Neil Young has a European tour coming up this summer, highlighted by his much-discussed headlining set at Glastonbury. He's becoming concerned that he might not be allowed back in the United States afterward for the North American leg of his tour.
Since the start of Donald Trump's second presidential term, the federal government has seemingly done away with habeas corpus and due process and made a mockery of the First Amendment. They've sent frightening hordes of masked men to abduct critics of Trump and the Israeli regime, shipping them to federal detention centers in Louisiana without issuing criminal charges. Many immigrants have even been shipped to El Salvadoran prisons — sometimes erroneously and consistently without trial. Under these nightmarish circumstances, Young is worried about what might happen when he tries to come back to the US.
Young has spent the past decade consistently speaking out against Trump. He cracked jokes at Trump's expense onstage. He called Trump a "disgrace" in an open letter. He even sued Trump to stop him from using "Rockin' In The Free World" at rallies. In a new message posted to his Neil Young Archives site, Young says it's likely he will criticize Trump from the stage while touring Europe, and he has envisioned a scenario in which he's blocked from reentering the country or "put in jail to sleep on a cement floor with an aluminum blanket." He later continues, "By these latest actions of our US government, it seems that those who speak out freely with their own opinions are now vulnerable to a non-existent Trump law."
Young, a Canada native, has dual Canadian-US citizenship and lives in Colorado. Read his message below.
When I go to play music in Europe, if I talk about Donald J. Trump, I may be one of those returning to America who is barred or put in jail to sleep on a cement floor with an aluminum blanket. That is happening all the time now. Countries have new advice for those returning to America. You can read about it at the CANADA Desk. If I come back from Europe and am barred, can't play my USA tour, all of the folks who bought tickets will not be able to come to a concert by me.
That's right folks, if you say anything bad about Trump or his administration, you may be barred from re-entering USA. If you are Canadian. If you are a dual citizen like me, who knows? We'll all find that out together.
If the fact that I think Donald Trump is the worst president in the history of our great country could stop me from coming back, what does that say for Freedom? I love America and its people and its music and its culture.
Remember Freedom of Speech?By these latest actions of our US government, it seems that those who speak out freely with their own opinions are now vulnerable to a non-existent Trump law. Then it seems to me that if you voted for Kamala Harris over Trump, that makes it possible for you to go to jail or be detained, punished in some way for not showing allegiance to what? How spineless is that? Trump is not be able to stand up to anyone who does not agree with his ideas? Remember, all months have 30 days.
One country, indivisible, with Liberty and Freedom for all. Remember that? I do.
It's like to tell you Neil Young is being hysterical here, but things are getting pretty scary out there, folks.
