Bruce Springsteen - I salute you!

The republicans under Trump are in power.
The other interesting thing I suppose is the reference to the poor, the Trump vote is quite difficult to analyse I think, but quite a proportion of it was the 'working class' vote, there is something to unpick about that. Something along the lines of wealthy individuals not understanding what is important to those who have less.

You keep repeating that on every thread. However it doesn’t change the fact that you jumped to the bait, Springsteen was doing what he has done all his working life, and using the precious freedom of speech to say what he thought. You don’t know his motives but you automatically condemn, which is wrong.

The tour is called , "The Land of Hopes and Dreams"...born in the USA os partly about post Vietnam trauma, "the Rising" about 9/11 and so on. So his songs are about a whole culture, and what he says is congruent with that. Hopes and Dreams for a better America.

It's so sad that people are pitted against each other in this binary way.
What had happened to the middle ground?
I supppose they are still there, quietly going about their lives, trying to be decent people.

Dorisdodar

Well I hope he's got it off his chest because I'm going to see him tomorrow and paid good money for the tickets....I don't wish to hear him ranting about President Trump....it's the music I want to hear.

If you’re going to see Springsteen, you’re surely aware of his political views and that he’s frequently outspoken about them - so it shouldn’t come as a shock to you🤷‍♀️

I’m sure there’ll be plenty of great music as well.

Agreed, Casdon.

Galaxy, by 'balance' I am referring to your idea that if a singer writes about cause X it is wrong because s/he hasn't written about Y or Z (Biden's son or 'gender' politics in your example). Whether or not you judge Springsteen's concern for working class America is truthful or not is neither here nor there, really. You can't possibly know, and it is up to the fans whether they want to buy the music and go to the gigs.

”I don't think you can complain about free speech if the only time you raise your voice is when it is Trump, it just makes you look insincere. I don't care who he supports politically”

But the point is, this is not the only time Springsteen has raised his voice.

He hasn’t suddenly jumped on some Trump hating bandwagon. He has been raising his voice in support of workers rights and the underprivileged in America for 40 years!

Those who go to his concerts know (and generally admire) this.

Absolutely, Lizziedrip.

As well as speaking out against Trump numerous times, Springsteen refused to allow Regan to use Born in the USA as an election song. Politicians try to use popular figures to boost their ratings, too. It's not a one-way street.

The point, I think, is that rock stars are not politicians. They are artists who are inspired by all sorts of things to write and perform music. They are not remotely obliged to write about anything other than what inspires them, and that doesn't make them hypocrites.

Similarly, on here, individual posters post about what annoys/pleases/infuriates them, but not about every other thing that happens every day. Sometimes that leads others to shout 'What about X?' 'Why didn't you complain about Y, you hypocrite?' I roll my eyes at that whataboutery, too.

Exactly, Doodledog. spot on.

His songs are also about love and loss, happiness and sadness - (Hungry Heart and many others) its why he is so popular, they've grown out of his whole experience as a human being in all his , and his own experiences include a cultural interest in that part of our lives which is affected by politics.

Its not a broadcast on behalf of X party its a personal testimony from 75 years of his life, he's seen so much, as we all have at our ages, and speaks his truth.

It's not whstaboutery when it's about speech, it is the same thing over and over again, only the speech I like must be defended. Silence for the rest.
I am happy for him to use his freedom of speech, but in return he will get lots of people saying he is wonderful, and some others questioning or rolling their eyes. Both are fine.
Some people think Lineker for example is a force for good, I don't, or rather I think he hasn't a clue what he is doing most of the time. Both are interpretations of his character I suppose.

The difference (to me, anyway) is that nobody is paying for Lineker's opinions - they are forced upon us if we watch the BBC. Springsteen and/or other songwriters' views are optional - if people don't like them their fame disappears. There are those who are famous for being controversial (Kanye West?) but they tend to crash and burn not long after that happens.

Wyllow3

Here's a report free of paywall, salute indeed as he addresses the huge crowd

"“In my home, the America I love, the America I’ve written about, that has been a beacon of hope and liberty for 250 years, is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent and treasonous administration.

Tonight, we ask all who believe in democracy and the best of our American experiment to rise with us, raise your voices against authoritarianism and let freedom ring!”

