Why are people so thrilled about Cat Stevens

[davidinalameda]

does anyone remember what he said about Salman Rushdie?

[cliffordu]

1. I said a lot of terrible things last week.

So??

[uppityperson]

2. I KNEW you looked like Cat Stevens

[cliffordu]

28. ......

:spray:

[uppityperson]

29. Tall, hairy, handsome, musical voice........

:shrug:

[cliffordu]

39. AW.....

:hug:

[bigtree]

3. Oh oh

. . . under the bus with you!

[cliffordu]

46. Been there for years........

:rofl:

[bigtree]

54. alrighty, then, here it comes baby!- - -

[cliffordu]

60. ....Anybody seen my poncho??/

It's a real poncho, like, a mexican poncho, not a Sears poncho.......

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

100. No but would you be interested in a pair of................

zircon encrusted tweezers?

[davidinalameda]

6. you called for the death of someone for writing a book?

[cliffordu]

27. Just Lawyers...

Going through a divorce....

[uppityperson]

31. try here, comments on it?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=9421233&mesg_id=9421389

[siligut]

4. Didn't he say the US deserved 9/11?

I am not sure, but he said something controversial, but really; who hasn't? I like his music.

[bigtree]

9. not sure? Why not just make something up?

. . . easier than finding the truth and posting it here.

in his own words:

Like all right-minded people, I absolutely condemn all acts of terrorism, including the attacks of 9/11 and 7/7. The actions of the terrorists were completely un-Islamic and against the teachings and example of the Prophet. It’s everybody’s responsibility to make this world a safer, more peaceful place.

I do believe that some people in the West have a hard time today in decoding the spiritual message of peace which exists behind certain bloodcurdling events and headlines which are branded abroad in the name of Islam. There are obviously minority elements amongst certain quarters, both Muslim and non-Muslim, which actually go out to misinterpret the facts and pass by the true shining principles of this religion.

Out of one billion peace-loving Muslims, some vociferous extremists, unfortunately, have helped to confirm some people’s worst fears. I feel sorry for that. It’s grossly unfair for the vast majority of humankind who still have yet to benefit from what this wonderful spiritual code of life (Islam – or ‘entry to peace with God’) can offer.

I was among the first Muslims to publicly express my sorrow and objections to the atrocious attacks against innocent victims of 9/11 and 7/7. No right thinking follower of Islam could possibly condone such an action: the Qur'an – as with the Old Testament - equates the murder of one innocent person with the murder of “the whole of humanity.”

In my statement printed widely at the time, I said:

“We pray for the families of all those who lost their lives in this unthinkable act of violence as well as all those injured; I hope to reflect the feelings of all Muslims and people around the world whose sympathies go out to the victims at this sorrowful moment.”

Half of the royalties from my box set released in 2001 went to September 11 charities and I performed Peace Train projected live at a solidarity concert at New York’s Radio City Hall.

The real enemy we face is ignorance. We must all be careful not to join the ranks of that army. We must warn of the hazards that this terrifying event could produce as a tool for some dangerous ideologists to promote increased intolerance and hostility against more civilian bystanders; this would equal the mentality which caused two previously devastating world wars. Patience, therefore, is called for by all influential quarters, particularly politicians and media.

http://www.mountainoflight.co.uk/talks_cw.html#10

[siligut]

33. I didn't make it up.

I stated I wasn't sure, but what was spread was that he said something negative about the US regarding 9/11, true or not. My response was mild and conversational.

[bigtree]

38. I wonder if you'd tolerate the same standard of criticism of yourself here

. . . that you seem to feel is acceptable when discussing Yusuf?

[siligut]

40. Go talk to someone else. nt

[bigtree]

42. I'm sorry

... you're right that you didn't deserve all of that scolding from me. I humbly apologize.

[grahamhgreen]

107. Let me say something negative. 9-11 was done by a (former?) CIA operative.

[Turborama]

36. "The real enemy we face is ignorance" - Right On!

Thanks for posting this, I hadn't read it before. :thumbsup:

[Jakes Progress]

53. And the arrogantly ignorant.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

41. I have ALWAYS LOVED Cat Stevens....I was there from the begining!

[JackRiddler]

16. You're not sure, but it was something controversial, right?

[WinkyDink]

52. Should we Google for you?

[LaurenG]

5. Religion will dictate what one believes until the belief changes

I love Cat Stevens and Ozzie and the OJ's! :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[Whisp]

7. o stfu already and get on Love Train.

