I knew the members of Pearl Jam were dirty hippies, but it still hurts. Even worse is the news that they go so far as to quote Noam Chomsky, the granddaddy of all leftists it would seem, at concerts.

In the political arena, we couldn't disagree more. But here is my question, do I let an artist's political leanings color how I value their art? And, going further, do I let an artist's political leanings determine whether I support the artist financially?

The answer to the first question depends on how you evaluate art. If your main criteria is how the work expresses universal truths, then maybe the answer is yes. If, however, you evaluate art more as expression of beauty, then the answer might be no. I tend more towards the latter view.

A good question to ponder is how much art is political in the first place. I maintain that at least 60% of art is based on unrequited love, 20% on requited (is that a word?) love and the other 20% on the rest of the human condition, politics included. In other words, most of the time guys like Bruce Springsteen are too busy trying to get in Rosalita's pants to worry about the "evils" of supply side economics.

Of course, it's one thing to enjoy the work of artists whose politics you despise, but should you actually pay for them? I've read a lot lately from people who claim that they'll flip the station every time the Dixie Chicks come on, or they won't go see R.E.M. play or won't buy a new Springsteen CD. And that's their right. These artists have a right to express their opinions and we have a right to express our opinion of those opinions. But should we make martyrs of them?

Isn't there a delicious irony in having these far left radicals supported by the very system so many of them despise? Isn't there a delicious irony in these far left radicals providing so much entertainment to the types of people so many of them despise? How fantastic is it that they can stand on stage and pontificate away and yet you and I can leave and then vote for candidates that stand for everything they don't believe in. They have the amps, but we have the power.

In the end, what's more satisfying, staying at home and bemoaning the politics of Eddie Vedder or going to the concert, having a great time and then shouting "shut up and play!" when he starts quoting Noam?