Posted on 08/04/2004 7:31:59 PM PDT by Pikamax
Chords for Change By BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
nation's artists and musicians have a particular place in its social and political life. Over the years I've tried to think long and hard about what it means to be American: about the distinctive identity and position we have in the world, and how that position is best carried. I've tried to write songs that speak to our pride and criticize our failures.
These questions are at the heart of this election: who we are, what we stand for, why we fight. Personally, for the last 25 years I have always stayed one step away from partisan politics. Instead, I have been partisan about a set of ideals: economic justice, civil rights, a humane foreign policy, freedom and a decent life for all of our citizens. This year, however, for many of us the stakes have risen too high to sit this election out.
Through my work, I've always tried to ask hard questions. Why is it that the wealthiest nation in the world finds it so hard to keep its promise and faith with its weakest citizens? Why do we continue to find it so difficult to see beyond the veil of race? How do we conduct ourselves during difficult times without killing the things we hold dear? Why does the fulfillment of our promise as a people always seem to be just within grasp yet forever out of reach?
I don't think John Kerry and John Edwards have all the answers. I do believe they are sincerely interested in asking the right questions and working their way toward honest solutions. They understand that we need an administration that places a priority on fairness, curiosity, openness, humility, concern for all America's citizens, courage and faith.
People have different notions of these values, and they live them out in different ways. I've tried to sing about some of them in my songs. But I have my own ideas about what they mean, too. That is why I plan to join with many fellow artists, including the Dave Matthews Band, Pearl Jam, R.E.M., the Dixie Chicks, Jurassic 5, James Taylor and Jackson Browne, in touring the country this October. We will be performing under the umbrella of a new group called Vote for Change. Our goal is to change the direction of the government and change the current administration come November.
Like many others, in the aftermath of 9/11, I felt the country's unity. I don't remember anything quite like it. I supported the decision to enter Afghanistan and I hoped that the seriousness of the times would bring forth strength, humility and wisdom in our leaders. Instead, we dived headlong into an unnecessary war in Iraq, offering up the lives of our young men and women under circumstances that are now discredited. We ran record deficits, while simultaneously cutting and squeezing services like afterschool programs. We granted tax cuts to the richest 1 percent (corporate bigwigs, well-to-do guitar players), increasing the division of wealth that threatens to destroy our social contract with one another and render mute the promise of "one nation indivisible."
It is through the truthful exercising of the best of human qualities - respect for others, honesty about ourselves, faith in our ideals - that we come to life in God's eyes. It is how our soul, as a nation and as individuals, is revealed. Our American government has strayed too far from American values. It is time to move forward. The country we carry in our hearts is waiting.
Bruce Springsteen is a writer and performer.
I don't care what that unwashed bum says.
Of course Mondale went down to defeat by a big margin a month later, so maybe this is a good sign.
OK, I gave him a pass before because I liked his music (say what you will but I think THE RISING is fantastic), but no more. If he is going to lead this overtly political move, the hell with him and all those who accompany him in this effort - Raitt, REM and Michael Stipe the perv, and Eddie Vedder and company. Not just because I disagree with their politics, but because if they have their way, they will put my family's and my lives in danger! Curious to see what kinds of crowds they draw......
Years ago I read an article about Bruce and the draft.
If I recall correctly, I think he was going to claim he was "gay" to dodge it or run to Canada but lucky for him, the war ended before his number came up.
I doubt that interview will ever see the light of day again.
This is coming from someone who adored that band all through high school [back when he was "nobody"], bought his albums, went to his concerts and even made several "pilgrimages" to Asbury Park.
I was a *big* fan.
After "The River", Bruce jumped the shark.
The 40-somethings here know what I mean.
Spingsteen is a political hemorrhoid.
Huh? What the heck was he rambling about? I understood the part about him being against the war in Iraq but everything else made no sense.
Rock stars, movie stars, these people are entertainers. We allow them to entertain us for a while. If they are sufficiently amusing, we might splurge a bit more and buy a few bucks worth of their entertainment. In days gone by, these same individuals would certainly not be considered as the intelligencia.
So Don Henley gets booed, and he makes some wise-acre comment about how there is no room for political discussion anymore. Guess what, Don; those people paid for you to entertain them, not open your liberal yap and vomit out praises for a seditious traitor.
You know what is odd? These same whiners who decry conservative values also whine about how the internet, MP3 burners, DVD burners, etc., are eating away their livelihood. Guess what, Liberal Hollywood; those very people who are stealing away billions of dollars of intellectual property annually are your own spawn, you Marxist slime! You taught those people to hate authority, to hate their country, to hate the military, to hate the rich, to hate capitalism. And guess what? They do!
I once was a fan of Bruce.
He wrote some good songs about September 11. However, when he started this Anti-Bush, Anti-War crap, my conclusion was altered. It was then decided that he wrote the songs to make money. He doesn't give a care about anyoner who was killed or had a close person die. He wanted to make money, forget the feelings.. Well, he will never get a penny from me.
"I know what I'm gonna do! I'll get all the other old farts and maybe one token hip-hop act and we'll go out on tour! We gotta get our message out! Viagra Users for Peace, man!"
I'm originally from NJ, and as of today, I'm ashamed Bruce Springsteen is from New Jersey, too.
Couldn't agree more. In fact, _The River_ was a great single album, but Springsteen released it as a double album. Lots of filler, it seemed to me.
"I've got it! Let's set up a government like our fan Daniel Ortega set up in Nicaragua-- only we won't be stupid enough to hold elections."
Do what I do.
Burn the tracks to a CDR and edit out all the crap....:)
http://weirdnj.com/ ......:)
If you look at the entertainment industry, be it music, film, TV, whatever, it is, ironically, one of the most capitalistic industries out there. You've got a huge under class -- the struggling artist -- and an embedded upper class -- the superstar celebrities, directors, et.al. -- and a small middle class of cameramen, audio engineers, et.al. The economic rift between the upper and lower classes is greater than it is in general society.
The industry has a culture of keeping the under class down: "You've got to pay your dues before you sing the blues" and other cliches are an opiate to those yearning to hit the superstar lottery. Stories abound about entire bands living in a single apartment trying to break into the biz; the casting couch; actors and actresses getting into porn to try to get a break; and on and on.
When a star finally is born, there are hundreds just like them that tried and didn't make it. Those that did reach superstardom know what it took to get there and surmise that the entire world is just like that. All corporations must be like the big movie corporations where people are to be used and thrown away like toilet paper. The irony of it all is that the industry is behind the times--the rest of us have progressed beyond the sweatshop business model and are quite happy with what we have accomplished. In reality, it's the entertainment industry that needs reform, not the rest of society!
Will the industry reform? I don't think it's looking good. Look at the RIAA and the complete mess they've made of music downloading. The music industry is the model of an apartheid system--sheer force is used to keep those beneath the Designated Powers in line. You either play their game or you'll feel their wrath. It's tough to crack a corrupt and ingrained culture like that.
Well, except the military, conservatives, rich bigwigs, oil companies, oil well service companies(Hallibuton), pharmaceutical companies, evangelical Christians, SUV owners, smokers, pro lifers, capitalist, small busniess owners, stay at home moms, non flag burners, home schoolers, non union employees, tradionalist, patriots and most radio talk show host.
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