Sunday Nov 15, 2009

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frank zappa on crossfire 1986.

i remember seeing this episode, actually.

VIEW 4 of 4 COMMENTS
bellyjack:
I watched it in the moment as well, and then again only a few months ago - don't remember the connection why, but watching Zappa slay these wildebeest again gives me the sense that all may not be lost .

SPOILERS! (Click to view)
Started then to transcribe what I thought was a particularly prescient bit of dialog, and finished it this evening.

Lofton: Does the government have any purpose, Frank? (talkover) What? What is it?
Zappa: (Yeh, it has a number of purposes) I'm not going to give you a civics lesson here.
Zappa: but I want to say one thing - we must not see eye to eye on the idea of a government that must forbid things in order to protect families.
Lofton: Really? What is the government's role. You've told me several times ...
Zappa: How about national defense?
Lofton: Yeh, I consider this National defense, pal - our families are under attack! - from people like you with these lyrics!
Braden: John, you don't have to buy them ...
Novak: Mr. Zappa?
Zappa: Could I make a statement about national defense?
Lofton: Sure ... yeah.
Zappa: The biggest threat to America today is not communism, it's moving America towards a fascist theocracy and everything that has happened during the Reagan administration is steering us right down that pipe.
Novak: Oh, Mr - Mr. Zappa ...
Zappa: Yes. Mr. Zappa.
Novak: Do you - do you really think - I mean,
Zappa: I really think that.
Novak: .. all kidding .. all kidding aside. In this country with the permissiveness that we are moving toward a fascist theocracy? Anything goes
Zappa: You bet we are, buddy.
Novak: Do you, do you think things like this would ever (have been permitted)
Zappa: (talkover) there you give me that famous smile again.
Novak: When we were twenty - when we were twenty - when we were kids? You're about my age ...
Zappa: I'm 45.
Novak: Well. I'm 55. Do you think when I was a kid that they would permit songs like that to be sold?
Novak: I mean permissiveness is the game ... I mean I mean - your not, your not really serious if you're saying we're going towards a fascist theocracy.
Zappa: That's right, we are.
Braden: ... wait a minute.
Novak: In what way? Gimme one ...
Braden: Bob!
Lofton: wait .. wait .. wait. One example - one example of a fascist theocracy.
Zappa: When you have a government that prefers a certain moral code
derived from a certain religion and that moral code turns into legislation
to suit one certain religious point of view and if that code happens to be very, very right wing
almost toward Attila the Hun...
Lofton: Well then you are an anarchist. Every form of civil government is based on some kind of morality, Frank!
Zappa: Morality in terms of behavior, (Lofton: well, of course, of course ...) Zappa: not in terms of theology.


Remember thinking back then that television programs such as Crossfire were becoming ridiculous shout-fests, but now see them in comparison with today's as paragons of civil discourse. blackeyed
bellyjack:
Fear not. I remain skeptical of all, and re-evaluate my perceptions in a tight loop. While the juggernaut of social forces leading us to this outcome may have slowed it's momentum remains net positive, and we have yet to reach the critical cusp.

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