A Dread Primer

[petemosq]

Hello Kiddies,

It's now the fast countdown to the release of MARLEY! Those of you fortunate enough to have it showing in a theater near you, or watching it On Demand on iTunes, Facebook, or wherever. There have been quite a few Marley biopics over the years, some better than others. Here's a primer for those who want to get a little more educated

Comments

[petemosq]

Not necessarily. Bob wasn't really involved with 'activism' per se. His goal was to reach the world through his music and his beliefs. Marley believed in Freedom, Love and Unity among all men and I admire that. Even if the skeptic in me is wary of it. Years ago, a conservative friend of mine wanted to be cute when he learned I was a Marley enthusiast. He asked if I was aware that Marley was a Socialist. My response was that if he was aware that Bob Marley grew up in a culture of deprivation and misery that we can't even comprehend. I take Marley's beliefs in the context of his experience.
When you take away all the political trappings, I am above all else for freedom and individual rights and liberty. Sometimes the ideologies you support may seem like they do so but in the end do the opposite. Example: one of Marley's most celebrated causes was independence for Rhodesia/Zimbabwe from Britain. A worthy cause? Absolutely. I'm sure that he would be horrified at the atrocities committed by Mugabe's government in the three decades hence.

[evilsausage]

Well Bob Marley's activism was there in the music. You can't say that he wasn't an activist because he just made his point through his music. Look at Bob Dylan and John Lennon, to name just two examples; hardcore activists both, and the music was at the heart of it. And was he a socialist? Damn right he was. Regardless of his upbringing, he was what he was (which is pretty much the opposite of what you are). But you're correct in that it was mostly peace and love with him - which reminds me of the time you and I walked past a peace demonstration at Union Square Park, and you expressed a desire to mosh into the crowd and bust heads. I'm sure Marley would look at things you say and do and think, such as that, and shake his head sadly.

My point is that as even you're getting into the music, you seem to be totally missing the point behind it.

[petemosq]

I was probably channeling Tosh at that point who was the more bad-ass of the Wailers. ;) It's not accurate to associate Marley with any specific political dogma because he didn't believe in the as he called 'ism-schism game.'
In theory, I don't generally have a problem with any particular ideology either just its results. Did I support the end of Colonial Rule in Africa, absolutely, I despised the despotism and misery that followed it even more.