Ridiculous alarmism is on the rise again

Here's a story I just picked up off of Boing Boing.net, one of my daily news obsessions. This story really just makes me shake my head and groan, and it reaffirms my belief that a large percentage of this country is filled with beef-witted Klingons who should, by no means, be allowed to breed. Here's a snippet:

BOULDER, Colo., Nov. 12, 2004 — Parents and students say they are outraged and offended by a proposed band name and song scheduled for a high school talent show in Boulder this evening, but members of the band, named Coalition of the Willing, said the whole thing is being blown out of proportion.

The students told ABC News affiliate KMGH-TV in Denver they are performing Bob Dylan's song "Masters of War" during the Boulder High School Talent Exposé because they are Dylan fans. They said they want to express their views and show off their musical abilities.

But some students and adults who heard the band rehearse called a radio talk show Thursday morning, saying the song the band sang ended with a call for President Bush to die.

Threatening the president is a federal crime, so the Secret Service was called to the school to investigate.

Students in the band said they're just singing the lyrics and not inciting anyone to do anything.
[ABC News]

Now, there is a verse inside the song that could get people pretty upset, if you named a name, but there is no name. No mention of GW, or Bush, or Shrub, or "That Stupid Monkey-Fucking Rat-Fink in Washington D.C." Nothing. It's a damned song, people, and while it convey's a very anti-war message, it's not threatening anyone explictly. Here is a link to the lyrics. I would reproduce the lyric that everyone is getting up in arms about, but I feel it's important to read verses inside lyrics in the context of the entire song, not just as single pieces of speech.

As a side note, I really like Dylan's Masters of War. It's an excellent song. The band name, "Coallition of the Willing" is also an excellent political stamenet. Keep it up, folks.