Recently in the news: Members of American rock bands have been demanding to know which of their songs were used to torture terrorist “suspects” at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility. Apparently, word leaked out when former detainees filed lawsuits against our country for mistreatment. Declassified documents listed 35 artists, including the theme from Sesame Street. The band REMsaid the use of their friend’s music to torture detainees was “horrific.”
Really?? Horrific? Wow. That sounds bad.
Okay, I totally understand how playing the theme to Sesame Street over and over again might be deemed as torture, but really? Horrific?
Horrific is when our soldiers are captured in Iraq and their captors use a drill on them. Horrific is when terrorists flew into the Towers and murdered thousands of innocent people. Horrific is when you have to listen to a bunch of drug-addled, self-centered, rock band members spout their opinions on politics, world peace, or being eco-friendly. They should really stick to what they know: drugs, groupies, and hearing aids.
As the mother of two grown children I know a little something about torture. Sometimes it does include music but not always. I can usually handle the music. It’s waiting up all hours to hear them come in safely, waiting for them to clean their bathroom before mold eats its way through the walls to the rest of the house, waiting for them to learn fiscal responsibility, waiting for them to call, waiting for them to…
Waiting. That’s torture.
Of course, if I had to listen to “It’s a small, small world” for any length of time, I might rethink this whole article. Actually, the theme to the Brady Bunch would probably have me screaming for mercy.
What I really want to know is, if these rock band members think their music is “horrific torture” why do they keep writing and playing it? Perhaps they should get a real job—something they’re truly qualified for—like running a jackhammer or teaching at Harvard University.
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