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Testimony of Pete Seeger before the House Un-American Activities Committee
- mjhoy 13y agoIt's an interesting exchange. Scherer kept asking him where he had sung his songs; Pete kept insisting that he instead ask about what he had sung — that he would sing for anybody, so it wasn't relevant, and that his songs were always in good faith. > MR. SCHERER: Witness, you have indicated that you are perfectly willing to tell us about all of these innumerable functions at which you entertained, but why do you refuse to tell us about the functions that Mr. Tavenner inquires about? > MR. SEEGER: No, sir, I said that I should be glad to tell you about all of the songs that I have sung, because I feel that the songs are the clearest explanation of what I do believe in, as a musician, and as an American. Scherer wasn't interested at all in what the songs were about.
- MikeTaylor 13y agoI bet this is a fascinating read, but I can't make sense of it because my eyes are confounded by all the banjoes in the background. Dammit, Pete -- you're a mighty fine protest singer, but a rotten web designer!
- MikeTaylor 13y agoAha! I told AdBlock that http://www.peteseeger.net/Banjo.gif http://www.peteseeger.net/Banjo.gif was an advert, and now it doesn't render. Bingo: black text on a white background.
- bhuga 13y agoThanks for posting. Inspiring breakfast read. Relevant 60 years later. 'Are you now, or have you ever, been associated with any terrorist organizations?'
- Vvector 13y agoAnd he just passed away last night. http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/pete-seeger-legendary-folk-singer-dies-at-94/2014/01/28/36faeec0-c5dc-11df-94e1-c5afa35a9e59_story.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/pete-seeger-l...
- JakeStone 13y agoThis was my take away line, on a base level: > MR. SEEGER: I am sorry you are not interested in the song. It is a good song.
- leephillips 13y agoMy favorite part is: MR. SEEGER: It is like Jesus Christ when asked by Pontius Pilate, "Are you king of the Jews?" CHAIRMAN WALTER: Stop that. Also, thankful for my "remove background" bookmarklet.
- RyanMcGreal 13y agoI decline to discuss, under compulsion, where I have sung, and who has sung my songs, and who else has sung with me, and the people I have known. I love my country very dearly, and I greatly resent this implication that some of the places that I have sung and some of the people that I have known, and some of my opinions, whether they are religious or philosophical, or I might be a vegetarian, make me any less of an American. I will tell you about my songs, but I am not interested in telling you who wrote them, and I will tell you about my songs, and I am not interested in who listened to them.
- giantrobothead 13y ago>MR. SEEGER: I continued singing, and I expect I always will. May you always. By far the most meaningful line of the exchange.