a missed call

so yesterday, i enjoyed a day away from my canadian friends. it was nice to not have to drive to the boonies for work. so as i'm driving around, enjoying the beautiful day, i hear paul douglas on the radio. he's sitting in for don shelby's show. i never listen to wcco. i don't know how it happened. but i found myself sucked into a discussion about music and politics.

paul was facilitating a discussion about the upcoming vote for change concerts. bruce springsteen, dave matthews and a slew of artists are performing concerts in swing states this october. paul was wondering if it was appropriate for musicians to be helping with fundraising and voter awareness for the election, wondering why moveon chose concerts as a way to reach out. he wondered if this type of public political stance would affect record sales?

here is one of the callers: paul, it's so great that you can be so neutral about this. and i think that all of these musicians are going to ruin their careers just like the dixie chicks. thanks for taking my call.

i wanted to call paul douglas and share my opinion. i wanted to say:

hey paul. has our country really slid that far from our foundation? has attorney general john ashcroft violated (and restricted) our first amendment rights to such an extent that we've all forgotten the function of art in our society? i expect musical artists to have an opinion, to inform and educate the public. i am sick to think that our culture has deteriorated to the extent that when artists do what they should do, the public responds with shock and awe (like mr. previous caller)

i ask our artists to comment. the day that our artists stop commenting is the day that we live in a totalitarian, dictatorial regime. the day that we supress artistic expression, especially in a political
vein, is the day we cease to be free. i don't need to agree with them. but i want to know that they have an opinion.

i missed the call. maybe the republicans will counter with toby keith. kind of like how they want to put alan keyes up against barack obama.