Kansas City Playlist: Free Speech Audit At America 250

It's a tradition amongst our TKC blog community to consider the state of our discourse at least once a year, typically on July 4th.

And so we'll start with why we think this blog is still a worthwhile offering, mainly for one reason: 

Here at TKC we share an ALTERNATIVE perspective on the Kansas City discourse that's essential to gain better understanding of so many any mainstream broadcasts, social media outlets or local Internets endeavors. 

There is no idea we're afraid to consider in a vernacular that's more accessible, approachable and interesting for the widest swath of local readers. 

As all global media and reporting have started to revert to algorithmic "bubbles" in order to garner support and encouragement . . .  

TKC presents local news WITHOUT ANY POLITICAL ALLEGIANCE to candidates, causes or partisan interests and this fact is one of many that helps lift us above so much online noise . . . More often than not, we're just in it for the lulz. 

Allow us to note a few successes for our community from just this year: 

Before anyone else, insiders offered EPIC behind the scenes reporting on a Platte County Pizza Party conspiracy that resonated across the state. 

A month before any local news outlet was confident enough to mention it, we noted local Democratic Socialists on the move amid a national trend. 

And our coverage of PortKC connections by way of INSIDER INFO has been more interesting than anything that "investigative" journalists have offered. 

Those are just a few examples that come to mind amongst dozens that prove our gully bloggy mission remains intact. 

However, it's not all winning around this dump . . . There have been notable challenges . . . Here are few we're comfortable acknowledging . . . 

We haven't found a way to make the World Cup interesting for Kansas City that doesn't just parrot local propaganda talking points. 

Our most relevant discussions have been efforts to talk about recent violence that has been downplayed but there is soooooooo much more downside to this event that NOBODY has bothered to share. Some of it will be forthcoming and we'll pick it up ASAP. 

Politics, crime and culture war have kept us busy but there are a great many cultural events around the KC metro that we either ignore, miss or dump in a compilation. 

In the future we plan to share more upbeat occasions that might improve the mood of our often curmudgeonly readership. 

Finally . . . 

The value of the online comment is quickly diminishing and we have yet to find a workaround. Right now most of "the discussion" on phone app spyware occurs by way of online bots and it has become obvious that most of social media discourse is just AI doing a great job of trolling American grandparents.  

None of that is to claim that online discourse doesn't have value BUT it's becoming harder to highlight and encourage insightful commentary over garbage . . . In our circumstance the situation is even more dire because we have more than our fair share of trolls who would GLADLY ruin our humble blog forum in order to advance a personal grudge, neighborhood beef, boost a fledgling municipal career or express a longstanding mental health issue. 

Still . . . One of our longstanding TKC strengths is that we rarely use the ban button and even the author of the most disgusting comment that we reject has a CLEAN SLATE for consideration on any subsequent offering. 

As always, we're only human so we have favorites and we're prioritize the comments of TRUSTED USERS who can comment freely with little to no moderation. We only wish there were more of our kindred commentary spirits and a better way to facilitate their insights. 

Again . . . 

As always, we're working to improve our www.TonysKansasCity.com conversation and that's why we ask our traditional question  . . .

HOW CAN WE IMPROVE FREE SPEECH IN KANSAS CITY & AMONGST OUR BLOG COMMUNITY?!? 

We always want to consider any comment offered in good faith and most importantly . . .

 If nobody told you yet . . .

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY KANSAS CITY!!!

Here is tonight's song selection that's full of familiar and comforting tunes on the topic of freedom and this EPIC American experiment . . .

To start, "Living in America" was the lead single from the Rocky IV soundtrack and James Brown's 1986 studio album, Gravity. It served as a massive cultural and commercial milestone for the "Godfather of Soul" and we wanted to highlight this little known fact: 

"Blues guitar icon Stevie Ray Vaughan played the blistering lead guitar tracks on the song. He rarely spoke about it publicly . . . He was notoriously frustrated with the final release because his guitar tracks were mixed so low that they were barely audible in the song.."

Something a bit more recent . . . "Olivia Rodrigo was 19 years old when she conceived and recorded "all-american bitch," and 20 years old when the song was released on her sophomore album, Guts, in September 2023. She has stated that the track reflects feelings of repressed anger and societal expectations she had been trying to articulate . . ."

A track that reached its zenith by way of 90s alternative cinema . . . This zesty hit ascended to No. 25 on the Hot 100 in August 1982. It was from Wilde’s debut album, Kim Wilde.

For the bridge, as is our tradition, we dig up a 90s classic from an icon . . . David Bowie was inspired to write "I'm Afraid of Americans" amid a journey to Indonesia and after seeing the first McDonald's built in a remote corner of the Southeast Asian Java island. He wasn't attacking the American people, but rather lamenting the homogenization of culture. The concept originally had a chorus going "I'm afraid of the animals" and was titled "Dummy" for the utterly forgettable Keanu Reeves film Johnny Mnemonic.

The interlude chorus "god is an American" might be one of the most haunting, meaningful and intense lines Bowie recorded during the last part of his legendary career.   

Finally, we always try to find a place for this fave on July 4th . . . "Ray Charles’ version of this classic is arguably the most iconic musical take on Katharine Lee Bates original poem."

As always, thanks for reading this week and have a safe & fun Saturday night & Sunday morning.