I’d rather see Jim Morrison pardoned than acquitted, honestly. An aquittal would be an attempt to legally say “Jim Morrison did not do that,” and I don’t think that’s right. Jim pushed the boundaries intentionally. It’s what he was all about, the influence of Dionysus, the god who steps over the boundaries and pushes us through–breaks on through, even–to the other side.
As human beings and as a human society we have a deep need for that kind of channeled transgression. We need rules and order to survive and prosper, but we also need a way to break through and shatter those rules completely, to remind us of who we really are and what is really going on. We have to be able to grapple with darkness, to embrace the shadow side of our existence, to shake off constraints and boundaries. Pushing us to our limits, pushing us past those boundaries in every way, is what Jim Morrison’s life was all about.
And so I say hell yes he exposed himself on stage. I say hell yes he simulated fellatio. And good, and well done, and do it again.
But he should be celebrated, not condemned. If our society expressed through the state can not understand the context and the importance of Dionysian transgression, and the role it plays in keeping us sane and healthy, then we are all Pentheus, and we are setting ourselves up for a violent and savage downfall.
So nothing could be more appropriate than a pardon. Try him if you want, convict him if you must, but punish him? Smear his name? Nonsense. We’re not talking about a pervert in the parking lot, we are talking a high priest of Dionysus, a prophet of the God Who Comes. Jim Morrison brought the law of liberation written on tablets of vinyl. I can think of few better ways to honor him than to wipe his name clear.
So, hail the Lizard King triumphant! Euoi!
Sailing to Byzantium 
[…] may remember my recent post about the possibility of the State of Florida pardoning Jim Morrison for his indecent…. Well, Florida officially pardoned Jim Morrison today. This is great […]
Love your article. Not often I read anything in this day and age from open-minded intellectuals who understand the value of some shadow. Mostly just hear from people that say, “this or that is bad for family values”. How living in a boring world without provocative art could be considered good for people I will never know. It is healthy for us to see conformity shattered every now and again. Thank you for your eloquent expression of what I have been trying to put into words for 20 years.
Thanks for the kind words, Heather. Did you read the article I linked to that I wrote about The Bacchae?
I just read the other article. It was great and I totally agree. I get upset when people try to censor art because it is an outlet for the wilder side of my nature that you’ve written about as it was for Jim. It took me years of deprogramming to be okay with the fact that that side of me existed and to realize that it just means I’m multifaceted. Not bad, like certain members of society want me to think. When I watch Jim perform it is like some kind of cathartic release and it helps me burn off some energy that I might otherwise not know what to do with.