[Newspoetry] Bruce Springsteen, Newspoet

[wordwork at shout.net]

Bruce Springsteen's New Newspoem, "American Skin," is a song about Amadou
Diallou. He's been drawing conspicuous amounts of flak from NYPD.

He debuted it last week I think, and it isn't recorded, but he's been
playing it live every night here in NYC.

Following are quotes from news stories and commentary:

Patrolmen's Benevolent Association president Patrick Lynch, in urging the
police to boycott Springsteen:

"I consider it an outrage that [Springsteen] would be trying to fatten his
 wallet by reopening the wounds of this tragic case at a time when police
officers and community members are in a healing period,"

Amadou Diallo was shot 41 times by police, and the Police are in a healing
period? Poor police! 

Meanwhile, one of Springsteen's most vociferous critics, Bob Lucente,
president of the New York state chapter of the Fraternal Order
 of Police, issued a statement Monday apologizing for comments he made
last week to sonicnet.com about Springsteen.

Lucente had called Springsteen a "f---ing dirtbag" and a "floating fag,"
comments which were then widely reported in other news outlets, including
the New York Post.

"I offer to [gay police officers] and their families my most sincere
apologies for a comment made in anger over the many deaths of
those in law enforcement," Lucente said in the statement. "The [slur] was
made out of disgust toward a public figure whom I once
admired, not against someone's sexual preference."

One wonders what he said that was replaced by the bracketed "[gay police
officer]" One also wonders why he is bringing up the "deaths of those in
law enforcement." NYPD sees itself as the victim of the Diallou case.

Finally, from a review of a recent concert:

"There was a minor disturbance as the E Street Band launched
into "American Skin," when an audience member ran down the
center aisle toward the stage. The man, who was using finger gestures 
towards Springsteen, was intercepted by [Madison Square] Garden security
and escorted from the building before he got close to the musicians. While
there were reports of scattered "boos" during the song, they
were hard to  distinguish amid the evening-long chants of
"Bruuuuuce!".

Sorry, I'm not at a familiar computer and I'm using telnet and pressed
for time, so I can't make a newspoem out of this right now.

I saw the entire text of the song in yesterday's USA today and had wished
to post it to Newspoetry. I think we should run it and make Bruce
Springsteen an honorary newspoet. 

Bruuuuuce!

William