An Artist Speaks to the President

When President Obama was in Hawaii, hosting the APEC summit, the Hawaiian musician Makana was scheduled to play some background music, presumably instrumental, during their dinner. Rather than strum along in vocal silence, he chose to play a recently composed song, We are the Many, expressing the sentiment of the 'occupy' movements. (A nice interview and the lyrics are at Democracy Now, but a great interview by Marco Werman is at The World.) He sang it for about 45, repeating the song again and again, trying, as he said, simply to impart a message he considered urgently relevant for the APEC negotiations taking place at the summit.

When I first heard about this 'protest' -- a name I reject -- I looked askance at a performer taking advantage of such a special opportunity in this way. He was asked to play before the heads of state of many nations, how shameful that he would insert such petty politics in this way. How discourteous.

I was reminded, however, of Mother Teresa's noteworthy speech at a National Prayer Breakfast during President Clinton's administration, at which she boldly spoke out against the evil of abortion. With the pro-abortion President and the First Lady listening politely in the front row, she minced no words in condemning the wickedness of the killing of the unborn.

How should her actions (the giving of this speech) and her words (the content of her speech) be described? Was it impolite? I think it was. Disrespectful? I think not. Was it true? Yes, it was true. Loving? Yes, also right, timely, urgent and vital.

I remember no one condemning her for saying what she said at that occasion, that is, no one considered it inappropriate. No one said, "We know you believe these things, but it was wrong of you to say them then and there." Rather, you ask Mother Teresa to speak, and this is what you get.

What of the song of Makana? He is an artist, employing his medium to communicate a message. You ask an artist to come and say something, and this is what you get.

And it's a well written song.