Kirsty MacColl is Still Dead
Kirsty was a talented singer who wandered musically all over the UK scene in the 1980s, both performing her own work and as backup or guest singer to other artists. She worked with many UK country bands... but, being UK country music, they are virtually unknown to anyone save British country music fans. She also worked with many UK rock bands, many of which were considerably more famous than their country counterparts. She performed with The Smiths, Simple Minds, The Pogues, Billy Bragg, and far, far more. She grew more popular during the 1990s, but worked almost exclusively with the Pogues and her solo efforts during that time period. By all reports, she was friendly and pleasant.
And in 2000, she was run over and killed.
She wasn't run over in the normal way, however. Safe from the cars or trucks which are the usual culprits in hit and run accidents, Kirsty was killed by a powerboat while swimming with her sons. Her sons escaped physical injury.
So far, this sounds tragic, but not exactly fodder for a political blog. There is a point to be made, however.
Kirsty MacColl was deeply into left-wing politics. She decried the crass devotion to capitalism of the United States and UK, and adored the rampant socialism available in South and Central America. The cover to her final album of original material featured a picture of her dressed in a classic Fidel Castro uniform and lighting a cigar with a flaming dollar bill.
She was not a stupid woman; she was aware of the corruption endemic to the governments she adored. That corruption, however, did not diminish her love of the countries, and the people. Like many, she believed that the corruption was not a necessary byproduct of socialism, and that the people would be better off in the long run under a Marxist style of government.
The fact that all historical evidence has shown that not to be the case was not, apparently, enough to sway her viewpoint.
On December 18th, 2000, Kirsty was in one of her beloved countries... actually, one of the least corrupt of the lot, Mexico... swimming, as mentioned before, with her two sons. The place where they swam was restricted, with no boats of any type allowed. The law did not prevent a powerboat driver from killing her.
And, unsurprisingly to anyone who has dealt with a South or Central American government, the law was unable to locate the guilty party. Whoever the culprit was, they were Mexican... one strike against the foreigner... and they were rich enough to be able to afford a powerboat and a beachfront docking location, which means they were undoubtedly rich enough to be able to bribe the local constabulary, the second strike against the foreigner.
Her mother has been trying ever since to get some answers, and a prosecution. The poor woman deserves some justice, as do Kirsty's family and friends. There's even a web site devoted to it: http://www.justiceforkirsty.org/
Ultimately, this isn't particularly surprising. Kirsty knew the way the law was enforced in the tropical socialist countries she adored, and she supported it.
But the justice she ignored for others is now being denied to her family and friends.
And in 2000, she was run over and killed.
She wasn't run over in the normal way, however. Safe from the cars or trucks which are the usual culprits in hit and run accidents, Kirsty was killed by a powerboat while swimming with her sons. Her sons escaped physical injury.
So far, this sounds tragic, but not exactly fodder for a political blog. There is a point to be made, however.
Kirsty MacColl was deeply into left-wing politics. She decried the crass devotion to capitalism of the United States and UK, and adored the rampant socialism available in South and Central America. The cover to her final album of original material featured a picture of her dressed in a classic Fidel Castro uniform and lighting a cigar with a flaming dollar bill.
She was not a stupid woman; she was aware of the corruption endemic to the governments she adored. That corruption, however, did not diminish her love of the countries, and the people. Like many, she believed that the corruption was not a necessary byproduct of socialism, and that the people would be better off in the long run under a Marxist style of government.
The fact that all historical evidence has shown that not to be the case was not, apparently, enough to sway her viewpoint.
On December 18th, 2000, Kirsty was in one of her beloved countries... actually, one of the least corrupt of the lot, Mexico... swimming, as mentioned before, with her two sons. The place where they swam was restricted, with no boats of any type allowed. The law did not prevent a powerboat driver from killing her.
And, unsurprisingly to anyone who has dealt with a South or Central American government, the law was unable to locate the guilty party. Whoever the culprit was, they were Mexican... one strike against the foreigner... and they were rich enough to be able to afford a powerboat and a beachfront docking location, which means they were undoubtedly rich enough to be able to bribe the local constabulary, the second strike against the foreigner.
Her mother has been trying ever since to get some answers, and a prosecution. The poor woman deserves some justice, as do Kirsty's family and friends. There's even a web site devoted to it: http://www.justiceforkirsty.org/
Ultimately, this isn't particularly surprising. Kirsty knew the way the law was enforced in the tropical socialist countries she adored, and she supported it.
But the justice she ignored for others is now being denied to her family and friends.
posted by AM | 6:51 PM
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