csmonitor--2020-12-11--Tokyo Games budget balloons. Who will pay for the extra costs?

Domestic sponsors have already contributed a record $ 3.3 billion to help pay for the Tokyo Olympics .
That ’ s at least twice as much as any previous Games .
But it ’ s still not enough .
Now they ’ re being asked to pay millions more to cover some of the soaring costs of the one-year postponement .
This comes as Japanese businesses are battered by the COVID-19 pandemic , raising doubts about re-investing in an Olympics that may be short on fans , but long on pandemic-related rules to discourage tourists , sightseeing , and spending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of asking for additional sponsorship [ payments ] from our partners , ” organizing committee CEO Muto Toshiro said last week as he detailed why the postponement will cost organizers and Japanese taxpayers an extra $ 2.8 billion .
“ The sponsors have expressed the willingness to contribute to the Games next year .
But they have not specified an amount.
” None of the the nearly 70 domestic sponsors is saying “ no ” – at least publicly – to an Olympics backed by Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide , and driven by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Inc. , the official marketing agency for the Tokyo Olympics .
Dentsu helped land the Olympics , lined up the sponsors , and stands to profit with the Olympics opening on July 23 , 2021 .
Little arm-twisting may be needed to keep sponsors on board .
Harmony and consensus are valued in Japan , and this stretches to the corporate world .
It ’ s best illustrated by this Japanese saying : The nail that sticks up gets hammered down ( deru kugi wa utareru ) .
Pulling off the Olympics is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matter of honor , and saving face .
Doubts expressed behind the scenes are unlikely to trickle to the surface .
Some sponsors might offer additional “ in-kind ” payments – contributions not made in cash – but there has been little open dissent and few contract details made public .
In the end , any shortfall is likely to be made up by taxpayers .
Among the domestic sponsors is Japanese airline All Nippon Airways , which posted losses of $ 1.8 billion through the first half of the fiscal year , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 750 million in the same period .
Also on board is the financial services company Nomura , both Narita and Haneda airports , food makers such as Kikkoman and Ajinomoto , and the SkyTree tower .
The Japanese media , charged with covering the Olympics , are also on in droves including top newspapers Mainichi , Nikkei , Yomiuri , and Asahi .
Associated Press contacted a dozen sponsors and almost all refused to comment .
A Tokyo Gas spokesperson said that organizers had advised against speaking to the media .
One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instant noodle maker Nissin , which has registered 63 % profit growth recently as people stuck at home turn to quick meals .
“ We will continue with our preparation toward a safe and secure Olympics while paying heed to further developments , ” spokesman Matsuo Tomonao said .
He said no decision had been made on the renewal .
The Tokyo Olympics have become very expensive .
A University of Oxford study says they are the most costly Summer Olympics on record .
The official cost of putting on the Tokyo Olympics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ budget .
But a government audit last year said it was probably twice that much , and this was before the added cost of the delay .
This is all public money except for $ 5.6 billion from the privately funded organizing committee budget .
Domestic sponsors make up about 60 % of this income .
Polls in Japan show wavering support for holding the Olympics in the midst of a pandemic , which IOC President Thomas Bach tried to counter last month in Tokyo in meetings with organizers , politicians , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic relatively well , new infections in Tokyo hit a one-day record of 602 on Thursday .
About 2,400 deaths in the country have been attributed to COVID-19 .
The squeeze on cash-strapped sponsors is only half the story .
The other half revolves around Dentsu Inc .
In essence , through unrivaled connections in business , politics , and media , Dentsu helped land the Olympics , and then profited by lining up billions in domestic sponsorships .
These are distinct from the 14 long-term International Olympic Committee sponsors , which include @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Toyota , and Bridgestone .
Analysts estimate Dentsu gets a 15 % commission for signing up sponsors , and possibly more if it handles the advertising work .
Dentsu officially came aboard with the organizing committee after the Switzerland-base IOC awarded Tokyo the Olympics in 2013 .
But Dentsu was involved before that .
Dentsu has acknowledged that it advised the Tokyo bid committee about possible “ consultants ” just weeks before the IOC vote in Buenos Aires , Argentina .
One consultant Dentsu evaluated as “ extremely competent ” was the Singapore-based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 2 million from the Tokyo bid committee .
In an on-going probe , French investigators believe the $ 2 million was channeled through the Singapore consultant to buy the votes of IOC members .
Takeda Tsunekazu , an IOC member and head of the Japanese Olympic Committee at the time , quit last year .
He denied any wrongdoing , but acknowledged signing off on the payment .
Similar bribery allegations surround the IOC ’ s award of the 2016 Olympic to Rio de Janeiro .
The IOC , itself , pays @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It generates about three-quarters of its income from selling broadcast rights , and relies on the host nation ’ s public coffers for the staging .
The latest Tokyo organizing committee budget shows IOC contributions of $ 1.3 billion .
This is about 10 % of the official costs , but a far smaller percentage if outlays are being underestimated .
Dentsu declined comment for this article , saying it was only a go-between for the companies and the Tokyo organizing committee .
The Japanese agency has longstanding relationships with the powers in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ body of world soccer ; FINA , the world swim body ; World Athletics , the track and field governing body .
Takahashi Haruyuki , a former Dentsu executive , is reported to have been paid millions by Tokyo ’ s bid committee for lobbying IOC members .
He ’ s also a member of the Tokyo organizing committee ’ s executive board .
IOC President Bach was asked in Tokyo about the reported payments of $ 8 million to Takahashi .
“ With regard to Mr. Takahashi , we received confirmation that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rules , ” Mr. Bach said .
Dentsu returned to profitability after losses last year , which came mainly from its overseas operations , and has recorded 10 billion yen ( $ 96 million ) profit for the first three quarters of this year .
“ The agency clearly was , and still is , a media powerhouse , ” said Bob Dorfman , a creative director and sports marketing analyst at Baker Street Advertising , who has worked at Dentsu .
“ My Dentsu pin was like a badge of honor .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ influence.
” Jeff Kingston , who teaches Japanese politics at Temple University in Tokyo , described Dentsu as a kingmaker .
The company ’ s name is almost never mentioned in public by Tokyo Olympic officials , nor by top politicians or the IOC .
“ Dentsu ’ s influence is pervasive from the newsroom to the prime minister ’ s office , ” Mr. Kingston wrote in an email .
“ It is a driving force to keep the Olympics on track despite the grave risks.
” This story was reported by @ @ @ @

Domestic sponsors have already contributed a record $3.3 billion to help pay for the Tokyo Olympics. That’s at least twice as much as any previous Games.
But it’s still not enough.
Now they’re being asked to pay millions more to cover some of the soaring costs of the one-year postponement.
This comes as Japanese businesses are battered by the COVID-19 pandemic, raising doubts about re-investing in an Olympics that may be short on fans, but long on pandemic-related rules to discourage tourists, sightseeing, and spending.
“We are in the process of asking for additional sponsorship [payments] from our partners,” organizing committee CEO Muto Toshiro said last week as he detailed why the postponement will cost organizers and Japanese taxpayers an extra $2.8 billion. “The sponsors have expressed the willingness to contribute to the Games next year. But they have not specified an amount.”
None of the the nearly 70 domestic sponsors is saying “no” – at least publicly – to an Olympics backed by Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide, and driven by Japan’s powerful advertising conglomerate Dentsu Inc., the official marketing agency for the Tokyo Olympics.
Dentsu helped land the Olympics, lined up the sponsors, and stands to profit with the Olympics opening on July 23, 2021.
Little arm-twisting may be needed to keep sponsors on board. Harmony and consensus are valued in Japan, and this stretches to the corporate world. It’s best illustrated by this Japanese saying: The nail that sticks up gets hammered down (deru kugi wa utareru).
Pulling off the Olympics is viewed as a national project, a matter of honor, and saving face. Doubts expressed behind the scenes are unlikely to trickle to the surface. Some sponsors might offer additional “in-kind” payments – contributions not made in cash – but there has been little open dissent and few contract details made public. In the end, any shortfall is likely to be made up by taxpayers.
Among the domestic sponsors is Japanese airline All Nippon Airways, which posted losses of $1.8 billion through the first half of the fiscal year, and travel agency JTB with losses of $750 million in the same period.
Also on board is the financial services company Nomura, both Narita and Haneda airports, food makers such as Kikkoman and Ajinomoto, and the SkyTree tower. The Japanese media, charged with covering the Olympics, are also on in droves including top newspapers Mainichi, Nikkei, Yomiuri, and Asahi.
Associated Press contacted a dozen sponsors and almost all refused to comment. A Tokyo Gas spokesperson said that organizers had advised against speaking to the media.
One of few on-the record comments came from instant noodle maker Nissin, which has registered 63% profit growth recently as people stuck at home turn to quick meals.
“We will continue with our preparation toward a safe and secure Olympics while paying heed to further developments,” spokesman Matsuo Tomonao said. He said no decision had been made on the renewal.
The Tokyo Olympics have become very expensive. A University of Oxford study says they are the most costly Summer Olympics on record.
The official cost of putting on the Tokyo Olympics is $12.6 billion in the latest budget. But a government audit last year said it was probably twice that much, and this was before the added cost of the delay. This is all public money except for $5.6 billion from the privately funded organizing committee budget. Domestic sponsors make up about 60% of this income.
Polls in Japan show wavering support for holding the Olympics in the midst of a pandemic, which IOC President Thomas Bach tried to counter last month in Tokyo in meetings with organizers, politicians, and sponsors. Though Japan has controlled the pandemic relatively well, new infections in Tokyo hit a one-day record of 602 on Thursday. About 2,400 deaths in the country have been attributed to COVID-19.
The squeeze on cash-strapped sponsors is only half the story. The other half revolves around Dentsu Inc.
In essence, through unrivaled connections in business, politics, and media, Dentsu helped land the Olympics, and then profited by lining up billions in domestic sponsorships. These are distinct from the 14 long-term International Olympic Committee sponsors, which include three prominent Japanese brands — Panasonic, Toyota, and Bridgestone.
Analysts estimate Dentsu gets a 15% commission for signing up sponsors, and possibly more if it handles the advertising work.
Dentsu officially came aboard with the organizing committee after the Switzerland-base IOC awarded Tokyo the Olympics in 2013. But Dentsu was involved before that.
Dentsu has acknowledged that it advised the Tokyo bid committee about possible “consultants” just weeks before the IOC vote in Buenos Aires, Argentina. One consultant Dentsu evaluated as “extremely competent” was the Singapore-based Black Tidings Co., which received about $2 million from the Tokyo bid committee.
In an on-going probe, French investigators believe the $2 million was channeled through the Singapore consultant to buy the votes of IOC members. Takeda Tsunekazu, an IOC member and head of the Japanese Olympic Committee at the time, quit last year. He denied any wrongdoing, but acknowledged signing off on the payment.
Similar bribery allegations surround the IOC’s award of the 2016 Olympic to Rio de Janeiro.
The IOC, itself, pays relatively little to hold the Olympics. It generates about three-quarters of its income from selling broadcast rights, and relies on the host nation’s public coffers for the staging. The latest Tokyo organizing committee budget shows IOC contributions of $1.3 billion. This is about 10% of the official costs, but a far smaller percentage if outlays are being underestimated.
Dentsu declined comment for this article, saying it was only a go-between for the companies and the Tokyo organizing committee.
The Japanese agency has longstanding relationships with the powers in world sports: FIFA, the governing body of world soccer; FINA, the world swim body; World Athletics, the track and field governing body.
Takahashi Haruyuki, a former Dentsu executive, is reported to have been paid millions by Tokyo’s bid committee for lobbying IOC members. He’s also a member of the Tokyo organizing committee’s executive board. IOC President Bach was asked in Tokyo about the reported payments of $8 million to Takahashi.
“With regard to Mr. Takahashi, we received confirmation that there was no infringement on the IOC rules,” Mr. Bach said.
Dentsu returned to profitability after losses last year, which came mainly from its overseas operations, and has recorded 10 billion yen ($96 million) profit for the first three quarters of this year.
“The agency clearly was, and still is, a media powerhouse,” said Bob Dorfman, a creative director and sports marketing analyst at Baker Street Advertising, who has worked at Dentsu. “My Dentsu pin was like a badge of honor. Wearing it earned me instant respect and influence.”
Jeff Kingston, who teaches Japanese politics at Temple University in Tokyo, described Dentsu as a kingmaker. The company’s name is almost never mentioned in public by Tokyo Olympic officials, nor by top politicians or the IOC.
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empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
“Dentsu’s influence is pervasive from the newsroom to the prime minister’s office,” Mr. Kingston wrote in an email. “It is a driving force to keep the Olympics on track despite the grave risks.”
This story was reported by The Associated Press.


