Marty Balin

Marty Balin

Great tribute to a rock & roll hero of yore. Marty Balin.

But what an offensive slap in the face of an entire generation/

“But now that generation is old and soulless. Overpaying to see their heroes perform the hits of yore, too many who were unwilling to grow their hair and stand up for something when that mattered.”

Old, perhaps – I’m 66 and you’re 65 – but hardly “soulless”.

Our generation left behind communes, LSD tripping, “dropping out”, and “free love” to go on to build America into the most powerful, most compassionate, most giving nation on the planet  in the history of the world while encouraging freedom and democracy everywhere as well as handing over more than a trillion dollars a year to help others in need around America. You had the privilege of a college education – which you threw away to go skiing and party – while I’ve spent 50 years actually playing music to eek out a lower middle class income, raise a family, pay my bills and pay my taxes. The top 25% of all income earners already pay 86% of all income taxes while 50% pay NOTHING or get money back from the IRS from the EITC. Is that fair? Probably – but liberals think it’s not enough – it’s never enough.

How much LESS should the 50% who work but pay NO income taxes contribute?

Each year, American taxpayers spend nearly $1 trillion trying to help the poor

What did the long hair musicians of the 60’s and 70’s really contribute to the world, other than songs with good melodies and simple-minded lyrics like:

“To be living for you
Is all I need to do
To be loving you
It’ll all be there
When my dreams come true”  

Geez, even Justin Bieber or Taylor Swift can write more meaningful lyrics

Your privileged life as a white upper middle class old white guy does not give you the right to diss an entire generation. While you were skiing and attending rock concerts, I was actually working as a musician and the rest of our generation was working and paying taxes.

You want to write about politics? Start a political newsletter and see how many people subscribe. We didn’t sign up to be offended by vapid liberal rhetoric of Social Justice Warriors who think they are superior, smarter and know what’s best for the rest of us.

Get off your high horse and stop lecturing us about your left wing political views. I know you’ll probably never include this email in your “Mailbag” newsletters, but I’d be interested to see how many of your subscribers agree with me. We respect you and enjoy your vast and thorough knowledge of music and the entertainment industry.

You know next to nothing about politics. Trying to shame an entire generation by saying they are “soulless” and “unwilling to grow their hair and stand up for something when that mattered’ is offensive nonsense. Most of us were working and paying taxes while you cruised Malibu or spent months at a time in Aspen.