BBC Radio 4 News - inappropriate association

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A.Sukitu
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BBC Radio 4 News - inappropriate association

Post by A.Sukitu »

BBC Radio 4 tonight at 1925 hrs had an item on Israel and Iran - would there be conflict?? in the background, LEONARD SINGING "DANCE ME TO THE END OF LOVE" ..........
I feel that this is a totally inappropriate choice of music to associate with this subject.
a. Dance Me to the end of LOVE ................
b. Why use Leonard? Because he is a Cohen/Jewish?? ... maybe not, yet, nevertheless ..........
c. Leonard has set up an organisation to promote peace in the Middle East, so he is a totally inappropriate person to associate with potential conflict.

I phoned the BBC switchboad to complain about this.

If you wish to do the same, you can do it via the BBC website (which is useful for people outside the UK).
In the UK, you can phone 0370 010 0222.

I'd expect better from the BBC; this seems sloppy.
"You let me sing, you lifted me up, you gave my soul a beam to travel on. ... You gave the injury a tongue to heal itself."
Leonard Cohen in Book of Mercy (1984) Ch. 19.
Nefelly
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Joined: Sat Jul 25, 2009 1:29 am

Re: BBC Radio 4 News - inappropriate association

Post by Nefelly »

I too heard about this and it is entirely inappropriate to have selected Leonard Cohen for background music.

I will contact the BBC, maybe Points of View.
Chris Spray
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Re: BBC Radio 4 News - inappropriate association

Post by Chris Spray »

Lazy BBC I guess.

This I think is a more appropriate song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7VQVzMR4Rs

Or The Story Of Isaac maybe.
Cate
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Re: BBC Radio 4 News - inappropriate association

Post by Cate »

I'm not sure of the content of the documentary or what was being said while the song was being played but could possibly imagine it being used.
There's an inevitability and a sadness to the song and certainly a sadness to the present situation in the Middle East. My understanding is that Mr. Cohen was inspired to write the song by the idea of string quartet playing in a gas chamber - that they had to keep playing right to the end. It's such a strong song of endurance and love - again I don't know what was being said at the time that they were playing it, but I think it's a good song to be played in these difficult days.
Dance me to the children who are asking to be born
Dance me through the curtains that our kisses have outworn
Raise a tent of shelter now, though every thread is torn
Dance me to the end of love
seadove
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Re: BBC Radio 4 News - inappropriate association

Post by seadove »

You can't expect "better" from the BBC. This organisation has long been unbalanced against Israel ever since it was bought by an Arab billionaire from Dubai (or is it Qatar?). Shall I tell you how many mails me and my associates sent to the BBC complaining about deliberate unbalanced reportings?
Chris Spray
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Re: BBC Radio 4 News - inappropriate association

Post by Chris Spray »

seadove wrote:You can't expect "better" from the BBC. This organisation has long been unbalanced against Israel ever since it was bought by an Arab billionaire from Dubai (or is it Qatar?). Shall I tell you how many mails me and my associates sent to the BBC complaining about deliberate unbalanced reportings?
The BBC was not bought by anybody.

It is a quasi-publicly owned corporation funded by a license fee.

I can't comment on the BBC's alleged pro-Arab bias since I boycott BBC news.

However in the past the BBC has been accused of being biased both against Arabs and Israelis, so they're probably not biased either way.

To quote Leonard, "There is no decent place to stand in a massacre."

To quote Jonathan Miller: "The so-called Holy Land is in reality the world's largest outdoor insane asylum."
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comehealing
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Re: BBC Radio 4 News - inappropriate association

Post by comehealing »

Leonard has set up an organisation to promote peace in the Middle East, so he is a totally inappropriate person to associate with potential conflict.
But doesn't Leonard investigation the idea of "reconciliation" in many of his songs? Man's capacity for conflict is
boundless; the quest for peace sometimes proves to be an intangible goal.

Clearly, the situation in the Middle East is very worrying. I would argue that Leonard's refrain of reason of the spirit
and healing of the mind/body is more important than ever. The mists of hate is a deadening thing.

It is only love that can conquer hate. As the maestro sings:

"It is in love that we are made
In love that we disappear"


(The ecumenical message of Leonard's music reminds me of the incredible work of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra)
Alexis
"Who, being loved, is poor?"
(Oscar Wilde)
"That love is all there is" (Emily Dickinson)
"A miracle, just take a look around: The inescapable earth" (Wislawa Szymborska)
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