Neil Young News: In The Spirit of Crazy Horse

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Thursday, August 02, 2012

In The Spirit of Crazy Horse

"In The Spirit of Crazy Horse"
National Geographic Magazine - August 2012
(Click photo to enlarge)

With the Neil Young & Crazy Horse tour kicking off tomorrow in Albuquerque, New Mexico, everyone is levitating with anticipation.

Even National Geographic Magazine is hyping the reunion this month with a cover story "In The Spirit of Crazy Horse".

More on Neil Young & Crazy Horse 2012 concert tour and reviews.

(Thanks Howell!)

UPDATE: Based on a comment below, we would just like to state that this post was done "tongue in cheek" and was not intended in any way to trivialize Crazy Horse or Native Americans/Indians.

Please note our previous piece Crazy Horse: A Noble American History and the ensuing uproar. As evidenced by the post, we have nothing but the utmost respect for Native American history, And for that matter, indigenous peoples around the world.

In addition, it was our hope that folks would follow the NG link and go read the wonderful article. Maybe some TW readers would learn a thing or 2 they didn't know about our Native American history. MAybe we could have strongly encouraged that in the original posting?

Not to get too off track here, but in order to return to a sustainable global model, we -- as modern humans -- need to go back and learn from indigenous peoples how to live sustainably.

Lastly, we admit that we are beyond excited about the reunion of the band Crazy Horse and can not wait to see the concerts. If our enthusiasm clouded our judgement, so be it. Apologies for any offense taken which was not intended.

peace

...

From TW sidebar:
"When all the trees have been cut down,
when all the animals have been hunted,
when all the waters are polluted,
when all the air is unsafe to breathe,
only then will you discover you cannot eat money."
~ ~ Native American Prophecy

Labels: 2012, concert, crazy horse, neil young, tour

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17 Comments:

At 8/02/2012 10:05:00 AM, E.B.M said...: Please re-think this blog post. I follow this site every day but this is highly inappropriate. National Geographic has made a serious article about a people whose traditional ways of life have been continually repressed by colonialism and successive American governments for the past 400 years, and a people who continue to struggle every day with unthinkable poverty as a result. This has nothing to do with Neil Young, so I implore you not to trivialise the story of the resurgence of traditional Native American values and customs by drawing such base associations simply because they bear the same name. National Geographic is not attempting to generate hype around Neil's tour and it is offensive to American Indians to suggest it is, despite your (presumably) tongue-in-cheek intentions. Cheers.
At 8/02/2012 10:52:00 AM, Mr Henry said...: "My travels with Indians began some years ago with the discovery that most tradtional communities in North America know of a messenger who appears in evil times as a warning from the Creator that man's disrespect for His sacred instructions has upset the harmony and balance of existence; some say that the messenger comes in sign of a great destroying fire that will purify the world of the disruption and pollution of earth, air, water, and all living things."
--Peter Matthiessen
from In The Spirit of Crazy Horse
At 8/02/2012 11:14:00 AM, Thrasher Wheat said...: E.B.M - Apologies for any offense taken which was not intended.

Please see updated post.
At 8/02/2012 11:32:00 AM, Anonymous said...: Good grief Thrasher you've apologized yourself into oblivion...the fact that you thought you had to is sad...far too many people these days are so worried about "offending" anyone that they come off as weak minded and wimpy...if Neil had your mindset he would change the name of this great band because its name "offends" Native Americans...but see Neil doesn't care what other people think...I thought you knew that...

I'll wait for MNOTR's rambling thoughts...
At 8/02/2012 11:56:00 AM, Thrasher Wheat said...: @8/02/2012 11:32:00 AM - Gee, we must be doing something right if we managed to upset both sides on the issue.

"I've been wrong before
And I'll be there again
I don't have any answers my friend
Just this pile of old questions
My memory left me here
In the field of opportunity
It's plowin' time again."
NY
At 8/02/2012 01:33:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Being that this IS a Neil fan site, when I hear/see the words Crazy Horse, Neil comes to mind automatically. That's all I've got. Can't wait to see the setlist! Thanks Thrasher!
At 8/02/2012 01:39:00 PM, MARIAN M. said...: Thrasher:

I enjoyed this post.

I've been spending a lot of time this week watching NY Journeys.

Thinking about "Peaceful Valley Boulevard," I think this song shows it's a matter of point of view.

As a child, I was taught that the "Indians" were evil and murdered the settlers who just wanted to live together in harmony.

I never believed this.

When we played "Cowboys and Indians," I always wanted to be an "Indian." I was very passionate about defending my land, my home, and my family.

Today people are SO afraid of being "politically incorrect" that they don't even voice their opinions.

