More on Protest Music...and a Blog to Check Out

So, I was reading the New York Times this morning as an accompaniment to my yogurt and herbal tea when I noticed an article about the intriguing lack of protest songs.  The article points out that many of the artists currently writing in the protest genre are older folks (with the exception of Everlast, but he isn't exactly young by music standards).  Also, there was a sense that both the audience and the record companies don't like the controversy music like this might cause. Perhaps, too, songs about economic justice are just harder to write than peace songs.  Finally, there was a nod to social networking bring people together in a way that music used to.

There was something else in the article that got me thinking.  Someone pointed out--citing recent works by Green Day and Pink--that protest songs seem to be more easily written during Republican administrations.  There is a person to embody the issue.  On the other hand, Obama is someone that many of these potential protest writers voted for.  Some folks had high hopes.  Some of us (including me) just had regular hope.  Obviously, it has been a frustrating few years for the 99%, which is at least part of why the occupation is happening.  Plenty of protesters are angry with Obama, just not in the Tea Party kind of way.

 With that in mind, I wonder if this is a case where the religious tradition of lament may be of assistance to our occupy songsters.  That is, maybe not a fight song, but the blues...


Anyway, here is the link to the NYT article.  It is worth the read.

Here--just in case you didn't read it--is the link to my previous post on this subject.

And...drum roll...here is a link to the new blog of my friend Peter Boulatta!  Peter is doing quite a bit of "occupy" blogging right now but, as a fellow clergyperson, I know that he has other plans as well.

Michael Vick, Ebenezer Baptist Church, Second Chances

The Story of Michael Vick is, I think, pretty well known by even non-football fans.  This Sunday he is returning to Atlanta where he first played in the NFL.  It is also the place he left when the bottom fell out and he went to prison.  Now he is a big star again with the Philadelphia Eagles, trying to re-write his place in the world.

Here is a link that I found interesting, both because of the QB in question and because of the church.  It made me think about the life of congregations and the act of forgiveness.  It is apparently in two parts, I have only seen the piece on the left...

Greatest Hits

So Burbania Posts has been plugging away since August of 2009.  In honor of its impending anniversary I will (over the next few weeks when I feel like it) find reasons to post links to old articles.  Today I will provide you with links to the five most-viewed BP articles of all time.  These aren't necessarily my favorites and some simply pop up more often on Google for some reason.  Still, here they are, from #5 to #1...

#5  So Who Are the UU Christians?  This is a relatively recent post.  Its popularity may well have something to do with the fact that I have pushed it at church as something folks might want to read.  It has to do with one of the most central concerns of life in a congregation like Eliot.  Responses, incidentally, have been varied...

#4 Declining Denominations  Who among BP's core readership isn't interested in this?  My relatives, that's who (excluding the Reverend Mother, of course).  It also appears on Google sometimes...

#3 The Liberal Church is the Modern Monastery?  OK, I was surprised by this one.  It was an early attempt to think of ways to re-cast how we think of the liberal church in Burbania.  I will need to go and read it again to see what it says...

# 2 Meadville/Lombard Makes Me Dizzy  Other UU bloggers have noted that posts about UU institutions (particularly snarky ones) get a whole lot of hits.  These thoughts about my alma mater make it to #2 on the all-time list.  It is an interesting read today since so much has happened to M/L since.  Perhaps they should put a hard copy in the archives at Wiggin Library

and (drum roll please)...

...#1  Ukulele Hymns for Congregational Worship!  I know...shocking.  I think there has been some genuine interest in worship for smaller congregations.  This is a good thing as smaller congregations may be a thing of the future.  Also, I have discovered over the past few months a fairly ecumenical interest in the subject.  There have been quite a few searches using the key words of the title.

I do hope that folks have found the uke series helpful as I have enjoyed working on it.  Even if you don't have a uke, much of what I have written about is applicable in other contexts...

Anyway, that is all for now!  Thanks the folks who have dropped by over the years.  I am still around so feel free to drop by again!  This is definitely the...um...longest lasting of all my blogs...

...Oh...and a consolation prize goes to #6 on the all-time list: When Will College Cease to be Relevant?

Interesting Link: Michael Irvin in Out Magazine

Today is the day I do the work of getting together the order of service for Sunday.  I also need to start thinking about the sermon, itself.  Thanks to my "Church Musician" status, this process has become a bit long and involved.  Therefore, I have little time to write today.

I do have an interesting link for you though.  Michael Irvin will need no introduction to football fans.  During his playing days he was a larger-than life character and stereotypical sports "bad boy".  Now as an announcer, he retains a bit of that charm.  This month he is on the cover of Out magazine talking about his brother who was gay, the pressures he felt around issues of sexuality throughout his career as a football player, and about his current position on gay marriage, among other things.  Religion geeks might be interested in knowing that he is the son of a Primitive Baptist pastor and is now a member of TD Jakes' congregation.

He also speculates about how an openly gay athlete would fare in any of the big leagues.  It turns out, he is optimistic. 

For what it is worth, Irvin is now a respected elder statesman in his world.  What he says hold a great deal of weight to many.  You may want to read it...

Here it is.

Random Interesting Links: Goodbye Space

As you are probably aware, today marks the final launching of the NASA space shuttle program.  This is sad.  I am a big fan and, honestly, don't see why we want to stop sending people up.  I dimly recall an urge to privatize (a popular urge these days) but I have been a fan of Kirk, Spock, and Bones too long to think it is a good idea to let corporations control outer space. It just seems shortsighted to me.

Well, that is all.  It just seems that the day needs to be noticed and marked in some way.

Here are two links.

This one is to the official NASA launch page.

This one is to the Goddard Project.  It is a program funded by the Worcester Area Mission Society (WAMS), the service arm of the Central Association of the Massachusetts Conference, United Church of Christ (CA-MACUCC).  WAMS does do many, many other things.  Most of them are a of a traditional church service variety.  However, this is perhaps the most fitting to link to today.

Random Interesting Link: UCC General Synod!

The house is quiet this morning for the first time in a long time.  Sons #1 and #2 are at camp.  Son #3 is in daycare.  This is great.  I think I will get some work done.

In honor of that work, this Friday I begin a new feature.  The Random Interesting Link.  Today it is to the United Church of Christ Official General Synod Webpage!   As you may recall, I wasn't at GA and I missed people.  Now I am not at this (sigh).  Oh well...there is always the next one...