csmonitor--2020-12-11--India’s lesson on rushed reforms for farmers

Most societies and their leaders tend toward continuity – stable economic growth , steady foreign alliances , modest swings in policy .
But the arc of progress can be punctuated by periods of disruption – whether wars , technological breakthroughs , natural disasters , or social movements .
In India , which could soon have the world ’ s largest population , such a disruption may be afoot .
In the past two weeks , hundreds of thousands of Indian farmers have staged protests against three new laws aiming at ending price supports for agriculture and enabling farmers to sell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government .
The number of people affected by this change is huge .
Nearly two-thirds of India ’ s 1.3 billion people depend on farming .
Nearly 85 % of farmers cultivate fields of less than five acres .
For many economists and political leaders , the need for the reforms is obvious .
A decades-old system of price supports to ensure a minimum return for producers and low food prices for consumers is failing , leaving more than half of all farmers overburdened by debt .
In 2018 and 2019 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lives .
When Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power six years ago , he promised to double farmers ’ income by 2022 .
Failing to make progress toward that goal , his government enacted the three laws in September .
They argued the reforms would empower farmers and further a long-term shift from a semi-socialist economy to one of regulated free markets and high investments .
Yet the reforms were rushed through parliament without much consultation .
Farmers worry that they will be unable to compete with large commercial interests without support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the laws but better crop prices , loan waivers , and new irrigation systems to cope with drought .
The protesters have blocked many transportation corridors into the capital , New Delhi .
As the leader of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party , Mr. Modi has presided over a period of divisiveness in India .
Some of his reforms have disrupted both the economy and society .
In 2016 , for example , he tried to fight corruption by demonetizing the national currency , creating a cash crisis and long lines of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ barring interfaith marriage and excluding Muslim immigrants from neighboring countries have exacerbated class and ethnic tensions .
The farmer protests , wrote Indian journalist Barkha Dutt in The Washington Post , “ are a reminder that there is a value in consensus .
Even the most popular leaders sometimes need to listen to what the streets say.
” Reforms are often necessary , driven by grand principles ( equal justice , market economies ) and urgent goals ( fixing climate change or mass human displacement ) .
But to meet the needs and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come with a strong measure of consensus and even kindness .
The BJP ’ s partner , the Sikh-dominated Shiromani Akali Dal party , has quit the ruling coalition in protest .
Talks between the government and farmers have yet to reach a compromise .
Even so , some protesting farmers have set up kitchens to feed the police battling them .
Gestures like that speak to higher motives and aims .
This disruption in India could still lead to progress .
But Indians , working together , may need to change how @ @ @ @

Most societies and their leaders tend toward continuity – stable economic growth, steady foreign alliances, modest swings in policy. But the arc of progress can be punctuated by periods of disruption – whether wars, technological breakthroughs, natural disasters, or social movements. In India, which could soon have the world’s largest population, such a disruption may be afoot.
In the past two weeks, hundreds of thousands of Indian farmers have staged protests against three new laws aiming at ending price supports for agriculture and enabling farmers to sell crops directly to markets rather than through the government. The number of people affected by this change is huge. Nearly two-thirds of India’s 1.3 billion people depend on farming. Nearly 85% of farmers cultivate fields of less than five acres.
For many economists and political leaders, the need for the reforms is obvious. A decades-old system of price supports to ensure a minimum return for producers and low food prices for consumers is failing, leaving more than half of all farmers overburdened by debt. In 2018 and 2019, more than 20,000 farmers took their own lives.
When Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power six years ago, he promised to double farmers’ income by 2022. Failing to make progress toward that goal, his government enacted the three laws in September. They argued the reforms would empower farmers and further a long-term shift from a semi-socialist economy to one of regulated free markets and high investments. Yet the reforms were rushed through parliament without much consultation. Farmers worry that they will be unable to compete with large commercial interests without support. They demand not only repeal of the laws but better crop prices, loan waivers, and new irrigation systems to cope with drought. The protesters have blocked many transportation corridors into the capital, New Delhi.
As the leader of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, Mr. Modi has presided over a period of divisiveness in India. Some of his reforms have disrupted both the economy and society. In 2016, for example, he tried to fight corruption by demonetizing the national currency, creating a cash crisis and long lines of panicked citizens outside banks. New laws barring interfaith marriage and excluding Muslim immigrants from neighboring countries have exacerbated class and ethnic tensions.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
The farmer protests, wrote Indian journalist Barkha Dutt in The Washington Post, “are a reminder that there is a value in consensus. Even the most popular leaders sometimes need to listen to what the streets say.” Reforms are often necessary, driven by grand principles (equal justice, market economies) and urgent goals (fixing climate change or mass human displacement). But to meet the needs and aspirations that impel them, they must come with a strong measure of consensus and even kindness.
The BJP’s partner, the Sikh-dominated Shiromani Akali Dal party, has quit the ruling coalition in protest. Talks between the government and farmers have yet to reach a compromise. Even so, some protesting farmers have set up kitchens to feed the police battling them. Gestures like that speak to higher motives and aims. This disruption in India could still lead to progress. But Indians, working together, may need to change how they get there.


csmonitor--2020-12-11--Whose ‘Nutcracker’? Rethinking a Christmas staple.

