“Law and Order” Trump is the Nation’s Biggest Music Thief
It’s one thing to get sued for violating all of the environmental laws by dirtying our the air we breathe and water we drink. And also permitting more climate change with methane emissions and weaker coal plant and auto emissions rules with resulting more damaging fires, hurricanes and floods. And denying states their right to set their own standards. And barring your administration from testifying before Congress, and denying legitimate examination of your taxes. And suing to abolish Obamacare and healthcare for 20 million Americans, during a pandemic, no less. And getting sued for all of these things by environmental groups and government monitoring groups and the Congress and NY prosecutors.
But stealing the use of Leonard Cohen’s hit “Hallelujah” — that goes beyond the pale. And using it twice in the mini-concert at the end of your acceptance rant! It turns out that your campaign asked for last minute approval for its use, and it was denied. But that did not stop you from breaking down the barriers and play it anyway, and twice. The Cohen estate and BMI records are considering suing you for its use — twice. This also puts tenor Christopher Macchio and his small accompaniment at risk for violating the rules as well.
But Wait! Trump has infringed on the estate of Tom Petty, Rihanna, Elton John, Adele, Guns N Roses, Pharrell, Queen, the estate of Prince, Aerosmith, Earth Wind and Fire, The Rolling Stones, and Neil Young. Many have filed cease and desist orders, according to Jordan Hoffman in yesterday’s Vanity Fair. The often misused Rolling Stones song is “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”, which actually is an appropriate description of the failings of the Trump Administration. That is a total of thirteen singers or groups.
While there may not have been a formal admission fee to the Trump Acceptance Scarathon and Infectorama, many donors may have been present who paid in hefty contributions to SuperPACs or in organizing them. Hefty royalties should have been paid for the use of such songs.
Trump’s use of “Nessun dorma” or “Let no one sleep” was however appropriate for a man, and a convention, and now a political party, determined to give nightmares to suburban dwellers afraid of federal troops descending on peaceful demonstrators and wiping them out in minutes. Trump is daily spurring on armed counter demonstrators to create as much chaos as possible. The possible outcome of this may be that Trump can declare a national emergency and postpone the election. He has already tried this out because of the Coronavirus.
”Nessun Dorma” is from the opera “Turandot” by Giacomo Puccini in 1924. Turandot is the cold Princess in ancient China, who will only marry a suitor who can answer three riddles. Even then, knowledge and brains were required for government leadership. If a suitor fails at the three riddles, he is beheaded, analogous to Trump’s getting rid of most of his independent government leaders. As I recall, Verdi was expressing political opposition to Austrian occupation in his operas, which would have been censored and punished by Austrian leaders, similar to Trump’s oppression of peaceful protests. Puccini, however, was apolitical. “Nessun Dorma” is sung by the Prince of Tartary, the suitor, celebrating that he would be victorious “Vincero, vincero”. This is undoubtedly why that aria was included in Trump’s acceptance ceremony. Hong Kong artist Ai Weiwei used scenes of Hong Kong protests as background for a recent production of Turandot.
Donald Trump Jr.’s speech was all about freedom of speech and even freedom of thought. But there is no freedom to still steal songs without approval and royalties. If there is anybody in the country who is denied freedom of thought or speech, it is definitely Trump’s family, as shown by their attempted legal muzzling and insults directed at psychologist and author Mary Trump, Donald Trump’s niece. Next in line for denial of freedom of speech or thought are the Republican Party office holders or candidates, who are threatened with political oblivion if they do not sing praises of their earthly lord.
