WEEPING IN THE PROMISED LAND BY JOHN FOGERTY
Mon. Dec. 20th, 2021
John Fogerty, leader and songwriter of the excellent band
Creedence Clearwater Revival 1967-1972, has written and recorded a new protest
song called Weeping in the Promised Land.
It is a good song. It expresses
some opinions which I agree with about the mess our country is currently in. It is melancholy and prophetic. But I can't use it.
In the 1980's, John's brother Tom Fogerty (another member of Creedence) caught HIV and possibly AIDS from a blood transfusion with tainted blood that, because of medical error, had not been checked for toxicity. Tom died in hospital of HIV complications in 1990. I have read that in his last weeks he begged John to visit him in the hospital, but John would not. They were estranged because of a lawsuit between John and their former record company Fantasy Records.
Although the Wikipedia article on John Fogerty, as it stood on December 20th, 2021, explained John's side of the tragedy of unreconciliation -- although the article does not say that Tom begged John to visit him in the hospital -- and although I have not found written confirmation for the story I read or heard that Tom begged John to visit him as he lay dying -- nevertheless, I am not persuaded by the current Wikipedia article on John Fogerty which only gives John's side of the story. Meanwhile, the Wikipedia article on Tom Fogerty does not have anything at all to say about his last weeks and days.
I am not writing to criticize Wikipedia, an encyclopedia for which I have enormous respect. Wikipedia may have omitted relevant information in these two articles, but I have to wait to know more. But I am writing to explain why I will not refer to John Fogerty's prophetic song in my political writings -- in spite of the fact that John Fogerty is a Democrat, and I am a Democrat.
I find my existing information about the unreconciliation of the two brothers tragic and deeply troubling. I will wait until I possess more information. But in the meantime, I will not align myself with John Fogerty.
The Wikipedia article on John Fogerty contains much interesting information. Towards the end under "Political Views," it states that the conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh was an enthusiastic fan of Creedence Clearwater Revival, and quotes Limbaugh on that subject. That testifies to how good Creedence's music was. I have no plan to stop listening to or singing the songs of Creedence Clearwater Revival. I love it too much to give it up. But in the current state of my information, I am wary to listen to or support the music which John Fogerty has made since Creedence broke up.
Frank Newton
