Coming To Terms With Bruce...

...Springsteen, that is. It's ridiculous to think that movie stars or musicians aren't entitled to politicial views. When they personalize those views, though, to the point that they demonize an individual or group on the basis of partisan affiliation alone, inevitably, a huge chunk of their audience is going to be alienated. That's fine, too, if the decision is consciously made, in the mode of Al Franken, say, to attempt to appeal primarily to one side of the political aisle.

Artists with a more universal appeal, though, such as Bruce, or Bono, are on shakier ground. Why is this so? In part, it has to do with the tendency to mix our feelings with those of the singer or songwriter. We tend to put ourselves into another's shoes through art; indeed, that may be one of its truest purposes. When Bono speaks of AIDS and debt relief for Africa, we can imagine ourselves doing the same, if we were fortunate enough to switch places; however, when Springsteen leaves behind earlier politically motivated activites such as fundraising for Amnesty International and local food banks, and enters the realm of a political endorsement, many of us cannot understand why he so dislikes a man whose leadership we greatly admire.

Still, the fault is as much with the audience as the artist when we allow a person's political views to color our judgment of the artist's material. One reason it's so fun to make fun of Barbra Streisand is her work itself is so bloody awful. The same cannot be said about Bruce; he has been, for three decades, an amazing songwriter, musician, and performer. I've heard his forthcoming single "Devils and Dust" several times now, and it's good. Really, really good...so I'm gonna try to overcome my own revulsion at the sight of Bruce standing on stage with that buffoon of a senator, and remember the way his music once made me feel. It was a good feeling, and I'd hate to lose it...because, in the end, if we let John Kerry take away our enjoyment of Springsteen, then John Kerry has already won...