thank you from Japan

What a shame there are still some people who judge Pete Seeger by his politics back in the 1940's and 1950's. He has given this country so much besides his great musical talent and songs he had written. He has made his whole life a contribution to labor unions, Civil Rights, Peace, and cleaning up the Hudson. Without Pete there may not have been a folk song revival in the 1960's. He was true to his beliefs, and for that, the right-wingers will never forgive him.

Which side? Mr. Seeger was on the wrong side of history. Useful idiot is too soft as it implies someone who was ignorant of communist atrocities. Like many on the left, he was aware but supported the USSR in the name of revolution and anti-capitalism. He was a straight up fellow traveler. What is most offensive are the liberals who continue to lionize this old fool. Don't you realize the communists murdered liberals and trade unionists?

First photo on this website I've seen worthy of the audio portion of the BL Show.

Good job to the photographer and congrats on having some pride -- and let's hope there're more where that one came from.

Pete must be the only living American who was/is friends with Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, and Bruce Springsteen. Amazing.

a great man

Pete Seeger has made the world a better place by being here. Long may he wave.

Socialist Stalin and Socialist Hitler non-Aggression Pact of 1939.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Non-Aggression_between_Germany_and_the_Soviet_Union

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_k07pirzBU34/Sjqhge9wTnI/AAAAAAAABb0/G9FJYz8jHA0/s400/hitler_stalin.png

The few short years ago was from a NY Time Magazine profile from a few years ago. Clearly Seeger is covering his tracks and since the questions were softball he was able to evade at will. Given his age, this is understandable but that of course is not the reason for the softballs. Lets talk about simplistic - don't agree with Obama then you're a racist. Against his health care program - you're a racist. Use his middle name - well then your Islamophobic. About the 1950s and the admiration for communists among some - there were many Americans who understood from the outset what it was and what it would mean if it happened here. Of course there was William Duranty who won a Pulitzer for the Times while he lied about Stalin's crimes. So leftists have an excuse but not in my view, a valid one. I think it was Lenin that came up with the useful idiots phrase but I'm not sure if that is known for sure.

There were numerous factual errors in Mr. Seeger's recollections (for example, Hitler did not attack the Soviet Union for its oil, he had plenty in Romania).

It also appears that he did not finish Engels' "Origin of the Family, Private Property, and the State" as his description of tribal communism lacks the understanding that it existed because of primitive means of production - i.e. everybody was starving. Once the means of production improved, surplus was created and exploitation of one person by another became possible.

But I am sure the rabid LWers swallowed it all as a message from god.

"an admiration that I think he finally lost a few short years ago."
-
I had to fact check this. According to Wikipedia and PBS "American Masters" 'a few short years' in fact exceeds Six decades.

Many thanks to Pete Seeger, in whom I have always found inspiration. And to you, Brian. I imagined that Pete was speaking directly to me and that you were the conduit. I can imagine none better.

Some top characteristics of the rabid RWers: All is black and white, there is no nuance, and perhaps most saliently, they seem genetically incapable of even beginning to imagine what it was like to live in a particular time and place that is different from their own. Everyone has always known exactly what they know now, has always grown up in nice comfy middle class environs, there's never been polio, never a primarily agricultural society, never any political or social ferment that they couldn't solve in 2 seconds, etc. But even for 20-20 hindsight, you still have to open your eyes -- and ears. And think.

Oh, and in the presence of greatness they carp, while in the presence of of banality they fawn.

Thank you Brian for bringing Pete Seeger to us this morning.

Thank you Pete for singing at Camp Willoway in the 50's,1957 I think, for your Clearwater Festival, for being a musical and ideological Northstar for me and my friends for my entire adolescent and adult life.

I can not thank you enough for being in this world and for speaking up.

Congratulations on that interview Brian. I have tears in my eyes!

Thank you Pete, you have been an inspiration to me my whole life.

My Goodness!! I'm 54 years old, had some college, read alot, watch the news, listen to WNYC BUT, I've learned more in the last 15 minutes about the history of the 20th century listening to Mr. Seeger talk than at any other point in my life. Keep rockin, Pete!

"useful idiot" is a bit harsh.

In my view "sancta simplicitas" is more fitting.

I had the honor of meeting Pete at the Clearwater Festival at Croton Point State Park, NY, several years ago. He was walking around alone, checking out the vendor stands. He was so approachable and unpretentious. I felt so lucky to have met this true American legend!

he did what stalin wanted in WWII.

Circa 1959 Pete Seeger came to my prep school in Vermont - The Putney School - and gave a wonderful, rousing concert that I'm sure none of us who were there have forgotten - certainly not I!
Extraordinary man of great wisdom - (nothing wrong with being a Lefty)-still plenty on the beam now!!!
Wonderful to hear him speak his very active, youthful mind today.
All the best to you, Pete! And thanks for that concert - more than 50 years ago!!

Too bad "30 Rock" isn't about G.E. anymore. A guest appearance there would make for an interesting show.

Stalin refered to Americans like this as useful idiots.

I work with a Native American. He does not like Woody Guthrie's "This Land" song.

Maybe it should be corrected with a proper intonation:

"This land is your land?
This land is my land!
From California ...." and so on.

Okay, I'll admit that I was reaching for the dial, about to turn away from this segment. But I am riveted.

Didn't like him as a kid in the '50s. Didn't like him as a youth in the '60s. Don't like him in my old age today. An unrepentant Bolshevik remains an unrepentant Bolshevik.

He barely keeps up with the news, but he could vividly recall the events of 1956 and the difference between Congressional and Senate committees, before which he was called; adroitly correcting the show host...HA!!!!

I've had the wonderful opportunity to meet Mr. Seeger twice, and I want to say that the man is the real deal. He definitely walks the talk. Despite his "celebrity" he has no pretense about him and has always been completely accessible and seemingly delighted and genuinely interested in conversing with people who ever they may be. I feel honored in having met him and I consider him a true American treasure.

And thank him for his admiration for Joseph Stalin an admiration that I think he finally lost a few short years ago. A real great man he is with excellent judgement.

Thank You Pete Seeger,
For your gift of music with meaning and soul and protest.
In the mid 1970s I was a young boy and attended the Clearwater festivals you had in Cold Spring NY on the Hudson to raise awarness for Pollution and helping to Clean up that Dirty old man river ! :)