Categories: Music, Political

I just received a terrific e-mail, asking me to explain how I can be a fan of Tool and A Perfect Circle, two bands featuring Maynard James Keenan, a man who is firmly entrenched in the left side of the political spectrum, when I'm clearly riding a large elephant whose tusks are stained red with the blood of a thousand gored hippies. I think you'll find my explanation magically delicious.

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This e-mail came from Jack of A Girl Named Jack.

you're very right wing, right? hippie hater, it says, but i have no idea if i'm witnessing internet sarcasm. the reason i'm curious is because you list a perfect circle and tool as two of your favorite bands. i'm a huge fan of both those bands, and i know for a fact that all of tool, and at least maynard for APC are a lot more liberal. maynard and the guys from tool also are frequent drug users, and tend to be a bit (excuse the term) hippy-ish in their every day lives. their lyrics reflect these life styles and opinions.

if you could shed a little light on what it is that draws you to those bands despite their obvious differences in beliefs, i think that would be kewl. i don't find a lot of tool and apc fans in my every day life, and it's nice to see what sort of things fans of the same music like about it and if we have anything else in common.

-jack

What a great letter. Some of you should learn from this. You can be constructive and inquiring all at the same time.

This is how I responded:

I do consider myself a right wing extremist, but I also consider myself very accepting and open minded. I can separate my enjoyment of music from my political beliefs. If I only listened to bands that agree with me politically, I'd be stuck with Kid Rock and country music. That would not be a good thing.

On the subject of drugs, while I don't and never have used them myself, it's not my business if anybody else wants to use them. I'm for the legalization of marijuana. It should be treated like alcohol. You've gotta be over 21 to buy it and you have to use it in a designated area, such as a bar or your home. As well, you shouldn't smoke it while driving.

While I don't think harder drugs should be legal (primarily due to the extreme danger of overdosing, as well as the temporary insanity bad crack can cause), it should be treated on a case by case basis. Fine some people, send some people to rehab, whatever, but nobody should be in jail for using drugs. Crack dealers selling to kids, however, should be punished severely.

In some minds, it may seem like I'm liberal on that issue. If you think about it, though, true conservatism demands less government intervention, which would include staying out of one's personal decision to use drugs.

Back to TOOL/APC. I pay for music, not politics. I can get politics for free. At the shows I've been to, the closest thing to politics I've heard from Maynard was a quick comment he made concerning 9/11 the Friday after the attack. Regardless of Maynard's personal politics, he also wrote some very important lyrics that should apply to everybody: "Think for yourself. Question authority." I apply this philosophy to my own life. All my political beliefs come from my own research on the issues. I'm right wing, not because somebody told me to be, but because I came to that decision based on what I know and believe. So, while Maynard and I may disagree politically, he would certainly respect my decisions, and I respect his.

So why do I like TOOL/APC so much? Most of the music is absolute genius and Maynard is one of the best vocalists in history. Despite its somewhat political stance, I will be buying eMOTIVe on Tuesday. APC were at least kind enough to release the CD on Election Day, rather than before it, so as not to influence the decision of anyone. Their cover of 'Imagine' is beautiful and is alone worth purchasing the album; although I have hopes it's just the icing on the cake.

I know what you mean about finding other fans in every day life. Once I got out of high school, music seemed less important to most of the people I know. Sure, they enjoy it, but they aren't "fans". They no longer care about going to concerts or buying t-shirts or keeping up with the latest news on the band. There are many shows I'd like to see, but going alone is no fun, and finding somebody who wants to go (and actually pay their own way) is becoming an increasingly more difficult task.

Jackington Viego

Folks, do you get it now? I'm not here as a representative of the Republican party. I'm not just spouting off what I've been told to say. I've come to my own conclusions because I think for myself. Which is why I get annoyed with those who simply pass around links to various web sites that slant the truth or regurgitate the nonsense that passes through e-mail and blogs the world over. It's why I'll simply come right out and tell somebody they're WRONG. Even if they disagree with me, it forces them to justify their own stance by actually THINKING.

Believe it or not, I've actually turned liberals into conservatives, simply by forcing them to give me a good reason as to why they are liberal. When they get to thinking about it, they simply don't know. It's just what they were told. By their parents. By their friends. By the media. Think for yourself, people. You might even consider letting in an air of conservatism. It's like a cool breeze on a hot summer day.

This has been a proud moment... with Jackington Viego.