“ Dance Dreams : Hot Chocolate Nutcracker , ” a documentary now streaming on Netflix , explores director Debbie Allen ’ s vision for the multicultural “ Hot Chocolate Nutcracker.
” The show is an affirmation that , in the words of dancer Wayne “ Juice ” Mackins , “ we don ’ t live in a homogeneous enclave.
” This year , though many live performances have been canceled , ballet lovers can catch a behind-the-scenes glimpse of one such reimagining .
Choreographers are finding new ways to imagine the show so that it retains some of the tradition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Not all audiences have been delighted with every aspect of “ The Nutcracker , ” however .
In recent years , many in the dance community have been asking how to reconcile this ballet that they love with the stereotypes that it has helped to perpetuate .
They wonder if it is possible to transform “ The Nutcracker ” to remove its racial stereotypes and aristocratic origins while holding onto its traditional charms .
For more than 50 years “ The Nutcracker ” has been synonymous with Christmas .
It ’ s a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children to take up ballet .
For more than 50 years “ The Nutcracker ” has been synonymous with Christmas .
Along with holiday cheer , the ballet generates anywhere from 20 % to 50 % of most ballet companies ’ revenue .
While many live performances of “ The Nutcracker ” have been canceled this year due to the pandemic , the classic ballet remains a beloved holiday tradition and inspires legions of children to take up ballet .
But in recent years , many in the dance community have been asking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ love with the stereotypes that it has helped to perpetuate .
They wonder if it is possible to transform “ The Nutcracker ” to remove its racial stereotypes and aristocratic origins while holding onto its traditional charms .
Three dance companies have answered this question with a resounding “ yes , ” keeping the ballet ’ s essence while widening its appeal to include diverse audiences .
We ’ ll get to them shortly .
But first , a little history .
“ The Nutcracker , ” with music by Pyotr Tchaikovsky and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Imperial Mariinsky Ballet in St. Petersburg , Russia , in 1892 .
It was not the huge hit that it is today .
Critics assailed the production for its prominent use of children .
Instead of dancers portraying royal courtiers , a nod to the imperial family and visiting dignitaries , as was customary at the time , the ballet follows the plot of a children ’ s story , E.T.A .
Hoffmann ’ s “ The Nutcracker and the Mouse King.
” In the story , a girl named Clara ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world of delicious treats accompanied by a Nutcracker prince .
The ballet underwent many revisions before it eventually found lasting success in Russia .
In the United States , George Balanchine , co-founder of New York City Ballet , created his American-friendly version , based upon his memories of dancing at Mariinsky Theatre as a child .
The result was a smash hit , though he continued to tinker with it throughout his life .
Balanchine ’ s initial version premiered on Feb. 2 , 1954 , at a crucial point in New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Though the company had its passionate supporters , Kay Mazzo , a former principal ballerina and the current chairman of faculty for the company ’ s School of American Ballet , has recalled times when there were more people onstage than there were in the audience .
Balanchine changed all of that by featuring children from the school , which drew in family members .
What proved a liability in the original Russian production became a formula for success in America .
With the Dec. 25 , 1958 , broadcast of “ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ became forever associated with Christmas .
It also helped establish a winning tradition across the nation that brings families together and introduces many young people to ballet .
Not all audiences have been delighted with every aspect of “ The Nutcracker.
” In Act 2 , dancers portraying sweets from different cultures ( chocolate from Spain , coffee from Arabia , tea from China ) appear onstage .
The traditional choreography and costumes – particularly in the Chinese section – reinforced stereotypes that are demeaning and offensive .
For example , the Chinese @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inauthentic , if not mocking , gestures .
In 2017 , Phil Chan , a scholar , educator , and former dancer , convinced New York City Ballet to drop the offending antics and costume pieces .
For another production , at the Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle , he consulted with Peter Boal , the artistic director , to rethink the Chinese section .
“ The original Balanchine ‘ Nutcracker ’ version is essentially an emasculated Chinese coolie , ” Mr. Chan says .
“ Instead of that , Peter chose a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a symbol of spring .
And just as Balanchine dancers are the most musical of ballet dancers , crickets are also the most musical of insects.
” Most importantly for Mr. Chan , it shows Chinese people that “ the choreographer actually took something from my culture that was respectful , as opposed to an outdated caricature from 150 years ago.
” The current costume for the cricket is still being workshopped , but for now , families can watch Pacific Northwest Ballet ’ s production of Balanchine ’ s “ The Nutcracker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gestures – on its website : www.pnb.org/nutcracker/ .
Honest representation was also on Sam Pott ’ s mind when he created “ Jersey City Nutcracker.
” The founder and director of Nimbus Dance in Jersey City , New Jersey , says , “ It was important for European immigrants to have shows like ‘ Nutcracker ’ that connected them back to their European traditions .
But sometimes that was wedded to white supremacy.
” That ’ s why , instead of showcasing the traditional aristocratic family of the story , this version features @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ the safer and kinder Jersey City of their dreams , ” he says .
This approach to the ballet was inspired by the work of children ’ s author Ezra Jack Keats to signal that “ kids have a sense of wonder regardless of their economic circumstances , ” Mr. Potts says .
“ Jersey City Nutcracker : The Movie ” is available on demand through its website : www.nimbusdance.org .
For us , by us Award-winning performer and director Debbie Allen reinforces the idea that “ The Nutcracker ” can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community .
In “ Dance Dreams : Hot Chocolate Nutcracker , ” a behind-the-scenes documentary now streaming on Netflix , she auditions , rehearses , and provides tough love to her multicultural cast , which includes students from Debbie Allen Dance Academy , as they prepare for performance day .
One of the dancers who got her start in Ms. Allen ’ s school , Kylie Jefferson , says in the documentary that she has never seen a “ regular Nutcracker , ” which she likes because this vision of diversity is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Juice ” Mackins , who was the original Nutcracker prince in the “ Hot Chocolate Nutcracker , ” says in a phone interview that Ms. Allen was “ focused on reflecting what life actually is because we don ’ t live in a homogeneous enclave.
” For Mr. Mackins , this means being willing to reach out to other people and cultures rather than make assumptions .
For example , Ms. Allen asks the tap dance star Savion Glover to create a dance for her “ Nutcracker.
” Rather than approximate her idea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ went to a qualified source .
That is the essential takeaway from the documentary .
Rather than approximate another culture , invite people from that culture to share their input .
The hope is that these reimaginings can retain the spirit of “ The Nutcracker ” while bringing the community together to create something that feels more inclusive and authentic .

“Dance Dreams: Hot Chocolate Nutcracker,” a documentary now streaming on Netflix, explores director Debbie Allen’s vision for the multicultural “Hot Chocolate Nutcracker.” The show is an affirmation that, in the words of dancer Wayne “Juice” Mackins, “we don’t live in a homogeneous enclave.”
This year, though many live performances have been canceled, ballet lovers can catch a behind-the-scenes glimpse of one such reimagining.
Choreographers are finding new ways to imagine the show so that it retains some of the tradition but feels more inclusive and authentic.
Many ballet fans find comfort ushering in the holiday season with “The Nutcracker.” But in recent years, choreographers have been looking for ways to make that traditional classic feel more inclusive.
Not all audiences have been delighted with every aspect of “The Nutcracker,” however. In recent years, many in the dance community have been asking how to reconcile this ballet that they love with the stereotypes that it has helped to perpetuate. They wonder if it is possible to transform “The Nutcracker” to remove its racial stereotypes and aristocratic origins while holding onto its traditional charms.
For more than 50 years “The Nutcracker” has been synonymous with Christmas. It’s a beloved holiday tradition that inspires legions of children to take up ballet.
For more than 50 years “The Nutcracker” has been synonymous with Christmas. Along with holiday cheer, the ballet generates anywhere from 20% to 50% of most ballet companies’ revenue. While many live performances of “The Nutcracker” have been canceled this year due to the pandemic, the classic ballet remains a beloved holiday tradition and inspires legions of children to take up ballet.
But in recent years, many in the dance community have been asking how to reconcile this ballet that they love with the stereotypes that it has helped to perpetuate. They wonder if it is possible to transform “The Nutcracker” to remove its racial stereotypes and aristocratic origins while holding onto its traditional charms. Three dance companies have answered this question with a resounding “yes,” keeping the ballet’s essence while widening its appeal to include diverse audiences. We’ll get to them shortly. But first, a little history.
Russian origins
Why We Wrote This Many ballet fans find comfort ushering in the holiday season with “The Nutcracker.” But in recent years, choreographers have been looking for ways to make that traditional classic feel more inclusive.
“The Nutcracker,” with music by Pyotr Tchaikovsky and choreography by Marius Petipa, premiered at the Imperial Mariinsky Ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1892. It was not the huge hit that it is today. Critics assailed the production for its prominent use of children. Instead of dancers portraying royal courtiers, a nod to the imperial family and visiting dignitaries, as was customary at the time, the ballet follows the plot of a children’s story, E.T.A. Hoffmann’s “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King.” In the story, a girl named Clara (or sometimes Marie) visits an enchanted world of delicious treats accompanied by a Nutcracker prince. The ballet underwent many revisions before it eventually found lasting success in Russia.
An American beginning
In the United States, George Balanchine, co-founder of New York City Ballet, created his American-friendly version, based upon his memories of dancing at Mariinsky Theatre as a child. The result was a smash hit, though he continued to tinker with it throughout his life.
Balanchine’s initial version premiered on Feb. 2, 1954, at a crucial point in New York City Ballet’s history. Though the company had its passionate supporters, Kay Mazzo, a former principal ballerina and the current chairman of faculty for the company’s School of American Ballet, has recalled times when there were more people onstage than there were in the audience. Balanchine changed all of that by featuring children from the school, which drew in family members.
What proved a liability in the original Russian production became a formula for success in America. With the Dec. 25, 1958, broadcast of “The Nutcracker” on CBS, the ballet became forever associated with Christmas. It also helped establish a winning tradition across the nation that brings families together and introduces many young people to ballet.
Angela Sterling/Pacific Northwest Ballet View caption Hide caption Price Suddarth dances in the Pacific Northwest Ballet’s production of George Balanchine's "The Nutcracker." In 2015, the company debuted a new production after considering racial stereotypes and making adjustments to costumes and choreography in the Chinese tea dance.
Time for an update
Not all audiences have been delighted with every aspect of “The Nutcracker.” In Act 2, dancers portraying sweets from different cultures (chocolate from Spain, coffee from Arabia, tea from China) appear onstage. The traditional choreography and costumes – particularly in the Chinese section – reinforced stereotypes that are demeaning and offensive. For example, the Chinese section featured dancers in yellowface, performing inauthentic, if not mocking, gestures.
In 2017, Phil Chan, a scholar, educator, and former dancer, convinced New York City Ballet to drop the offending antics and costume pieces. For another production, at the Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle, he consulted with Peter Boal, the artistic director, to rethink the Chinese section.
“The original Balanchine ‘Nutcracker’ version is essentially an emasculated Chinese coolie,” Mr. Chan says. “Instead of that, Peter chose a cricket, which in Chinese culture is a symbol of spring. And just as Balanchine dancers are the most musical of ballet dancers, crickets are also the most musical of insects.”
Most importantly for Mr. Chan, it shows Chinese people that “the choreographer actually took something from my culture that was respectful, as opposed to an outdated caricature from 150 years ago.” The current costume for the cricket is still being workshopped, but for now, families can watch Pacific Northwest Ballet’s production of Balanchine’s “The Nutcracker” – without the offensive costumes and gestures – on its website: www.pnb.org/nutcracker/.
Bold adaptation
Honest representation was also on Sam Pott’s mind when he created “Jersey City Nutcracker.” The founder and director of Nimbus Dance in Jersey City, New Jersey, says, “It was important for European immigrants to have shows like ‘Nutcracker’ that connected them back to their European traditions. But sometimes that was wedded to white supremacy.” That’s why, instead of showcasing the traditional aristocratic family of the story, this version features children from different economic backgrounds traveling to “the safer and kinder Jersey City of their dreams,” he says.
This approach to the ballet was inspired by the work of children’s author Ezra Jack Keats to signal that “kids have a sense of wonder regardless of their economic circumstances,” Mr. Potts says. “Jersey City Nutcracker: The Movie” is available on demand through its website: www.nimbusdance.org.
Netflix View caption Hide caption Eartha Robinson portrays a queen in “Hot Chocolate Nutcracker.” Debbie Allen's 2009 reinterpretation of the cherished ballet celebrates many cultures, using varied styles of dance and music.
For us, by us
Award-winning performer and director Debbie Allen reinforces the idea that “The Nutcracker” can be transformed to better represent and serve the community. In “Dance Dreams: Hot Chocolate Nutcracker,” a behind-the-scenes documentary now streaming on Netflix, she auditions, rehearses, and provides tough love to her multicultural cast, which includes students from Debbie Allen Dance Academy, as they prepare for performance day.
One of the dancers who got her start in Ms. Allen’s school, Kylie Jefferson, says in the documentary that she has never seen a “regular Nutcracker,” which she likes because this vision of diversity is the only life she knows.
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Wayne “Juice” Mackins, who was the original Nutcracker prince in the “Hot Chocolate Nutcracker,” says in a phone interview that Ms. Allen was “focused on reflecting what life actually is because we don’t live in a homogeneous enclave.” For Mr. Mackins, this means being willing to reach out to other people and cultures rather than make assumptions. For example, Ms. Allen asks the tap dance star Savion Glover to create a dance for her “Nutcracker.” Rather than approximate her idea of what tap dance was, she went to a qualified source. That is the essential takeaway from the documentary. Rather than approximate another culture, invite people from that culture to share their input.
The hope is that these reimaginings can retain the spirit of “The Nutcracker” while bringing the community together to create something that feels more inclusive and authentic.


