Posting in support of Stephen Stills, who is being unfairly accused of supporting a

[LiberalLoner]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by highplainsdem (a host of the Music Appreciation group).

Right wing politician, when Mr. Stills was only there to see and support his dear friend, Mr. Eric Clapton. Yeah, there are photos of him standing there…most likely he went up to exchange greetings with his friend, and as always, the cameras were clicking away.

I know enough about him to know he does not, has never, and will not, support nut job right wing politicians.

I really love this song of his.

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[PJMcK]

1. Maybe

Clapton has turned out to be a rwnj.

Anti-vax
Racist
Supporter of RFK, Jr

Mr. Stills might reconsider his friendship. Or not.

[LiberalLoner]

2. Mr. Stills has lost a whole bunch of his dearest friends and colleagues over the years,

And this year has been especially brutal.

I think Mr. Stills is a human being like all of us, and when you suffer deep losses, you want to spend time with the friends and loved ones you have left, even if you disagree vehemently with their political views.

I still talk to family members who are pro-Trump. I grit my teeth when they bring up politics, and remain silent.

They are all the family I have left and I don’t want to be alone.

Doesn’t mean I support Trump. Just means I don’t want to be alone.

Maybe Mr. Stills feels some of those same feelings.

[marble falls]

3. Eric Clapton had a tight schedule, the only place Steve could meet up was at a RW political event...

?si=sE6l8YULIBVfBRgR

[LiberalLoner]

4. Might be closer to the truth than you realize. And I do know musicians go to a whole lot of

Concerts and music events. Whether they agree with those musicians politically or not.

And yes, okay, celebrities all do share a love of the limelight. It is what drives them to be celebrities in the first place. So yeah, maybe Mr. Stills enjoys seeing and being seen. That seems plausible to me. 🤷🏻‍♀️ That could be part of the reason, too.

What I do know with 100% certainty is, Mr. Stills does not support RFK Jr. or ANY right-wing politician or cause.

[emulatorloo]

5. Is Clapton a politician now? I thought he is a musician.

[LiberalLoner]

6. Mr. Clapton is a superb musician. He has political views I strongly disagree with. I still listen to

His music, and always will.

Bottom line, Mr. Stills was supporting a friend. That’s all.

[emulatorloo]

7. Thanks for confirming. Odd that people claim Stills is supporting a 'RW politician'. It is a

friendship and nobody else’s business.

[AZSkiffyGeek]

9. Clapton was performing at a fundraiser for RFKJr

So yes Stills was supporting a RW politician and his racist friend.

[AKwannabe]

15. Agree!

Go to a fundraiser for GOP = support in some fashion. No matter who you are there to see/support it can’t be undone.

[AZSkiffyGeek]

8. It was a $3k a plate FUNDRAISER

So by going there he was supporting more than his racist friend.

[LiberalLoner]

11. He was there to support his friend, that's all. And $3,000 to his class is about like $3 to you and

Me. So trifling as to be utterly meaningless.

If I were the type to bet, I would bet Mr. Stills never even thought about how others might perceive this as supporting a right wing politician.

He’s been such a staunch supporter of the Democratic Party and liberal values, that it’s hard for me to believe people honestly think he’s done a 180 degree turn now.

He was there to support his friend, that’s all.

A few years ago the neighbor kids, who go to a right wing religious school, were going door to door to fundraise for their school, because they were forced to.

When they knocked, even though I hate those religious schools, I gave a little money.

To support the neighbor kids and be polite. Not to support their horrid church school, although yeah, I could see where the money was going to.

[Fiendish Thingy]

13. By your logic, we shouldn't castigate Trump for his lunch with Nick Fuentes.

He was just helping out his friend Kanye, right?

[AZSkiffyGeek]

14. Helping your racist friend raise money for causes you oppose seems hypocritical to me

But hey, I purposefully avoid racists. And when a friend turned out to be a bigot, he got the heave-ho.
But if it makes you feel better to delude yourself that Stills joining two known racists to raise money to defeat Biden was just him helping out a friend, well, you do you, I guess.

