause of CO2. Alberta oil is the dirtiest member of the CO2 spewing fossil fuel family – unless you count coal. I'm sure you get the connection.

You question our commitment and say musicians should just shut up and play. Like music is a place devoid of emotion or discussion or revolution. (I wonder what people in Kiev are listening to right now.) You even say this on the very day the great Pete Seeger flew away. I will be eternally thankful that Pete didn’t just shut up and play.

You say go back to America. Like it matters where people are from in this global age. An age you freely embrace economically. You scream “He’s no Canadian” knowing exactly who is born and bred here. Knowing full well that Canada is home. But for all you flag waving bleating and posturing you refuse to even discuss the fact that the Big Oil tar sands rights are 71% in the hands of foreign corporations. 71% of the profit leaves this country. This Canada. Let’s talk about that.

You say we are anti-oil. Okay, I’ll give you this one. But that’s not what
the tour was about. Our message is Honour The Treaties. You brought up the anti-oil crusade theme. And in spite of your best efforts and some ridiculous journalism from Corporate News Canadian Headquarters, 78% of the Edmonton Journal’s readership polled in our favour. Edmonton, for the sake of our offshore friends, is the capital city of Alberta. The Alberta government subsidizes Big Oil to the tune of 1.1 billion US dollars every year. The Harper Government – Canada’s – chips in with another 1.4 billion US dollars. Upon further reflection I feel that we aren’t anti-oil exactly, it’s more like we're anti-avarice.

You say we are anti-worker. What bullshit. There isn’t a clear-headed worker out there who believes this made-up crap. The music we march to didn’t just show up on the radar last year sometime. They all know that. Consolidate your feces dark siders, Neil Young has proudly represented workers for decades.

You say show me your solution. Yet you discount all of the things that are happening right in front of your eyes. All the solar panels. All the wind turbines. All the biofuel and the ethanol and hybrids and electric vehicles. Do you know Ontario shut down its last coal-burning power generator? Do you know that the EU will be 20% green powered by the end of the decade? Do you know Brazil runs on ethanol? Do you know Tesla’s sedan is the biggest selling car in Norway? Of course you do. But you don’t want to talk about solutions. You’d rather call us names.

You don’t read what we post. You don’t watch what we post. You just curse and talk down at us - people you don’t even know. Relying on tactics most adults left back in the schoolyard. Your pseudo personalities auto-replay your message. Your crap plays over and over again as you constantly try to change the channel. It won’t be changed.

You slander. You demean the First Nations. You snicker into your lonely space. You curse. I read your posts and wonder what you will tell your children when they ask you what you believe in?

You think we are all stupid. We aren’t.

Onward.

Honour The Treaties.

The Passenger

polaris_x

climate chaos!!

Drowned Out

Ya, Neil's fb page was schooling the Calgary Herald (newspaper running editorials against him) throughout the tour. There are some great points made in this article. And I'm thankful that they've taken note of the poll conducted by the Journal here in Edmonton, and realize they have much more support than the media would have us believe. Although, the results of that poll (and the question asked) would likely have been much different if our local tabloid rag/car dealership advertisement daily, the Sun, had conducted it.
I don't think there was anything hypocritical about NY's position at all. Besides, this tour was about raising awareness for treaty rights, NOT a blatant attack on the oil sands. Good to see them fire back at the industry post partum.


I will say, however, that I DO see hypocrisy in NY ignoring calls to boycott Israel...he is playing a show there while the BDS movement is starting to gain ground. I don't see how you can ignore apartheid in Israel, while touring to promote indigenous rights. Very hypocritical and disappointing.

brianlux

Drowned Out said:

Ya, Neil's fb page was schooling the Calgary Herald (newspaper running editorials against him) throughout the tour. There are some great points made in this article. And I'm thankful that they've taken note of the poll conducted by the Journal here in Edmonton, and realize they have much more support than the media would have us believe. Although, the results of that poll (and the question asked) would likely have been much different if our local tabloid rag/car dealership advertisement daily, the Sun, had conducted it.
I don't think there was anything hypocritical about NY's position at all. Besides, this tour was about raising awareness for treaty rights, NOT a blatant attack on the oil sands. Good to see them fire back at the industry post partum.


I will say, however, that I DO see hypocrisy in NY ignoring calls to boycott Israel...he is playing a show there while the BDS movement is starting to gain ground. I don't see how you can ignore apartheid in Israel, while touring to promote indigenous rights. Very hypocritical and disappointing.

Good point- unless his reason for going is to send a message to promote peace. I hope at the very least he gives us good reason why he and Crazy Horse are playing there.

I wonder, could also be argued that all band should boycott playing the US for similar reasons?

polaris_x

everyone's a hypocrite ... we all have to acknowledge those hypocrisies ... Neil Young could be the ex-CEO of Exxon and it still doesn't change the validity of his message ... all it does is give people who are lazy their path of least resistance ..

Drowned Out

brianlux said:

Good point- unless his reason for going is to send a message to promote peace. I hope at the very least he gives us good reason why he and Crazy Horse are playing there.

I wonder, could also be argued that all band should boycott playing the US for similar reasons?

Sorry for the late response.....I see what you’re saying. Most major powers do have blood on their hands. But my opinion won’t be swayed by ‘everyone is doing it’….. I would never turn my back on an artist who protests, boycotts, or uses their position of influence to push for peace and justice. If Neil Young boycotted Canada over first nation treaty rights, I’d support that. If Neil Young goes to Israel with an agenda of raising awareness for Palestine, and played somewhere Palestinians could easily attend, I’d support that. But just going to Israel to perform constitutes tacit support of the occupation….not just because it ignores the lack of rights for Palestinians, but because it becomes fodder for the Zionist PR machine. When Soundgarden and the Pixies announced their shows there and debate ensued, every artist that has played Israel was paraded out as proof that Israel is safe and everything is ok. Personally, I would never want my name used in such context, and given Neil’s stance on First Nation rights in Canada, there is a conflict of interest there. It’s disappointing, but I have not given up hope that Neil has something up his sleeve.

brianlux

Drowned Out said:

brianlux said:

Good point- unless his reason for going is to send a message to promote peace. I hope at the very least he gives us good reason why he and Crazy Horse are playing there.

I wonder, could also be argued that all band should boycott playing the US for similar reasons?

Sorry for the late response.....I see what you’re saying. Most major powers do have blood on their hands. But my opinion won’t be swayed by ‘everyone is doing it’….. I would never turn my back on an artist who protests, boycotts, or uses their position of influence to push for peace and justice. If Neil Young boycotted Canada over first nation treaty rights, I’d support that. If Neil Young goes to Israel with an agenda of raising awareness for Palestine, and played somewhere Palestinians could easily attend, I’d support that. But just going to Israel to perform constitutes tacit support of the occupation….not just because it ignores the lack of rights for Palestinians, but because it becomes fodder for the Zionist PR machine. When Soundgarden and the Pixies announced their shows there and debate ensued, every artist that has played Israel was paraded out as proof that Israel is safe and everything is ok. Personally, I would never want my name used in such context, and given Neil’s stance on First Nation rights in Canada, there is a conflict of interest there. It’s disappointing, but I have not given up hope that Neil has something up his sleeve.

I hope NY does make clear his intentions for playing there. I guess we'll have to wait and see. You make some very good points, Drowned Out.