The rhetoric in this country over politics has become so extreme. Yet somehow, for a few media outlets, it’s not extreme enough.
In a piece published on Salon, Caryn Rose criticized the Irish band U2 and their latest concert tour in America for not being “radical” enough. This doesn’t make much sense, given the tour features demonic character filled with political vitriol.
In each stop, “Macphisto” appears on screen above the stage. The devilish character is actually lead singer Bono with a creepy, demonic filter over his face.
According to Salon, the character says: “Please allow me to introduce myself. I’m a man … of wealth and taste. I been around for many a long year… stole many a man’s soul … to waste. I was there in Charlottesville, with the Nazi flags!” [gives Nazi salute] “… and the KKK. It was I spray-painted the First Lady’s coat—I told her it was all the rage.”
Other parts of the concert include Bono singing “This is not America/Where is America?/Are you America?” while images of “white supremacists marching in Charlottesville and elsewhere” played in the background.
Salon’s Rose was not impressed with Bono’s emphasis on unity and coming together, though, and wrote, “But the problem is that this is, exactly, America right now, and insisting that it’s not—especially in this particular context—is inaccurate and ham-fisted at best.”
Rose yearned for the U2 of days past that “directly confronted the Chilean government” and the band that sang “Sunday, Bloody Sunday.” Resistance was required, not just edgy political commentary and a call for unity and compromise.
Not even the devil showing up on stage was enough for Rose. Although, the character did criticize liberals for being offended at everything. Perhaps Rose was merely offended by that. {eoa}
This article originally appeared on NewsBusters.org.
