March
28 Live Earth Will Go On --- Maybe Not at the Capitol

Updated

With James Inhofe and other GOP senators blocking the July 7 Live Earth concert on U.S. Capitol gounds, organizers assure that they will still be holding a U.S component of the seven-continent show. They just indicate that it may not be on the steps of the Capitol.

"We have dozens of cities around the world competiting for the chance to hold a Live Earth concert, including major U.S. cities up and down the east coast," producer Kevin Wall said in a statement. "This will bring revenue and tremendous visibility to the host cities."

Chad Griffin, senior adviser to the event, said, "On July 7, 2007, Live Earth will unite over two billion people across all seven continents, and while it’s unfortunate for the American people that we are being blocked from staging the U.S. concert in our nation’s capital, the show must go on. Like music, the issue of global warming transcends all boundaries, even American political parties.”

Organizers already were rebuffed in staging the even on the Mall, because the National Park Service says it's already booked that day.

Inhofe clashed with Gore when the former vice president testified on global warming last week.

It goes without saying that this won't endear the music profession to Inhofe, who already came under criticism on Monday by Beach Boy Mike Love. According to the Washington Examiner, Love said at an appearance before the National Press Club, “Gore deserves a bit more respect than he was shown by a rancorous senator from Oklahoma. I was offended by the rancorous display of hostility. There’ll be a time in the not-too-distant future when no one will inhabit elective office unless they are environmentally conscious.”

Rep. Edward J. Markey, who chairs the House select committee on energy independent and global warming, blasted GOP attempts to prevent the concert.

In a statement released late on Wednesday, Markey referred to the 1983 incident in which Interior Secretary James Watt banned the Beach Boys from playing on the National Mall, saying that they attracted an "undesirable element." It proved an embarassment for the Reagan administration, and the group was allowed the following year.

"Not since former Interior Secretary James Watt tried to ban the Beach Boys from appearing on the National Mall has such a misguided effort at political censorship been undertaken by a Republican official," Markey said. "It's dangerous enough to deny science; it's sheer luacy to deny song."