[OneGrassRoot]

10. LMAO!!!!

:rofl:

:hi:

[jaxx]

13. +++++ a bunch!!

[ingac70]

15. +1

[xultar]

20. No shit. Great post.

[gulliver]

22. +1

[Phentex]

26. LOL!

That's the spirit!

:rofl:

[KharmaTrain]

43. It Was The Peace Train

The OJays did the Love Train...but it's all good.

[WilliamPitt]

47. Ha!

:toast:

[Dem2theMax]

104. You made me laugh so hard, a star fell out of my mouth,

and landed next to your name. :)

I swear, your reply is perfection. It should be written on DU daily. Hourly. Minute by minute.
Every time DU starts getting all 'five year olds in a sandbox' time, your phrase should automatically
be typed in by Grovel-bot! LMAO!

[Traveling_Home]

8. He's a proud misogynist

[crikkett]

19. is that true?

tell me more

[blondeatlast]

24. Back it up. nt

[MH1]

74. I dunno, but has he spent as much breath condemning the actions of Muslims

who abuse women, and the role so-called 'Islamic' governments play in discrimination and abuse of women,

as he has in condemning a stupid book?

I don't know, just wondering.

[katandmoon]

11. I had forgotten. Thanks for reminding me.

[Pathwalker]

12. Thanks, Church Lady.

:sarcasm:

[bigtree]

14. in his own words

I never called for the death of Salman Rushdie; nor backed the Fatwa issued by the Ayatollah Khomeini - and still don’t. The book itself destroyed the harmony between peoples and created an unnecessary international crisis.

When asked about my opinion regarding blasphemy, I could not tell a lie and confirmed that - like both the Torah and the Gospel - the Qur’an considers it, without repentance, as a capital offense. The Bible is full of similar harsh laws if you’re looking for them.<13> However, the application of such Biblical and Qur’anic injunctions is not to be outside of due process of law, in a place or land where such law is accepted and applied by the society as a whole.

The accusation that I supported the Fatwa, therefore, is wholly false and misleading. It was due to my naivety in trying to answer a loaded question posed by a journalist, after a harmless biographical lecture I gave to students in Kingston University in 1989, which unleashed the infamous headline above.

To indicate my actual stance about this matter before this front-page controversy erupted, it’s useful to quote a letter of complaint I sent to Viking, a subsidiary of Penguin Books, the publishers, on 8th October, 1989. This was after I had been sent a preview of the text of Satanic Verses:

“I wish to express my deepest outrage at the insensitivity of Penguin Books in Publishing Salman Rushdie’s book, ‘Satanic Verses’, This book is clearly blasphemous in nature and so deeply offensive to the Muslim Community… I urge you to give the contents of this letter your most urgent attention and take a responsible decision.”

Some years later I re-entered the studio to produce a spoken-word recording, The Life of the Last Prophet, my first official album after seventeen years. During its launch at a press conference I said:
“The Satanic Verses was Salman Rushdie’s view of the Prophet of Islam; The Life Of The Last Prophet (s) is mine! Rushdie’s book, by his own confession, is based on fiction - mine is based on facts! Therefore people are free; they now have a choice, so let them listen and see who they are more inclined to believe...”


As can be seen from the above, my personal response was significantly different from the fables and myths which have been circulated by the media.

Sad too that no matter how many times I’ve repeatedly tried to explain my true position, journalists inevitably bring up this subject again and again; as if it was the only memorable thing I was reported to have done in my almost sixty years living on this planet (yawn).


link: http://www.mountainoflight.co.uk/talks_cw.html#18

[LaurenG]

32. + 1000

I learned something.

[LWolf]

56. +1

[MH1]

72. So, what do you think he meant by

"... take a responsible decision." ??

[mr blur]

77. He's still a deluded dickhead,

who thinks a book "destroyed the harmony between peoples and created an unnecessary international crisis"

No, religious lunatics did that, as they always do.

And his music sucks, and always has.

[Name removed]

82. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[cemaphonic]

109. More of his own words:

"He must be killed. The Qur'an makes it clear - if someone defames the prophet, then he must die."

"I might ring somebody who might do more damage to him than he would like. I'd try to phone the Ayatollah Khomeini and tell him exactly where this man is."

Some more detail and context at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_Stevens%27_comments_about_Salman_Rushdie - Yeah, it's wikipedia, but the quotes at least are reliably sourced. And I remember him saying those things. I did a current events paper on that whole controversy when I was in high school. I had just discovered classic rock, and liked Cat Stevens and was really disappointed that he was saying things like that.

