"What's Going On?"

Three policy outcomes are certain to continue in the 2nd W term: more death and destruction in Iraq, a widening of the rich-poor gap and weakened environmental protections.

More than 30 years ago, historical variants of these exact issues were addressed in one of the most powerful and poignant statements of social consciousness ever put on wax: Marvin Gaye's 1971 album "What's Going On?" The songs on this album address a wide range of social, economic and political ills, from urban poverty, severe economic disparities, rising crime, environmental destruction and, in probably its most moving song, Marvin's brother coming home after serving in Vietnam. While it's not an exact historical parallel, it is worth noting that during the early '70s the Vietnam War grinded on while a Republican administration became ever more obsessed with secrecy and, culminating with its re-election in 1972, achieving political supremacy at any cost to the nation (as a sidenote, one reason this is an inexact analogy is that Nixon was actually pretty good on environmental issues, as major legislation was passed during that time). I was listening to "What's Going On" the other day for the first time in a while. This posting is solely to say that the title of this album and the subjects of the songs pose questions that are just as relevant today as when it was first released.