ON MONDAY, Oct. 11, I was able to attend the final concert in the MoveOn.org political action committee's "Vote for Change" concert series. Fittingly, the concert was held at the MCI Center in Washington, D.C. As most are aware, MoveOn.org's political leanings are not with the Republican Party. But because of legal constraints, it cannot directly affiliate with the Democratic National Committee. I did not know what to expect at the concert -- anti-Bush undertones or complete support for the Kerry-Edwards campaign.
Many Americans are already aware of the decline in civic participation throughout our nation over the past decade. The percentage of eligible voters who actually cast a ballot on Election Day is horrendous, especially when compared to that of other democratic countries. According to the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, only 49.27 percent of Americans of voting age voted in the 2000 presidential elections, while 74.48 percent of France's voting age population voted in the 2002 French presidential elections. Perhaps a concert series isn't what Thomas Jefferson would have had in mind as a method to mobilize voters, but it is something that seems to hold promise for Americans today.
I'm still not sure how to qualify my experience at the show. Have Americans' conception of civic participation changed so much that paying for a concert ticket gives one a feeling that he can affect national politics? Even the act of purchasing the tickets on Ticketmaster.com made it clear that the money would be donated to MoveOn.org, and required the buyer to acknowledge this fact due to campaign finance laws. Whether or not one felt civically engaged, the entire show was a blast -- and I had to remind myself of the reasons that I was there in the first place.
The atmosphere helped, though. Walking in front of the venue before the show, I witnessed protesters across the street screaming, holding banners and waving signs that said "Springsteen for Saddam-Aid 2004" and "Vote NO to Kerry." There was even a man dressed as Saddam Hussein. On the opposite side of the street, I was bombarded with stickers and other anti-Bush paraphernalia with slogans such as "Some Things Were Never Meant to be Recycled" displayed above a picture of Bush's face. Police were everywhere, although the environment surprisingly seemed not to warrant their presence.
What is most striking about this year's presidential election is the large number of people who have finally realized that they have a stake in America's direction. This is much more evident than it was during the 2000 election season -- and it may partially be a reaction to that election fiasco. But people are also taking into account the vast ideological separation that exists between President Bush and Senator Kerry, and no matter which side they happen to be on, are actively supporting their candidate of choice. Simply walking down the streets of D.C. or Charlottesville, one is bound to notice the presence of yard signs, bumper stickers and other political messages, as well as candidates' own street teams. In terms of visibility and emphasizing the election's importance, supporters for both sides are working harder than they did in 2000.
The musicians were quick to point out that merely attending the concert or supporting MoveOn.org's efforts financially would have little effect if Americans don't actually show up to the polls on Nov. 2. Few of the artists actually came out and told the audience to vote for Kerry, although the songs they chose to play revealed enough.
Celebrity voice can play a powerful and necessary role in politics. Springsteen commented at the beginning of the show that the stage is a musician's lawn and that his song is his yard sign. It's comforting to know that Americans are watching them for more than just fashion tips. Music has always been an effective way to convey a political message, from Francis Scott Key's "Star-Spangled Banner" to Woodstock. Jackson Browne, Keb' Mo' and Bonnie Raitt's cover of Steven Van Zandt's "I Am a Patriot" essentially sums MoveOn's message up: "And I ain't no Democrat, and I ain't no Republican either, and I only know one party, and its name is freedom, I am a patriot." So thank you for helping to spread the message that political apathy is unacceptable and making us all feel like we're patriots again -- no matter who we'll cast our ballots for in November.
Todd Rosenbaum's column appears Thursdays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at trosenbaum@cavalierdaily.com.
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