The man who wrote ‘We Take Care of Our Own' and ‘Born in the USA’ is not happy. Bruce Springsteen, an American music giant, who has been in residency on Broadway since October and has performed in intimate settings a hundred and forty-six times in New York, went off-script during a show this week and slammed the crisis on American borders.
“We are seeing things right now on our American borders that are so shockingly and disgracefully inhumane and un-American that it is simply enraging,” Springsteen said to the audience in attendance, talking about the Trump administration’s immigration policy. “We have heard people in high position in the American government blaspheme in the name of God and country that it is a moral thing to assault the children amongst us,” he added. “May God save our souls.”
He began his conversation by saying: “I never believed that people come to my shows, or rock shows, to be told anything. But I do believe that they come to be reminded of things. To be reminded of who they are, at their most joyous, at their deepest, when life feels full. It’s a good place to get in touch with your heart and your spirit. To be amongst the crowd. And to be reminded of who we are and who we can be collectively. Music does those things pretty well sometimes, particularly these days, when some reminding of who we are and who we can be isn’t such a bad thing.”
He added: “There’s the beautiful quote by Dr. King that says the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice. Now, there have been many, many days of recent when you could certainly have an argument over that. But I’ve lived long enough to see that in action and to put some faith in it. But I’ve also lived long enough to know, that arc doesn’t bend on its own. It needs all of us leaning on it, nudging it in the right direction, day after day. You’ve gotta keep, keep leaning. I think it’s important to believe in those words, and to carry yourself, and to act accordingly.”
