Pinko Magazine Hedonism + Activism

I kind of hate Elton John, mostly because whenever someone important dies (Ryan White, Princess Diana) he just replaces Norma Jean with their name in Candle in the Wind instead of writing something new and then sings it at the funeral and I think that’s tacky.

But today the evidence is mounting that Elton John may be something worse than tacky: He may just emerge as Hillary Clinton’s Reverend Wright, an anti-Christian 9-11 denier bringing down her depressing, optimism-crushing insurgent campaign on the eve of Pennsylvania’s primary.

John is doing a fundraiser for Clinton next month. And slowly, America is asking tough questions: Does John, seen here canoodling with a certain 9-11 denying freedom French actress after the oscars, believe that 9-11 was a hoax, or for that matter that man never walked on the moon? Does Hillary agree that we should ban all organized religions, and concur with Elton’s assessment that organized religion (that’s you, Unitarians!) caused the attacks? Will she reject? Will she denounce? Will she reject AND denounce? Or will she ignore and tolerate his bloodlust for freedom and sway awkwardly to Crocodile Rock, then join him onstage for a primary-pandering extraordinary rendition of Philadelphia Freedom?

In a PERSONAL email to me (It said “Dear Ben…”) Elton said that “there is nothing I like better than throwing a party for a good friend.” Uhm, except, perhaps, denying 9-11, hating on religion and doing drugs.

Seriously, I realize that Sir Elton isn’t Hillary’s spiritual advisor, and that he didn’t marry Hil & Bill (though as a legally married gay he may just try to. It is a slippery slope …) but are the anti-religious rantings of one candidates’ $2500/head fundraiser any worse than the anti-American ravings of another one’s pastor?

Are either of them any worse than John McCain refusing to reject or denounce a spiritual advisor and endorsee of his campaign who called Catholicism “the Great Whore of Revelation 17?” (It is a good line ..) If the right wing media did levy attacks on Clinton for raising almost a half million dollars from a 9-11 denying, anti-religion radical homosexual we would probably be among the first to mock them. But assuming Obama hates America makes about as much sense as assuming Hillary will put on pink sunglasses and a feather boa. He might. She might. We kind of hope she does. But they probably won’t.

Still if it’s worth asking Obama those questions it’s worth asking Hillary, no?

Maybe I’m biased, but it seems that all of the controversy is just a distraction from issues like the economy and today’s 5th Anniversary of the War in Iraq, which we certainly wish had never been … what’s the word … authorized. In any case, Elton’s hate for America won’t make the sun go down on her. And come April 9, Hillary will make sure that she is onstage for Philadelphia Freedom, ensuring an inane freebie on Philly’s local TV markets. And if Britney Spears dies in a car accident, he’ll probably sing “Goodbye Bayou Belle” at her funeral, and that — not his activism — is the real reason to hate Elton John.

About The Author - Ben Wyskida is a writer, activist, conscientious hedonist and political communications strategist living in Brooklyn. - Visit Ben's site.