Hurrah for Krystian Zimerman, the great Polish concert pianist. He brings his own Steinway concert grand on his tours. It was was seized by the TSA in New York, which claimed to think that the glue holding the case together might be an explosive, and so destroyed the instrument. Yes, the old exploding piano trick. Later, another piano was seized in Atlanta and simply held long enough to wreck his tour. Zimerman had denounced the Bush II administration for its concentration camp in Cuba and aggressive wars, and he pledged not to return to the US as long as W held power. Now he has he told the empire at a concert to keep its hands off his country, and not to plant its missiles there, as Obama plans. When some audience members walked out, cursing, he noted that when you mention the military, some people can’t help but march. Then he said he would never visit the US again. Too bad. We can use his music and his principles. At least we can still listen to his recording of the first and second Chopin piano concertos, and indeed to all his CDs.
UPDATE from Phil Hensley:
Great comment regarding the heroic pianist. I used to be one of those people that had the thought of “well I’m here to enjoy a concert/performance/etc.” and don’t mix your politics with the event. However, come to think of it, the very same people that complain about this type of behavior are the same propagandist that demand we play the national battle hymn before every sporting event where the regime’s colors must be displayed, saluted, and revered. And if you don’t “show respect”, you will be at the very least admonished, if not ejected.
Just once I would love to see someone get up during the national anthem and yell “Just stick to the sports and leave your politics at home!”
UPDATE from Jim Clark:
9:30 am on April 28, 2009OK, I’ll admit I am jaded, but this takes the cake. I am a bluegrass fan and therefore not very sophisticated. Nevertheless, my wife has an old Lowrey piano which cost us plenty 35 years ago and I’d hate to see it damaged. Here we have a great Polish concert pianist who totes his own Steinway on tours. Thinking the coast was clear, he honors us with his music and we trash one of his piano and keep him from using another one. I thought we had dogs and gadgets that could sniff explosives, but I guess they don’t work for Polish Terrrists. I have not checked, but suspect that either of those pianos cost more than the salary of Janet Napolitano. Of all the damn names for the tyrant in charge of the DHS! I just hope she’s never confused or associated with the great Judge, Andrew Napolitano. This is another good example of just how sick and out of control the government of the United States is. I wish I could escape to a land where there is peace and sanity, but cannot so will survive on LRC daily as my only consolation.