I refuse to feel guilty over things that I had nothing to do with.

This is YOUR blog, and you can say anyting you want to about anything you want to, etc.

You have my support
At 8/02/2012 03:06:00 PM, Matthew L. said...: Oh my God, some people just want to cry indignantly about everything.

E.B.M., I trust you are a Native American, and thus understand how terribly offensive this utterly benign blog post is to the entire Sioux Nation, right?

Or are ya just another armchair internet liberal?

Well so am I, and I think you're picking the wrong thing to complain about when there's actual real things going on in the world, such as mountaintop removal mining and hydrofracking, that have a real, immediate, destructive impact on the Earth, to focus our complaints on.

Having a fit about a benign blog post that contains no ill intentions (which I, also an armchair liberal with a healthy respect for Native American History, didn't find offensive at all (and heck, if you can speak for all Native Americans, then so can I!)) is just a waste of time, don't you think?
At 8/02/2012 04:28:00 PM, Jill said...: There`s nothing wrong with your judgement at all Thrasher, and any regular readers here will understand that, surely. Your post should be taken in the spirit it was intended, anything else is argument purely for the sake of it. We`ve been down this road so many times before here and honestly I sometimes wonder how you keep going. But I`m just so thankful that you do. “Keep on bloggin`” Thrasher, you`re doing a fantastic job.
At 8/02/2012 04:49:00 PM, Thrasher Wheat said...: Thanks Marian & Jill & all the others.

It means that much to us to mean this much to you.

@Matthew L. - good to see you again. it's been awhile. don't be a stranger.
At 8/02/2012 05:17:00 PM, Jim said...: Lighten up....the only reason this blog was posted was to get people amped up and excited for the upcoming Crazy Horse tour.

Some people take things way too literally and seem to find any way they can to find a flaw in anything...even if it was clearly never meant to offend.
At 8/02/2012 05:25:00 PM, MARIAN M. said...: Jim:

Amen!

Marian M.
At 8/02/2012 06:24:00 PM, timothy fontenot said...: I read the NG article and our Native Americans live in poverty but are still a very proud people. Their spirit will never die. We can still learn so much from them. It's funny when I first saw the cover at my local Wal-mart I thought of NY.Also Thrasher you did nothing wrong.No need for an apology.
At 8/03/2012 01:36:00 AM, Mother Nature on the Run said...: I agree. The article "In the Spirit of Crazy Horse" honors the heritage and culture of Crazy Horse's ancestors and spotlights the ongoing challenges his descendents face today. What's wrong with that? I've always associated the band's name with this great leader. The key words are "In the Spirit of Crazy Horse." That's a good thing.
At 8/03/2012 09:49:00 AM, Mother Nature on the Run said...: @EBM -- What is truly offensive about that 400 year old history are people who are in denial today about the historical events that defined for so many people their truly remarkable fight for survival. Some of actually do celebrate and highlight the history of American Slaves and Indians and their struggle of breaking free from the bigotry, oppression, and institutional racism that defines for so many the way they live. Unfortunately lost to so many other Americans are the cultural and religious practices that continue to define for so many people the inhumane condition of life into which so many are born today. .

The NG article "In the Spirit of Crazy Horse " is part of that reconciliation process we must undergo as a nation when we are challenged by telling and celebrating this remarkable human history of survival. Many of Neil's songs also celebrate this remarkable survival so no offense should be taken here. Many of his songs are about setting the record straight about what really happened.
At 8/03/2012 01:10:00 PM, Mother Nature on the Run said...: What I meant to say is that some of US actually do celebrate and highlight the history of American Slaves and Indians and their stuggle of breaking free from the bigotry, oppression, and institutional racism that continues to define for so many how they live. Unfortunately lost to so many Americans especially those Tea Party nutcases are the real patriots -- the real heroes -- overcoming huge obstacles of white privilege and their cultural and religious practices that continue to create economic inequities for so many Americans even today. People that are born into this cycle of poverty but somehow break free of it.

Amen.

God Bless America.

God bless Crazy Horse and his family and heritage, the band, the steak houses, and all the strip joints honoring this great American hero.

Over and out,
MNOTR
At 8/03/2012 03:35:00 PM, Mr Henry said...: I am every one of them.
Every single one.
Yes.
Even you.

I am everyone.
--Leonard Peltier

Leonard's 68th birthday will be on September 12th. At that time, he will have spent more than half his life incarcerated. Ten days later, Neil will be playing at Farm Aid in Hershey, PA. So I have a suggestion/request. How about a rousing version of Happy Birthday, followed by Rocking in the Free World from Neil Young and Crazy Horse sometime during their performance?

You say it's your birthday
It's my birthday too yeah
--Lennon/McCartney

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