Search - Tony Conrad :: Bryant Park Moratorium Rally (1969)

A critical historical document that will not receive wide re

Michael Stack | North Chelmsford, MA USA | 09/08/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A unique historical document-- minimalist composer Tony Conrad, in 1969, lived just outside of midtown Manhattan's Bryant Park. In October of that year, a protest against the Vietnam war was held in Bryant Park. Conrad made a decision to document the rally with two microphones-- one pointed out his window to the street and the park below, and one pointed at his television, picking up local coverage of the event.



What we have in this recording is a unique historical document of a rally-- of the reality of it and the media response to it. By and large, the media keeps quiet and allows the speakers at the rally to be expressed.



What is scary to me is the line of parallels that are drawn between the complaints of the speakers-- everyone from local celebrities and political figures to union and religious leaders and so on-- and the complaints being lodged today against the current war in Iraq (and I am one of many who feel the war is not yet over in September of 2005). Concerns over the poor and the minorities fighting wars for the rich, criticism against the Presidency for asking unity above all else, and so on. But perhaps the most telling and frightening comment made (and I'm afraid I didn't note who said it) was this line: "After the election was over, the president assumed he was free to set policy as he wished".



The frightening reality to me is that here we are, 36 years later, and its clear to me that our politicians have learned nothing and that the sins of previous generations is being repeated. I think it's important for fokls to realize this is the case and to understand what we are seeing is a repeat of Vietnam. Equally valuable to understanding this is J. William Fulbright's classic text, "The Arrogance of Power". These are pieces that need to be considered and understood, in hopes that 35 years from now, we will not feel that we are repeating ourselves yet again."