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More on Springsteen and Diallo

Timothy Noah
Posted Friday, June 9, 2000, at 10:17 AM ET

Reader Jen Kilmer alerts Chatterbox that the New York City Patrolmen's Benevolent Association is urging cops to boycott Bruce Springsteen's New York City concerts, which start June 12, because, in his new song, "American Skin," the Boss has the effrontery to question NYPD tactics in the Amadou Diallo shooting. (Click here to assess Chatterbox's hypothesis that the song was originally intended to help Hillary Clinton get elected to the Senate.) If Chatterbox hadn't seen PBA President Patrick Lynch's statement with his own eyes, he wouldn't have believed it. Here's a snippet:

I consider it an outrage that he 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, and I have let his representatives and the press know how I feel about this song. ...

I strongly urge any PBA members who may moonlight as security or in any other kind of work at rock concerts to avoid working Springsteen concerts.

Jeez! Ya shoot one innocent West African immigrant--OK, you shoot him 41 times--and they never let ya forget it!

Who is Lynch getting his public-relations advice from--Bayer?

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Reader Response from The Fray:


The PBA also had the nerve to act as if their chief concern was sparing poor Amadou Diallo's family from the scheming Springsteen's attempt to get rich off of their son. Whatever else one may think, this is obviously ridiculous. Having drawn more attention to an unrecorded song than any advertising could have, perhaps now it is time for them shut up. They have shot themselves in the foot (perhaps they saw something they didn't like).

--JGH

(To reply, click here.)

(6/12)

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