so my republican friend was at the eddie solo show last night
THC
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it was interesting...he said he had wished eddie had left some of the political stuff at home...and felt like he was at an Obama benefit show.
i said, i feel artist have earned the right to speak their mind...and can say whatever they want. i said, i dont think it makes sense that only politicians can talk politics in this country.
what do you guys and gals think? should eddie just shut up and sing?
i said, i feel artist have earned the right to speak their mind...and can say whatever they want. i said, i dont think it makes sense that only politicians can talk politics in this country.
what do you guys and gals think? should eddie just shut up and sing?
“Kept in a small bowl, the goldfish will remain small. With more space, the fish can grow double, triple, or quadruple its size.”
-Big Fish
-Big Fish
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If eddie just shut up and sang, you wouldn't be seeing a show that had eddie vedder in it.
couldnt agree more. however...it seems to be the american way. even in the simpsons movie...there is a joke.
greenday is playing..and he's like...ok everyone...we've been playing now for 5 hours..and i would like to just say a word about..clean water (or something like that) and Mo throws a shoe at the stage ....and is like 'PREACHY'!
-Big Fish
True...but I've been at PJ shows where I wish Eddie would just be quiet.
See LA 2007
But, if it was anything like the Ed show I saw in April, it didn't feel like an "Obama benefit" at all. I mean, politics were brought up for a second ... but just a second ... the show is about 2 hours long.
for the least they could possibly do
I like the stories about the kid- the bear blah blah blah but shut up Ed- just sing
all that said, i really dont care too much. a minor annoyance to me. i just have one simple condition i wish he would follow. STOP FUCKING UP PORCH WITH MIDSONG RANTS! what the fuck! at bonnaroo i was witnessing probably the best version of that song i had ever heard in my life, and then Eddie goes on a "go vote" rant that felt like an eternity! KEep that shit between songs! or at least in his crappy protest songs like No More. fuck man, not the good songs!
thats all that bugs me.
crappy protest songs like no more? haha. That's one of the best protest songs of all time.
I agree.. broke my heart.. I can't even listent to the boot because of that. I agree with his position, but the rants are killing me...
...
If that is what people think... then, shouldn't anyone who holds a job shut up and do what they are supposed to do?
Like, if you are an account, you shouldn't speak your mind and get back to cooking the books... garbage men should shut up and pick up the trash... housewives should shut up and wash the dishes.
...
Leaving the only ones to get to express political opinions... Politicians.
Hail, Hail!!!
...are those who've helped us.
Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
Prior to Berkely EV, I was of the opinion that a career as a rock star/celebrity does little to educate you and therefore qualify you to speak out on issues. I do not listen to celebrities in general about politics or social issues. But I do believe it's ok for them to use their stage, their mic, their cred to futher an issue, to point us in the direction of qualified folks to listen to. PJ has always done that. I just never listen to celebrities anyways.... vacuous.
And then Berk1, Ed spouts off about military recruiters at college campuses, how our kids are "preyed upon" or something to that affect and I thought, "yeah ok he's not quite right." Raise your kids well, teach them to make good decisions, and you won't have to worry about military recruiters. And if your kid does decide, they're adults now!
And then all the name-dropping at Berk1, sigh, and I'm so over Ed as a celebrity -- still love him as an iconic generational folk-singer in this format, and he kicks ass a rock-n-roll frontman. Can't take those cudos away, wouldn't want to.
And then Berk2, he kinda had me -- he talked about "Why should politicians only listen to CEOs, they know about golf and what?" And he started off about his travels, how he does talk to a LOT of people, and I started to come around -- celebrities do meet a lot of people, Ed is pretty genuine it seems in all the chats he's had with folks that I read about. So yeah, I can see how celebrities get caught up with issues and do educate themselves just like anyone else would, and then have every right to talk about 'em. Sure.
But still, how many people does Eddie/PJ employ? How much money is he pumping into the economy? How much trade with foreign nations does he conduct? Did he invent a cure for cancer? Did he discover a new energy source? How many social programs, community outreach programs do they do (admittedly a good lot)? Admittedly, they are contributing a nice luxury item to the quality of life I enjoy. They do a lot of fundraisers and I salute them for that -- but it pales in comparison to what CEOs/major corporations are doing. As much as I admire counter-culture, bohemian lifestyles, alt-lifestyles -- I'm not there, I'm in the rat race.
You may think it's sad, but CEOs are the "captains of industry" and have the ear of politicians for a reason, cause they make money, raise money, donate money and keep money flowing. Create wealth. They are empowering folks to make better lives for themselves (and the quality of those "better" lives is surely debate-able, admitted). Politicians? Well -- I've been a firm believer that our ballots always need "None of the above."
So while I'll grant that Eddie has every right to speak his piece -- I'd prefer not to pay to hear him do so, but I don't mind it too much.
Whereas the pure venemous nature of his comments of late, his utter hatred of all things Republican, i believe he wanted to have them removed from the world in San Diego, hoped he'd "driven them away" with MoW at Berk2, well, it's just show I hope, gettin a rise, but it's still kinda sad. Bush-hatred I understand, Cheney, Rumsfield (he's a bastard, but he's OUR bastard) -- but this lump of all things republican is disheartening. He's as guilty as any racist lumping all folks of one race under an umbrella.
Sir Geldof himself said Bush was the best president ever with regards to improving the situation in Africa. My favorite quote, it's just not black and white, it's shades of gray.
How did we get to a place where your biggest enemy is your neighbor -- perhaps we've always been in that place? Eddie may think that republicans are the biggest threat to his way of life ... and they may in fact be the most immediate threat ... but he's flat-out wrong.
