A Cappella Propaganda

Posted by arts_reviews

Posted: October 19, 2009 - 1:05 pm

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The following is a "You Be the Critic" letter from Edwin Anderson of Wasilla.

My wife and I both attended the 16th A Cappella Festivella at UAA (Oct. 15). We were hoping to experience the “rich textures of African American legacy and traditions” through the vocal performances by the group Sweet Honey in the Rock.

Instead of an enjoyable evening of experiencing a culture’s musical history, we were subjected to a lyrical political diatribe, complete with references to President Obama, health care, environmental protection, and the greed of corporate America.

One song titled “Do What the Spirit Say Do” encouraged us “if the Spirit say speak, speak like Martin Luther King and Barack Obama.”

Another song called “Greed” said that two sources of greed in particular are “in the military... in the churches.”

As a U.S. Marine who has been deployed to Iraq, I tend to believe that our military men and women serve out of more than their greedy nature.

Let's leave singing the praises of Barrack Obama to kintergardeners in New Jersey instead of importing it to our campus.

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