Jan 27 2008

Peaceout

The closing night premiere was CSNY Déjà Vu directed by Bernard Shakey who is really Neil Young.  The film is a documentary about CSNY (Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young) touring as activists...both then (during the Viet Nam era) and now (during the war in Iraq).  Over the years the band members have created some of the most amazing music of all time both individually and together and they have also remained committed to issues of politics and art for more than four decades.  They were all at the premiere and after the screening they went up on stage for a Q&A.  A man in the back of the room near the exit was the first to comment. He stated the name, rank, and date of death of his relative who was killed in Iraq...and then proceeded to tell Neil Young that he had no idea what he was talking about. 

The crowd was stunned and filled with defensiveness...but in a voice filled with pure love and empathy Neil said back “You’re right sir, I don’t.  I don’t know.  We are just trying to get people talking about this.”  I may not be quoting this exactly but it was the most beautiful demonstration of disarming compassion.  The Dalai Lama could not have responded with more grace.  He just filled me with reverence. 

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