The American Spectator

Reader Mail

(Page 6 of 13)

: /p>

Every so often, I gather with some old friends to watch a 1987 video called "Roy Orbison and Friends -- A Black and White Night." For my part, Springsteen and legendary guitarist James Burton make the show with their guitar work.

As much as I love the video, I always do feel a slight dampening in my enthusiasm because I cannot help but think of Bruce's hare-brained politics. Circa the 1991-92 election cycle, he said the American Dream was over, which is interesting talk from a guy who really cashed in during the so-called evil 1980s. The Boss and his prosperous lefty pals should, if they are sincere, call their tax accountants, ask them to calculate a cumulative tax liability from 1982 to the present using the pre-1982 Carter tax rates, and then cut a check to the US Treasury for the taxes they did not have to pay from Reagan forward. (I would even allow a credit for Bubba's 1993 rate increase.)

p>Until then they should, in the words of the inestimable Laura Ingraham, shut up and sing! br> -- H. Ziebell br> Illinois /p> p> As a devoted music fan, I've often wondered at the lock-step leftism of many of my favorite artists (as well as actors and others). Apparently, crisscrossing the country in luxury tour buses (or jets), eating catered food (only green M&M's please) and sleeping in five star hotels without having to lift a hand to do anything for yourself naturally engenders solidarity with the working man and oppressed Third World peoples. Maybe if you spend enough time talking about the evils of the arrogant, spoiled, self-righteous, capitalist white man people won't notice that. You get the point! If Bruce Springsteen and Steve Earle were half of what they claim to be they would be riding boxcars from show to show and eating from dumpsters just on principle. Owning a couple of flannel shirts doesn't make you a proletarian. It is also no secret that many American artistes seem to base their intellectual and artistic legitimacy on the approval of European (sophisticated) audiences. The best way to gain an ovation in Europe these days is to scream, "I hate Bush!" so we hear a lot of it. Of course, sophisticated is relative. Remember, in France Jerry Lewis is a genius and the majority of young adults think the United States attacked itself on 9/11. As long as I'm not preached at when I buy a ticket or asked to get behind "non-partisan" crusades to save us from ourselves, I can separate my musical enjoyment from the musician's personal views. When those lines are crossed, I exercise my "freedom to choose." Maybe those Napster-loving anarchists who said these rock stars already have enough money were on to something. br> -- Rick br> Southern Maryland

topics:
Taxes, Barack Obama, Business, Islam, Law, Iraq, NATO, Africa, Conservatism, Oil, Unions