vox--2020-05-25--The coronavirus pandemic shut down live music. Now fans just want their money back.

When Jess Noé logged on early one February morning to buy tickets to a highly anticipated My Chemical Romance reunion show , she was prepared to pay up .
My Chemical Romance , a band deified by lovers of 2000s emo , hadn ’ t played live since its breakup in 2013 , and there was no promise that the band would play any more shows after the select dates it announced as part of its short 2020 reunion tour .
Jess had to see MCR , and she had to see them from the best seats possible .
What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just how much she ’ d end up paying for those tickets : around $ 700 , after taxes and fees .
“ I ’ ve still got more than eight months until the show itself , ” she wrote for the music blog Stars and Scars , where she sometimes contributes , in a post about her ticket-buying experience .
“ Until then , I ’ m paying off my tickets , over $ 100 a month at a time , praying to find somebody who can take the other one off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ticket insurance can do me any good here , and just hoping to god I still have a good time — or at least $ 700 ’ s worth of fun.
” She dropped all that money on a pair of tickets that , she said , weren ’ t even the best of the best — all because of Ticketmaster ’ s notoriously byzantine dynamic pricing system and unpredictable online ticketing queues .
As a recent college graduate , Jess chose not to pay upfront but instead in monthly installments Ticketmaster offered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She would now be adding $ 126 to her monthly budget to pay off her MCR tickets .
In February , this experience was unexpected and frustrating and not ideal .
At least she still had the show to look forward to in September .
And then March happened .
Stay-at-home orders shut down live music venues and any chance that performances could happen soon .
Artists abruptly stopped touring , forced to postpone their shows to some unspecified later dates .
Meanwhile , the economy took a huge hit as business-as-usual stopped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being business .
Jess had been job hunting since December without much luck .
Now , prospects were much more limited than they had been pre-Covid-19 .
Jess pivoted away from what felt like a futile search and instead , like more than 33 million Americans nationwide , subjected herself to the whims of a suddenly overwhelmed unemployment office .
Cash was even more of a luxury than before , and now was the time to prune any extraneous bills and costs .
But those MCR ticket payments ?
Those had sunk their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t coming out that easily .
The company has made its stance pretty clear : No cancellation , no refund .
“ I messaged Klarna to see if I could defer my monthly payment or pay on my credit card , ” Jess said .
“ It was a no [ for ] both.
” Klarna ’ s customer service representatives told Jess that they had zero information on refunds , deferring instead to Ticketmaster before the company was able to help her change her payments .
Jess doesn ’ t plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The company has made its stance pretty clear : No cancellation , no refund .
My Chemical Romance hasn ’ t announced the status of its US tour dates yet , but its international shows have been postponed .
The prognosis for Jess ’ s September show isn ’ t looking good .
( Reached for this story , Ticketmaster declined to comment on the record . )
During the coronavirus pandemic , when concerts are being rescheduled or postponed left and right , Ticketmaster and other ticket sellers have refused to budge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jess in a financially uncomfortable , even dire position : They ’ re out — or even still paying down — all this money for shows they may never get to see , and that cash isn ’ t coming back to them any time soon .
For fans , buying concert tickets is serious business .
They ’ ll seek out presale codes , or sit refreshing the purchasing page the hour before tickets go on sale to make sure they get good seats — or even tickets at all .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ third-party platform where ticket holders can resell their own tickets , to buy second-hand tickets for concerts that sold out too quickly through official means .
( It ’ s known as a safe haven for scalpers . )
And when those tickets are secured , whatever channel they came from , fans will post excitedly about it and count down on social media until the day of the show .
Buying concert tickets is also serious business for the companies that sell them , to the tune of $ 8 billion in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among several outlets that organize ticket sales with artists and venues .
Although they ’ ve gained their detractors for tacking on myriad additional fees to the base cost of the tickets , they ’ re a necessary evil , the toll booth you have to pay in order to pass and keep driving down the highway .
These are the faceless capitalists who can make or break your hopes to see your favorite band , in an economic system that also has to factor in venues and artists .
If , god @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reschedule due to unforeseen circumstances ?
Well , ticket buyers can take heart that they ’ ll get all of that money back .
It ’ s the pact that buyers and sellers make to maintain trust .
Short of cancellation , however , it ’ s difficult for a fan to get a refund for other reasons .
