Hey... thanks for checking in at this site. I know there are people who stop by here from all across the country and different parts of the world. But, if you are in New York City this holiday weekend... well, if you are in town today... I'm gonna be playing music for the first time in Riverside Park. Maybe we'll hafta change the name of this website to...

"That Guitar Man from Whatever Park He Happens to Be In That Day"

Yeah, there were a whole bunch of people who got a little pissed off when the concerts moved from every Sunday to every Saturday in Central Park. So, a guy from "The Hill" named Ed got on it and got me clear to play in Riverside Park on Sunday. So, today's the first one.

If you're not doin' anything else, hope you can come by. It's really pretty up there in that part of town. If you walk directly into the park at the 103rd Street entrance off Riverside Drive, you can't miss it. I'll probably start the music around 1:00. Like I said yesterday... same kinda concert... different hill.

Y'know what? If you feel like it, you can print out this page and stick this map in your pocket if you're not exactly sure where it is we're talkin' about. There's also a subway stop right at 103rd Street. (The #1 train)

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Hey, yesterday was kind of a special day for us at "The Hill"... for me, anyway. Remember Gordon? The guy that was corresponding with this website a while ago... from Iraq and Afghanistan? He's back in the States and he showed up at "The Hill" in Central Park yesterday. I finally got to meet a young man I admire so much and had only met over the internet on the other side of the world. After the gig, a bunch of us went to a diner on Broadway and talked about the reality of what's going on over there. Y'know? It's one thing to hold opinion and share thoughts and feelings here on a website.

Gordon and some friends

But, it was very validating to speak with a young man who has spent over a year in that part of the world... helping the civilians there. I will say this... with a smile and as much understanding as I have in me.

Anyone who supported this historically ignorant, culturally myopic, western-centric, immoral war, can, well... basically...

...shove it.

You were wrong.

(There.)

If we had conducted ourselves like a truly responsible, mighty-but-wise superpower, Hussein's regime would have collapsed under it's own weight. Iraq posed NO threat to the U.S. But, half the country was totally and deliberately misled and manipulated into believing such a thing, (anthrax and "mushroom clouds" and all that crap.) ...and that immediate military action was the only option. It was duplicitous and inconscienable for this administration to do. Still, if you bought it... you were wrong. Wrong in the reasons and logic for creating this nightmare. Misguided, or much worse, in connecting it to September 11th, 2001. Wrong in the rationale and the basis for invading that country when we did. And, this administration was sooooo wrong in the logistics and actual prosecution of it. Shortsighted and... well... just plain wrong. (Now, the party line... the spin of the Hannity's and O'Rellly's among us... is to back-track and say, "Oh, we meant to go in with so few troops. Um... so, then the Iraqis would be forced to pull themselves up by the boot straps and fight for themselves. Yeah. That's it. This was the plan."

If you fall for that line by this time... I'm sorry. You're just an idiot, or maybe worse. (Hope not.)

Anyway, the entire available United States Armed forces, reserves and all, are either in Iraq, preparing to go to Iraq... or getting ready to go back to Iraq.

But, that's cool. Let's move on.

I hope someday you will see reason... and first, admit error.

Y'see, in my life... I've fucked up... a lot! But I've learned... that's when the healing and the solution begins. In accepting error and responsibility for our mistakes, that's when the learning and growing as a human being starts.

Regardless... the rest of us are going to try to do something positive to help the very real situation on the ground over there. I will be letting you know more about that as it develops. But, over the winter, a whole bunch of friends and colleagues of mine are going to put together a fund raiser concret to raise real money to get direct help to the innocent Iraqi families... the men, women and children... children... who are suffering the most from this war.

Today, it's July 3rd.

In the last 3 days, while America is barbecueing, already at least 58 Iraqis have died in the fighting there.

773 last month.

843 the month before.

All those thousands and thousands more injured. All those orphaned children whose parents have been killed. All that heartache.

We want to help.

We will.

I'll let you know more about it as it develops.

In the meantime, keep your eyes on the truth. Keep moving toward the light. Gordon said something interesting to the crowd in Central Park yesterday. He said, "The most important war is now being fought here... here. And, the only way to fight it is to love each other. You are all very special people."

Yeah, I take that to mean it is about Truth, Acceptance, Love, Undertanding.... and action.

In Gordon's sentence, "love" is a verb.

Remember grammar school?

A verb is an action word.

Love.

I'll let you all kow how you can help soon, okay?

But, today? I'll see you in Riverside Park and we'll enjoy each other's company. I love the company.

Thanks again.