Archive for June, 2015
Written by Shar on 19 June 2015
Neil Young used to dig Picasso, but now he is really digging Pope Francis.
In a message today, June 19 posted on his Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/NeilYoung) he lauds the pious Catholic’s take on the world, taking to heart his just released 120-page encyclical.
Here is Neil’s Message:
Yesterday Pope Francis released his 120 page encyclical.
These words of wisdom resonated strongly with me
And fill me with gratitude.
His words bring welcome support to millions who yearn to do the right thing and be part of the rescue of our fragile shared home singulair asthma.
His powerful message gives me hope that being moved by his call, his followers will help turn the tide by beginning the urgent work of employing solutions that will address the social, economic and environmental crisis we face.
Pope Francis has given us a map for navigating these times
A few of his words –
I invite all to pause to think about the challenges we face regarding care for our common home.
There is a need to seek other ways of understanding the economy and progress.
We need only to take a frank look at the facts to see that our common home is falling into serious disrepair.
We are learning all too slowly the lessons of environmental deterioration.
Whatever is fragile, like the environment, is defenceless before the interests of a deified market. Economic interests easily end up trumping the common good.
The present world system is certainly unsustainable from a number of points of view.
A fragile world challenges us to devise intelligent ways of directing, developing and limiting our power.
Climate change represents one of the principal challenges facing humanity in our day.
These problems are closely linked to a throwaway culture.
The human environment and the natural environment deteriorate together.
A true “ecological debt” exists, particularly between the global north and south.
Developed countries ought to help pay this debt by limiting their consumption of nonrenewable energy.
Reducing greenhouse gases requires honesty, courage and responsibility.
For indigenous communities, land is not a commodity, but a gift from God, a sacred space.
Each community has the duty to protect the earth and to ensure its fruitfulness for coming generations.
The world we have received also belongs to who will follow us.
Leaving an inhabitable planet to future generations is, first and foremost, up to us.
Interdependence obliges us to think of one world with a common plan.
There is an urgent need for us to move forward in a bold cultural revolution.
There is no room for the globalization of indifference.
Let us sing as we go. May our struggles and our concern for this planet never take away the joy of our hope.
Read the entire encyclical here: http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20150524_enciclica-laudato-si.htmlPope Francis Encyclical
Tags: Catholic, encyclical, environment, Pope Francis
Posted in News / Article | Comments Off on Neil Young digs the Pope, shares his message
Written by Shar on 18 June 2015
Here is a statement made by Neil Young posted on his Facebook page on June 17, regarding presidential hopeful Donald Trump’s use of the song “Keep on Rockin’ in the Free World” during is announcement that he is running for U.S. president:
Yesterday my song “Rockin in the Free World” was used in a announcement for a U.S. presidential candidate without my permission.
A picture of me with this candidate was also circulated in conjunction with this announcement but It was a photograph taken during a meeting when I was trying to raise funds for Pono, my online high resolution music service.
Music is a universal language. so I am glad that so many people with varying beliefs get enjoyment from my music, even if they don’t share my beliefs.
But had I been asked to allow my music to be used for a candidate – I would have said no.
I am Canadian and I don’t vote in the United States, but more importantly I don’t like the current political system in the USA and some other countries. Increasingly Democracy has been hijacked by corporate interests. The money needed to run for office, the money spent on lobbying by special interests, the ever increasing economic disparity and the well funded legislative decisions all favor corporate interests over the people’s.
The Citizens United Supreme Court ruling is proof of this corruption as well as are the proposed trade deals which would further compromise our rights.
These Corporations were originally created to serve us but if we don’t appropriately prioritize they will destroy us. Corporations don’t have children. They don’t have feelings or soul. They don’t depend on uncontaminated water, clean air or healthy food to survive. They are beholden to one thing – the bottom line.
I choose to speak Truth to this Economic Power. When I speak out on corporations hurting the common man or the environment or other species, I expect a well financed disinformation campaign to be aimed my way.
Such is the case with the reaction to my new album The Monsanto Years, which covers many of these issues. I support those bringing these issues to light and those who fight for their rights like Freedom of Choice.
But Freedom of Choice is meaningless without knowledge.
Thats why its crucial we all get engaged and get informed.
That’s why GMO labeling matters. Mothers need to know what they are feeding their children. They need freedom to make educated choices at the market. When the people have voted for labeling, as they have in Vermont, they need our support when they are fighting these corporate interests trying to reverse the laws they have voted for and passed in the democratic process.
