Joel Mowbray reports: What’s in a song?

Our occasional contributor Joel Mowbray ([email protected]) is on the scene of the Democratic Convention at the Pepsi Center. Joel has just filed this report:

Moments ago, in the early primetime portion of the convention, the Democrats offered up Melissa Etheridge. No problems so far.

In her 4-song medley, she performed “Born in the U.S.A.” and “God Bless America.” Good stuff. But just preceding those all-Americana songs, the famous singer belted out a stirring rendition of “Give Peace a Chance.” Huh?

One can only wonder who at the DNC thought this was a good idea. Clearly, all Americans would love peace. That’s not in doubt. But how many independent, swing or moderate voters would hear that song — and see the visuals of Democratic delegates swaying along — and think that the answer to terrorism is just giving peace a chance. As everyone — or, at least, anyone sane — knows, this war was not chosen by America. Peace was our choice; unfortunately, it was not al Qaeda’s.

Not to make too much of one song, but it is representative of small gaffes that have plagued this convention. On the third day, it’s still not clear what the party’s overriding message is — unless unity somehow counts as one — although maybe former President Bill Clinton tonight will help bring some focus to the festivities.

Then again, maybe what Melissa Etheridge — and those at the DNC that approved her playlist — had in mind was not that we need to give peace a chance in the War on Terror, but rather it was reinforcing the rather unconvincing claims here of “unity.”

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