Pearl Jam Cancels 4/20 Raleigh, NC Concert in Opposition to HB2; Official Band Statement

JP Losman said:

When are the Chicago shows getting cancelled? This is a major civil rights issue...on par with HB2 legislation. Take a stand PJ. How in good conscience can you play when your elected officials allow for such a corrupt criminal system and horrible abuse of civil rights. What about fighting for treating people fairly?

http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/25/us/chicago-police-arrests-civil-rights/index.html

Oh god, not this philosophy again. The one where PJ is obligated to protest everything just because they protested something.
We've been through this.

Bruce is playing Italy later this year, which has plenty of bad gay laws. Why isn't he boycotting that show. Oh and of course, he is playing Chicago too. But if he decided poor people not having their civil rights abused, I'm sure PJ would decide that cause is worthy too.

Hey, this is the criticism is legit. They opened up the door by showing they believe in cancelling to promote change. If that is their best tactic, then it is messed up to not use it for other worthy causes. Is fighting for civil rights for those in Chicago not worth it? It is really messed up what is going on there with the criminal system.

JP Losman said:

When are the Chicago shows getting cancelled? This is a major civil rights issue...on par with HB2 legislation. Take a stand PJ. How in good conscience can you play when your elected officials allow for such a corrupt criminal system and horrible abuse of civil rights. What about fighting for treating people fairly?

http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/25/us/chicago-police-arrests-civil-rights/index.html

This is an issue that is a consistent problem across the entire nation. Granted not to this particular degree everywhere, but nevertheless a problem all across the board. The truth of the matter is, corruption or some form of it exists everywhere on this planet, weather they are civil rights issue, or government/legislative issues, take your pick. What are you going to expect the band to do? Stop performing altogether? Every state, city, country has some sort of fucked up laws or civil rights infringements, the band decided to take a stand on something they feel very strongly about, in a time where the LGBT community is taking an insane amount of abuse, not just by the government, but by their own peers and fellow citizens as well. I understand that the decision the band made came with some awful timing, and it has left a major sour taste in a lot of individuals mouths, but the truth of the matter is they alone can not correct every single problem first hand. They decided to do what they felt was right at the time, and not support a government putting some discriminatory laws into practice. Not to mention that this boycott alone brought a ton of awareness to this issue. Now the way that it all unfolded and how it upset a ton of fans, including the fans who traveled and made all sorts of arrangements to make this show (which I understand the frustration, I do) is a completely different argument. So again I ask, what does anyone propose the band does? Retire altogether and not perform anymore shows because of the corrupt and power driven world we live in? Does that bring awareness to every situation going on in the world today? By doing this do we fix all the worlds problems?

JP Losman said:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2016/05/25/texas-governor-says-state-will-sue-obama-administration-over-bathroom-directive/

Okay, well what about these 11 states who are suing over the same issue? Why is NC cherry picked by the band?

The band made a mistake by creating this slippery slope. I don't actually expect (or even want) PJ to cancel more shows over this or any other issue. But I'd like an acknowledgment from the people who defended the decision that yes, it was a hypocritical decision and that it was unfair to NC. They would never admit it, but a lot of people would respect them if the band admitted it was poorly handled and a mistake too.

That very well may be, however like I previously stated that is a completely different argument. As to why those states are overlooked, I can only assume it is because the wheels are already in motion to make changes for the better. As to where NC no awareness to this magnitude has been brought to attention yet.

JP Losman said:

Bruce is playing Italy later this year, which has plenty of bad gay laws. Why isn't he boycotting that show. Oh and of course, he is playing Chicago too. But if he decided poor people not having their civil rights abused, I'm sure PJ would decide that cause is worthy too.

Hey, this is the criticism is legit. They opened up the door by showing they believe in cancelling to promote change. If that is their best tactic, then it is messed up to not use it for other worthy causes. Is fighting for civil rights for those in Chicago not worth it? It is really messed up what is going on there with the criminal system.

Because that law was JUST put into place almost EXACTLY the time they were going to play there.

PJ_Soul said:

Why don't YOU fight for civil rights in Chicago if you're so worked up about it?? Pick your own battles, and let PJ and Springsteen pick theirs. Geez.

I actually did during the 10 years that I lived there and lots of my friends there still do. Even my gay friends there think what is happening in Chicago is worse than the discrimination happening in NC.

Tim Simmons said:

I hope PJ boycotts all NC shows until the injustice inflicted upon fans for PJ cancelling their last NC show is righted. Take a stand PJ. How in good conscience can you play when people from the first cancelled show are still angry about the last show you cancelled. What about fighting for treating people fairly even though the world is never fair?

what?

Tim Simmons said:

I hope PJ boycotts all NC shows until the injustice inflicted upon fans for PJ cancelling their last NC show is righted. Take a stand PJ. How in good conscience can you play when people from the first cancelled show are still angry about the last show you cancelled. What about fighting for treating people fairly even though the world is never fair?

this is awesome! lol

what dreams said:

My takeaway from the Betterman speech and other references in the Toronto show is that the band thinks the south is made up of closed-minded people, the north is made up of open-minded people, and there's nothing in between. Toronto is diverse, Miami isn't (hahaha), and they were so glad to be home in the north and gone from the south because only in the south do whacked out zealots live. It's all in the subtext. I agree that the cab driver in the story was whacked. But I'm very disappointed with the full implications of what Ed stated. Yes, it was two minute well-intentioned speech from an activist rock star, but it came off to me as a slap to all southerners. I infer that one reason they won't go back to NC or anywhere in the south anytime soon is their generalized notions of bigoted southern people. That really disappoints me and makes me wonder about their seeming lack of wisdom about people.

This tour was weird. Great shows, but a weird under-tone.

I agree completely with you about his tone about not liking the South. Not surprised at his opinion (he can come off as pretty judgmental and generalizing at times), but surprised he was so open about it.

there you have it, folks; the reason why PJ rarely plays the south. and now they will most likely play it even less.

JP Losman said:

PJ_Soul said:

Why don't YOU fight for civil rights in Chicago if you're so worked up about it?? Pick your own battles, and let PJ and Springsteen pick theirs. Geez.

I actually did during the 10 years that I lived there and lots of my friends there still do. Even my gay friends there think what is happening in Chicago is worse than the discrimination happening in NC.

Okay great. So you keep fighting your battle, and PJ can fight their own.