There are good folk in these "red" states, there's good folks in these "blue" states and I for one welcome them all under my roof. I am a patriot, but I'll tell you what, I'll welcome those folks in any country just trying to make a better life for their kids -- as long as it doesn't necessitate trying to end mine!
Whether he is making me laugh, cringe, cry or ask my husband "WTF did he just say?" I wouldn't trade talking Ed with "shut up and sing" Ed for lifetime passes to Pearl Jam shows.
Are people who bitch about it new to Ed, or have they just been ignoring him for 20 years?
Just my thoughts.
Take care,
http://www.youtube.com/user/kcherub#p/a/u/0/N-UQprRqSwo
Why does he bother saying anything? Might as well invite Zinn or Nader and they'll probably say something more profound.
But oh, we really want to hear Ed's views!
Nah.
One thing I've learned in my short life is that if your opinion isn't shared by those you have surrounded yourself with, then you should give them an opportunity to disagree with you. If you simply browbeat them into submission and don't give them an opportunity to respond, they become a tad miffed.
Ed shouldn't ramble on about his views when he's got a captive audience that cannot respond. At least Rush Limbaugh has callers who disagree with him sometimes. Ed just lectures, like he's a college professor. But even college professors allow students to respond...
Hmmm...
-Enoch Powell
It's a product. If you don't want to go to baseball games because they've gotten to long, eat a brand of potato chips because they've become too salty, buy shoes because they are a wrong color, that's your business. But those products (some of which are events) owe you nothing in terms of changing themselves to meet your needs.
Michael Jordan is said to have advised Tiger Woods to remain neutral on all things so as not to impact his marketability. On can at least respect that Ed says thing knowing that they may cost him a few bucks.
It's not clear to me that people vote with their pocketbooks. I'm a right wing asshole and I've purchased all of PJ's albums and a number of the bootlegs. Been to a show and sat through the Nader stuff.
It doesn't seem that it costs Ed anything to say his views. But that doesn't mean it's polite. Not all things should be judged on their marketability. Basic ettiquette should enter into the fray. When I argue with my liberal friends, I let them tell me their views because I respect them. Clearly, Ed assumes everyone in the audience either agrees with him or will keep their mouths shut about their own views - that's not fair.
Or worse, maybe he doesn't want them there if they do not agree with him. Because who would want a right wing Pearl Jam fan there anyway? They just don't deserve to hear good music, right?
It's rude. But it's not worth ditching PJ shows over.
-Enoch Powell
Absolutely not.
Not only does he have the right to voice his opinions at his own shows (are his song lyrics not his opinions as well?), but I would go so far as to say that it's his civic duty to do what he can to try to make the world a better place. I belive he is sincerely trying to do that. He's not talking just to hear himself talk. He's not promoting only the ideas which benefit him personally.
Plenty of people make great music, but it's Pearl Jam's greater sense of responsibility that make them the best band in the world, in my opinion.
He does give his audience a chance to respond. He even provides a forum for them to make their views available to the whole world, 24/7. I believe you're familiar with it - it's called A Moving Train.
Haha!! Oh cool! So the next time one of my friends wants to respond to one of my arguments, I will redirect them to a message board that I never read nor respond to.
What an excellent way to deal with people who disagree with you!
Thanks for the advice!
-Enoch Powell
A. You have no idea whether or not he reads the board.
B. Wouldn't you rather have the opportunity to share your views with the masses than with just one guy?
A. I am 100% certain that Eddie has never responded to a political argument from the Right on this message board.
B. No, I want to share it with Eddie, just like he shares his views with me. The masses are composed of individuals just like Eddie. SO that means we need to talk to individuals if we wish to convince the masses.
I want to start by talking to Ed! Haha
-Enoch Powell
EV- 08/09,10/2008.06/08,09/2009
I will say that I feel everyone is entitled to their own opinion; truly and that is a big thing for me to say because until a Democrat teaches me something in terms of their actual presidency, I am still George W. Bush's fan. I know I stand alone, but I like the leg room.............lol?
Anyway, I just have to say that I do not like when it is done disrespectfully. I think we all have our right to speak, and if someone is against the war it is cool to say, "bring them home! enough of the bloodshead, etc." but to bash the president, well that's not cool. sometimes silence is a better statement.
Together we will float like angels.........
In the moment that you left the room, the album started skipping, goodbye to beauty shared with the ones that you love.........
I agree wholeheartedly. Oh wait, you were making a rhetorical point? Nevermind.
On a different note, that Ed "rant" during Porch at 'Roo happens to be one of my favorite PJ moments, like, of all time.
for the least they could possibly do
No you're not. For all you know, I could be Eddie.
It seems to me that the need to talk to him particularly, rather than the multitude of individuals you reach due to his facilitation, reflects more of a need to have the last word than to actually affect change in the world.
So, if he expressed his opinions at a show you attended and let you then tell him yours, would that be sufficient? Or would you think you should get to express your opinions again at the next show because he got to express his again?
You know he can't provide a platform at his shows for every single audience member to talk about their politicial opinions. That's just not possible.
That is sort of how I feel. I mean of course the guy has the right to speak his opinion, but 1) most of the crowd at a PJ show probably already knows his opinions and 2) the messages that he tries to spread in his rants aren't nearly as eloquent as the messages he tries to spread in his song lyrics. Plus most of his opinions on things, at least the ones I have heard, seem pretty standard, it would be much more interesting if he brought something new to the table.
Maybe. But really, is this such a big deal? I've never been to a show where ed has talked *that* much about politics or whatever.
It's maybe 30 seconds to set up a song or something. In the span of a two-hour (or more) show, it really isn't that much.
And, a good bit of the time, he's actually kind of fucking funny.
for the least they could possibly do
Shouldn't garbage men shut-up and pick up the trash? Would you really want your garbage man to knock on your door and start spouting off his political opinions after he put your trash in the truck?