Can We Put Politics Aside for Art?

Posted on August 29, 2012 by Damian Geminder

Rage Against the Machine

Earlier this month, Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello wrote a scathing op-ed in Rolling Stone in response to reports that Republican Vice Presidential nominee Paul Ryan is a fan of the band, which has long campaigned for progressive causes.

Morello asserted that Ryan is “clueless” about RATM, while acknowledging that the Wisconsin Congressman “claims that he likes Rage’s sound, but not the lyrics. Well, I don’t care for Paul Ryan’s sound or his lyrics. He can like whatever bands he wants, but his guiding vision of shifting revenue more radically to the one percent is antithetical to the message of Rage.”

Obviously, our blog is primarily (and proudly) about the medium of film, not music, but the Ryan-Morello spat brings up an important question: Can we appreciate art for art, regardless of our ideological leanings? This is a question that cuts both ways, of course. If Alec Baldwin or George Clooney or some other major star makes politically liberal comments, does the conservative moviegoer boycott his films? Or does he put aside his beliefs and just watch the films for their merits?

Congressman and VP candidate Paul Ryan (R-Wis.)

I, for one, did not agree with everything in the dystopian film V for Vendetta. It wasn’t so much that I opposed its message of fighting against a tyrannical government as much as the fact that the film took such liberties with its source material. The comic book series on which V for Vendetta is based took place in the United Kingdom and was a critique of the policies of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. (It is worth nothing that Thatcher was a conservative and yet was expertly played by the openly liberal Meryl Streep in last year’s The Iron Lady; clearly, she was able to put politics aside for art.)

V for Vendetta the film, however, retooled its target for a modern audience, portraying a psuedo-Christian fascist State that persecutes homosexuals and Muslims. Yet, the film still took place in the UK. I found it rather discordant to have a film take not-so-subtle shots at American policies, whilst being set in Britain. Still, the film is gorgeously shot and well-acted, and although I was frustrated by some aspects of it, I found it compelling.

But enough about me. What do you think, dear readers? Is Tom Morello right to rebut his band’s most high-profile fan, given their wildly divergent views? Or he is misguided and should have simply said something to the effect of, “Paul Ryan and I disagree on just about everything, but it’s nice to have people from all walks of life appreciate our art”? Sound off in the comments below!

 

About Damian Geminder

Damian is a freelance journalist and recent graduate from Adelphi University. He lives in Amityville, New York.
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  • Ruth Williams

    Agreed, Damian; art should be appreciated as art. We’ve got a similar feud simmering here in Jersey between our Governor, Christie, and our CEO, Springsteen: http://www.salon.com/2012/06/25/the_boss_can_snub_christie/

    • Damian

      You know, I almost cited that exact controversy in this article, Ruth! It makes sense that you would point that out, though, being a Jersey girl. :-)

  • Anne

    I still hate it when celebrities feel the need to push their politics. To this day I STILL haven’t seen any of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Johnny Depp said too much and I have no interest watching him (and others). People need to be more civil. 69 more heated days until the election. :-(

  • Kyle

    Thank you, Damian Geminder, for your astute analysis.

    I, quite frankly, am astonished that this is even a question. I am as conservative as they come, yet I still listen to Madonna and Cher (who regularly bash conservatives and conservatism, sometimes in-artfully).

    The kind of music we like or the kind of acting we like totally separates from political views. If I’m listening to Celine Dion, I’m not asking myself what her position is on global warming, I’m asking myself what my next dance move will be.

    Unfortunately, in a world where the pop culture and larger mainstream media are extremely liberal, conservatives have to be more cautious in this department. The reason why the vast majority of Republicans avoid the comedy/pop culture/Hollywood circuit is for exactly this reason. If someone comes out and says, I like so and so’s music, the crazy liberal will freak out and run to the media with “Stop playing my music at your rallies!”

    Thank you for pointing out a subject that should be discussed more often.

  • Kyle

    Furthermore, I am concerned with hypocrisy among gay activists that they direct more outrage at Christian opposition to homosexualist “marriage” than the oppressive regimes of ANY dissenters in radical Islam such as Iran. They should be thanking GOD they are American!

  • Stephen Oby Jr.

    Morello’s decision to speak out likely has as much to do with an irrational, rush-to-judgment public/press as it does to politics. Had he said nothing, the gossip rags (and by this I mean NYT, WSJ, really any major news outlet) may have speculated on the band’s position on Ryan, a hypothesis based on the fact that they regularly invent news. This way he nipped it in the bud.

    I see the question of art and politics more a question of values. We’ve unfortunately become firmly divided between two political parties in the U.S. to the point that people adopt the values of their party rather than the other way around! It’s an absurd outcome. I would NEVER avoid a film because the filmmaker is a registered Republican or a self-proclaimed conservative (I lean liberal).. but I regularly avoid films that do not coincide with my values.

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