483: Five for Fighting plays Fargo, Burgum won't say if he would have certified the 2020 election

Plain Talk

For people of a certain age, who entered adulthood around the turn of the last century, the music of Five for Fighting is a cultural touchstone. The song, "Superman (It's Not Easy)" was an anthem post 9/11. John Ondrasik, the man who is Five for Fighting, performed it at the 2001 Concert for New York.

Ondrasik, who will be playing the Fargo Theater in Fargo on March 26, accompanied by a string quartet, has never been shy about tackling controversial issues with his music. He wrote a song critical of the way American troops were ordered to depart Afghanistan. He wrote a song in support of Ukraine in their fight against the bloody, revanchist aggression of Vladimir Putin's regime.

Most recently, Ondrasik has weighed in on the war between Israel and Hamas. Called "OK," it juxtaposes images of the Hamas terror attack on Israelis, and Hamas sympathizers here in America supporting it, with a call for moral clarity on the issue.

Ondrasik joined this episode of Plain Talk to discuss the song, and the dangers of artists taking on touchy political issues.

"I think it's the right thing to do," he said when I asked him why he would take the risk of releasing these songs.

"If I was 22 years old and trying to have a career in the music industry would I still be writing these songs? I don't know," he said. "I hope so."

He noted that these issues -- Ukraine, Israel, Afghanistan -- are not necessarily partisan. Actor Debra Messing, an outspoken liberal, and right-wing talk radio host Mark Levine agree on Israel, he pointed out. The positions on Ukraine don't break down neatly along ideological or partisan lines either.

Ondrasik said he doesn't consider the politics of these situations when he chooses to write about them. "OK" is a moral message, not a political one, he claims.

But he did say there is an overall leftward bias in his industry. "If Donald Trump had been responsible for that Afghanistan disaster I'd probably have a Grammy in my hand."

If you interested in attending Ondrasik's show in Fargo, you can purchase tickets at FiveforFighting.com or on the website for the Fargo Theatre.

Also on this episode, my co-host Ben Hanson and I discuss Gov. Doug Burgum's refusal to say whether he'd certify the 2020 election, and the recent NDGOP presidential caucus vote.

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