'That Liquor Ain't Good for You'

Carol Forsloff--While some music performers use their talents to denigrate specific politicians in a toxic way, as does Kid Rock and Ted Nugent, others find ways to elevate one's thinking by examining social issues and elevating the ideas about what matters most in life, as is done often by Gene O'Neill.

O'Neill has the skills of guitar, vocal performance and writing that fuse ideas into songs that entertain while giving us that something good that makes us feel like we have learned, expanded our hearts and minds.  We soar with O'Neill on the wings of the good, looking at man with eyes that see the story and the whole of us, the very heart and soul of us as well, while using a variety of musical techniques and themes as the mechanism for the flight.

What everyone wants is a 'Window in Heaven'

Window of Heaven--a vision in nature and in life

Carol Forsloff---The loss of a loved one can create initial confusion and grief, along with a mix of other emotions; yet most of us believe there is continuity in life, even as we wish we could have just a peek through a Window in Heaven, to see each other as we once were, expressed in the musical eloquence of Kenny Herbert and Roy Mathews.

Herbert and Mathews reminds us of what many people believe is true, that there is something beyond the grave where peace and love are infinite.  His vision of the Window in Heaven is the glimpse of eternity, where there is no time but now, even if that is forever,  And his desire to have that window to see the life of the loved one unfold again behind the veil of death is what most of us wish we too could have when we lose someone especially dear to us.

Mr. Angel: A tender tale tells everyone the nature of great love

Carol Forsloff---Loneliness, despair, poverty happen to many people in life with images we see so often in almost every area of the world, now captured by a song in ways that make us feel we are that rejected individual whose special friend embraces without judgment and shows just what love might bring to take the pain away. 

The shiny golden retriever seems to glow with joy, that special friend that can greet an old man who goes home to an empty, brooding, dark and chilly place. The dog is there as a safe, soft corner and looks with eyes that see with trust and sympathy.  We feel this as the song unfolds, and as we do, the fears, the hurts begin to fade with time, just as we imagine it was for the old man whose dog became the everything that made his life worthwhile.

A Man Who Hits A Woman Ain't No Man At All

[caption id="attachment_13976" align="alignleft" width="300"] Illustration, husband beating his wife, wikimedia commons[/caption]

Carol Forsloff - Dr. Phil’s show scheduled for Monday, January 16, is said to include the story of Penny, a victim of violence, who will tell her story about how she was shot, raped, tortured, cut up and left for dead.  The man found guilty of these terrible acts was given six years for them and nearly paroled at four years, but a Facebook group launched a crusade to ensure the fellow was not set free.

“A Real Man Never Hits a Woman” is raising money for an awareness campaign and has thousands of members devoted to calling attention to the problems of domestic violence.  The money raised is to assist with the launching of a documentary called “Silent No More. “  About this project, the Cause Campaign says this:  'SILENT NO MORE TOUR' films members stories of survival and hope along with experts in the field of psychology, social services, Law enforcement and State and Federal Congressmen. This project is a journey of tears, hope and laughter.  This will be shown in schools, women's groups, women's shelters, churches and a possible special for television. The documentary is based on empowerment of women in conjunction with the United Nations Dream Project. This then will be used as an educational tool for school age girls and women.
We are in a war and we will make all people aware of this.”

The problem of violence against women has been chronicled in many ways throughout the world.  But it still has not produced a society aware of the generational problems caused by violence and the risks to the greater culture when victims do not receive support and perpetrators found and brought to justice.

In 1979 Honolulu had a candlelight vigil for women who had been victimized.  As a counselor and daughter of a woman who had suffered physical and emotional abuse for years, I had some understanding of the problems of domestic abuse.  I wrote a song and performed it live at the vigil.  It was taped the following year and used as the introductory song on a show called “Too Many Lickins” produced at the University of Hawaii.  I had not performed it again until the weekend proceeding the commemoration of Martin Luther King’s birthday.  King struggled against violence in all its forms.  The following video was made on Sunday, January 15, 2012 in honor of King’s work, the victims of violence, and those devoted to helping victims and educating others.