John Stewart - I Remember America

[buenosdiers]

You know how you can be safe again, America? By doing away with the right to bear, buy and sell arms for private citizens, by improving education and by redistibuting your wealth.

[jeffclowds]

Criminals will always have guns. Keeping guns from honest people only makes the criminals safer. Hitler removed the right to own guns. That worked great, didn't it???

Soviet Russia redistributed the wealth. That worked great, didn't it???

Improved education would be a plus though.

[shortmunch]

I can't believe after all the years I've loved John Stewart that I've never heard this song. It was like finding a lost masterpiece. This gives me that same warm feeling I felt when I stood on the grinder saluting our flag as I graduated from boot camp in December 1963. When word was announced at boot camp of John Kennedy's death, I for the first time saw grown men cry. "Oh, Mother Country, how I love you."

[petmis]

The same thing's goin down' in Sweden.

[ooocrowooo]

I wonder why we elect so many stupid people to office and then expect them to do the right thing, and then look the other way while they destroy every thing that our blood stained past did to buy our freedom. We are to afraid to get involved to throw the bums out of office or forbid-- impeach the bums for their foolish views on what is suppose to be a Free Nation and not a suppressed people by the atheist or bow down to Allah (Prince of Darkness).

[JiminRnow]

I was home watching a movie on Channel 5 on June 5th 1968 when Bobby fell to Sirhan, and ended the last Campaign. I knew Green Back dollars, and Blowin in the Wind, yes the Times were a Changin. America's innocence and good died that night. To feel America we have to come together in concerts and churches, sometimes in clubs. America's not the same, not as clean, not as good, we will never be innocent again.  I miss you John. I miss America.

[cipmars]

I remember what I'd dream of America. The land of the brave, who could express any thought without any fear. A fairytale where you could work your life away and you could have a warm home, a beautyful wife and good kids and a dog, and freedom of speach, simple tasty McDonalds, no fear and no remorse, your freedom and your dreams, no drugs, just cheap beer, Lucky Strike, bubble gum, quiet nights, Route 66 and no interest for politics. How far away is America? Where is it?

[usm7j]

I consider myself truly blessed to have been able to grow up in the times he so eloquently refers to. I was in algebra class on Nov. 22, 1963.

[lizzard71]

Greed.

That is what ruined this country.

[CaJeffO]

@lizzard71

How about we reveal the most oppressive greedy power mongers bringing down America? Try this video. (then see the rest of the videos on my YouTube Page):

youtube. com/view_play_list?p=C98BB4950­A81E6B7

((((DELETE THE SPACES)))))

As a whole our country has not realized our country is under attack either.

constitutionalvoices. org/bloggers/freedomblogger2/?­p=3

((((DELETE THE SPACES)))))

[helmuttdvm]

John Stewart was the songwriter DayDream Believer as well. He truly was a gentle, caring man who was only nostalgic for days gone by, and days that were not so violent and troubling. A nice memory by a truly humane being.

[crazydutchess]

MagiMysteryTour = Bullshit

[solinai]

I remember my contry-Sweden in the same way! Never the same after spring -86!

[petmis]

I remember the good sweetpeople from Maine that told me..."we will take care of you" I said thanks...and the only thing I had to do..was to work...so with a hangover I started my day...nothing else to do but work all day. These people were oh so nice and there minds will go along with me...salute to you mainiacs...but see ya

[overduerent]

I said the guy sounded like a fascist. He doesn't sound like he is in favor of guns at :45. He states that he wants to be free again like that is something that is given.

My comment didn't have anything to do with the flags. Sorry if it came across that way it's just that the vocalist sounds like a statist.

I am 100% against guv'rment and anything that it does. Guv'rment is like bizarro-Midas. Everything it touches turns to shit.

[sensei48]

Well,I think there's a double misunderstanding here - first of your original comment, and second perhaps of the song's lyric. I understand what you meant about "sounding like a fascist" - at a first casual listen, it might indeed seem so. But Stewart wasn't complaining about gun ownership per se - he was mourning a national loss of innocence when guns become a presence in school, or when fear paralyzes people.And he actually says he wants to be safe again, as opposed to free.

