This week, Netflix aired a documentary, “The Greatest Night in Pop,” on the upcoming 40th anniversary of “We Are the World,” a memorable night when every well-known pop star left their egos at the door, recorded a Grammy winning song and raised over $160m (in today’s dollars) for USA for Africa.
But that was then..this is now. But it doesn’t have to be then.
In a world so divided, not to mention our own country, which is the most divided as it has ever been, it can’t happen now or can it? We can talk about the Irish, Italians, most of Eastern Europe, and Jews fleeing the Holocaust in the last century, but today, families here are torn apart by differing ideologies. Relatives do not talk to each other, or they walk on eggshells, most often smashing them into the ground.
We lump migrants into one category with our rejection of their arrival into the US. 72% of Republican Party supporters continue to see immigration as a top threat to the United States.
A headline on Vox.Com said: “There’s no Jewish American consensus about the conflict in Israel and Gaza. Attitudes toward Israel were already changing. The unfolding violence is making it even more complicated.”
Back in 1985, school children lined up to raise money for those starving, holding events and having every country in the world sing the ‘anthem’ in their own language.
Today, even the music world is divided. And as fans of music stars become diverse, these fans’ ideologies are miles apart. There are haters among them.
There is no one voice for those who were slaughtered by Hamas on October 7, nor for those fleeing Syria, among other populations at risk, but that can change. We saw the power of the music world 40 years ago and we can see it again.
Recently, rocker John Mellencamp reiterated his pledge and support for the Jewish world against antisemitism. And it can expand into a larger crusade against injustice.
I’m tired of the noise of politics but this is not really about politics. It’s about playing politics. Deny aid for one people at the expense of another.
I have no solutions, just dreams. And dreams can come true. Not just for Israel but for all of those victims of harsh regimes that really don’t want peace. Conflict is a motivator.
Sinclair Lewis wrote a novel called “It Can’t Happen Here.” Well, it’s happening, so tonight, dream of a world that stands up for what is right. Let a little sunshine blow up your ass, put on your best Pollyanna face… and dream.
Addendum: some moments when the music world took a stand.
Is our country the most divided it’s EVER been? I don’t know the answer to that, but we did once fight a Civil War. I will say it’s the most divided I can remember. That seems to be the goal of our two main political parties. Divide. They only succeed if we let them.
It was a great presentaion, although a couple of egos did slip in the door. Has anyone made a similar one for Live Aid?