The New York Times ran a guest opinion piece last week titled “Should Classic Rock Songs Be Toppled Like Confederate Statues?” It subsequently retitled the op-ed to reflect more of what the article postulates: “Can We Separate the Art From the Artist?”

The author fixates the brunt of her ire on Don McLean’s ’70s folk-rock ballad, “American Pie” (coinciding with the anthemic record’s 50th anniversary), and laments on the song’s inclusion in our cultural canon in light of Mclean’s domestic abuse plea.