This has gotta stop - or has it?
Eric Clapton needs no introduction – a goliath of the British music scene and known all across the world. Recently he suffered an adverse reaction to the Covid vaccine, one which he says left him fearing whether he would be able to play guitar again. So what better way to tell his story and share his thoughts and feelings on the matter than through the medium of song?
In August 2021, Eric released “This Has Gotta Stop.” If you watch the video and listen to the lyrics, his opinions on the vaccine and I would say the entire approach to dealing with Covid, are pretty clear. He also played on Van Morrison’s lockdown protest song “Stand and Deliver.”
In Eric's own words
According to Rolling Stone, Eric said:
“I took the first jab of AZ [AstraZeneca] and straight away had severe reactions, which lasted 10 days… The reactions [to the second] were disastrous. My hands and feet were either frozen, numb or burning, and pretty much useless for two weeks, I feared I would never play again.”
Eric has also said he won’t play any venues where there is a discriminated audience, i.e. where proof of vaccination status is required; so he’s taking a strong stance on the subject.
The Reaction
So how has all this been received? According to the mainstream media, Eric has been ridiculed by many of his peers as well as the general public.
Musical Peer Reaction
My search however, didn't find many other musicians ridiculing him, which is contrary to what the general media is choosing to portray. I did find a couple of negative comments though.
Brian May said Eric Clapton is “my hero,” but “he has different views from me in many ways” and he continued to say “anti-vax people, I’m sorry, I think they’re fruitcakes.” Although it’s also worth pointing out Eric Clapton had the vaccine, so he’s not necessarily an “anti-vaxer.” Perhaps Brian May's comments have been taken out of context?
Mogwai’s Stuart Braithwaite labelled Eric “a complete joker.”
General Public
There seems to have been a lot of negative reaction from the public (much more so than from Eric’s musical peers as far as I can tell). A quick internet search reveals some public feeling on the subject, and this link is a typical example. Scroll down the link to see a selection of the tweets he received.
But is this reaction justified?
Is it ok to label someone a “fruitcake,” a “complete joker” or ridicule them on social media because they share their experiences and feelings and these happen to be contrary to the main-stream narrative?
Shouldn’t differing opinions and healthy debate be encouraged in democratic societies?
Are we at a crossroads?
It feels to me that as a society we are - another tip of the hat to Eric: any of you who are EC fans will get it! 😉
I believe things rarely seem to be black and white. If we don’t allow opposing views and opinions, where does that leave us as a society? What direction are we heading in?
I believe we have the right to share our views, particularly when based on personal experience. I also believe we should respect each other’s opinions, and try to understand them if they don't align with our own.
I hope we travel down a road where we embrace differing opinions, encourage debate and respect diversity. Not a path where people are scared to share their thoughts because of the reaction they might receive.
Check out the video below for Eric's lockdown protest song in collaboration with Van Morrison: "Stand and Deliver."
And let's finish up with the insightful and perhaps pertinent words of the wise Jedi Knight, Obi-Wan Kenobi: "only a Sith deals in absolutes." #starwarsnerd
So what do you think? Should we respect each others opinions even if they differ to our own? Is it as simple as saying you believe the mainstream narrative or you don't? Is there room for more than simply polar opposite opinions?
Tell us your opinion over on our Facebook page...
Saludos,
Dave
