Justin Bieber’s opinions on everything from abortion to the situation in Korea – as reported in the upcoming issue of Rolling Stone – is causing a firestorm. But it’s being quelled, at least slightly, by those who argue that no one really cares what a 16 year-old know-nothing pop star has to say about politics and social justice.
On the subject of abortion, Bieber’s against it, he says, because it’s like killing a baby. In the case of rape? Things happen for a reason, but he’s not one to judge. What about political parties (somewhat safer terrain)? He knows nothing about them but whatever’s happening in Korea is bad.
You get the picture – not exactly trenchant.
Still, he has a right to his opinions. I’m one of those people who thinks that stars in popular culture ought to use their clout to promote their political views, whether it’s Sean Penn, when he’s fighting world hunger, Elizabeth Taylor, when she’s fighting AIDS and, yes, Ted Nugent when he’s doing his gorilla routine in support of the National Rifle Association. Anti-flag’s Justin Sane opposing the Americans’ war in Iraq, our own Sarah Harmer defending the Niagara Escarpment – keep it coming, I say.
Of course, an artist’s political opinions can have the effect of turning people off their creative output entirely. Remember all those Hollywood progressives who remained seated when director Elia Kazan got his honourary Oscar for his body of work. They never forgave him for naming names in the 50s to the Senator McCarthy’s witch-hunting House UnAmerican Activities Committee.
But not everyone responds that way Filmmaker Kenneth Bowser, who’s documentary about 60s protest singer Phil Ochs opens at the Bloor this week, says even the unabashedly partisan Ochs never gave up on an artist. Ochs would often namecheck John Wayne at his concerts and get booed because Wayne was a Nixon supporter and an outspoken promoter of the war in Viet Nam. Ochs believed that the art stands up, regardless of the creator’s political opinions.
On artists and their politics:
Other activists worry less about what Bieber thinks and more about where he’s going to perform. Toronto filmmaker John Greyson and a group of human rights activists opposed to the Israeli occupation in Palestine has made a video – using excerpts from Bieber’s own video for Baby Baby Baby – to press Bieber to cancel his April concert in Tel Aviv. So, when artists make decisions about what they say and they and their handlers make decisions about where they play, it’s quite possible that someone will make them accountable.
It’s ridiculous to trash Rolling Stone for asking Bieber’s opinions in the first place. Some of us are, actually, interested in his values and besides, sexuality is a perfectly appropriate area of discussion for teens – Bieber has reached the age of consent, after all. To argue that he shouldn’t talk about abortion and chastity and get the conversation going, is to argue for ignorance.
Personally, I’m not looking for political wisdom from Justin Bieber. But I’m also not a teenager hanging on his every word and deed. Make no mistake, Bieber’s opinions will have an impact on his impressionable teen fan base. At the peak of their popularity, the Jonas Brothers were promoting chastity aggressively for a reason – they knew they’d have some influence on their fawning fans. So when Bieber says he thinks women shouldn’t have control over their own bodies, Pro-Choice forces should take that seriously.
But I’m guessing that nothing in Rolling Stone will stop Bieber’s fans from going to his concerts. Time to educate and infiltrate that fan base. Join the commentary, engage and challenge.
My fantasy – and it should be a goal the pro-choice movement works for – is that at upcoming Bieber shows, there’ll be fans, both outside the venue and in the audience, holding signs saying, “We love you Justin, but we defend women’s right to choose”.
