Jason Isbell Defends Vaccinated-Only Concerts on MSNBC: ‘If You’re Dead, You Don’t Have Any Freedoms at All’
Jason Isbell defended his recent announcement that he will only allow vaccinated people to attend his concerts during a Monday morning interview on MSNBC’s Stephanie Ruhle Reports.
Isbell is the highly respected singer-songwriter and former member of Drive-by Truckers. He has a significant following on Twitter among fans who enjoy his fearless mix of humor, politics, and straight talk.
On Thursday of last week, the Twitter account for Austin, Texas music venue The Moody Theater tweeted guidelines for Isbell’s shows, at the request of the artist:
With the number of COVID-19 cases rising due to the Delta Variant, all attendees of this event must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or have tested negative for COVID-19 within 72 hours of attending the event(s). In attending the event you certify and attest that you and all individuals in your party attending the event:
• Are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (at least two weeks after final dose) and provide proof of vaccination; i.e. original vaccination card, copy of vaccination card, picture of vaccination card, OR
• Will take a COVID-19 diagnostic test (PCR or antigen) within 72 hours of each event and before entry to the facility and will provide proof of negative result to security prior to entry into the facility, AND
• Will not attend the event and will request a refund if o Have recently been exposed to a confirmed COVID-19 case; or o Are exhibiting symptoms consistent with COVID-19 in the 24-hour period prior to the event
Not surprisingly, controversy followed Isbell’s science-based approach. Fellow musician Marc Broussard falsely quoted Isbell’s announcement before calling him “burgois (sic).” To wit:
“The unclean may not attend. The poor may not attend. The ignorant may not attend.” Who knew Jason was so bourgois? Thought he was a blue collar type of guy. Never met him so I can’t say for sure but yeah, this is some elitist ish here, fella.
Host Stephanie Ruhle first thanked her guest for his “leadership” before referencing the elitist “pushback” he’s received from fans and artists. “I don’t know how you can be elitist about a vaccine that’s free and readily available to all adults across the entry,” she pointed out before asking him to respond to his critics.
Isbell provided a pretty clear explanation of how science and common sense were at the root of his decision. His message was pretty well summed up at the end of the interview when the vaccine-hesitant are “getting so much pushback from some of the governors of certain states who won’t kowtow to their political base and try to make people think their freedom is encroached upon.”
“I’m all for freedom,” he added. “But if you’re dead, you don’t have any freedoms at all, so it’s probably important to stay alive before you start questioning your liberty. It’s life, and then it’s liberty, and then it’s the pursuit of happiness, and those are in order of priority.”
Watch above via MSNBC.
