For the kids out there, Neil Young is an icon. He’s an icon of rock, of folk-rock and an icon of political speech and activism. He’s always been liberal/progressive. He wrote “Southern Man” about racism and the Civil Rights movement (and Lynyrd Skynyrd wrote “Sweet Home Alabama” in response). Neil Young is also Canadian. Or at least he was before this month – just a week ago, Young became an American citizen and he’s preparing to vote in America for the very first time. Like so many American voters, he’s pretty horror struck by American politics too. Neil Young decided to write an open letter to Donald Trump – you can read the full piece here. Some coverage:
Singer-songwriter Neil Young has penned a scathing open letter to US President Donald Trump. In the letter, which appears on Young’s Archive website, he attacks Trump for his record on the economy and climate, goes on to criticise him for continuing to use Keep On Rockin’ In The Free World at political rallies, and endorses Democratic Presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders.
“You are a disgrace to my country,” writes Young, who became a US citizen earlier this year. “Bragging about the US economy does not disguise the fact that the numbers today are what you inherited almost four years ago.
“Your mindless destruction of our shared natural resources, our environment and our relationships with friends around the world is unforgivable. Your policies, decisions and short term thinking continue to exacerbate the Climate Crisis.”
Young goes on to criticise Trump’s use of his music, saying, “Keep on Rockin’ in the Free World is not a song you can trot out at one of your rallies. Perhaps you could have been a bass player and played in a rock and roll band. That way you could be on stage at a rally every night in front of your fans, if you were any good, and you might be. Every time Keep On Rockin’ in the Free World or one of my songs is played at your rallies, I hope you hear my voice. Remember it is the voice of a tax-paying US citizen who does not support you. Me.”
Young ends his letter by endorsing Democrat Bernie Sanders, saying, “One of your opponents has the answers I like. He is aiming at preserving our children’s future directly. He is not popular with the Democratic establishment because unlike all the other candidates, he is not pandering to the industries accelerating Earth’s Climate Disaster, the end of the world as we know it. He is truly fighting for the USA. His initials are BS. Not his policies.”
It makes perfect sense to me that an ancient Canadian hippie would endorse Bernie Sanders, honestly. The question I have is why does Bernie’s candidacy appeal to people younger than Neil Young? I still don’t know (or really care). As for the criticism of Trump… I do kind of wonder if Young would be half as mad at Trump if Trump wasn’t using Young’s songs at rallies.
Photos courtesy of WENN and Getty.
EW is my first choice but bernies still appealing. Because he seems smart and authentic. Like someone who won’t just bend over for (in return for praise like trump) or make a sneaky deal with china. Establishment candidates like Biden I feel they will not go after climate change and china and demilitarization as hard as they should, I feel like they are bought. The reason I prefer EW is she seems more awake and healthy and for lack of better word, charming. Charming like for example she won’t deal with Israel in a way that makes both sides angry. Bernie IDK he seems like he could piss someone off by being too vocal
Warren is my first choice too. But I will wholeheartedly support whoever ends up with the nomination in the end.
As for Neil — he’s spot on. Trump is a national disgrace. I am embarrassed to know that my country elected this racist PoS.
I wish more people would speak out about Trump, he is a disgrace as president and human being. Typical Trump tweet will come out saying another socialist democrat lies. After what I heard him say about the Oscars and Parasite, he needs to lose because I don’t think I can listen to another 4 yrs of tweets.
#BlueNoMatterWho
(Unless the Giant Meteor runs again. Hahaha.)
AGREE with Neil Young 100%, this man is a total disgrace to the United States. He should never have been in charge of leading our country, and what a mess we’re in now…..
Neil Young is forever cool because he’s Neil Young.
Trump is a stain on humanity. Why couldn’t his mother have had a headache that night?
Neil Young is a musical genius that has made a lot of music about political issues so this is not shocking. Too bad many young people have no idea who he is.
I think it was Billie Eilish who said she’d never heard of Led Zeppelin.
I do think children should grow up listening to a wide range of music, particularly those artists who have used their voices to fight political causes. Makes history alive
I’m not a boomer but Decade is one of my favorite albums of all time. And I’m for Bernie because I consider economic injustice as heinous any other type of injustice. I am supporting a family member that works full time but still can’t make rent. I have a disabled vet tenant that had his ssi yanked last month because he worked a cash job cleaning the church cafeteria. He now can’t pay his rent. I’m not going to evict him but now I’m out the rent until he gets this straightened out. I had a tenant for two decades and didn’t raise the rent because she never got a raise. When she moved in with her son I was able to rent the apartment for hundreds more than she was paying. Why am I a one woman charity for these people falling through the cracks? Because no one, including corporate democrats care. Best economy my ass. I see working poor, black and white, struggle every single day. Unless you are a single mother with the good luck to win the rental voucher lottery you are screwed if you have no skills.
I think he’s still Canadian but a dual citizen now. I haven’t read anything about him giving up his Canadian citizenship. I’m pretty sure it would be in the papers here (in Canada) if that was the case.
Right on!! Yeah