He can try to whitewash it all he wants, and in all likelihood, his feelings on the matter have changed over the years. But he really did agree publicly with Khomeini's fatwah at the time.

[dsc]

17. not to mention gays

[Codeine]

18. I still think he's a misogynistic, religiously-poisoned dick.

And Peace Train is a shitty song.

[BuddhaGirl]

61. "And Peace Train is a shitty song"

A song about peace is shitty? :shrug:


Now I've been happy lately, thinking about the good things to come
And I believe it could be, something good has begun

Oh I've been smiling lately, dreaming about the world as one
And I believe it could be, some day it's going to come

Cause out on the edge of darkness, there rides a peace train
Oh peace train take this country, come take me home again

Now I've been smiling lately, thinking about the good things to come
And I believe it could be, something good has begun

Oh peace train sounding louder
Glide on the peace train
Come on now peace train
Yes, peace train holy roller

Everyone jump upon the peace train
Come on now peace train

Get your bags together, go bring your good friends too
Cause it's getting nearer, it soon will be with you

Now come and join the living, it's not so far from you
And it's getting nearer, soon it will all be true

Oh peace train sounding louder
Glide on the peace train
Come on now peace train

Now I've been crying lately, thinking about the world as it is
Why must we go on hating, why can't we live in bliss

Cause out on the edge of darkness, there rides a peace train
Oh peace train take this country, come take me home again

Oh peace train sounding louder
Glide on the peace train
Come on now peace train
Yes, peace train holy roller

Everyone jump upon the peace train
Come on peace train
Yes, it's the peace train

[Upton]

63. That was before he converted..

I used to like Cat Stevens too, but Yusuf Islam is a whole different creature..

[BuddhaGirl]

67. and today he is a different creature

than when he became Yusuf Islam. He is still about peace, and he is still religious.

[bigtree]

66. It was a big deal when I heard it in 1972 (or there abouts)

My science teacher in elementary school was playing this and other songs from the album. I was transfixed by it's clarity and message. I still am. Our generation hoped to usher in a new age of peace and respect for our environment. In many ways we did, led, in no small part, by musicians and activists like Yusuf.

[BuddhaGirl]

69. +1

:thumbsup:

[Motown_Johnny]

70. how about "Father and Son"?!?!?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q29YR5-t3gg




Listen to that song and then tell me that guy in not an extraordinary talent!

[kath]

90. That's such an amazing song - I watched the vid a while back when someone posted it here.

Spent SOOO many hours listening to "Teaser and the Firecat" and "Tea for the Tillerman" back in college days. sigh...

[Enrique]

21. did he say Salman Rushdie was overrated?

is that what everyone's upset about?

[sally cat]

35. I didn't know either, so I just googled it. No, nothing so mild as that.

[Upton]

23. He's a pig..

many of those celebrating him condemn Christian fundies all the time, but Steven's brand of Islamic fundamentalism is okay? Sounds rather hypocritical to me. Personally, I think they all stink.

[bigtree]

25. I don't know what's worse

. . . than the attacks on him here presented without ANY evidence at all. Nothing could be more 'pig-like' than summarily smearing the man with half-truths and outright lies.

[Upton]

44. Make of this what you will

The supposedly middle-of-the-road Islamicist, Yusuf Islam (the former pop star Cat Stevens), has condemned positive portrayals of homosexuality in school sex education lessons, accusing those who advocate such policies of wanting to "feast off the innocence of our children for their own abominable sexual appetites".

http://www.petertatchell.net/religion/islamic.htm

It sure doesn't sound like someone I'd want to be defending..

[bigtree]

50. after all of the misreporting that led to the attacks against him

I'm not going to judge him from some summary, clipped account of what he supposedly said.

I think it's interesting and revealing that there isn't another account of this statement than this one clipped reference on this site you've linked to. I think it's more than reasonable to wonder why the quote is clipped and not presented in context using a full statement in his own words.

[Jakes Progress]

55. But, but. That would call for thinking and all that hard stuff.

Easier just to find a single google quote and go with that. Or you could just listen to television and go with whatever they say. Or you could. . . . uh. Say dude. What were we talking about?

[Turborama]

57. Does Peter Tatchell even know what an "Islamicist" is?

I doubt it.

Ignorance is bliss, I suppose.

[Name removed]

58. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Phentex]

34. HE sings better than Stewert and Colbert...

my ears!

