I have to admit I find it incredibly ironic to hear folkies talking about how artists shouldn't promote their political views onstage. I'm thinking that that leaves out Utah Phillips, Pete Seeger, Jean Ritchie, Tom Paxton, Woody Guthrie, Joan Baez, Janis Ian.... Let's be careful about double standards. Otherwise some of us will never work again.

At the same time, I never heard these artists attack whole groups of people. Sure, I've heard them complain vociferously about Republican policies, and maybe I've even heard some of them call a President or two some names - but not like this. Not "God hates you." So while I'll defend to my last drop of life Michelle Shocked's right to say what she did, I maintain that it's not the same as these other artists. She crossed a line.

She may have also created a dangerous situation, and I'm not sure how I feel about the venue shutting her down in the middle of the show. That may have been the safest thing to do. Offering folks their money back was definitely the right thing to do.

Dan