Cat Stevens: The Terrorist

Crikey's take:

You would think that if Israel hasn't been terrified by the presence of Madonna running around their sacred sites, the USA could handle one-time pop singer Cat Stevens wanting to visit?

Apparently Cat Stevens name (changed to Yusuf Islam when he converted to Islam) showed up on the spooky new Homeland Security department's blacklist. They then diverted his plane and interviewed him deciding to deny him access to the USA with no further explanation than 'security grounds'. Do you feel safer? Apparently Australia shares passenger information with the US so maybe their blacklist will be applied to us too.

Apparently he used the proceeds of his music career to fund Islamic primary schools in the UK. One of these "has since become a showpiece for British Islamic education, visited and endorsed by the Prince of Wales and government ministers."

Why treat a famous musician as a terror threat? From Crikey again:

In October of 2001, he performed an acappella version of his song "Peace Train" for the charity concert in New York for the victims of terrorism. It was the first time he had performed an old Cat Stevens song in public in almost a quarter of a century. But he obviously blotted his copybook when last year he released two songs, including a re-recording of "Peace Train," to express his opposition to the U.S.-led war in Iraq.

So it's simple McCarthyism. A famous musician expresses non-approved views and then threatens to appear in the US during an election campaign and he is a 'threat to national security'. No doubt because he's an indirect threat to GWB's re-election and this ever so logically counts as a threat to national security.

However, the take I like the most is this one:

Now - imagine yourself on that flight. Marillion on one side. Cat Stevens on the other. You already know - in your heart of hearts - that this plane hasn't got a snowball's chance in hell of making it down to earth in one piece. This is a rock tragedy waiting to happen. The presence alongside Stevens (the true star of the tragedy) of Marillion - without Fish, of course - is what gives the crash the perfect depth and texture. Steven Rothery, with his twin-necked guitar on the seat next to him, is the absolute iron-clad guarantee of a fireball.

This plane is going down That's all you know.

Then suddenly the cabin staff get jittery, the plane swoops sharply down to the left - an emergency change of destination is announced. Ian Mosley takes of his headphones, stops drumming his knees and looks about anxiously. Across the aisle, Cat Stevens, sensing the unrest, decides to settle the nerves of his fellow passengers by launching into a wailing recitation of some comforting verses from the Koran.

My God, that must have been one long trip down to the tarmac...

From a blog called the London New Review.

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