Making The Political Personal

Unlike, say, actors and rock stars, classical musicians aren't known for taking public stands on political issues. In fact, most of us try to avoid partisan subjects entirely when we're in public view. Part of the reason for this is that we're so dependent on the continued good will and fiscal support of the public, and while it's fair to say that a majority of musicians (like most people in the arts) lean to the left, our audiences tend to be all over the map, politically. Also, there's the obvious fact that classical musicians aren't really all that famous, so there's little reason to suspect that our speaking out on issues of the day would have any impact at all.

But this year, I've noticed a few instances of musicians making political noise. This week, the blogosphere is falling all over itself to report that among the dozens (hundreds?) of celebrities who have now produced videos and TV ads opposing a California ballot measure that would amend the state constitution to specifically prohibit same-sex marriage is none other than violin über-star Itzhak Perlman.



Normally, I don't know how I'd feel about this. Celebrity speeches rarely hold much interest for me, and I don't really understand why anyone thinks that Margaret Cho's opposition to a ballot issue is going to affect anyone's vote but Margaret Cho's. (Especially since the "No on Prop 8" campaign is already running some pretty clever ads that actually might swing a few votes.)

But what makes Perlman's ad powerful is that he isn't speaking as a celebrity - he's speaking as a father of five children, one of whom is openly gay and married to a same-sex partner. As a result, the ad comes off (to me, at least) as more personal and less preachy. What Perlman is saying sounds a lot like the things my parents say whenever issues like this come up in the national debate. (I've been out to my family since I was a teenager, and I'm constantly amused by the fact that my always supportive parents are often far more outraged by antigay rhetoric than I am.)

So what about it? Does it bother you when someone like Itzhak Perlman steps into the political arena for a cause he clearly has a personal stake in? Does it bother you that there is currently a banner adorning Orchestra Hall touting Minnesota's own proposed constitutional amendment which would dedicate new funding to the arts and the environment? If you've spotted any Minnesota Orchestra musicians sporting McCain or Obama stickers on our instrument cases after a concert recently (and there are some prominent examples of each,) were you surprised? Pleased? Offended? Let us know in the comments...