From: ed@cwis.unomaha.edu (Ed Stastny)
Subject: Re: Sinead on SNL...YAY SINEAD!  
Organization: University of Nebraska at Omaha
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 05:38:22 GMT

cb366@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Mark B. Bendiksen) writes:



>I taped SNL and watched it the following day. After rewinding
>the last few seconds of O'Connor's so-called "musical
>number" several times I came to the following conclusion.

The first dig..."so-called".  Do you deny it was music?
Or were you just trying to insult her in anyway you could because you're
defensive?

>1. Ms. O'Connor has proven once again that she is
>   an expert at pointing out what she sees as wrong
>   with our society, without providing any suggestions
>   for solving these problems, much less putting these
>   solutions into action herself. If her song had given
>   any insight into why she ripped up the picture
>   of the Pope, perhaps I could forgive it. As it stands,
>   it is a pointless act generated solely to shock and to offend.

Let's ASSUME she had no suggestions.  Pointing out problems is
important.  People must decide what to do themselves.  She's
accomplished her goal...to SHOCK you into thinking about what she wanted
you to and to OFFEND you to the point of stirring up your emotions.  

I do think she has more to say, follow ups...but do you think the
mainstream and tame media is going to take her seriously?  Too many of
their target viewers are intolerant of radical political and philosophic
thought.  It's too much to think about.  
 
It seems you define it as a POINTLESS act to comfort yourself, perhaps
it had too much of a point?

>2. The lack of applause at the end ot her act was most
>   likely due to two reasons. First, the stunned
>   audience wa in too much shock to respond. Second,
>   I suspect that Sinead requested that the applause
>   sign not be lit up after the song. Just a guess...

I'd agree.

>As I mentioned in an earlier post, I have admired
>much os O'Connor's early recordings and her unusual
>vocal abilities, but she has no business being in
>the spotlight anymore where she can intentionally
>incite hatred and anger. Ironic, since she would
>claim to be doing what she does for "peace".
>What a joke. I sincerely hope that SNL increases
>their spoofs and attacks on this creature
>ten-fold. She deserves it more than anybody alive
>I can think of.

Why?  She wasn't inciting hatred in my eyes...just analyzation.  Anger
is good.  If no one got angry, everyone would be exploited.  
 
I tried to keep myself from getting involved in this whole discussion,
but I find myself sickened at the biased and close-minded outlook on the
situation.  People are offended, so they try to reduce a person to
something they can understand and insult them with ad-hominem attacks.

I applaud Sinead for what she did.  First of all, I think I know what
she was getting at with the Pope-rip (Catholicism is causing death in
her homeland, I believe and religion itself is best left behind).
Secondly, it takes guts to do that sort of thing (for lack of a better
term).  If she wanted attention, she could have done many worse things.
She was making a statement that I interpretted as anti-institutionalized
religion and anti-dogma.  I agree.
 
I find it sad that so many people are intolerant...but you guys have the
right to speak too.  
 
I'm probably inviting flames and hate-mail for taking sides in
this...but I found it hard to keep silent in the face of these unfair
insults.  I think some of you need to open up a little more to the fact
that there are things wrong in this world and to accept that some people
care about that fact and aren't interested in your game.    
 
(the target is painted, take your best shots)
...e


>Mark B. Bendiksen
>cb366@freenet.cwru.edu
>-- 
>"If we don't get some cool rules ourselves, pronto,
> We'll just be bogus, too."-- Dr. Jeff Spicolli
--
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