The novel coronavirus pandemic has tossed all status quo to the wind .
Social distancing and face masks — none of those recommended measures to minimize the virus ’ s health risks really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ theaters and concert venues are shut down , which sent touring artists home early and grounded those preparing to head out .
No promises of an end date came with those shutdowns , or if they did , they were pushed back later and later .
Artists are now forced to choose : They have to postpone , reschedule , or cancel their shows outright .
With how unpredictable everything is right now , who ’ s to say what the best option is ?
According to a number of artists , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a number of fans , therein lies the problem : Postponing a show adds more unknowns into an already unknowable situation .
Laura , a college student who had tickets to see BTS on the West Coast leg of the K-pop superstars ’ American tour this spring , says she ’ d planned to meet up with friends at the LA concert .
Her trip wasn ’ t as simple as missing a show — it involved coordinating schedules and flights and hotel stays , bringing together far-flung members of the fandom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not sure when I ’ ll see them again , ” she says of her friends .
Laura also doesn ’ t know when she ’ ll see her $ 375 back .
BTS ’ s tour promoter , Big Hit Entertainment , said it will honor Laura ’ s ticket for a future BTS show — but who ’ s to say when that will even be ?
Regardless , the BTS tour hasn ’ t been canceled yet , so a refund isn ’ t on the table .
Sellers almost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explicitly stated otherwise .
Typical reasons for canceling , like a hurricane or a sick drummer , are different from an ongoing global health crisis , however .
For artists who make money from touring , canceling — and forfeiting months of income — may not be an appealing option .
Postponing instead could allow them a financial safety cushion , as refund policies become more and more tangled during the pandemic .
“ If an event has been postponed , it means the event organizer is still working to determine whether the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the meantime , your tickets are still valid , ” goes Ticketmaster ’ s policy .
Any possible refund is dependent on what the band , venue , or both ends up doing — whenever they make that decision — and if they simply reschedule , it is again up to them if those who can ’ t make the new dates will be offered any compensation .
LiveNation , another company that handles ticket sales , has an even more frustrating policy regarding postponed shows .
“ If 60 days has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no rescheduled dates have been announced , the 30-day window for refunds will open at that time , ” according to the company ’ s updated Covid-19 refund policy .
“ There will only be one refund window offered per show .
If the refund window is activated after 60 days , there will not be another window once the new date is set.
” ( LiveNation did not return a request for comment on this story . )
Limiting refunds to a specific window puts the onus on buyers to decide whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show being rescheduled and if they ’ ll be able to attend it when it is .
Meanwhile , StubHub doesn ’ t obligate its sellers to offer refunds at any point .
Right now , that even includes cancellations .
More than 50,000 shows worldwide have been impacted by the pandemic in some way , according to a StubHub spokesperson , leaving the company to reconsider their usual automatic refunds for cancellations .
“ Historically , we ’ ve absorbed the risk when an event is canceled , refunding the buyer before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spokesperson told Vox , “ but at the scale of cancellations we ’ re seeing due to Covid , that model doesn ’ t work , which is why we are offering [ a 120 percent credit coupon ] .
” StubHub is , in essence , locking buyers ’ money into the platform ’ s ecosystem no matter what happens .
( On April 6 , StubHub was reportedly hit with a class action lawsuit over this policy , with defendants arguing that buyers deserve refunds , but the company has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ music industry shake-ups put everyone involved with these shows in a precarious position .
For one , all of these policies seem to leave the buyers on the hook , their spending money in furlough during a time when they could use it for other things .
But potentially refunding tickets for 50,000 different shows also presents a financial burden for ticket sellers , event organizers , and , in a huge way , venues .
Venues stand to benefit the most from postponements , said one longtime event organizer .
“ With @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ton in deposits , and unless it ’ s a center that ’ s owned by a state or local entity ... the chances of [ a venue ] returning that money [ to organizers ] is very slight , ” said Melissa Anelli , founder and CEO of Mischief Management .
Her company puts on fandom conventions like Broadway Con and Leaky Con , a long-running Harry Potter event .
Many contracts between artists and venues also incentivize artists postponing concerts ; under many agreements , outright cancellation means the venue does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Venues also have an easier time invoking a force majeure clause to void their contracts than organizers do .
