Re: The capricious winds of public opinion

["Schrade, Scott" <sschrade@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> Pete doesn't owe us a damn thing. We paid for the concerts and they 
> gave us the shows.  We bought the CD's and they gave us the music.  
> We're even.

What a shockingly bare-bones, calculated (dare I say scientific?) assess-
ment from someone claiming to be so spiritual.

Is that how it works with you, Jon?  All the feelings end when you hit
"Stop" on the CD player?  All the emotion ceases when you walk out of
the concert venue?  

You don't lay awake at night thinking about Pete & The Who in total 
silence?  You don't ponder stupid Who things while waiting in line at the
supermarket?

> He personally got into a personal situation by personally entering a 
> credit card one time in a personal crusade, one that we on this list 
> cared nothing about.

All true, but the *public* reaction, the *public* humiliation, the *public*
revelation, the *public* statements, the *public* admonishing, the *pub-
lic* embarrassment, the *public* scrutiny, like it or not, has brought
this unfortunate episode into *all* our lives.  

I'm involved, too, whether I like it or not.  Did I just imagine all the
people who came up to me, that either made Pete jokes, expressed concern,
expressed anger, expressed hope, asked for my opinion, laughed at my defense
of him, considered my defense of him, or ignored my defense of him?

Why should I fucking care, indeed!  I *do* care.  I'm too far in this not
to care.  I can't just say, "Oh well.  None of my business.  Personal cru-
sade of Pete's." - & just switch my feelings off.

I don't place him so high on a pedestal where my doubts & frustrations
can't reach him.  He's a part of me.  I didn't ask for that!  Like true 
love, it just happens.  It just is.  Pete & The Who are a part of who *I*
am.  I see myself when I see The Who.  I see myself when I see Pete.     

> The message to his fans was clear: "I am not a pedophile.  I am going 
> to clear my name."  

Fine.  No problem there.

> He told us from the beginning that he used his card one time for re-
> search. He told us the truth.  

OK.  I'll accept that.

> We waited and he came out clean in the investigation.  Good enough.

Here's where we part.  I know I, & others, were waiting for a heartfelt,
thoughtful, intelligent explanation (notice I didn't say "apology") from
Pete *after* he got the green light to speak about the matter.  Instead, 
we got that embarrassing woe-is-me, soul-trauma-bullshit, I'm-being-unjust-
ly-punished, bit of lameness.  That's where I became disillusioned & angry.
Rightly or wrongly, I expect more from Pete than that.  My heroes are in
my grasp.  Yes, they sometimes have to answer to me.  They don't walk on
water.

> I don't care what anybody says. The truth is still the truth even if 
> nobody believes it.

I don't believe Pete is a pedophile.  That's not the point.  I just don't
like how he's handled (or hasn't handled) the post-scandal situation.
*That's* what's feeding all this doubt, all this confusion, all this anger.

Where's the Pete that makes me thrust my fist in the air?  Where's the 
Pete that makes me proud?  Where's the Pete that crushes adversaries with 
his intelligence-laden assaults?  

Why did he have that "pity-poor-me" first reaction?  Why does it seem like
he's hiding?  Why is the yapping blabbermouth now so silent?  Why is there
no closure for me?  Why are other fans walking around with satisfied, pleas-
ant-looking smiles on their faces?  Why do I feel let down?

Incidentally, for some odd reason, these recent feelings have not affected
my enjoyment of Who (or even Pete solo) music at all.  I know Kevin said
he had trouble at one point listening to The Who because of all this.

I'm using the wisdom, power, anger, & intelligence of the "old Pete" to help
me deal with the "new Pete."  Their music is way too powerful to be affect-
ed by mere scandal.  Would that Pete was now that strong.


- SCHRADE in Akron