csmonitor--2020-12-12--Readers write: A hopeful story, eschewing fear, and picking up sports

The cover story “ Pulling together ” in the Oct. 26 Monitor Weekly , written by Harry Bruinius about rower Arshay Cooper , is one of the most moving and inspirational articles I ’ ve read in over 40 years of reading the Monitor .
Hats off to Mr. Bruinius for his sensitive writing and to the Monitor for continuing to provide exceptional , hope-giving journalism in these contentious and troubled times .
Regarding the “ From the editor ” column “ Looking past false choices ” in the Oct. 26 Monitor Weekly : Editor Mark Sappenfield , without writing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has penned here a perfect statement of what the Monitor ’ s journalism has always been all about : looking past false choices .
The use of fear is shown to be a norm we readers must always eschew in favor of finding higher and right motives in our lives and our governments .
We can and must have a certain sense that our country ’ s growth to that “ more perfect union ” is a work in progress that will ultimately find success and equity for all .
Sue Wunder ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be included as ‘ one of the guys ’ ” in the Sept. 14 Monitor Weekly took me back to 1947 .
I remember the year well because I had to leave my hometown of Roselle , New Jersey , to be with my mother in Phoenix .
I was 11 and I flew with my 4-year-old brother ; I can still remember what my mother looked like when we got off the plane .
In Roselle , my best friend and I shot baskets in the hoop attached to a garage and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ field next to our elementary school .
So when I found myself in Phoenix , I went down the street to the orange grove , where there were pickup games of softball going on .
And for Christmas my father sent the only gift I asked for : a fielder ’ s mitt .
So thank you for the memory .
Later on I had four boys and I even learned how to pass a football !

A hopeful story
The cover story “Pulling together” in the Oct. 26 Monitor Weekly, written by Harry Bruinius about rower Arshay Cooper, is one of the most moving and inspirational articles I’ve read in over 40 years of reading the Monitor. Hats off to Mr. Bruinius for his sensitive writing and to the Monitor for continuing to provide exceptional, hope-giving journalism in these contentious and troubled times.
John Wegmann
Port Angeles, Washington
Eschewing fear
Regarding the “From the editor” column “Looking past false choices” in the Oct. 26 Monitor Weekly: Editor Mark Sappenfield, without writing the word “hope” itself, has penned here a perfect statement of what the Monitor’s journalism has always been all about: looking past false choices. The use of fear is shown to be a norm we readers must always eschew in favor of finding higher and right motives in our lives and our governments. We can and must have a certain sense that our country’s growth to that “more perfect union” is a work in progress that will ultimately find success and equity for all.
David K. McClurkin
Chagrin Falls, Ohio
Picking up sports
Sue Wunder’s Home Forum essay “Proud to be included as ‘one of the guys’” in the Sept. 14 Monitor Weekly took me back to 1947. I remember the year well because I had to leave my hometown of Roselle, New Jersey, to be with my mother in Phoenix. I was 11 and I flew with my 4-year-old brother; I can still remember what my mother looked like when we got off the plane.
In Roselle, my best friend and I shot baskets in the hoop attached to a garage and played softball with the boys at the field next to our elementary school. So when I found myself in Phoenix, I went down the street to the orange grove, where there were pickup games of softball going on. And for Christmas my father sent the only gift I asked for: a fielder’s mitt.
So thank you for the memory. Later on I had four boys and I even learned how to pass a football!
Janet L. Honecker
Wheeling, West Virginia


csmonitor--2020-12-13--The election’s clear mandate

The election’s clear mandate

From the first morning after the United States presidential election , it was clear no one really “ won.
” While President-elect Joe Biden triumphed by more than 6 million votes , the nation remains as split as ever around the core question : Whose policies will win and whose facts are right ?
David Blankenhorn is here to persuade Americans that is the wrong fight .
The deeper truth , he suggests , is that the collapse of partisan goodwill and shared facts is only a symptom of a collapse of trust in one another .
Mr. Blankenhorn is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which seeks to foster civil dialogue and understanding across partisan divisions .
And in all his conversations with Americans , he ’ s come to the conclusion that many of the divisions of today are illusions that require effort to expose .
He sees people overcoming them everyday : the liberal suburban woman who went to gun shops simply to talk to those she didn ’ t understand , the conservative man who feared Islam but consented to go to a mosque and became fast friends with one of its congregants .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and people calling each other the worst possible names , including calling you these names , ” he says .
“ This moment requires a kind of faith that people are not this way.
” There is a joy that comes from reestablishing a baseline of trust , Mr. Blankenhorn says .
And that , he argues , is the essence of America .
“ We need each other to be America , ” he says .
“ The idea that ‘ if one side wins or the other side wins , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a denial of America.
” The necessity for this mutual trust is woven into the foundation of the republic .
In Federalist No .
55 , James Madison wrote that there were elements in human beings that require “ a certain degree of circumspection and distrust.
” But there are also “ other qualities in human nature which justify a certain portion of esteem and confidence.
” The democratic republic he was hoping to establish , he wrote , “ presupposes the existence of these qualities in a higher degree than any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them , he added , “ the inference would be , that there is not sufficient virtue among men for self-government ; and that nothing less than the chains of despotism can restrain them from destroying and devouring one another.
” Sociologists suggest that social trust peaked in the 1960s and has declined since .
The cause ?
The segregation of society into schools , communities , clubs , churches , and social media feeds that no longer allow us to know those unlike us .
The solution , then , is something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Leadership of the right sort is vital , Mr. Blankenhorn suggests , pointing to Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr. as the two figures who best understood the nature of this fight .
But he also cites Václav Havel , the Czech dissident who argued that all real social change begins from the people , and usually with no plan .
Only the hope of something better .
What we need , Mr. Blankenhorn says , “ is a renewal of trust in one another as citizens .
... Can we @ @ @ @ @ @

From the first morning after the United States presidential election, it was clear no one really “won.” While President-elect Joe Biden triumphed by more than 6 million votes, the nation remains as split as ever around the core question: Whose policies will win and whose facts are right?
David Blankenhorn is here to persuade Americans that is the wrong fight. The deeper truth, he suggests, is that the collapse of partisan goodwill and shared facts is only a symptom of a collapse of trust in one another.
Mr. Blankenhorn is founder of the Braver Angels initiative, which seeks to foster civil dialogue and understanding across partisan divisions. And in all his conversations with Americans, he’s come to the conclusion that many of the divisions of today are illusions that require effort to expose. He sees people overcoming them everyday: the liberal suburban woman who went to gun shops simply to talk to those she didn’t understand, the conservative man who feared Islam but consented to go to a mosque and became fast friends with one of its congregants.
“What you see out there is rancor and people calling each other the worst possible names, including calling you these names,” he says. “This moment requires a kind of faith that people are not this way.”
There is a joy that comes from reestablishing a baseline of trust, Mr. Blankenhorn says. And that, he argues, is the essence of America. “We need each other to be America,” he says. “The idea that ‘if one side wins or the other side wins, that’s America’ – that’s a denial of America.”
The necessity for this mutual trust is woven into the foundation of the republic. In Federalist No. 55, James Madison wrote that there were elements in human beings that require “a certain degree of circumspection and distrust.” But there are also “other qualities in human nature which justify a certain portion of esteem and confidence.” The democratic republic he was hoping to establish, he wrote, “presupposes the existence of these qualities in a higher degree than any other form” of government. Without them, he added, “the inference would be, that there is not sufficient virtue among men for self-government; and that nothing less than the chains of despotism can restrain them from destroying and devouring one another.”
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Sociologists suggest that social trust peaked in the 1960s and has declined since. The cause? The segregation of society into schools, communities, clubs, churches, and social media feeds that no longer allow us to know those unlike us. The solution, then, is something far beyond what politics alone can achieve. Leadership of the right sort is vital, Mr. Blankenhorn suggests, pointing to Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr. as the two figures who best understood the nature of this fight.
But he also cites Václav Havel, the Czech dissident who argued that all real social change begins from the people, and usually with no plan. Only the hope of something better. What we need, Mr. Blankenhorn says, “is a renewal of trust in one another as citizens. ... Can we find one another again?”


csmonitor--2020-12-13--Hackers breach U.S. Treasury and Commerce Department. Russians?

