gun crime versus jingly-jangly folk songs

hmm. i must admit, this is proving tricky. it would be far easier if blacks were entirely to blame for every gun crime, then we could feel confident in making some sort of categorical statements. as it is, people like that white bloke in pennsylvania and those endless other whiteys like the kids in columbine, etc etc sure don't make it easy for us 'present:tensers'. also, it would be a whole lot better if white guys could stop listening to so much gangsta hip-hop. don;t they realise they are making it harder and harder for folk singers like me to categorise anything??
On a more serious note, I sincerely hope everyone is doing well. This was such a great night the first time, back in the little old,sadly discarded, red lion. It seemed that night that deadlines bring out the best in us all - less time to pontificate, deliberate and scribble things out and start again. You just have to put yourself out there and be prepared for the consequences. (It reminds me of that Butch Cassidy quote about Sundance being scared to jump off that cliff into the ravine, because he can't swim. "Swim?", Butch says, "the fall will probably kill you!") I remember Luke Wright, the fabulous poet whose company we will hopefully have on Sunday, telling me that the first Present: Tense helped him out of a writing rut, as he hadn't written anything in a while. Some of what he wrote for that night has stayed with me all this time since. I think the pressure to write brings out the best in people sometimes.
Anyway, I've now written two songs. Far too many words. Don't be at all surprised to see me on Sunday with those pieces of paper with lyrics all over them stuck to my guitar. Til then, goodbye.