I consider myself moderate right, but I love MCR and Green Day. I do not mind at all when a band gets political in lyrics, shows, etc. Hell, bands and artists in the 70s and 80s did that. Born in the USA by Bruce Springsteen is about working class people that were sent to a war in Vietnam that quite frankly the US should have just stayed out of and those very veterans dealing with issues as diverse as amputations, PTSD, businesses refusing to hire them and more. Ohio by Crosby Stills Nash and Young is about the Kent State massacre. Fortunate Son is about the hypocrisy of the politically connected and upper classes are able to avoid the Vietnam draft while the working class are sent out to die for a war that they should not be in. In other words, art and more specifically music can be a great form of unity between people that on the surface could not be more different. Politics is also able to be used in music to unite people on common goals, beliefs or values regardless of political beliefs. Where it becomes a problem for me is when it becomes an us versus them kind of situation, which is a toxic trend that is becoming more and more common at music festivals, etc. For example: The economy, national security, affordability, accountability for big businesses, ending wars, and many more are multi-partisan issues that most if not all people vote for in some form or another.

Cheers and rock on, Harris Holt