Hackers believed to be working for Russia have been monitoring internal email traffic at the U.S. Treasury Department and an agency that decides internet and telecommunications policy , according to people familiar with the matter .
There is concern within the U.S. intelligence community that the hackers who targeted Treasury and the Commerce Department 's National Telecommunications and Information Administration used a similar tool to break into other government agencies , according to four people briefed on the matter .
The people did not say which other agencies .
Three of the people familiar with the investigation said Russia is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Two of the people said that the breaches are connected to a broad campaign that also involved the recently disclosed hack on FireEye , a major U.S. cybersecurity company with government and commercial contracts .
`` The United States government is aware of these reports and we are taking all necessary steps to identify and remedy any possible issues related to this situation , '' said National Security Council spokesman John Ullyot .
The hack is so serious it led to a National Security Council meeting at the White House on Saturday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the matter .
The Commerce Department confirmed there was a breach at one of its agencies in a statement .
`` We have asked the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the FBI to investigate , and we can not comment further at this time . ''
The breach presents a major challenge to the incoming administration of President-elect Joe Biden as officials investigate what information was stolen and try to ascertain what it will be used for .
It is not uncommon for large scale cyber investigations to take months or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a much bigger story than one single agency , '' said one of the people familiar with the matter .
`` This is a huge cyber espionage campaign targeting the U.S. government and its interests . ''
The people did not say which other agencies , but late Sunday Austin , Texas-based IT company SolarWinds said software updates it released in March and June of this year may have been surreptitiously tampered with in a `` highly-sophisticated , targeted and manual supply chain attack by a nation state . ''
SolarWinds stopped short @ @ @ @ @ @ @ via them , but two of the people familiar with the investigation said the company was believed to be the channel by which the hackers got in .
A representative for SolarWinds did not immediately return messages seeking comment .
SolarWinds says on its website that its customers include most of America 's Fortune 500 companies , all top ten U.S. telecommunications providers , all five branches of the U.S. military , the State Department , the National Security Agency , and the Office of President of the United States .
Hackers broke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Microsoft 's Office 365 .
Staff emails at the agency were monitored by the hackers for months , sources said .
A Microsoft spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
Neither did a spokesman for the Treasury Department .
The hackers are `` highly sophisticated '' and have been able to trick the Microsoft platform 's authentication controls , according to a person familiar with the incident , who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to speak to the press .
`` This is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person briefed on the matter .
The full scope of the breach is unclear .
The investigation is still its early stages and involves a range of federal agencies , including the FBI , according to three of the people familiar with the matter .
A spokesperson for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said they have been `` working closely with our agency partners regarding recently discovered activity on government networks .
CISA is providing technical assistance to affected entities as they work to identify and mitigate any potential compromises . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
There is some indication that the email compromise at NTIA dates back to this summer , although it was only recently discovered , according to a senior U.S. official .
The U.S. government hacks were revealed just days after a major cybersecurity firm disclosed that foreign government hackers had broken into its network and stolen the company 's own hacking tools , reported the Associated Press .
Many experts suspect Russia as responsible for the attack against FireEye , a major cybersecurity player @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local governments and top global corporations .
Federal government agencies have long been attractive targets for foreign hackers .
Hackers linked to Russia were able to break into the State Department ’ s email system in 2014 , infecting it so thoroughly that it had to be cut off from the internet while experts worked to eliminate the infestation .

Hackers believed to be working for Russia have been monitoring internal email traffic at the United States Treasury Department and an agency that decides internet and telecommunications policy, according to people familiar with the matter.
There is concern within the U.S. intelligence community that the hackers who targeted Treasury and the Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration used a similar tool to break into other government agencies, according to four people briefed on the matter. The people did not say which other agencies.
Three of the people familiar with the investigation said Russia is currently believed to be behind the attack.
Two of the people said that the breaches are connected to a broad campaign that also involved the recently disclosed hack on FireEye, a major U.S. cybersecurity company with government and commercial contracts.
“The United States government is aware of these reports and we are taking all necessary steps to identify and remedy any possible issues related to this situation,” said National Security Council spokesman John Ullyot.
The hack is so serious it led to a National Security Council meeting at the White House on Saturday, said one of the people familiar with the matter.
The Commerce Department confirmed there was a breach at one of its agencies in a statement. “We have asked the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the FBI to investigate, and we cannot comment further at this time.”
The breach presents a major challenge to the incoming administration of President-elect Joe Biden as officials investigate what information was stolen and try to ascertain what it will be used for. It is not uncommon for large scale cyber investigations to take months or years to complete.
“This is a much bigger story than one single agency,” said one of the people familiar with the matter. “This is a huge cyber espionage campaign targeting the U.S. government and its interests.”
The people did not say which other agencies, but late Sunday Austin, Texas-based IT company SolarWinds said software updates it released in March and June of this year may have been surreptitiously tampered with in a “highly-sophisticated, targeted, and manual supply chain attack by a nation state.”
SolarWinds stopped short of saying the hack at Treasury occurred via them, but two of the people familiar with the investigation said the company was believed to be the channel by which the hackers got in.
A representative for SolarWinds did not immediately return messages seeking comment.
SolarWinds says on its website that its customers include most of America’s Fortune 500 companies, all top ten U.S. telecommunications providers, all five branches of the U.S. military, the State Department, the National Security Agency, and the Office of President of the United States.
Hackers broke into the NTIA’s office software, Microsoft’s Office 365. Staff emails at the agency were monitored by the hackers for months, sources said.
A Microsoft spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Neither did a spokesman for the Treasury Department.
The hackers are “highly sophisticated” and have been able to trick the Microsoft platform’s authentication controls, according to a person familiar with the incident, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to speak to the press.
“This is a nation state,” said a different person briefed on the matter.
The full scope of the breach is unclear. The investigation is still its early stages and involves a range of federal agencies, including the FBI, according to three of the people familiar with the matter.
A spokesperson for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said they have been “working closely with our agency partners regarding recently discovered activity on government networks. CISA is providing technical assistance to affected entities as they work to identify and mitigate any potential compromises.”
The FBI and U.S. National Security Agency did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
There is some indication that the email compromise at NTIA dates back to this summer, although it was only recently discovered, according to a senior U.S. official.
The U.S. government hacks were revealed just days after a major cybersecurity firm disclosed that foreign government hackers had broken into its network and stolen the company’s own hacking tools, reported the Associated Press. Many experts suspect Russia as responsible for the attack against FireEye, a major cybersecurity player whose customers include federal, state and local governments and top global corporations.
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Federal government agencies have long been attractive targets for foreign hackers. Hackers linked to Russia were able to break into the State Department’s email system in 2014, infecting it so thoroughly that it had to be cut off from the internet while experts worked to eliminate the infestation.
This story was reported by Reuters. Reuters writers Jack Stubbs and Joseph Menn contributed to this report.


csmonitor--2020-12-13--Charley Pride: A legacy of big hits and breaking racial barriers

