Why have the guys been so quiet politically?

U R A Crazy Breed

Maybe because he has finally woken up and realizes this country is full of dubbed down idiots who don't know dick about who really controls things and are too stupid to even realize the whole voting process has been compromised...and ALL the candidates are boot-licking whores with the same agenda,regardless of political party.

simpleman

Crazy Breed wrote:

Maybe because he has finally woken up and realizes this country is full of dubbed down idiots who don't know dick about who really controls things and are too stupid to even realize the whole voting process has been compromised...and ALL the candidates are boot-licking whores with the same agenda,regardless of political party.

I think this thread can now end. Thank you.

U R A Crazy Breed

simpleman wrote:

I think this thread can now end. Thank you.

sorry!

to the average person i sound like a cynical asshole,but i assure you that's not the case.

ok,now it can end

Fifthelement

acutejam wrote:

I'm pretty sure they checked their resumes, saw they had zero experience in public office and correctly figured out that America doesn't need celebrities or rock stars to tell us how to vote.

But I could be wrong....

Why is it that Americans, as soon as they achieve some kind of fame, are no longer allowed to voice an opinion about politics, the environment, etc.?

I thought America was supposed to be the poster child for "democracy"?
I'm not saying this to slag America or Americans, it's just something that I have always wondered. The backlash against the Dixie Chicks was the most frightening example of this kind of intolerance. I've even seen it on this board recently in regards to Ed. Basically it was "shut up and sing."

Aren't people who have achieved some success or fame responsible, if they chose to be, to raise awareness of social or political problems. I'm not saying that they're right, but at least they can spark interest and maybe in some small way make a difference in this large, scary and interesting world.

Cheers!

simpleman

Fifthelement wrote:

Why is it that Americans, as soon as they achieve some kind of fame, are no longer allowed to voice an opinion about politics, the environment, etc.?

I thought America was supposed to be the poster child for "democracy"?
I'm not saying this to slag America or Americans, it's just something that I have always wondered. The backlash against the Dixie Chicks was the most frightening example of this kind of intolerance. I've even seen it on this board recently in regards to Ed. Basically it was "shut up and sing."

Aren't people who have achieved some success or fame responsible, if they chose to be, to raise awareness of social or political problems. I'm not saying that they're right, but at least they can spark interest and maybe in some small way make a difference in this large, scary and interesting world.

Cheers!

good points, but you don't have to achieve success or fame to voice an opinion. Ed's opinion shouldn't matter any more than yours or mine does...

Ledbetterman10

radiohead33 wrote:

Why do you think its been so quiet politically on the PJ front? This is an election year!
Its surprising not to see Ed out speaking against the status quo and speaking against the 2 party system.

Whats up?

well let's see.

2000: Pearl Jam supported Ralph Nader. Nader got 97,000 votes in Florida, the decisive state. Bush defeated Gore by 540 votes in Florida, thus winning the electoral college vote and the presidency.

2004: Pearl Jam and others including Dave Matthews and Bruce Springsteen embark on the vote for change tour. unfortunately, they fail to rock Ohio, the decisive state this time around, hard enough and Bush takes the state, and again the electoral college.

2008: Stone Gossard, jealous of the recent golden globe win of you know who, sings lead on an abomination called 'Rock Around Barack' in which they play 'Rock Around the Clock' note for note, word for word but substituting 'Barack' for 'the clock.' Weird Al would smack him upside the head if he ever heard that bushleague attempt.

so yeah, "No Bush '92" on SNL was nice and all but they should probably keep away from politics. they'd be better off taking on ticketmaster again.

Fifthelement

simpleman wrote:

good points, but you don't have to achieve success or fame to voice an opinion. Ed's opinion shouldn't matter any more than yours or mine does...

That's what I meant, I'm sorry that it did not come across that way. Just because a person becomes famous doesn't mean that their opinion is any more or less valid than any other persons. It just seems that when one does become famous, especially in the States, that they're told to shut up, like their fame will be too much for the 'ordinary' human being to handle, that they would/could have too much influence on the course of events especially in politics.

Cheers!

xkevvx

Danimal wrote:

They better break their silence soon I need to know who to vote for...

Haha. That's great.

U R A Crazy Breed

I see it this way

1 Ed offers up food for thought,eat if you choose


2 He is passionate about his freedom (as i hope you all are) and worked hard at his craft and uses the forum that all his hard work created for him,to speak his mind (a right we all have but most lack the forum i.e. millions of listeners)


3 Sadly in this day and age people know more about sports/movies/bullshit more than they do about what's going on with their own government(patriot act,military commission act,Rex 84 etc.) so it's a good thing when Ed rattles cages and hopefully inspires you to maybe give two fucks about the future of this country

acutejam

Fifthelement wrote:

Why is it that Americans, as soon as they achieve some kind of fame, are no longer allowed to voice an opinion about politics, the environment, etc.?

If only that were true.... Unfortunately the opposite is almost universally true: achieve fame and grab a megaphone on your issue of the day! I say unfortunately because a career of acting, singing or sports does literally nothing to qualify you to "inform" ... you are qualified to "entertain." Debating, teaching, educating are very different art forms from entertaining, imo.

Now that's just broad brush strokes -- there are certainly those with the passion and intelligence to thoroughly educate themselves on their issues and provide a rational debate. PJ seems to be one of those exceptions for the most part, they serve as a conduit for exceedingly informed folks to enage us.

But let me just make a case in point: Tom Cruise.
Should I listen to him about post-partum depression? He's done educated himself on the issue as he done went and told Matt Lauer all about!

