Don't know how you meant that Dave, but I agree nonetheless.

chas

Gary is my friend, but he's wrong about the million dollar deal. When I'm asked to do a job; music, film; whatever, I check out the club, owners, product...whatever.

If the club management isn't fair to employees, I'm gone. If the service industry has judgements against them for ethical or contract fulfillment reasons, it's over.

Like Chas says, "ya gotta stand for something". Playing for a person or party I believe is harming the country or people is
a defacto endorsement.

For this party and politician....NO CHANCE IN HELL!

Russ

Everyone here has a right to refuse a gig. However, it used to be that you could disagree with a person politically and still see them as a good person. Reading this thread, it seems that at this time many here see the opposing political view as the incarnation of evil. I think, though, that this tells more about those guys than the politicians they disagree with.

I once played a nudist party in southern PA. Now, I was unaware it was a nudist party until I arrived, told them I was not gonna get naked, to which they acquiesced. Now, a lot of those folks should NOT have been taking their clothes off, but to me, it really didn't make a difference - it was just a job. Same with politicians. I don't really care what their political affiliation is as long as they provide a pay check in the amount I require. I guess that makes me one of the deplorables.

All the best,

Gary

Alex, there are certainly situations where you can not agree with politics but be social and even like the person.

Sadly, there are also situations where the politics involved are dangerous to individuals, societies; even entire populations.

It's a question of degree. In this case, this politician and his wife, who is a high level Government official, are the reason(s) I switched parties after 50 years.

Sometimes, you need to grow a pair and put your actions where your mouth is.

The reason I thought it appropriate to create this post is, I just wrote a six figure check to support efforts to get this party out of control of Kentucky politics. I'll do more, if needed. And, under NO circumstance, will I ever associate with this person and his party. The direction of democracy is decided by summing the beliefs of the general public and letting the majority prevail.

If you don't stand up, you won't be counted. Many think, nationally, we need LOTS of people to STAND UP NOW!.

Sorry for the political rant. The question and my subsequent action was real and doing the right thing for ME is important.

R.

Short answer: Probably not! Politics, when mixed with entertainment and sports tend to alienate a significant portion of the audience. Glad I don't perform... and the only thing I ever "ran for" is the County Line! LOL!

Sometimes, when "push comes to shove" the individual providing the "service" must draw some difficult lines in the sand. Usually, it's not that you refuse... it's how you express your refusal. Kindness is always a way to deflect an angry reaction.

Well said.

R.

Russ, as I said above, we all have a right to live by our convictions - thank G-d (and the recent decision of the Supreme Court) for that. I can see myself declining a gig, too, if it was going so strongly against my grain that I wouldn't be able to put forth the effort and the artistry (such as it is) that the audience deserves. However, I would see it as my personal shortcoming as a performer, and not something I'd boast about (not saying that anyone here is).

Now, people that know me (and are generally my target customers), know my strong political and religious views. If they choose to offer me a job, I generally see it as a sign of respect for my musical/performing skills, because when it comes to politics, the only person I agree with 100% is myself. However, unlike many of the folks who have contributed in this thread, I've really lived through the redistribution of wealth, shaming of the successful, single-payer medicine, "free" government-paid education. It was a sad and scary time when the media would only publish the news they deemed fit to print, creating a giant "echo-chamber" in collusion with the government, and you had to conform and be politically correct, or be shunned or persecuted, and when the "enlightened elites" would hijack the language to call those who disagree with them "haters", supporters of individual freedom freedom "fascists", and terrorists "freedom fighters", and who would pay the mobs to turn out on the streets to justify the absurd. It pains me greatly to see that at this day in our own country a major political party is adopting these same policies as part of their party platform, and the street-mob tactics as their modus operandi. It is concerning that nearly half of the people in the US are forgetting that they/we can do that only because of the US Constitution and the system of laws that guarantee this ability to them, and so they cheer to "fundamentally transform America". When you have a good thing (and we still do - I speak from experience) you don't try to fundamentally transform it.

But, as I said, mine is one voice, and I save it for the ballot box, or for civilized discussions like this one. When I am with a microphone on stage, I know it's so that people can hear my music.

Alex, you have every right to your opinion and the resulting actions you take.

If we were to sit down together and talk names and instances, I'll bet we're closer to fundamental agreement than it looks like.

Be well,

R.

Agree....and I would add Religion to that list of things that don't mix.

chas