He then delivered a longer speech ahead of the song My City of Ruins, saying:

There’s some very weird, strange and dangerous shit going on out there right now. In America, they are persecuting people for using their right to free speech and voicing their dissent. This is happening now.

In America, the richest men are taking satisfaction in abandoning the world’s poorest children to sickness and death. This is happening now.
In my country, they’re taking sadistic pleasure in the pain they inflict on loyal American workers.
They’re rolling back historic civil rights legislation that led to a more just and plural society.
They are abandoning our great allies and siding with dictators against those struggling for their freedom. They are defunding American universities that won’t bow down to their ideological demands.
They are removing residents off American streets and, without due process of law, are deporting them to foreign detention centres and prisons.
This is all happening now.

A majority of our elected representatives have failed to protect the American people from the abuses of an unfit president and a rogue government. They have no concern or idea of what it means to be deeply American.

The America l’ve sung to you about for 50 years is real and regardless of its faults is a great country with a great people. So we’ll survive this moment.

Now, I have hope, because I believe in the truth of what the great American writer James Baldwin said. He said, ‘In this world, there isn’t as much humanity as one would like, but there’s enough.’ Let’s pray.

A little like Britain then

Galaxy

It's not whstaboutery when it's about speech, it is the same thing over and over again, only the speech I like must be defended. Silence for the rest.
I am happy for him to use his freedom of speech, but in return he will get lots of people saying he is wonderful, and some others questioning or rolling their eyes. Both are fine.
Some people think Lineker for example is a force for good, I don't, or rather I think he hasn't a clue what he is doing most of the time. Both are interpretations of his character I suppose.

It is whataboutery. You can’t defend freedom of speech and then condemn somebody for using it because you think their motivation is ‘only the speech I like must be defended’, when you have no justification that is the case other than your own belief. We know what he is, in that he’s been saying what he thinks for many years - about all aspects of American life. You know no more about his motivation than anybody else, but as I said before, you automatically jump to condemn. It feels as though you are guilty of shutting down his beliefs, saying he shouldn’t voice them - really?

He’s probably got as much right as anyone else to air his views, whether people agree or not.

Mt61 I think you may be a little biased against the present regime in Britain. You may feel that there are similarities with Mr Trump's USA but I see no signs, here, of
Removing reproductive choices for women
Telling universities to teach only the history approved by the leaders
Arresting judges for applying the law
Debating the removal of Habeas Corpus
I could go on..

Chocolatelovinggran

Mt61 I think you may be a little biased against the present regime in Britain. You may feel that there are similarities with Mr Trump's USA but I see no signs, here, of
Removing reproductive choices for women
Telling universities to teach only the history approved by the leaders
Arresting judges for applying the law
Debating the removal of Habeas Corpus
I could go on..

👏👏👏👏👏

I have no where said he shouldn't voice them, I find them boring in terms of the free speech debate, and no help whatsoever in terms of maintaining free speech, it is not shutting down to criticise him. A thread saying only how wonderful he is would be shutting down debate.

Marvellous !

My son is travelling today to see him this weekend he holds him up high god bless him for speaking out!

Lizziedrip....yes indeed I'm well aware of his political views and he his entitled to them. I don't have to agree or disagree with them to enjoy his music...in fact his best songs are not political at all and I hope he performs more of those.

He is a hero in my eyes

I've been to several concerts and had to listen to the artist express their political opinions and although I agreed with many of them I have always thought it's the wrong place to do this.
I'm a Boss fan, have seen him many times in the US and UK but do wonder if it would be more to the point to express these views (which I agree with) in the US where he would no doubt influence people with the vote to do something about it.

Bruce’s shows are still three hours long ; he rarely pauses and this is merely a blink in between the blistering music . I have seen Bruce five times in the last two years and have tickets for another three shows this year . As a fan , I would be happy to pay “good money” JUST to hear him speak . His lyrics have long been political and his beliefs are at the heart of his performance . Anyone who doesn’t know that shouldn’t go , but at risk of missing the best entertainer I have ever experienced.

And so say all of us. Amen.

I think its very good to hear and relevant right now what he has to say in the UK, for many of us do not want to go down the road that the USA is - its a wake up call, but not forced down our throats or at length, instead links in with an appeal to heart and soul which is the music.