If you were into jazz as a college student in the 1950s, you were also into Nat Hentoff, whose great work appeared in Down Beat and the Village Voice. If he had given grades to his readers, he would have been one of your most important professors. This is from a recent piece:
Nat Hentoff, WND : Now 90, I have a number of expected age-related problems. But as long as you can still read my reporting on our presidents tossing aside the separation of powers and other constitutional limitations on the executive branch, why should I retire?
As the late Cardinal John O’Connor once said to me, “Nat, I hope we don’t lose you. You’re the only Jewish, atheist, civil libertarian, pro-lifer, tireless free speech advocate we have.”
So said this Catholic leader of the New York archdiocese.
And from Duke Ellington I learned never to retire from jazz and life. This was when I was in my teens, working at a Boston radio station where I’d also had a weekly jazz program.
Later I was struck at how tired Duke had become while he and his orchestra were playing more than 200 one-nighters a year all over this land.
Presumptuously, I told him: “Duke, you don’t have to endure this. You’ve written classics and can retire on your ASCAP income.”
Duke looked at me as if I’d lost all my marbles and roared: “Retire? To what?”
That burned a hole in my consciousness. After all, one of Duke’s songs was called “What Am I Here For?”
2 comments:
Re: I am not retiring at 90 – retire to what?
Nhentoff@worldnetdaily.com
So many right-leaning people via the web, told me I was "anti-American", that if I had nothing to hide, I had nothing to worry about and that I was a "terrorist sympathizer" because I spoke out so much about the Patriot Act when it was first forced onto our nation. Almost humorously, yet predictable, as soon as Obama becomes president, this Patriot Act became treasonous and anti-Constitutional in the minds of those who attacked me prior. I would even state that this would happen to these people, once Obama or any other Democrat becomes president. I saw similar behavior once Bill Clinton became president and have read how it had happened once Jimmy Carter became president. Now, I am not a political analyst, or historian, but thanks to being able to cross-reference what is stated on-line and in hard copy, multiple times over, I have been able, as a lay person to see this. I do not know how everyone can not see the hypocrisy of this obvious play-out of predictable events has happened over many decades. I can only assume that the most "vocal" in America, who are political in any way, are uneducated. I am a "liberal", which means, I am the first one to point out when someone is a hypocrite. Even Democrats. I knew when Obama signed the newly-named Patriot Act into law, that it was wrong, along with many, many other things Democrats in Congress, on all levels, even local levels, acted less than honorable. I have emailed, tweeted, even hand wrote letters and posted on their personal Facebook pages, and those that support them, when I disagreed with them, even telling them they are party of the "Tea-Party". So don't assume I am here to blindly follow any political party. If Americans cared as much about all those other Americans who die yearly because of lack of safety regulations in almost all areas of or day to day life like vehicles, foods, medicines, hospitals etc. as they do about how everyone else is different then themselves, the USA would be a better place!
Corey Mondello
Boston, Massachusetts
Thanks Corey, I also went ballistic when the F$$King so called Patriot Act was first proposed then enacted. The fact it is still on the books speaks volumes why this country needs the Green and/or other political parties.
I'm not much into labels however I must be a liberal as hypocrisy is the bane to my existence.
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