No, not necessarily every world leader, though frankly the entire history of the world is filled with ordinary people killing one another at the behest and whims of their so-called “leaders.” The rationales, conduct, and results of the ventures I mention are completely in keeping with a definition of war crimes, assuming you hold to the universality of ethics.
Just to hopefully preempt a long and winding hijack:
General Paul Gorman freely admitted in 1986 that Nicaragua was no danger to the US. Even if the worst turned out to be true and Nicaragua did become some kind of base for the Warsaw Pact (which it was not; the FSLN had an ideologically awkward relationship with Moscow, and over in El Salvador, the FMLN accurately characterized the USSR’s government as imperialist), the US military could rapidly eliminate the threat, such as it was. That would probably not be a war crime, if the threat was genuine, and assuming the focus was on the military capability.
For Clinton,do you have any idea what happened in Iraq during the 1990s? Bush I started that phase (though the US has been messing with Iraq for generations) and Bush II finished it, but Clinton was responsible for a truly mind-bogglingly cruel regime of sanctions and bombing. Of course, he’s not an undeniably great artist, so I just threw him in because people always think this kind of thing is partisan, i.e. “You’re just disagreeing with Reagan’s politics!”
That blows me away! Clapton has spent his whole life worshipping Delta Blues and Chicago Blues-Rock pioneers…yet he has wished for an all-white England? Weird.
Yes, but it was nowhere near what Clapton said. Moz basically commented on the psychological effects of England becoming less English. Songs like the one you mention are said to be in character, rather than personal sentiments, like some of the examples mentioned earlier.
Or perhaps the widespread aptness of the label has some pretty profound implications.
I don’t really see where Pablo Casals or Bob Dylan did anything wrong here. A 20-year old is over the age of consent, so there’s nothing wrong with marrying someone much older. As for Bob Dylan, maybe many of those musicians really weren’t good enough to make it in the music world, and the sooner they learned that the better (for them, and for their careers). There are way too many people who try to be commercially successful musicians, and harsh criticism is sometimes the best way to learn.
I certainly agree with you about Wagner and (assuming the accusations were true) Chuck Berry.
Putting the racism issue aside for a moment:
After reading biographical articles about EC, including statements he’s made to interviewers, I came away with the impression that emotionally he’s an extremely shallow person. Nothing that I’d call “horrible” but definitely not someone I’d want to be close to.
IMO his one undeniable talent was portraying a genial, avuncular Master Of Ceremonies, in both Entertainment and (especially) Political arenas.
Of course, the “Ronald Reagan” character was also narrow-minded, unintelligent, and borderline delusional/senile, even while in the White House, but none of those aspects required any acting talent.
From interviews I’ve read, Zappa’s sidemen generally speak fondly of their time in his band and unless everybody’s hiding something he was adored by his family. That’s not to say there aren’t things to dislike about Zappa but there doesn’t seem to be any shortage of people who deeply cared for the guy.
That’s where I saw it, and I can’t believe I never heard about it before.
The sheer, unmitigated gall. Two years after covering Bob Marley’s I Shot the Sherriff, his only number 1 single (U.S.), he’s screaming about “fucking Jamaicans” on stage.
I’m glad I’m not really a fan, despite liking a few songs. It’s telling that he never apologized or tried to explain away (I was drunk) those comments.
Wilde …
committed adultery
was a spendthrift who bankrupted his family
abandoned his wife
abandoned his sons
insisted on avoidable legal proceedings that socially ruined his family (They had to change their name, so deep was the opprobrium he visited upon them.)
committed perjury in the dock.
If that doesn’t qualify as horrible, Hector, kindly tell me what is.
I’ve read pretty bad homophobic stuff from Orson Scott Card before, but the rounding up in concentration camps I hadn’t encountered. I see references to it online, but am having trouble tracking down the quote. Anyone know where it can be found?