I spent the evening last night at a Superbowl party. As the Boss came on the stage, all the Boomers shrieked and oohed and aahed and waxed nostalgic, while I headed to the lanai with the cigar smokers. So there I was observing that quite of few of these last hadn't clipped the ends of their cigars, when the hostess came out and sat by my side, inquiring whether I had caught Bruce. Thinking quickly- I was after all in enemy territory, so to speak- I replied that I had never been a particular fan.
What I omitted in my reply is that I will never again be able to listen to "Born to Run" without feeling offended, not because Mr. Springsteen has his own political views but because he insists on using his celebrity and position to foist those rather strident views on me. It is his right to try, but it is my right to forgo buying his music. Ditto, with the assortment of celebrities and media types who insist on trashing Bush, Republicans, Conservatives, and any other of the people and ideals I hold dear.
I have decided that I will not support the artistic efforts of any of these if I can help it. I won't go to their movies, rent their DVD's, listen to their music, or subscribe to their magazines. It seems others have arrived at the same conclusion. George, today, over at Babalu, linked to a wonderful piece at the American Spectator. It is right on so many levels.
When artists, reporters, and their ilk take a particular political position, they risk repudiating those who do not agree with them. In this instance, 46 percent of the population did not vote for Mr. Obama, and not because they are stupid, immoral, or unenlightened. There should be room in our politics and entertainment for the notion that there is more than one valid political position. Until there is, my choices will be limited, as I suspect will be their sales.
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