The job of an artist is to speak truth to power.

Where have all the artist gone?

They’re hiding. Afraid of losing their living, just like the rest of America, especially those who voted for Trump.

America is a nation of ideas. A country where everybody is created equal, where everybody gets a fair chance, but not only are those precepts teetering, our entire democracy is being challenged, by the Russians.

And if you don’t trust the CIA, who are you going to trust?

Certainly not Fox News or Breitbart, who refused to report this story.

Fake news from outside agitators? It’s much worse than that, the established news outlets are now untrustworthy. Except for the “Washington Post,” reignited by Jeff Bezos. Because when you’re a billionaire, you’re unafraid.

Now when you’re an artist, you’re just plain scared.

It’s not like we didn’t live through this before, fifty-odd years ago. The Russians were the enemy, but JFK stood up to them, ended the Cuban Missile Crisis, now we’ve got a half-cocked doofus with no experience pointing out Putin’s advantages. If that doesn’t make your head spin, your spine is fused.

So the responsibility is upon us. You and me, the rank and file.

And we’re going to be inspired by the artists, they’re gonna lead, just like they did back then.

But it requires all of us to come together, to stand up to this insanity. Record labels, concert promoters, agents, RADIO! We cannot see a repeat of the Dixie Chicks situation, where media bowed down to the naysayers most vocal. No, media has to push back.

HBO. CBS. Netflix. That’s right, we’re going to harness the power of television, the same enterprise that put this bozo in office, and we’re gonna put him on notice, we’re mad as hell and we’re not gonna take it anymore! Jimmy Iovine, this is time for you to organize, like you did after 9/11, we need a concert on all these outlets, to speak the truth!

It’s already started folks, just look at the cabinet appointments. The majority of this country did not vote for this. And we’re gonna push back. Starting now.

Max Martin, you’re the only one who can save us, along with a bunch of other expats, foreigners like DJ Snake and Mark Ronson, the people who make the hits, you’re under the spotlight, you’ve got to write the track.

All you wannabes looking for publicity, we don’t need you. Unless you’re gonna do cover versions of the hit track. We need the people who make the Spotify Top 50, because they’ve got the greatest reach, they’re the ones people are truly listening to.

Drake, Beyonce, Jay Z, even Kanye. You’ve got to step up to the mic! Of course Drake is Canadian, but so is Neil Young, and he wrote “Ohio”!

And the words are gonna be written by Lin-Manuel Miranda. There’s more truth in “Hamilton” than there is in a passel of hip-hop tracks. As for rock, they haven’t had that spirit there since 1969. But we will give Don Henley and Bob Dylan a crack. We don’t want to exclude winners, we just want a hit song everybody wants to listen to.

Which is broken on Spotify, because that’s where all the hits begin. Daniel Ek has to give this track real estate, homepage status. Apple too, this is a unified effort. This is artists against insanity, and if you support Trump…we don’t need you, unless you suddenly realize you’re in support of truth, justice and the American Way.

The truth is the Russians hacked. Justice means there must be responsibility. And the American Way is democracy, where everyone gets a voice and the majority rules.

Assuming everything’s on the up and up, assuming everything’s fair and square.

This is where we’ve gotten to folks, where facts are irrelevant. And it’s only gonna get worse. The problem isn’t fake news, it’s the newsmakers themselves, they’ve hijacked our country and are telling us to trust them.

No way.

P.S. Didn’t you learn in school that if everybody takes responsibility no one pays the penalty? Or if everyone is penalized the joke is on those enforcing the policy? Have a backbone, all of us must become unafraid. Our country is at stake, truly.

P.P.S. This is not about a re-election but a realignment. We’re gonna hold Trump and his cronies responsible. And push back if they want to cut abortion rights and Social Security and Medicare…because the majority want them!

P.P.P.S. The youth stopped the Vietnam War. And they were fueled by music. Never underestimate the power of art. One person can make a difference. One hit song can turn things around. And it’s our duty to make it and break it.

P.P.P.P.S. Send me hate mail, unsubscribe. I can take it, it’s no time to be afraid. I’m sick of the right pushing back, it’s time for the left to thrust. And, once again, this isn’t about changing the election results, this is about changing America, holding the government accountable to us, the people. This is the biggest crisis in your lifetime. We’re looking for leaders. We’re ready to fall in behind them. A politician is no match for a musician, no way.

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