I posted this in a Jazz news group

I did not get many responses, I don't think they know what to make of it. Or maybe they never heard of Bruno Walter

Give the man a break. He was born in 1876. For God's sake, Wagner, Liszt, Brahms and Bruckner were still alive and (except for Bruckner) kicking. Walter had the right to hold on to own aesthetical standards, reactions, even prejudices.

regards, SG (who likes a lot traditional jazz and is absolutely delighted by quality animation but reserves his right to believe that neither are to be held up as supreme artforms)

Please. How can one have 'the right' to hold on to one's *prejudices*?

That's possible, of course, and I don't even have the excuse of being born in 1876. We (Bruno and I) are lucky though that there are men out there who do understand cartoons

[Oh, God, *I* need to tell *Matty* about relativism! The bases of civilization *are* shaking then! ( :] Because one's man prejudices are another man's faith. From the point of view of the atheistic majority here

[corrected

This is ridiculous. (Oh dear, I used a bad word.) The word 'prejudice' suggests unjustified, irrational, or unreasonable belief. I don't think that there is anything unjustified or irrational about religious faith (though personally I have none). Even from the perspective of a 'devout' atheist, there is nothing prejudiced about believing in God. I may believe that such faith is misplaced (i.e., that the beliefs founded thereupon are false), but that hardly makes them irrational or unjustified.

Walter's statement is not an expression of faith. It is a judgment of

I was wondering about that Irod guy . . .

It's not clear to me that 'Jazz' to Walter would have meant Duke Ellington as opposed to much of the now forgotten mediocre pop and dance music of the time. He probably just didn't have the time or inclination to investigate 'real' Jazz.

Dave Cook

: civilization *are* shaking then! ( :] Because one's man : prejudices are another man's faith. From the point of view of the : atheistic majority here

Because one's man prejudices are another man's faith.>.

I'm with Samir here - I don't buy the idea that religion is 'above' prejudice. All that one can ultimately say about opinions (as opposed to facts) is that they are opinionated.