Revenge Of The Indie Rocker (My father is a despicable man)

At Bill Board: http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/silver-jews-david-berman-quitting-music-1003934057.story

Subject story here: http://d-day.blogspot.com/2009/01/revenge-of-indie-rocker.html

Friday, January 23, 2009
Revenge Of The Indie Rocker

This is a pretty amazing story. David Berman is the lead singer of a rock outfit called Silver Jew. I can't say I've heard much of them until now, but they've been on the fringes of fame for close to 20 years. Now, via my favorite music blog Stereogum, I find out that Silver Jew has called it quits. But not before Berman reveals that his father is the Rick Berman, head of the "Center for Union Facts" and the point man for conservative anti-union actions around the Employee Free Choice Act.

My Father, My Attack Dog

Now that the Joos are over I can tell you my gravest secret. Worse than suicide, worse than crack addiction:

My father.

You might be surprised to know he is famous, for terrible reasons.

My father is a despicable man. My father is a sort of human molestor.

An exploiter. A scoundrel. A world historical motherfucking son of a bitch. (sorry grandma)

You can read about him here.

www.bermanexposed.org



Berman Exposed is indeed a good source of information, detailing the dozens of industry-funded propaganda outfits that Berman runs, designed to subvert the interests of workers and the public and enrich corporate fat cats. Sadly, Berman is treated as a respectable figure in the media, who constantly run to him for a quote for their stories in the interest of "balance." These groups have lots of money but no grassroots support, and their power comes in many ways from this symbiotic relationship with the media.

His son continues:

A couple of years ago I demanded he stop his work. Close down his company or I would sever our relationship.

He refused. He has just gotten worse. More evil. More powerful. We've been "estranged" for over three years.

Even as a child I disliked him. We were opposites. I wanted to read. He wanted to play games.

He is a union buster.

When I got out of college I joined the Teamsters (the guards were union organized at the Whitney).

I went off to hide in art and academia.

I fled through this art portal for twenty years. In the mean time my Dad started a very very bad company called Berman and Company.

He props up fast food/soda/factory farming/childhood obesity and diabetes/drunk driving/secondhand smoke.

He attacks animal lovers, ecologists, civil action attorneys, scientists, dieticians, doctors, teachers.

His clients include everyone from the makers of Agent Orange to the Tanning Salon Owners of America.

He helped ensure the minimum wage did not move a penny from 1997-2007!

FULL article at link.

that 'the center for consumer freedom' puts on.

Man what a house to grow up in. Amazing that Jr. escaped the evil empire.

I LOOOVVE it when these evil bastards are outed. :bounce:

n/t

The story becomes about a son who went a different way than the "establishment" father, and all of the "other stuff" melts into the background.

Of course, it's manna for those who are already on the team, but it is unlikely to bring converts. People get uncomfortable when they see a child publicly excoriating a parent, especially when the child is a middle aged man himself.

Sometimes, you can just enjoy something for what it is. I would imagine this was cathartic for the author, and it's impact on others was a secondary concern. Why be critical of that?

I made an observation. I didn't criticize the adult child for doing what he did. I merely observed that a wider audience might not take from it the message this guy might, or might not, want to impart.

Sheesh. It's getting so if you aren't a cheerleader, constant and mindless, bellowing a "Yeah! Right ON! Me, TOO!" you're "criticizing."

Even if you're not.

That gets tiresome.

and a link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7eS9tVbh_s