As Anelli explained , organizers depend more on the venue to be able to host a show than vice versa .
“ At least with a postponement [ an organizer ] can apply that money to the future and hope that the venue ’ s wish to fill their calendar aligns with your need to have an event.
” When it comes to event planning , there ’ s money entangled among several stakeholders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and artists to maintain their agreement and minimize their potential losses in any way possible .
It ’ s why platforms like Eventbrite are actively encouraging organizers to look at options other than refunds to buyers .
The ticketing company has a Covid-19 hub directed at artists that suggests specific alternatives , like asking buyers to donate the cost of their ticket , transfer it to a different event , or accept a gift card in lieu of a refund .
“ Whether your event is canceled , postponed , or moving online @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what options you and your attendees have outside of ticket refunds , ” an Eventbrite document about refund alternatives obtained by Vox reads .
Paging through all these different policies and platform requirements and guidelines and services can make your head spin .
The ultimate takeaway remains the same regardless : Refunds are hard to get when your show is postponed .
And that is a major pain if you ’ re a fan , no matter how you shake it .
Leaving ticket buyers in the lurch is shaking fans ’ faith @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may or may not happen is one frustration .
But fans are also losing out on an experience they were looking forward to and there ’ s an emotional impact .
That ’ s what ’ s hitting some of us the hardest .
I ’ m one of those people who finds live music to be energizing and exciting — it ’ s a huge part of my life .
Concerts are places to hang out with friends , ones I don ’ t get to see much otherwise .
They provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to me for a long , long time .
And they give me chances to experience music I love in a less lonely , internal way .
I ’ ve currently got nine shows on hold , which amounts to about $ 500 worth of tickets .
One of them , Billie Eilish , was scheduled for March 20 , right around the time New Yorkers were asked to stay at home .
But Billie Eilish ’ s tour wasn ’ t actually postponed until last week , when a sad email reminder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve been getting emails like that one for two months now , all of them with vague promises to see me “ soon.
” Nobody knows if that ’ s a promise or just an empty platitude , including the artists themselves .
I open these emails with a twinge of melancholy , forced to reckon with the fact that I have no idea when I ’ ll be able to go to a packed show again .
The attachments we have to music can leave us with complicated feelings about a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — and assuming it ’ s safe to do so , which is its own complicated question — we ’ d still want to go , right ?
And we want our favorite artists to be able to stay together long enough to afford to tour again when the chance arises , which requires financial support .
But ticket sellers informing fans to just “ wait and see ” isn ’ t plausible for many people right now as the coronavirus rattles the economy .
It ’ s why even hardcore music fans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , frustrated regrets .
“ I ’ m legitimately embarrassed by the amount of money I poured into this one [ My Chemical Romance ] show , ” Jess said .
“ That money could have gone towards a new computer that I desperately need .
If they made the call and I had everything refunded ...
I could invest in a better computer than my 2012 MacBook , which would open up video editing opportunities for me that I can ’ t take advantage of right now .
“ Ticketmaster is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can get away with this because concerts are a luxury , and they don ’ t see themselves as withholding an essential service .
But money is essential and scarce right now for a lot of us.
” Live music will always be part of our lives .
Hopefully when it returns , whenever it returns , we ’ ll still be able to afford it — and won ’ t still be waiting on our money back .
Every day at Vox , we aim to answer your most important questions and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world , with information that has the power to save lives .
Our mission has never been more vital than it is in this moment : to empower you through understanding .
Vox ’ s work is reaching more people than ever , but our distinctive brand of explanatory journalism takes resources — particularly during a pandemic and an economic downturn .
Your financial contribution will not constitute a donation , but it will enable our staff to continue to offer free articles , videos , and podcasts at the quality and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consider making a contribution to Vox today .

When Jess Noé logged on early one February morning to buy tickets to a highly anticipated My Chemical Romance reunion show, she was prepared to pay up. My Chemical Romance, a band deified by lovers of 2000s emo, hadn’t played live since its breakup in 2013, and there was no promise that the band would play any more shows after the select dates it announced as part of its short 2020 reunion tour. Jess had to see MCR, and she had to see them from the best seats possible.
What Jess hadn’t prepared for was just how much she’d end up paying for those tickets: around $700, after taxes and fees.
