CROUCH REVISITED: Stanley Crouch reminds us why he is one of our foremost authorities on jazz and American society in his most recent "Daily News" column, which coincided with Martin Luther King Jr. Day: "In its all-American essence, jazz is even more than a great art form. It symbolizes the best of our nation, every one of its democratic ideals. It expresses the belief that people should be respected no matter where they come from. It proves that we can be individuals and work together, and that if we are sensitive enough we can make a stronger collective through our very individuality." And here's an interview that took place after the terrorism attacks that reminds us why he's one of our most important commentators on a variety of subjects. Here's a choice exchange:

Q:What do you think about this wave of Black Patriotism? Some in progressive movements and the Black left are upset with this.

Crouch: "F**k them. The people who are upset think that everyone Black should take their position. In other words, they feel that Black people's attitude towards America should be thumbs down. The so-called progressives do not believe everything is thumbs down in America, which is how come they are in America. This is one of the few countries were you can talk about how bad the country is, and you can teach at its universities. I am not opposed to that. But I am saying that if you hate America and you are still getting paid at a public university for exposing your views, then you need to face the fact that you are an example of the freedom of this country that you claim to hate. You cannot do that in any of the countries that you claim to be supporting or understanding. None of these people could live under an Osama Bin Laden."

And here's his response to a column he didn't like in something called "Drastic Magazine." Great stuff.