so what if they are political during a concert..if you don't like it go get a soda/beer/nachos...i am sure it's not the whole concert...but edgar et al are right..they have a right to speak ....most performers who are political, their fan base knows they are political...this election it is urgent that all peoples become political!!!
As these entertainers are expressing their opinion openly in regards to this concert, an obvious option would be to not go.
In that they have a right just like everybody else to voice their opinions is an intrinsic part of their constitutional freedom. Whether it will help or hurt ticket sales is certainly up for grabs, but with terrible shape the music biz is in currently, something with this kind of posture can only increase sales of these artist's cds (IMO).
willow_tl wrote:so what if they are political during a concert..if you don't like it go get a soda/beer/nachos...i am sure it's not the whole concert...but edgar et al are right..they have a right to speak ....most performers who are political, their fan base knows they are political...this election it is urgent that all peoples become political!!!
What they say in private is free speech. What they say when I spend $150 bucks to take my family to their concerts is not free at all.
Cereal - Agree. They sould adise the crowd BEFOREHAND that a portion of the concert will be dedicated to political speech.
Quote:What they say in private is free speech. What they say when I spend $150 bucks to take my family to their concerts is not free at all.
I see your point, but they have a right to say whatever they want. If that offends you too much, you have a right to walk the hell out.
Ask yourself, if you could be put in front of a ton of people with a mic, and you cared about politics, would you say something?
Cycloptichorn
Does the same rule apply to artists whose material is political, or is it just the between-song banter you want banned?
I have mixed feelings. If an entertainer generally has no political content to his or her performance, then a beseeching speech or set of jokes is disconcerting and could be intrusive. Not sure I am against it, but I can sure see being irritated.
On the other hand, many musical performers, especially songwriters, have political points of view, or have had those at some point, in the very heart of their oevre, however you say that word, and a fan who would spend serious money to go to the concert might be surprised in the other direction, if the concert was blanded out.
There is a risk that the performer who hasn't spoken up before will alienate the concertgoer, and a risk for the concertgoer that a pianist, say, will say something that seems unwarranted, gratuitous.
I think judgement is called for, but I wouldn't really want to stifle folks. However, to the extent that the political views are not integral to the celebrities' performances, I think they can take away from the artistic level of the event.
Similarly, if an actor is very outspoken politically, it will be harder for me to see him or her as the character in any given film. That is hard enough when you have star type actors in the first place, thinking of, say, a down and out character as Not someone with a multimillion dollar mansion in Malibu.
Cyclo - The point with musicians who without advertising such, use the limited time in the concert for a political statement. Now the concert that Springstein et al.. will be doing HAS been advertised as a "political statement". So in this regard, the buyer knows what they are getting.
Your decision whether or not to buy a ticket and attend a concert is a personal one.
Springsteen's choice of material and venues are HIS purview.
Seeing as how he has made a point of letting you know in advance what you may expect to hear at one of his concerts, you can hardly accuse him of luring you in to indoctrinate you.
Expecting/demanding Springsteen to conform to YOUR tastes and demands is highly unrealistic.
Get over it.
People should be allowed to seperate their pesonal and professional lives. If Sean Penn, a wonderful actor, wants to make political activism a part of his personal lifem more power to him. If the Dixie chicks want to lambast Bush during their down time, then they should. It when they want to politically active when they are supposed to be professional it interfers.
Two types of people:
One type acknowledges and cherishes diversity.
The other kind craves blind conformity and uniformity.
The first kind does the creating and the innovating, the second kind shoots down anything new or different.
The key is, they don't see 'proffessional' the same way as you do.
It's hardly surprising; they are entertainers, performers. Not exactly the same as those of us who jockey a desk all day.
Cycloptichorn
If you are getting paid, you are acting professionally. If not, it's personal.
Celebrities have the same right as everyone else to voice their views and preferences. Hell every two bit no talent politician does. .
McGentrix... are you posting from "work" or from your home?
If they are smart, celebrities will keep their politics to themselves, or at least mention them only in passing. If half your popularity/income comes from those with other viewpoints, you are damaging your future popularity and income by driving them away.
Blinded by partisanship, greed and "pragmatism", some people have very little regard for "principle".
I was asked about separation of church and state. Jesse Jackson and Pat Robertson may be ministers, but they are not the state. If they were elected poliricians and tried to force their religion on others I would then resist them with all my strength. Not censor their words.
edgar, What would entail "resist them with all my strength?"