“I’ve still got more than eight months until the show itself,” she wrote for the music blog Stars and Scars, where she sometimes contributes, in a post about her ticket-buying experience. “Until then, I’m paying off my tickets, over $100 a month at a time, praying to find somebody who can take the other one off my hands, figuring out if my ticket insurance can do me any good here, and just hoping to god I still have a good time — or at least $700’s worth of fun.”
She dropped all that money on a pair of tickets that, she said, weren’t even the best of the best — all because of Ticketmaster’s notoriously byzantine dynamic pricing system and unpredictable online ticketing queues. As a recent college graduate, Jess chose not to pay upfront but instead in monthly installments Ticketmaster offered through the online financial service Klarna. She would now be adding $126 to her monthly budget to pay off her MCR tickets.
In February, this experience was unexpected and frustrating and not ideal. At least she still had the show to look forward to in September.
And then March happened. Stay-at-home orders shut down live music venues and any chance that performances could happen soon. Artists abruptly stopped touring, forced to postpone their shows to some unspecified later dates. Meanwhile, the economy took a huge hit as business-as-usual stopped being so usual, or even stopped being business. Jess had been job hunting since December without much luck. Now, prospects were much more limited than they had been pre-Covid-19. Jess pivoted away from what felt like a futile search and instead, like more than 33 million Americans nationwide, subjected herself to the whims of a suddenly overwhelmed unemployment office. Cash was even more of a luxury than before, and now was the time to prune any extraneous bills and costs. But those MCR ticket payments? Those had sunk their hooks in deep, and they weren’t coming out that easily.
The company has made its stance pretty clear: No cancellation, no refund.
“I messaged Klarna to see if I could defer my monthly payment or pay on my credit card,” Jess said. “It was a no [for] both.” Klarna’s customer service representatives told Jess that they had zero information on refunds, deferring instead to Ticketmaster before the company was able to help her change her payments.
Jess doesn’t plan to press her luck with Ticketmaster. The company has made its stance pretty clear: No cancellation, no refund. My Chemical Romance hasn’t announced the status of its US tour dates yet, but its international shows have been postponed. The prognosis for Jess’s September show isn’t looking good. (Reached for this story, Ticketmaster declined to comment on the record.)
During the coronavirus pandemic, when concerts are being rescheduled or postponed left and right, Ticketmaster and other ticket sellers have refused to budge. Which has left music fans like Jess in a financially uncomfortable, even dire position: They’re out — or even still paying down — all this money for shows they may never get to see, and that cash isn’t coming back to them any time soon.
If bands don’t cancel shows, ticket sellers won’t refund tickets
For fans, buying concert tickets is serious business. They’ll seek out presale codes, or sit refreshing the purchasing page the hour before tickets go on sale to make sure they get good seats — or even tickets at all. They’ll scroll through StubHub, a third-party platform where ticket holders can resell their own tickets, to buy second-hand tickets for concerts that sold out too quickly through official means. (It’s known as a safe haven for scalpers.) And when those tickets are secured, whatever channel they came from, fans will post excitedly about it and count down on social media until the day of the show.
Buying concert tickets is also serious business for the companies that sell them, to the tune of $8 billion in annual profits. Ticketmaster and Eventbrite are among several outlets that organize ticket sales with artists and venues. Although they’ve gained their detractors for tacking on myriad additional fees to the base cost of the tickets, they’re a necessary evil, the toll booth you have to pay in order to pass and keep driving down the highway. These are the faceless capitalists who can make or break your hopes to see your favorite band, in an economic system that also has to factor in venues and artists.
If, god forbid, that band cancels or has to reschedule due to unforeseen circumstances? Well, ticket buyers can take heart that they’ll get all of that money back. It’s the pact that buyers and sellers make to maintain trust. Short of cancellation, however, it’s difficult for a fan to get a refund for other reasons.
The novel coronavirus pandemic has tossed all status quo to the wind. Social distancing and face masks — none of those recommended measures to minimize the virus’s health risks really jibe with live performances. Bars and theaters and concert venues are shut down, which sent touring artists home early and grounded those preparing to head out. No promises of an end date came with those shutdowns, or if they did, they were pushed back later and later.
Artists are now forced to choose: They have to postpone, reschedule, or cancel their shows outright. With how unpredictable everything is right now, who’s to say what the best option is?