Charley Pride wasn ’ t country music ’ s first Black artist , but he reached heights that had not been available to early Black singers and musicians in the genre .
And he did it by winning over millions of country music fans .
While Pride ’ s career path was paved by artists like Opry pioneer DeFord Bailey , the Grammy-winner ’ s success put him on par with his white peers , including Willie Nelson , Glen Campbell and Merle Haggard , in a way that had never been afforded to Black artists before .
Pride , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Good Morning ” and “ Is Anybody Goin ’ to San Antone , ” died Saturday in Dallas of complications from COVID-19 , according to his publicist .
He was 86 .
The pride of Sledge , Mississippi , was the son of a sharecropper who initially turned to sports as a way to a better life .
He was a pitcher and outfielder in the Negro American League with the Memphis Red Sox and in the Pioneer League in Montana .
After playing minor league baseball , he ended up in Helena @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a zinc smelting plant by day and played country music in nightclubs at night .
Baseball was Pride ’ s first success , but it was the Grand Ole Opry that his father insisted everyone listen to on their home radio that would prove to be his lasting legacy .
“ Everything we listened to was what he had tuned it to , so I got to listening to Grand Ole Opry and all when I was small and I got hooked on it and it just went from there , ” Pride @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ole Opry in Nashville in 2017 .
“ I had no idea that I was preparing myself for this , but I ’ m glad , especially since I didn ’ t make it in baseball.
” After a tryout with the New York Mets , Pride visited Nashville and broke into country music when Chet Atkins , head of RCA Records , heard two of his demo tapes and signed him .
His first few singles were sent to radio stations without a publicity photo .
After his race became known , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ play his music , and some promoters were hesitant to book him .
Until the early 1990s , when Cleve Francis came along , Pride was the only Black country singer signed to a major label .
During his career , other Black country artists such as Linda Martell , O.B .
McClinton and Stoney Edwards were also charting country songs , as well as Ray Charles and the Pointer Sisters .
In 1993 , he joined the Grand Ole Opry cast in Nashville .
“ They used to ask me how it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country singer , ‘ ” he told The Dallas Morning News in 1992 .
“ Then it was ‘ first Negro country singer ; ’ then ‘ first Black country singer.
’ Now I ’ m the ` first African-American country singer.′ That ’ s about the only thing that ’ s changed .
This country is so race-conscious , so ate-up with colors and pigments .
I call it ‘ skin hangups ’ — it ’ s a disease.
” Still , he remains the only Black country artist to achieve many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country music still has a long way to go to breaking down the racial walls , even decades later .
Throughout his career , he sang positive songs instead of sad ones often associated with country music .
“ Music is a beautiful way of expressing oneself , and I truly believe music should not be taken as a protest , ” he told The Associated Press in 1985 .
“ You can go too far in anything — singing , acting , whatever — and become politicized to the point you cease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first Black artist to win the genre ’ s highest prize , CMA Award entertainer of the year in 1971 , over nominees Haggard , Loretta Lynn , Jerry Reed and Conway Twitty .
He was the first Black co-host of the CMA Awards in 1975 with Campbell and earned a lifetime achievement award at the CMA Awards this year .
He received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy in 2017 .
Pride released dozens of albums and sold more than 25 million records during a career that began in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an Angel Good Morning ” in 1971 included “ Is Anybody Goin ’ to San Antone , ” “ Burgers and Fries , ” “ Mountain of Love , ” and “ Someone Loves You Honey.
” As a trailblazer , he inspired countless other Black country artists , including Darius Rucker , who moved from rock to country .
“ My heart is so heavy , ” Rucker wrote on Twitter .
“ He destroyed barriers and did things that no one had ever done .
But today Im thinking of my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the finest people I know.I miss and love u CP !
” Pride joined up with country singer Jimmie Allen to perform “ Kiss an Angel Good Morning ” at the CMA Awards in November , his last performance .
“ Thank you for unapologetically you and being the manifestation of our dreams .
Our potential .
The realization that WE can be anything we want to be .
Even a country singer , ” said country singer Rissi Palmer on Twitter .
“ I ’ m so angry about this death .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ d like to be remembered as a good person who tried to be a good entertainer and made people happy , was a good American who paid his taxes and made a good living , ” Pride told The AP in 1985 .
“ I tried to do my best and contribute my part.
” “ Charley Pride was a trail blazer whose remarkable voice & generous spirit broke down barriers in country music just as his hero Jackie Robinson had in baseball , ” tweeted director and producer Ken Burns .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , whom he married in 1956 ; three children , Kraig , Dion and Angela ; and several grandchildren .

Charley Pride wasn’t country music’s first Black artist, but he reached heights that had not been available to early Black singers and musicians in the genre. And he did it by winning over millions of country music fans.
While Pride’s career path was paved by artists like Opry pioneer DeFord Bailey, the Grammy-winner’s success put him on par with his white peers, including Willie Nelson, Glen Campbell and Merle Haggard, in a way that had never been afforded to Black artists before.
Pride, whose hits include “Kiss an Angel Good Morning” and “Is Anybody Goin’ to San Antone,” died Saturday in Dallas of complications from COVID-19, according to his publicist. He was 86.
The pride of Sledge, Mississippi, was the son of a sharecropper who initially turned to sports as a way to a better life.
He was a pitcher and outfielder in the Negro American League with the Memphis Red Sox and in the Pioneer League in Montana.
After playing minor league baseball, he ended up in Helena, Montana, where he worked in a zinc smelting plant by day and played country music in nightclubs at night.
Baseball was Pride’s first success, but it was the Grand Ole Opry that his father insisted everyone listen to on their home radio that would prove to be his lasting legacy.
“Everything we listened to was what he had tuned it to, so I got to listening to Grand Ole Opry and all when I was small and I got hooked on it and it just went from there,” Pride told The Associated Press at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville in 2017. “I had no idea that I was preparing myself for this, but I’m glad, especially since I didn’t make it in baseball.”
After a tryout with the New York Mets, Pride visited Nashville and broke into country music when Chet Atkins, head of RCA Records, heard two of his demo tapes and signed him.
His first few singles were sent to radio stations without a publicity photo. After his race became known, a few country radio stations refused to play his music, and some promoters were hesitant to book him.
Until the early 1990s, when Cleve Francis came along, Pride was the only Black country singer signed to a major label. During his career, other Black country artists such as Linda Martell, O.B. McClinton and Stoney Edwards were also charting country songs, as well as Ray Charles and the Pointer Sisters. In 1993, he joined the Grand Ole Opry cast in Nashville.
“They used to ask me how it feels to be the ‘first colored country singer,‘ ” he told The Dallas Morning News in 1992. “Then it was ‘first Negro country singer;’ then ‘first Black country singer.’ Now I’m the `first African-American country singer.′ That’s about the only thing that’s changed. This country is so race-conscious, so ate-up with colors and pigments. I call it ‘skin hangups’ — it’s a disease.”
Still, he remains the only Black country artist to achieve many of those heights, a sign that country music still has a long way to go to breaking down the racial walls, even decades later.
Throughout his career, he sang positive songs instead of sad ones often associated with country music.
“Music is a beautiful way of expressing oneself, and I truly believe music should not be taken as a protest,” he told The Associated Press in 1985. “You can go too far in anything — singing, acting, whatever — and become politicized to the point you cease to be an entertainer.”
He was the first Black artist to win the genre’s highest prize, CMA Award entertainer of the year in 1971, over nominees Haggard, Loretta Lynn, Jerry Reed and Conway Twitty. He was the first Black co-host of the CMA Awards in 1975 with Campbell and earned a lifetime achievement award at the CMA Awards this year. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy in 2017.
Pride released dozens of albums and sold more than 25 million records during a career that began in the mid-1960s. Hits besides “Kiss an Angel Good Morning” in 1971 included “Is Anybody Goin’ to San Antone,” “Burgers and Fries,” “Mountain of Love,” and “Someone Loves You Honey.”
As a trailblazer, he inspired countless other Black country artists, including Darius Rucker, who moved from rock to country.
“My heart is so heavy,” Rucker wrote on Twitter. “He destroyed barriers and did things that no one had ever done. But today Im thinking of my friend. Heaven just got one of the finest people I know.I miss and love u CP!”
Pride joined up with country singer Jimmie Allen to perform “Kiss an Angel Good Morning” at the CMA Awards in November, his last performance.
“Thank you for unapologetically you and being the manifestation of our dreams. Our potential. The realization that WE can be anything we want to be. Even a country singer,” said country singer Rissi Palmer on Twitter. “I’m so angry about this death. This was preventable.”
“I’d like to be remembered as a good person who tried to be a good entertainer and made people happy, was a good American who paid his taxes and made a good living,” Pride told The AP in 1985. “I tried to do my best and contribute my part.”
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“Charley Pride was a trail blazer whose remarkable voice & generous spirit broke down barriers in country music just as his hero Jackie Robinson had in baseball,” tweeted director and producer Ken Burns.
He is survived by his wife, Rozene, whom he married in 1956; three children, Kraig, Dion and Angela; and several grandchildren.


csmonitor--2020-12-14--Monday Sunrise Briefing: Historic rollout and skepticism

The biggest vaccination effort in U.S. history began Sunday with shipments from Pfizer 's Portage , Michigan facility to 145 sites around the country .
Public health officials acknowledge there ’ s skepticism about the vaccine due to its speedy development and federal approval , including among health care workers .
This initial phase is seen by many as a trust-building exercise .
An Associated Press survey found that about half of Americans want to get the vaccine as soon as possible .
Another quarter are n't sure , while the remaining quarter say they are n't interested .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats .
Each state will prioritize who gets the vaccine , which in turn raises some ethical issues , as we reported last week .
The COVID-19 death toll in the U.S. is nearly 300,000 .
2 .
Cybersecurity breach .
Hackers , reportedly tied to Russia , broke into the U.S. Treasury and the U.S. Commerce Department .
The hack is so serious it led to a National Security Council meeting at the White House on Saturday , a source told Reuters..
The breach presents a major challenge to the incoming administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what information was stolen and over how long a period .
`` This is a much bigger story than one single agency , '' a source told Reuters .
`` This is a huge cyber espionage campaign targeting the U.S. government and its interests . ''
Last week , FireEye , a major cybersecurity firm , disclosed that foreign government hackers had stolen the company 's own hacking tools .
FireEye ’ s customers include federal , state , and local governments and top global corporations .
3 .
A legacy of gently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t the first Black country music singer .
But he was the biggest Black star the genre had seen .
He had three Grammy Awards , more than 30 No .
1 hits between 1969 and 1984 , won the Country Music Association ’ s Top Male Vocalist and Entertainer of the Year awards in 1972 and became the first Black member of the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2000 .
He sold more than 25 million records , including hits such as “ Kiss an Angel Good Morning ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Antone.
” “ Charley Pride was a trail blazer whose remarkable voice & generous spirit broke down barriers in country music just as his hero Jackie Robinson had in baseball , ” tweeted director and producer Ken Burns Saturday .
Democracy , American style .
As outlined by the U.S Constitution , in each of the 50 states , slates of electors ( a.k.a .
The Electoral College ) gather to formally cast their ballots ( based on the Nov. 3 vote ) today for president and vice president .
Congress then tallies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watch .
Early voting begins today in Georgia , where two Senate seats are being contested in runoffs .
Control of the U.S. Senate hinges on the result of the Jan. 5 , 2021 vote .
Judicial watch .
A French court is scheduled to issue a verdict over the deadly 2015 attacks on satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo and a kosher supermarket , the first of several Islamic extremist attacks to rock France .
Lunar pride .
China ’ s Chang ' e 5 lunar module is expected to touchdown in Mongolia with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and soil .
It ’ s the first such mission in four decades , as China follows in the footsteps of the U.S. and the Soviet Union .
Russian marathon man .
President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to hold his annual news conference .
Last year ’ s event lasted four hours .
Economic relief ?
A one-week U.S. federal stopgap funding bill keeping the government open is due to expire today .
The extra week was intended to give lawmakers more time to agree on a pandemic economic relief bill and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last flick .
`` Ma Rainey 's Black Bottom '' is due to be released on Netflix .
It ’ s about a band of musicians in 1920s Chicago , and features stellar performances by Mr. Boseman and Viola Davis .
Michael Esmond knows what it ’ s like to be broke .
In the winter of 1983 , while raising three daughters , his gas was shut off because he couldn ’ t pay his utility bill .
It got so cold there was frost on the inside of the windows , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his own 2020 prosperity , the Gulf Breeze , Florida , businessman just paid the overdue utility bills of 114 families .
“ I wanted to see if I could help people that might be experiencing the same thing — where they couldn ’ t pay their bills and their utilities were going to be shut off around Christmas time , ” Mr. Esmond told The New York Times .
While many residents of Gulf Breeze are struggling in the wake of Hurricane Sally and the pandemic , Mr. Esmond , the owner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a prosperous year .
People used their vacation funds and stimulus checks to install pools .
`` We 've had a good year , and that 's why I want to share what I have with the people who need it , '' he told CNN .
So , Mr. Esmond wrote a $ 7,615.40 check to cover those families 60 days past due on their utilities bill and were at risk of being cut off .
And the city of Gulf Breeze sent out a note Friday telling those customers that Christmas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Start your week with a recent story that inspired Monitor readers : Coat as shelter : Designer Bas Timmer creates for people who have no home In tonight ’ s Daily Edition , watch for our list of the best nonfiction books of 2020 .
Finally , check out the Monitor ’ s selected stories from Friday 's subscription-only Daily Edition : • Does ‘ human rights champion ’ France live up to its ideals at home ?
You have unlimited access to all our pandemic coverage .
If you value our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consider subscribing .
Please give us your feedback via the link below .
Thank you !