CitizenRick

Trimmer McGrady wrote:

Maybe Ed just wants to wait and see who'll be the Democratic nominee. It's gonna be a long summer. They'll be there.

I have nothing to prove this to be true...but on Sunday night...a Dj from 107.7 The Bone here in the Bay Area said... "it's official.... Eddie Vedder is now on board with the rest of his bandmates in backing Barack Obama".

I couldn't find anything online...so who knows if he's informed on this subject or not?

I'm sure we'll hear plenty of Ed's rants and opinions on the April Fools tour.

U R A Crazy Breed

CitizenRick wrote:

I have nothing to prove this to be true...but on Sunday night...a Dj from 107.7 The Bone here in the Bay Area said... "it's official.... Eddie Vedder is now on board with the rest of his bandmates in backing Barack Obama".

I CALL BULLSHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Obama is a fucking warmonger too!! don't get it twisted,he is no different from any of the other shills (McCain,Bill-ary etc.)

callen

Fifthelement wrote:

Why is it that Americans, as soon as they achieve some kind of fame, are no longer allowed to voice an opinion about politics, the environment, etc.?

I thought America was supposed to be the poster child for "democracy"?
I'm not saying this to slag America or Americans, it's just something that I have always wondered. The backlash against the Dixie Chicks was the most frightening example of this kind of intolerance. I've even seen it on this board recently in regards to Ed. Basically it was "shut up and sing."

Aren't people who have achieved some success or fame responsible, if they chose to be, to raise awareness of social or political problems. I'm not saying that they're right, but at least they can spark interest and maybe in some small way make a difference in this large, scary and interesting world.

Cheers!

Your correct...generally when you have someone bashing celebrities about their views and wanting them to be quite its indicative of a person that doesn't want their fragile reality shaken by some truth.
Fk I could care less what Ted Nugent says.........but that isn't the same as some that criticize Ed for pulling in a different direction.
Please though remember not to cast us all in one stroke as you did in this post....alot of "Amercians" do get it...(-:

LikeAnOpeningBandForTheSun

i think they are backing McCain

callen

Ed was right on Iraq. I went to Toronto and heard him say "the government is trumping up charges on Iraq in order to invade" (or pretty close to this...need to listen to the boot) and GUESS WHAT he was right. And yes this was before we invaded....course anyone with half sense realized this was the case.

callen

Crazy Breed wrote:

I CALL BULLSHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Obama is a fucking warmonger too!! don't get it twisted,he is no different from any of the other shills (McCain,Bill-ary etc.)

yea okay...sure.

acutejam

callen wrote:

...generally when you have someone bashing celebrities about their views and wanting them to be quite its indicative of a person that doesn't want their fragile reality shaken by some truth.

I would disagree. I think the bashing more often comes from folks much more up to speed on the issues, both the nuance and the whole picture, that no single issue occurs in a vacuum and what not. But sure, some of the bashing is certainly as you state.

I think celebrities generally are just using their megaphone at the behest of others, fed soundbites and talking points with little understanding of either more nuanced implications or even larger contexts. I think they are just being used as tools -- case in point the parade of celebs in photo ops with Chavez.

But yes, some celebrities do take the time to roll up the sleeves and really find out what's up. I think that's the exception: Bono, Geldof, Willie.

And again, poster boy for celebs who should just STFU: Tom Cruise.

Yellow Ledbelly

acoustic guy wrote:

Maybe he feels the same way I do.
I don't like any of them.
I got no dog in the hunt.

Exactly. I would hope they -- or Ed -- would not endorse a candidate strictly because they wear the "Democrat" tag.

Yellow Ledbelly

Danimal wrote:

They better break their silence soon I need to know who to vote for...

I take this as sarcasm. Those who really think like that bother the shit out of me.

For me, there is no problem with Ed or any other celebrity speaking their minds about issues and elections....as long as it stops there. The reason it irks me is that when celebs speak out there are people who blindly follow what they say and pronounce as the only moral and just way to think. I remember being so disgusted during the last presidential election when Puff Doody was all over MTV encouraging young folks to get out and vote.

Ok, true enough, everyone should exercise their right, but talking to a bunch of teenagers about the importance of voting and then telling them so-and-so is the candidate they should vote for is why I have a problem with it. I'd bet that a large majority of those kids he was encouraging to get out and vote couldn't have picked out a single one of the candidates in a line-up and they knew very little of the issues.

I'm just saying, celeb endorsements can be a dangerous thing because some follow blindly

callen

acutejam wrote:

I would disagree. I think the bashing more often comes from folks much more up to speed on the issues, both the nuance and the whole picture, that no single issue occurs in a vacuum and what not. But sure, some of the bashing is certainly as you state.

I think celebrities generally are just using their megaphone at the behest of others, fed soundbites and talking points with little understanding of either more nuanced implications or even larger contexts. I think they are just being used as tools -- case in point the parade of celebs in photo ops with Chavez.

But yes, some celebrities do take the time to roll up the sleeves and really find out what's up. I think that's the exception: Bono, Geldof, Willie.

And again, poster boy for celebs who should just STFU: Tom Cruise.

Disagreeing fine....no problem...Tom Cruise is a great example...but again when I hear folks on this board bashing Eddie on his views...which have been proven to be correct I'll stick to my assessment that they're struggling between they're fragile reality and the truth. Example "Wish Eddie would stick to singing than his politics when I see him". Thinking what I've heard Eddie say....has been proven to be correct...so I'd think it would be refreshing for one to hear someone talk about the crap our administration fed us. Hope I'm making sense...as I realize I'm rambling.