I do not trust self serving misinformation coming from corporations and their media trolls. I do not trust politicians who are taking millions from those corporations either. I trust people. So I make my music for people not for candidates.
Keep on Rockin in the Free World.
Neil Young
Tags: Donald Trump, Keep on Rockin' in the Free World
Posted in Activism, News / Article | Comments Off on “I make music for people, not for candidates,” Young says
Written by Shar on 17 June 2015
Monsanto: “Many of us at Monsanto have been and are fans of Neil Young. Unfortunately, for some of us, his current album may fail to reflect our strong beliefs in what we do every day to help make agriculture more sustainable. We recognize there is a lot of misinformation about who we are and what we do – and unfortunately several of those myths seem to be captured in these lyrics.”
Statement to BillBoardbiz
The agrochemical company Monsanto has fired back at Neil Young for his album ‘The Monsanto Years.’
“The farmer knows he’s got to grow what he can sell, Monsanto, Monsanto / So he signs a deal for GMOs that makes life hell with Monsanto, Monsanto,” Young sings on the title track. “Every year he buys the patented seeds / Poison-ready they’re what the corporation needs, Monsanto.”
An article in Rolling Stone states: The Monsanto Years (which comes out on June 29th) also takes on Starbucks for their use of GMOs. “Starbucks has not taken a position on the issue of GMO labeling,” the company said. “As a company with stores and a product presence in every state, we prefer a national solution.”
Chevron refused to comment on Young’s lyrics, though Walmart did bite. “As you might have seen recently, Walmart raised its lowest starting wage to $9 an hour,” they told Billboard. “We’re proud of the opportunity we provide people to build a career and have a chance at a better life.”
Neil Young and Promise of the Real kick off their North American summer tour July 5th at the Marcus Ampitheater in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/monsanto-says-that-neil-youngs-new-lp-is-based-on-myths-20150616#ixzz3dH2dFUmE
Tags: Billboard, GMO, GMO seeds, OutGrow Monsanto, rolling stone, The Monsanto Years
Posted in Activism, News / Article | Comments Off on Monsanto issues statement about Young’s GMO war
Written by Shar on 17 June 2015
When Donald Trump strode on to the stage at Trump Tower on Tuesday to announce that he would enter the Republican race for president, a rock and roll anthem blared: Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World,” reported Mother Jones On June 16.
David Corn writes: “It was an odd choice, given that the 1989 song seemed to slam a Republican administration for not giving a damn about the poor. And Young has taken exception to Trump’s appropriation of his tune.”
A statement issued to Mother Jones for Young by his longtime manager Elliot Roberts suggests Young was not pleased by Trump’s use of the song:
Donald Trump’s use of “Rockin’ in the Free World” was not authorized. Mr. Young is a longtime supporter of Bernie Sanders.
Source: <a href="http://m try this site.motherjones.com/politics/2015/06/neil-young-donald-trump-bernie-sanders” target=”_blank”>http://m.motherjones.com/politics/2015/06/neil-young-donald-trump-bernie-sanders
Tags: Donald Trump, Keep on Rockin' in the Free World
Posted in Activism, News / Article | Comments Off on Neil tells Trump, don’t stump with my song
Written by Shar on 16 June 2015
An article printed in New York Post on June 14 by Owen Paterson, says Neil Young and Green Peace are working to starve the world’s poor.
Paterson is the Conservative Member of Parliament for North Shropshire. He was UK secretary of state for the environment, food and rural affairs from 2012 to 2014.
Paterson writes: “The aging songwriter is following the lead of activists who claim that GMOs are harmful to health, farmers and the environment. This is tragically wrong. In reality, GMOs can save millions of lives. It’s the environmentalists who are doing real harm.”
He gives the example of Golden Rice, a miracle grain enhanced with Vitamin A-producing beta-carotene, and say the rice could save many lives in third world countries.
“But the ongoing opposition of anti-GMO activist groups and their lavish scare campaign with its combined global war chest estimated to exceed $500 million a year have kept Golden Rice off the global market,” he writes.
Paterson said instead of bashing companies that are trying to save lives, Young ought to use his star power to convince the NGO community to do the right thing and support giving the developing world the GMO tools it needs to feed its growing, and tragically malnourished, populations.
Read more at: http://nypost.com/2015/06/14/how-neil-young-greenpeace-work-to-starve-the-worlds-poor/
Tags: GMO, GMO seeds, Golden Rice, OutGrow Monsanto, The Monsanto Years
Posted in Activism, News / Article | 2 Comments »
Neil Young used to dig Picasso, but now he is really digging Pope Francis.
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