[MagiMysteryTour]

Flagwaving is a typical symptom of fascist societies, where the unquestioning and uninformed are so easily caught up in this simplistic display of empty pride designed to encourage nationalistic support for military actions. Fascist governments use the flag as the most copnvenient distraction in precisely the way a matador uses a flag to distract the bull.

Why has Stewart's America changed so much? Loss of our human identity, loss of compassion, loss of sanity. Drugs contribute to these losses

[overduerent]

This is a good video but this guy sounds like a fascist.

[MagiMysteryTour]

He sounds like a man who is old enough to feel nostalgic for what has been lost in our world. It might be all those waving flags that gives you the impression of fascism.

[MagiMysteryTour]

On the other hand, it might be his apparent criticism of drugs that ticked you off. I too have been called fascist by drug advocates for my opposing views, and I don't feel the need to apologize for them.

I think Toby Keith and his like are fascists however.

[banemaler]

The War on Drugs has promoted Fascism in this country. Do you seriously believe that drugs weren't in use before they became illegal? Do you think they are any less available now. John Stewart doesn't give us solutions to getting back to his America but it does beg the question, why have things changed so much? I believe government involvement in every aspect of our lives whether it be telling us what to drink or smoke to what we can and cannot say. He is recognizing his liberties being eroded.

[banemaler]

Fascism, what does that have to do with waving the flag? He's talking about freedom, that's on the exact opposite of the political spectrum. We've lost freedom in this country, we've lost liberty. Maybe you're thinking Nationalism, pride in your own country. Fascism demands that one group of people are in charge of our lives or corporate fascism where companies shape policy. That is devoid of freedom that is anti-American. Don't let post 9/11 and Bush shape your reality.

[MagiMysteryTour]

Bush definitely has shaped our reality, like it or not.

Drugs are not less available, in my opinion there is no genuine "war on drugs", it's all a charade that the government plays to gain conservative support. The government approves the proliferation of drug use, because the more time citizens spend getting stoned the less time and energy they will have to devote to actually changing anything.

[dramusic]

I just learned about John Stewart passing on, when I uploaded one of his songs today. I've been following the tributes paid to Tim Russert, who died last Friday. It gets you to thinking. Ma Joad, in "Grapes of Wrath" was absolutely right. The great and famous celebrities come and go. But the People, they go on. Tim and John kept those thoughts in mind, and always tried to remind us of that fact. There are many who will never realize how important that was.

[aneal456]

He definitely was in the league with woody guthrie. His America songs are stories that are real and paint a picture of people and places, (so many of them have the name of states in the title) that are haunting.

[judee45]

A very touching, lovely song. I was heartbroken when JFK died. One of the things that helped be heal was John's song, "Song For a Friend". I was just 18 and I've been a fan ever since.

This song sort of says it all.

Maybe someday we'll become the America we were..or even better. Thanks John, for keeping up your part of the Dream..

[myuncreativename]

Great man, great songwriter. I enjoyed his creative talents immensely. So sorry to hear of his passing.

[jasonwhitedrum]

It's reassuring that there are others who recognize this man's brilliance,for he never truly received the fame he deserved;but perhaps that's part of his appeal-he always felt like a personal friend.Rest in peace John.

[tommybball46]

John Stewart has written 48 songs about or mentioning angels. Now he sings with them. Comfort to Buffy and all who love him.

[RSLweblog]

Great work - long after people had considered him finished. Thanks for posting this!

[dklb06]

Please honor one of America's finest and prolific songwriters of this era. A man with true American values and fought and sang for the truth in democracy. If you don't know who he is, you surely know Daydream Believer...........John Stewart 1939-2008(he passed away Saturday, 19th in San Diego

[hmarty]

RIP! Terrific Song Writer!

[dklb06]

John Stewart was one of America's great songwriters..Let us give him the respect and honor he deserves! 1939-2008(Sat. Jan. 19th)

[santa4749]

Nice

[mdoe]

I hope they get better.

I am a pessimist in my day to day life and an optimist for the big picture.

[mdoe]

I had the opportunity to work on a documetary with John Stewart and he gave me a CD with this on it.

I mixed these images with it.

On September 11th I was in Manhattan and at Ground Zero.

A couple of days later I made copies of this video and gave it to about 25 TV transmission trucks in NYC.

I never knew if it got played or not.

Change is not an easy thing. Things get crazy before they get better.