[Lucian]

87. + a million

[neverforget]

30. Somebody always has to shit in the punchbowl.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

37. Because it annoys right-wingers.

And that is a good thing.

[Karmadillo]

45. Because he's killed thousands of innocents in Iraq & Afghanistan.

Oh. Wait. That's us. My bad.

[jillan]

48. Well - I love his music, always have, always will.

[Gabi Hayes]

49. I have his best of CD. what does that make me?

OK, besides an a- #*@{

[jillan]

51. I'm not going to label you, because I would have the same label.

My favorite song is Hardheaded Woman, and you can find me listening and watching his videos on Youtube several times during the year :)

[EFerrari]

59. That wasnt Cat Stevens. That was me.

:)

[blondeatlast]

91. ...

:spray:

[LawnLover]

62. Does anyone remember how that was all distorted?

As is typical for the rightwing press. Yet we still bought into it, didn't we?

Stevens denies it here:

http://www.yusufislam.com/faq/3ed8ab9cb40dcd15dc38b7f0efc2f696

[Donald Ian Rankin]

75. Except his denial is a lie.

He certainly too part in this exchange on live radio

Robertson: You don't think that this man deserves to die?
Y. Islam: Who, Salman Rushdie?
Robertson: Yes.
Y. Islam: Yes, yes.
Robertson: And do you have a duty to be his executioner?
Y. Islam: Uh, no, not necessarily, unless we were in an Islamic state and I was ordered by a judge or by the authority to carry out such an act - perhaps, yes.

Robertson: Would you be part of that protest, Yusuf Islam, would you go to a demonstration where you knew that an effigy was going to be burned?
Y. Islam: I would have hoped that it'd be the real thing


(He claims he was joking when he said it; it doesn't sound especially funny to me, and he most certainly said it).


And he's reported as having said this, when asked how he would "cope with the idea of killing a writer for writing a book", and as far as I know he never claimed to have been misquoted.

"In Islam there is a line between let's say freedom and the line which is then transgressed into immorality and irresponsibility and I think as far as this writer is concerned, unfortunately, he has been irresponsible with his freedom of speech. Salman Rushdie or indeed any writer who abuses the prophet, or indeed any prophet, under Islamic law, the sentence for that is actually death. It's got to be seen as a deterrent, so that other people should not commit the same mistake again."


So his denial on the website is clearly a lie.

[LawnLover]

89. You heard this live?

Or do you have a tape of the moment?

Tapes can be edited, as we well know.

So his denial is not "clearly a lie." His denial is a denial. We can choose to believe him or not.

[blondeatlast]

92. Do you have an UNEDITED link of this exchange, and if so, could you kindly

link it here?

TIA.

[Mudoria]

64. Didn't like Cat Stevens pre-Islam or post -Islam..

I always thought his music was shite. His politics are his own business.

[Joe Fields]

65. We'll be sure to mark that down.

Of course you are free to like or dislike anyone you wish for whatever reason.

I have been a Cat Stevens/Jousef fan from the very beginning, and I believe he has brought more light and joy into this world than you have.

[Name removed]

86. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

93. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[spanone]

81. there's no accounting for taste.

[immoderate]

84. I agree with you. Nothing he did reached me.

Peace is good, but not a substitute for music.

--imm

[Motown_Johnny]

68. he is a brilliant song writer and an excellent singer (and an ok guitarist)

He produced and released 3 extraordinary albums in as many years, Tea for the Tillerman, Teaser and the Firecat and Catch Bull at Four.


Although he did most of the writing earlier it is still an incredible outpouring of musical genius in a very short time.

In my humble opinion only Bob Dylan has surpassed this, in modern times, with his creation of Highway 61 Revisited, Blonde on Blonde and John Wesley Harding also in a 3 year period.

[last_texas_dem]

71. I'mma let you finish...

but "Sitting" was one of the best seventies singer-songwriters songs of all-time!

[Codeine]

73. Thread winner. Everyone can go home now. nt

[blues90]

76. I didn't get the impression people were thrilled Cat stevens was there

I always loved his music and great talent and the way he played the guitar which was quite a lot toned down this time.

I watched the entire thing Cat was the highlight hould have let him play the entire song. His songs were always about peace and personal failures all humans have.

He was the best part of the entire thing. Pardon me , perhaps I'm too old but this was certainly not, as some other post related, any way, shape or form anything like Wood Stock.

