Noise #146: Mr. Softee?
Ice cream trucks, crime in the Bronx, and why I don't read the New York Post.
The cover story of The New York Post caught my eye today. It caricatures New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie as a Mr. Softee ice cream cone, and declares him a “softie” on crime in his Bronx home district.
I don’t normally read The New York Post, and the cover article reminded me why. The story is manipulative, reductionist, and belligerent, with racist overtones.
I wrote Noise #146 as a theme-and-variations on the iconic Mr. Softee melody, which has echoed from NYC ice cream trucks for decades. I added rhythmic lurches and harmonic crunchies to channel my feelings about publications that favor crude scapegoating over serious discussion of difficult issues.
Wishing you peace,
Michael
(Noise #146 by Michael Gallant. Copyright 2024 Gallant Music LLC. All Rights Reserved. )