The biggest vaccination effort in U.S. history began Sunday with shipments from Pfizer's Portage, Michigan facility to 145 sites around the country. Public health officials acknowledge there’s skepticism about the vaccine due to its speedy development and federal approval, including among health care workers. This initial phase is seen by many as a trust-building exercise. An Associated Press survey found that about half of Americans want to get the vaccine as soon as possible. Another quarter aren't sure, while the remaining quarter say they aren't interested. There’s more distrust among Republicans than Democrats. Each state will prioritize who gets the vaccine, which in turn raises some ethical issues, as we reported last week. The COVID-19 death toll in the U.S. is nearly 300,000.
2. Cybersecurity breach. Hackers, reportedly tied to Russia, broke into the U.S. Treasury and the U.S. Commerce Department. The hack is so serious it led to a National Security Council meeting at the White House on Saturday, a source told Reuters.. The breach presents a major challenge to the incoming administration of President-elect Joe Biden as officials investigate what information was stolen and over how long a period. "This is a much bigger story than one single agency," a source told Reuters. "This is a huge cyber espionage campaign targeting the U.S. government and its interests." Last week, FireEye, a major cybersecurity firm, disclosed that foreign government hackers had stolen the company's own hacking tools. FireEye’s customers include federal, state, and local governments and top global corporations.
3. A legacy of gently breaking racial barriers. Charley Pride wasn’t the first Black country music singer. But he was the biggest Black star the genre had seen. He had three Grammy Awards, more than 30 No. 1 hits between 1969 and 1984, won the Country Music Association’s Top Male Vocalist and Entertainer of the Year awards in 1972 and became the first Black member of the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2000. He sold more than 25 million records, including hits such as “Kiss an Angel Good Morning” and “Is Anybody Goin’ to San Antone.” “Charley Pride was a trail blazer whose remarkable voice & generous spirit broke down barriers in country music just as his hero Jackie Robinson had in baseball,” tweeted director and producer Ken Burns Saturday.
Why We Wrote This Good morning! Welcome to your Monday, Dec. 14, 2020, sunrise briefing. Here are three news events from this past weekend (while you may have been fishing for grouper, birdwatching, and enjoying an offline life). Also, what to look for in the news this week.
Photo by IPA/Sipa USA via Reuters View caption Hide caption One of 100 tiny nativity scenes in an exhibition opened Sunday in the Colonnade of St. Peter's Square in the Vatican.
Look Ahead
Monday, Dec. 14
Democracy, American style. As outlined by the U.S Constitution, in each of the 50 states, slates of electors (a.k.a. The Electoral College) gather to formally cast their ballots (based on the Nov. 3 vote) today for president and vice president. Congress then tallies the votes on Jan. 6.
Democracy watch. Early voting begins today in Georgia, where two Senate seats are being contested in runoffs. Control of the U.S. Senate hinges on the result of the Jan. 5, 2021 vote.
Wednesday, Dec. 16
Judicial watch. A French court is scheduled to issue a verdict over the deadly 2015 attacks on satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo and a kosher supermarket, the first of several Islamic extremist attacks to rock France.
Lunar pride. China’s Chang'e 5 lunar module is expected to touchdown in Mongolia with a 4.4 pound cargo of Moon rocks and soil. It’s the first such mission in four decades, as China follows in the footsteps of the U.S. and the Soviet Union.
Thursday Dec. 17
Russian marathon man. President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to hold his annual news conference. Last year’s event lasted four hours.
Friday, Dec. 18
Economic relief? A one-week U.S. federal stopgap funding bill keeping the government open is due to expire today. The extra week was intended to give lawmakers more time to agree on a pandemic economic relief bill and a long-term spending bill.
Chadwick Boseman's last flick. "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" is due to be released on Netflix. It’s about a band of musicians in 1920s Chicago, and features stellar performances by Mr. Boseman and Viola Davis.
Generosity Watch
City of Gulf Breeze, Florida View caption Hide caption In Gulf Breeze, Florida, the city sent out notices to 114 utility customers that their overdue bills had been paid by the owner of a local pool installation business.
Michael Esmond knows what it’s like to be broke. In the winter of 1983, while raising three daughters, his gas was shut off because he couldn’t pay his utility bill. It got so cold there was frost on the inside of the windows, he recalls.
Spurred by empathy and his own 2020 prosperity, the Gulf Breeze, Florida, businessman just paid the overdue utility bills of 114 families. “I wanted to see if I could help people that might be experiencing the same thing — where they couldn’t pay their bills and their utilities were going to be shut off around Christmas time,” Mr. Esmond told The New York Times.
While many residents of Gulf Breeze are struggling in the wake of Hurricane Sally and the pandemic, Mr. Esmond, the owner of Gulf Breeze Pools and Spas had a prosperous year. People used their vacation funds and stimulus checks to install pools. "We've had a good year, and that's why I want to share what I have with the people who need it," he told CNN.
So, Mr. Esmond wrote a $7,615.40 check to cover those families 60 days past due on their utilities bill and were at risk of being cut off. And the city of Gulf Breeze sent out a note Friday telling those customers that Christmas generosity came a little early this year.
Hidden gem
Start your week with a recent story that inspired Monitor readers:
Coat as shelter: Designer Bas Timmer creates for people who have no home
Sneak preview
In tonight’s Daily Edition, watch for our list of the best nonfiction books of 2020.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
Finally, check out the Monitor’s selected stories from Friday's subscription-only Daily Edition:
You have unlimited access to all our pandemic coverage. If you value our credibly hopeful and nonpartisan approach, please consider subscribing.
Please give us your feedback via the link below. Thank you!


csmonitor--2020-12-14--Obama memoir ‘A Promised Land’ delivers earnest self-reflection

What is it like to be president of the United States ?
A recent holder of that office , Barack Obama , takes readers behind the curtain at the White House in “ A Promised Land , ” the first installment of his two-volume memoir .
It ’ s an incisive , balanced , and engaging book that , while breaking no new political ground , gives insights into the complex job of governing .
It also allows Obama to loosen up his famously cerebral image .
The first volume , which covers his life before the presidency through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is not just a retelling of his political successes and failures .
It is a deeply personal book that explains the values that propel Obama forward .
Nothing counts more to him than being a good husband and parent .
Raised by a single mother , he was determined to be a visible and attentive father .
He also describes the extraordinary role that Michelle Obama has played in his political career – she always backed whatever he wanted to do , though she intensely disliked politics and the way that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Given what American politics has been lately , the book seems to reflect the political environment of a different era .
In January 2009 , Obama believed ( as did many others ) that political leaders with good intentions could , through compromise and negotiation , build a stronger and better America .
But during his time in office , politics got nastier .
He sees hints of it in the 2008 election when Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin was “ drawing big crowds and enthusiastically gassing them up with nativist bile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ template for future politicians.
” Later , a Republican senator would tell him , “ I hate to say it , but the worse people feel right now , the better it is for us.
” In the first two years of his first term , few Republican members of Congress supported any of his major initiatives – even when the legislation reflected positions they had endorsed in the past .
Only three Republicans in each chamber of Congress supported his 2009 economic stimulus bill to help restart the economy .
After @ @ @ @ @ @ @ midterm elections , he got even less Republican support .
“ A Promised Land ” covers familiar territory : The 2009 economic stimulus , the Affordable Care Act , the Dodd-Frank financial reform legislation , and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill are analyzed in detail .
But other events make an appearance , such as the so-called Beer Summit , which brought together a white police officer and a Black university professor .
It was an attempt to mitigate the political damage from Obama ’ s off-the-cuff comment that the police had acted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who had locked himself outside his home .
Obama writes “ the affair caused a huge drop in my support among white voters , bigger than any single event in the eight years of my presidency.
” As he steps back to survey the larger political landscape , Obama writes that “ our democracy seems to be teetering on the brink of crisis – a crisis rooted in a fundamental contest between two opposing visions of what America is and what it should be ; a crisis that has left the body @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and has allowed for an ongoing breach of institutional norms , procedural safeguards , and the adherence to basic facts that both Republicans and Democrats once took for granted.
” The central question may be whether America has – in the nearly 12 years since Obama first took office – lost the capacity to install effective , or at least passable , governance .
Former President Obama has written a book that helps explain how we got to the present state of affairs and the immense challenges of governing that will face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oath of office on Jan. 20 .