Perhaps I missed the point of this rally and found it a real bore. Maybe someone here can explain to me what the message really was and where the humor resided. It reminded me of slap stick antics.

Just being honest here. Opened myself for criticism.

[UTUSN]

85. Worse than opening yourself up for criticism will be MY agreeing with you

I had the whole thing on, mostly in the background, and my spirits fell, uh, "progressively" throughout.

I believe STEWART and COLBERT are brilliant in scoring points against wingnuts and it's this NOT their comedy or satire that I admire them for.

But my impressions:

* The hokey street theater flavor will be hooted at by the vicious Laura INGRAHAM, BecKKK, and COULTERgeist to no end.

* I was incredulous at BecKKK's putting himself on the levels of a ministry and of George WASHINGTON handing out Purple hearts, and other absurdities, but STEWART actually, really outdid this by putting himself above ALL of us, wingnuts and Libs alike. He equalized "demonizing" from both sides, but I'm sorry but I truly believe in the demon content of wingnutism.

* A lot of the music was a downer and the tone of the whole show was also playing into the hands of the wingnut yakkers because the cutesy skits were aimed at the choir, whereas the only good the whole project would have done would have been to aim the messages at the wingnuts, either educating them or skewering them scorched earth, the way COLBERT did the media at his White House Correspondents Dinner. Instead, it was boring and lame and fit the wingnut stereotype of Libs as putting themselves above the "common people." I doubt that anybody but the choir watched, but the message and execution were over the heads of any stray wingnuts.

* STEWART failed as much as BecKKK did because he ended up believing he was bigger role than what he's good at doing.

[deacon]

78. He's the best. Incredible songwriter. And the Rushdie crap is myth. n/t

[kenny blankenship]

79. But he only said that he might be obliged to execute Rushdie if Britain were under Islamic Law.

He did not say "Actually, I can't wait to disembowel Rushdie, and cut off his kneecaps with a dull pair of pruning shears, and run a red hot poker up his ass, prior to beheading him." That's the sort of thing Ahmadjihadinabox says over there in Iran, not the sort of thing said by the author of Peacetrain.

Robertson: You don't think that this man deserves to die?
Y. Islam: Who, Salman Rushdie?
Robertson: Yes.
Y. Islam: Yes, yes.
Robertson: And do you have a duty to be his executioner?
Y. Islam: Uh, no, not necessarily, unless we were in an Islamic state and I was ordered by a judge or by the authority to carry out such an act - perhaps, yes.

Robertson: Would you be part of that protest, Yusuf Islam, would you go to a demonstration where you knew that an effigy was going to be burned?
Y. Islam: I would have hoped that it'd be the real thing


So you see, his is a voice of moderation and sanity: hence the appropriateness of his appearance at the ModerateCon / Centristpalooza / They-Both-Do-It Festival.

[EFerrari]

88. ModerateCon / Centristpalooza / They-Both-Do-It Festival.

:rofl:

[spanone]

80. his music is something you should listen to and enjoy.

here's a starter http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHXpnZi9Hzs

[Hannah Bell]

83. you don't, apparently. you remember the SPIN.

[Violet_Crumble]

94. I'm starting to wonder if you might not have serious issues with Muslims...

His music sucks, but I dislike that regardless of what religion he's embraced...

[Moses2SandyKoufax]

97. Starting to wonder?

He's a bigoted prick.

[Violet_Crumble]

101. I was being really understated...

I've read more than enough of this creatures posts to be in total agreement with yr call on what they are....

[Moses2SandyKoufax]

103. I kinda figured.

Just adding my $0.02. Why it's tolerated I'll never know.

[RagAss]

95. What's your problem ? What do you give a fuck about Salman Rushdie??

[Turborama]

105. I was thinking the same thing, I wonder if they even ever heard of Salman Rushdie before this n/t

[underseasurveyor]

96. so typical to focus on the negative

A person can do a thousand good things but it's the one bad thing a person says or does that will be remembered and used against them.

[Crunchy Frog]

98. Pete Seeger used to be a big Stalin supporter.

I still like him though. :shrug:

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

99. Thrilled?

I don't know anyone who's been thrilled about him since the 1970's.

[Quantess]

102. His music blows chunks.

I get grumpy whenever I happen to hear his "music".

[grahamhgreen]

106. Why must we go on hating?

Why must we go on hating?
Why cant we live in bliss?

For out on the edge of darkness
There rides the peace train
Peace train take this country
Come take me home again

[HuckleB]

108. Who's thrilled?

:shrug: