In these two distinct interviews, 21 years apart – Frank Zappa on CNN’s March 28th, 1986 episode of “Crossfire”, and 2008 presidential candidate Ron Paul on the December 23rd, 2007 episode of “Meet The Press” – both men discuss the danger of America’s slide towards a type of theological, right-wing, corporate Fascism. Amazing how Zappa’s very idea of an American theologically based fascism brought him nothing but ridicule in 1986, while in 2010 we are currently living in the very world he had described. Zappa was most definitely a futurist in his own right.
Frank at his best. I love these fragments. He so much himself, cool, ironic, true, and what a debater. One against three!
Miss you, Frank.
The quote “When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.” is pretty famous. According to Wikipedia it’s a misquote of a line in a play by Sinclair Lewis. The name of the play will be familiar to Zappa fans: “It Can’t Happen Here”.
A few years ago I sent an email to LOFTON.
He is a fringe standard bearer for theocracy these days.
It went something like, “Hey, I loved seeing you with
Frank Zappa on Crossfire many years ago. When Frank
mentioned the idea of a fascist theocracy, you just laughed
and laughed. That was great! I guess that makes you the
biggest lying cocksucker on earth, huh? Please don’t reply
because I won’t read your email.”
He responded (and I read it).
He wrote, “I killed Frank Zappa.”
True story.
Frank Zappa and Ron Paul go together about as well as feminism and Saudi Arabia. Among Ron Paul’s most ardent supporters you’ll find antisemites, creationists (Ron Paul himself claims not to believe evolutionary science), and conspiracy theorists of all types. Basically, anyone who is too crazy for the Tea Baggers (but not quite stupid enough) typically ends up with Ron Paul stickers all over everything he owns (and lots of stuff he doesn’t own, too).
Of course, FZ also had his share of utterly batshit insane fans (not all of them in the good way, either). Ultimately, who gives a fuck anway.
playing with this band is like trying to grow a WATERMELON IN EASTER HAY!
futuremonkey is correct. Remember when Zappa was flirting with the Libertarian Party? He decided against an affiliation, saying that their platform ‘made no sense’. Paul may be right about a few things – or rather I may agree with him about a few things – but he is also crazy, and his movement a haven for not just anti-semites, but other racists. He appeals to teenaged boys (of any age) with limited experience of the world and crazy right-wingers.
too bad.
Ah, yes, your average Ron Paul supporter: young guys who want their weed, want the war to end, but don’t want Mexicans coming into the country.
And I agree, the Libertarian movement is fucked. Too many people with sketchy at best, damnable at worst beliefs fall under that umbrella, from anti-government types like Ron Paul (who would like to do away with the Dept. of Education, revert to the gold standard, AND leave fixing our infrastructure up to citizens) to hedonists like Penn Jillette.*
The best thing we can hope for is that these Teabaggers will splinter the rightist fringe out of the Libertarian Party can make it a little more Leftist.
(*I say this having watched every episode of ‘Bullshit!,’ which I thoroughly enjoy, even the episodes with which I do not agree at all. I think if Penn and I met, we’d get along – we both hate Michael Moore and we both love The Residents – but when it came to certain factors in how our nation should be run, eh…probably not.)
[quote comment=”9770″]Of course, FZ also had his share of utterly batshit insane fans (not all of them in the good way, either). Ultimately, who gives a fuck anway.[/quote]
I endorse both of these assertions.
Yeah, Penn is a nutjob too! But, he can be funny and he is fiercely smart. but, yes, I’d want to punch him pretty quickly, I’ve no doubt, were I to talk to him about most any topic other than music or pop culture! This goes for most libertarian types I’ve ever met – they can be amusing, but also scary in how little they understand the wider world.
Very informative.
He is not a futurist. He managed to see it already in 80s because he knew and noticed more than others. When nowerdays the problem became so obvious and clear that every layman can see it we recall his words and say that he is futurist.