Baghdad Broadcasting Corp. reports that singer/constitutional scholar Elton John, who was the first to identify the role of racism in the fact that only one black person was allowed to win American Idol this year, is now voicing concerns about censorship in America (’hat tip: Drudge). According to the Beeb, Mr. John, who now insists on being called “Sir,” likened critics of today’s anti-war protestors to the McCarthyites of the 1950s, thereby underscoring the clear parallels between today’s Stalinists at A.N.S.W.E.R. and the Stalinists of the 1950s who provoked the “red scare” of their day. He then went on to contrast the current climate, where moonbattery does not sell records, to that of the 1960s, when it did:

“People like Bob Dylan, Nina Simone, The Beatles and Pete Seeger were constantly writing and talking about what was going on.

“That’s not happening now. As of this spring, there have been virtually no anti-war concerts - or anti-war songs that catch on, for that matter,” he said.

Translation: if our ideas aren’t popular anymore, we’ve been “censored.”

Suprisingly, however, Mr(s). John does graciously acknowledge the right of other rich singers, such as Toby Keith, to dissent from their line of thinking. That’s a step forward from the 1960s, or even the 1980s, when some commie punk group with an unrepeatable name accused other, more talented artists of supporting apartheid. However, this newfound right to dissent from dissent does not extend to the general public, being limited only to singers who are already rich and famous, like Mssrs. John and Keith. When it comes to fans not buying, well, that’s just taking this “freedom” thing too far:

“But, on the other hand, the Dixie Chicks got shot down in flames last year for criticising the president. They were treated like they were being un-American, when in fact they have every right to say whatever they want about him because he’s freely elected, and therefore accountable.”

Apparently, Dixie Chicks albums are not freely sold, and the Dixie Chicks should therefore not be held accountable for what they say. I did not know that. I was never a fan in the first place, so I don’t think anyone can accuse me of boycotting them. However, to anyone reading this who used to like the Dixie Chicks before they went goofy on us: act like it never happened. Go out and buy their latest album if you can afford it, and download it illegally off the Internet if you can’t. That’s what you would have done if Natalie Maines had kept her mouth shut, so dagnabit, that’s what you’d better do now. You vill get that album, licitly or illicitly. You vill listen to it, and, most importantly of all, you vill like it. Failure to do so will make you guilty of censorship, so sayeth Sir Elton (whose own country values free speech so highly that it allows plaintiffs to sue defendants without requiring plaintiffs to show that the “defamatory” statement was, um, false).

UPDATE: Michele Catalano isn’t very impressed by Mr. Sir John’s observations, either.