What is it like to be president of the United States? A recent holder of that office, Barack Obama, takes readers behind the curtain at the White House in “A Promised Land,” the first installment of his two-volume memoir. It’s an incisive, balanced, and engaging book that, while breaking no new political ground, gives insights into the complex job of governing. It also allows Obama to loosen up his famously cerebral image.
The first volume, which covers his life before the presidency through the 2011 raid that killed Osama bin Laden, is not just a retelling of his political successes and failures. It is a deeply personal book that explains the values that propel Obama forward. Nothing counts more to him than being a good husband and parent. Raised by a single mother, he was determined to be a visible and attentive father. He also describes the extraordinary role that Michelle Obama has played in his political career – she always backed whatever he wanted to do, though she intensely disliked politics and the way that it exposed their family to public scrutiny.
Given what American politics has been lately, the book seems to reflect the political environment of a different era. In January 2009, Obama believed (as did many others) that political leaders with good intentions could, through compromise and negotiation, build a stronger and better America.
But during his time in office, politics got nastier. He sees hints of it in the 2008 election when Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin was “drawing big crowds and enthusiastically gassing them up with nativist bile” in a way that became a “template for future politicians.” Later, a Republican senator would tell him, “I hate to say it, but the worse people feel right now, the better it is for us.”
In the first two years of his first term, few Republican members of Congress supported any of his major initiatives – even when the legislation reflected positions they had endorsed in the past. Only three Republicans in each chamber of Congress supported his 2009 economic stimulus bill to help restart the economy. After losing control of Congress in the 2010 midterm elections, he got even less Republican support.
“A Promised Land” covers familiar territory: The 2009 economic stimulus, the Affordable Care Act, the Dodd-Frank financial reform legislation, and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill are analyzed in detail. But other events make an appearance, such as the so-called Beer Summit, which brought together a white police officer and a Black university professor. It was an attempt to mitigate the political damage from Obama’s off-the-cuff comment that the police had acted “stupidly” by arresting the professor, who had locked himself outside his home. Obama writes “the affair caused a huge drop in my support among white voters, bigger than any single event in the eight years of my presidency.”
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As he steps back to survey the larger political landscape, Obama writes that “our democracy seems to be teetering on the brink of crisis – a crisis rooted in a fundamental contest between two opposing visions of what America is and what it should be; a crisis that has left the body politic divided, angry, and mistrustful, and has allowed for an ongoing breach of institutional norms, procedural safeguards, and the adherence to basic facts that both Republicans and Democrats once took for granted.”
The central question may be whether America has – in the nearly 12 years since Obama first took office – lost the capacity to install effective, or at least passable, governance. Former President Obama has written a book that helps explain how we got to the present state of affairs and the immense challenges of governing that will face President-elect Joe Biden when he takes the oath of office on Jan. 20.


csmonitor--2020-12-14--Q&A with Lesley-Ann Jones, author of ‘The Search for John Lennon’

The Fab Four had nicknames : the cute one , the quiet one , the smart one , the funny one .
The brainy Beatle was also dizzyingly complex , as demonstrated in “ The Search for John Lennon : The Life , Loves , and Death of a Rock Star , ” which arrives as fans mark the 40th anniversary of his murder in New York on Dec. 8 , 1980 .
Monitor correspondent Randy Dotinga spoke with the book ’ s author , British rock historian Lesley-Ann Jones , about her deeply perceptive portrait of this brilliant , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What surprised you about John Lennon ’ s life ?
I didn ’ t realize quite how much his songwriting was a blatant cry for help .
He ’ s always trying to claw his way back to his mother .
I ’ ve interviewed many rock stars , and it ’ s struck me how much these guys tend to have in common .
They almost always come to music as an escape .
They ’ ve mostly had dysfunctional childhoods with abuse or abandonment , and there ’ s a massive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fill in some way .
For the book , I wanted to approach it from a woman ’ s and a mother ’ s point of view – bring the small boy John back , see [ the world ] through a child ’ s eyes , and try to bring him along with me and understand him at every stage .
Q : How does the hit Beatles song “ Help !
” fit into this narrative ?
He wrote it when he was 24 .
It was a very upbeat , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around to .
If you really listen to the words – “ Help !
I need somebody / Help !
Not just anybody ” – he ’ s crying out to his mum .
When I was a child listening to these very catchy songs , I had no idea that they were so personal , and so multilayered and so full of his own angst , trying to work things out , get a handle on himself , and find out who he was .
Q : Lennon often comes across as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person .
How should we consider those parts of his personality ?
He hadn ’ t the best start in life , and fear was the thing that drove John the most .
It is very important to reveal him in all his facets , warts and all , how he compromised himself horribly to become things he didn ’ t believe in for the sake of fame and fortune .
Q : Yoko Ono , Lennon ’ s second wife , is often painted as a villain who broke up the Beatles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She was his salvation in so many ways .
For one , she was the ultimate mother-replacement therapy .
She also was a much more enlightened , better-educated person than John and a trained musician herself .
She introduced these more global ideas and brought him into the 20th century .
Q : How did Lennon redeem himself late in life ?
He found genuine happiness as a partner and a father .
All of his failings with his first wife [ the late Cynthia Lennon ] and his son Julian are redeemed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , although that obviously didn ’ t do Julian much good .
But I think Julian also has forgiven his father by now and has come to terms with the reasons why he was neglected .
John did come full circle and was happy .
I ended up really loving him .
And I ’ m somebody who ’ s adored Paul McCartney ever since I was a child .
John found the thing that I ’ ve never found , which is the one true love .
He solved his problems from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was the woman for him .
He did treat his first wife , Cynthia , terribly badly .
But I feel now that he probably didn ’ t know how else to tell her that the marriage wasn ’ t working and that he ’ d found someone else .
A lot of the time , a man might seem to do something mean and spiteful because he doesn ’ t know how to do it any other way .
So I have a lot of sympathy for John .
He did learn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him most by examining the women in his life .

The Fab Four had nicknames: the cute one, the quiet one, the smart one, the funny one. The brainy Beatle was also dizzyingly complex, as demonstrated in “The Search for John Lennon: The Life, Loves, and Death of a Rock Star,” which arrives as fans mark the 40th anniversary of his murder in New York on Dec. 8, 1980. Monitor correspondent Randy Dotinga spoke with the book’s author, British rock historian Lesley-Ann Jones, about her deeply perceptive portrait of this brilliant, troubled, not-always-admirable musician.
Q: What surprised you about John Lennon’s life?
I didn’t realize quite how much his songwriting was a blatant cry for help. He’s always trying to claw his way back to his mother. I’ve interviewed many rock stars, and it’s struck me how much these guys tend to have in common. They almost always come to music as an escape. They’ve mostly had dysfunctional childhoods with abuse or abandonment, and there’s a massive void that they’re looking to fill in some way. For the book, I wanted to approach it from a woman’s and a mother’s point of view – bring the small boy John back, see [the world] through a child’s eyes, and try to bring him along with me and understand him at every stage.
Q: How does the hit Beatles song “Help!” fit into this narrative?
He wrote it when he was 24. It was a very upbeat, jolly song that we’d dance around to. If you really listen to the words – “Help! I need somebody / Help! Not just anybody” – he’s crying out to his mum. When I was a child listening to these very catchy songs, I had no idea that they were so personal, and so multilayered and so full of his own angst, trying to work things out, get a handle on himself, and find out who he was.
Q: Lennon often comes across as a mean, cruel, and violent person. How should we consider those parts of his personality?
He hadn’t the best start in life, and fear was the thing that drove John the most. It is very important to reveal him in all his facets, warts and all, how he compromised himself horribly to become things he didn’t believe in for the sake of fame and fortune.
Q: Yoko Ono, Lennon’s second wife, is often painted as a villain who broke up the Beatles. How do you view her?
She was his salvation in so many ways. For one, she was the ultimate mother-replacement therapy. She also was a much more enlightened, better-educated person than John and a trained musician herself. She introduced these more global ideas and brought him into the 20th century.
Q: How did Lennon redeem himself late in life?
He found genuine happiness as a partner and a father. All of his failings with his first wife [the late Cynthia Lennon] and his son Julian are redeemed with [his second son] Sean, although that obviously didn’t do Julian much good. But I think Julian also has forgiven his father by now and has come to terms with the reasons why he was neglected. John did come full circle and was happy.
Q: What’s your assessment of Lennon?
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I ended up really loving him. And I’m somebody who’s adored Paul McCartney ever since I was a child. John found the thing that I’ve never found, which is the one true love. He solved his problems from the outside inwards by accepting that Yoko was the woman for him.
He did treat his first wife, Cynthia, terribly badly. But I feel now that he probably didn’t know how else to tell her that the marriage wasn’t working and that he’d found someone else. A lot of the time, a man might seem to do something mean and spiteful because he doesn’t know how to do it any other way. So I have a lot of sympathy for John. He did learn from women. And we can understand him most by examining the women in his life.