Another band that ignores the meme of "Shut up and sing" - Boston - Granite Grok

Another band that ignores the meme of “Shut up and sing” – Boston

Band BostonAnd I’m betting that most of the young’uns that saunter over here have little idea of what and how big Boston was back in the day.  In fact, my favorite band (and then followed ELP) when hanging out in the dorm (in the city of Boston).  Big, BIG deal.  But now, they’ve jumped onto the “Let’s let men parts folks brazenly be able to go into the lady parts room – to heck with privacy of the vast majority (and for some, their security as well) bandwagon” simply to make 0.1% of the population feel better about themselves (re: North Carolina’s Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act.) and cancelled their three shows in North Carolina.

Well, a number of their 40 year fan base (yes, I am getting to be that old) decided to let them know, in no uncertain terms, that their feelings for the band’s music was far out trumped by the band’s decision to trample traditional mores (after all, they’ve existed for a long time for good reasons).  But before I do, it is clear that this is nothing more than the hypocriticalness that many of these self-righteous “artistes” because while they want to make a statement about NC, they’re all about grabbing the Benjamins by performing where it is far worse :

Boston’s 40th Anniversary tour will conclude in October in Tokyo, Japan, where businesses, hospitals, landlords, and other entities are not legally bound to acknowledge same-sex marriages.

Ayuh – far WORSE than NC which is only saying “use the bathrooms that fit the equipment you have” (and not the parts you think you should have or don’t have). Oh, the fans (emphasis mine)?

  • “Because North Carolinians don’t want men using the ladies room? I think it is perfectly reasonable not to want grown men using the restroom with your 14 year old daughter. If this is where you stand on this issue I think its time for me to start cleaning out my music collection.”
  • “Lost me after 40 years. Love your music but not your decision to cancel concerts in NC for political correctness. Shame on you.”
  • “Thank you Boston for the last 40 years … But Amanda says it’s more than a feeling … It’s good bye for me … It is your right to be ok with men going to the bathroom with your wife’s, daughters and granddaughters because they supposedly identify as female … I want my wife, daughters and granddaughters to be safe …”

I went over to their FB page – just under 4,000 comments (and thousands more replies).  A few more:

  • Kind of funny how you use the word Bigot. Based on this definition, a person who is intolerant toward those holding different opinions, it would seem Boston fits that definition perfectly.
  • Refusing to do business with a state with Christian values and common sense . Sounds like discrimination to me. So long Boston, you used to be one of my favorite bands
  • Your loss. How many foreign countries are you selling albums in and performing in, or have performed in over the years, with terrible human rights records? You going to refund those proceeds as well?
  • I don’t give a rats ass if Boston ever has another show in this neck of the woods, my nine year old grand-daughter sharing a restroom with a man who thinks he’s a woman or just a pervert is not acceptable ! Her safety is way more important than Boston’s music.
  • Boston you’re on the wrong side of this issue. Been a fan since the beginning, but your slam against the residents of NC is just wrong. There are over 750,000 registered sex offender’s in the United States out of an estimated population of sex offenders of 1.3 million. They’re only 700,000 estimated transgendered people in the US. The people of North Carolina are far more worried about having their children exposed to that percentage of 1.3 million then they are the percentage of 700,000. It’s not about discrimination it’s about common sense!!
  • Obviously you haven’t researched the law and just listening to liberal press. I support the law as a North Carolina citizen and believe the safety of our mothers, wives and daughters is more important than lgbt rights! So stay away, Love your music but your politics suck!
  • Tom [Founder of Boston – Skip]… you really do not know your audience… refusing service to somebody (the North Carolina voters) based on their beliefs… that went through a democratic process to achieve it is about as UNPATRIOTIC as it gets… you should be ashamed of yourself.
  • Somebody explain to me how making a MALE with male sexual parts go to the MEN’s restroom and a female with female sexual parts go to the women’s restroom is bigoted ??? Apparently we have been bigoted in the Western World for hundreds of years…
  • So Boston pulls a Springsteen and cancels their North Carolina gigs because of their “strong convictions”. A baker does the same thing for the same reason and they are tried in the court of public opinion and forced to pay $135000 in punitive damages. I believe the concert venue has the right to sue the band for breach of contract and should be able use the baker’s case precedent to get punitive damages. The concert was booked when the rules were the same as they are now. I have been a die hard Boston fan since their first album. Not anymore. Via con dios.

 

 

 

(H/T: Big Hollywood)

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