[AKwannabe]

17. Is this a hill you are willing to fight on, on?

Doesn’t seem to me that you have any proof that Stills isn’t supporting this fundraiser some how. Seems like you are “just sure” with nothing to back it up. You have picked the hill and now are fighting on it.

What has Stills done for you? (Other than play music)
Did he really guarantee you that he isn’t supporting?

This OP and your insistence seems like the wrong hill to take…at least on DU.

Posting Stills’ music in appreciation is one thing. Posting and saying you got his back when he is clearly attending a GOP fundraiser is another all together. Imo…

[LiberalLoner]

18. I'm just a fan. I don't know him. Never even been to his concerts tbh because

I don’t much like concerts.

But I know he has been a staunch supporter of liberal values all his life and the Democratic Party.

Yeah, I’m willing to die on this hill because I think it’s a situation like me giving the neighbor hood kids money.

I think people are being unfair to him.

It’s okay that people will beat up on me, I don’t mind that.

I feel I owe him for the music.

I wrote to Jim Gordon while he was alive, in prison, for exactly the same reason. I felt I owed him my support.

[Fiendish Thingy]

12. Did Stills perform, or purchase a ticket?

If so, then he is complicit with nutjobs Clapton and RFKjr.

[AZSkiffyGeek]

16. Despite the assertions of his apologists

His presence at the fundraiser lent implicit, if not explicit, support to a pair of racist anti-vaxxers.

[mopinko]

20. if we're gonna throw allies overboard for stuff like this-

we r gonna lose.

[AZSkiffyGeek]

21. Someone who supports racists is not my ally

Writing a protest song 60 years ago doesn’t excuse standing onstage grinning for campaign photos.
Whether he paid or was comped, he was there supporting racist antivaxxers who are attempting to get TFG reelected.

[mopinko]

22. we.will.lose.w.this.attitude.

and we’ll deserve it. purity tests help them, not the coalition party.

[LiberalLoner]

26. +1

[AZSkiffyGeek]

29. Supporting the President helps us

Not supporting racist anti-vaxxers who are running as spoilers.

[mopinko]

30. i repeat- purity tests help THEM.

now i’m out of here, cuz i’m on a short leash.

[AZSkiffyGeek]

31. You know who supports racists?

Racists.

[Fiendish Thingy]

24. Yup.

I can see, maybe, if he had just met Clapton backstage for dinner after the show, but then we wouldn’t be talking about it now, would we?

[mopinko]

19. 1st, ppl assuming he bought a ticket

u never heard of a backstage pass? i doubt he bought a ticket.
2nd i think he has dementia. yes, he’s been an ass in his life. but it looks to me like my mom’s slide into dementia. all her life, she wouldnt say shit if she had a mouthful. her last couple yrs, she shocked me w some of the things she said.
it happens to a lot of ppl. they get rly mean.

i’m w u.

[LiberalLoner]

23. Excellent point about the backstage pass! Mr. Stills was surely invited, and would

Have given offense to his friend of many decades, had he refused the invitation.

Pretty uncomfortable place for anyone to be put in.

[Fiendish Thingy]

25. Let us know when you attend a Trump rally

At the invitation of a lifelong friend, you know, just to “support” them.

[LiberalLoner]

27. I went to a wedding of a family member of a friend in a church I vehemently abhor...

Hated it the whole time but I went.

Yeah I probably would. To support a friend, and would hate it the whole time.

I wonder if Mr. Stills even knew who RFK Jr was and what he stood for, prior to the event???

I feel we here on DU are more aware of these things than most other people.

[AZSkiffyGeek]

28. So you would support Trump if a friend asked you to

Some strong political convictions you've got there. And some good taste in friends.

[Fiendish Thingy]

32. Well, that's the difference between me, and You and Stills. Nt

[highplainsdem]

33. LOCKING. ALL of you, please see the guidelines pinned to the top of the board.

This group is for Music Appreciation, NOT for either bashing musicians or for defending them against bashing that's happening elsewhere, which is likely to provoke arguments.

If you want to have political arguments about artists, please do so elsewhere.