According to a number of artists, the answer is “postpone.” And according to a number of fans, therein lies the problem: Postponing a show adds more unknowns into an already unknowable situation.
As soon as dates are finalized, Billie will share the updated schedule and all tickets will be honored accordingly. Thank you for understanding. Stay safe, and stay home. — billie eilish (@billieeilish) May 13, 2020
The health and safety of my fans, team, cast and crew is the most important thing for me. The world is a scary place but we will all figure this out together. We held on to these dates as long as we could and I cannot wait to see all of you in person as soon as I can. Be safe pic.twitter.com/poFd9pQGSN — Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) April 1, 2020
Laura, a college student who had tickets to see BTS on the West Coast leg of the K-pop superstars’ American tour this spring, says she’d planned to meet up with friends at the LA concert. Her trip wasn’t as simple as missing a show — it involved coordinating schedules and flights and hotel stays, bringing together far-flung members of the fandom. “Now, I’m not sure when I’ll see them again,” she says of her friends.
Laura also doesn’t know when she’ll see her $375 back. BTS’s tour promoter, Big Hit Entertainment, said it will honor Laura’s ticket for a future BTS show — but who’s to say when that will even be? Regardless, the BTS tour hasn’t been canceled yet, so a refund isn’t on the table.
Sellers almost always guarantee refunds automatically for cancellations unless explicitly stated otherwise. Typical reasons for canceling, like a hurricane or a sick drummer, are different from an ongoing global health crisis, however. For artists who make money from touring, canceling — and forfeiting months of income — may not be an appealing option. Postponing instead could allow them a financial safety cushion, as refund policies become more and more tangled during the pandemic.
“If an event has been postponed, it means the event organizer is still working to determine whether the event will be rescheduled or canceled; in the meantime, your tickets are still valid,” goes Ticketmaster’s policy. Any possible refund is dependent on what the band, venue, or both ends up doing — whenever they make that decision — and if they simply reschedule, it is again up to them if those who can’t make the new dates will be offered any compensation.
LiveNation, another company that handles ticket sales, has an even more frustrating policy regarding postponed shows. “If 60 days has passed since a show was postponed and no rescheduled dates have been announced, the 30-day window for refunds will open at that time,” according to the company’s updated Covid-19 refund policy. “There will only be one refund window offered per show. If the refund window is activated after 60 days, there will not be another window once the new date is set.” (LiveNation did not return a request for comment on this story.)
Limiting refunds to a specific window puts the onus on buyers to decide whether or not they have faith in their show being rescheduled and if they’ll be able to attend it when it is. Meanwhile, StubHub doesn’t obligate its sellers to offer refunds at any point. Right now, that even includes cancellations. More than 50,000 shows worldwide have been impacted by the pandemic in some way, according to a StubHub spokesperson, leaving the company to reconsider their usual automatic refunds for cancellations.
“Historically, we’ve absorbed the risk when an event is canceled, refunding the buyer before collecting money from the seller,” the spokesperson told Vox, “but at the scale of cancellations we’re seeing due to Covid, that model doesn’t work, which is why we are offering [a 120 percent credit coupon].” StubHub is, in essence, locking buyers’ money into the platform’s ecosystem no matter what happens. (On April 6, StubHub was reportedly hit with a class action lawsuit over this policy, with defendants arguing that buyers deserve refunds, but the company has yet to comment.)
The live music industry shake-ups put everyone involved with these shows in a precarious position. For one, all of these policies seem to leave the buyers on the hook, their spending money in furlough during a time when they could use it for other things. But potentially refunding tickets for 50,000 different shows also presents a financial burden for ticket sellers, event organizers, and, in a huge way, venues.
Venues stand to benefit the most from postponements, said one longtime event organizer.
“With venues, you have to pay a ton in deposits, and unless it’s a center that’s owned by a state or local entity ... the chances of [a venue] returning that money [to organizers] is very slight,” said Melissa Anelli, founder and CEO of Mischief Management. Her company puts on fandom conventions like Broadway Con and Leaky Con, a long-running Harry Potter event. Many contracts between artists and venues also incentivize artists postponing concerts; under many agreements, outright cancellation means the venue does not have to pay the performer. Venues also have an easier time invoking a force majeure clause to void their contracts than organizers do. As Anelli explained, organizers depend more on the venue to be able to host a show than vice versa.
“At least with a postponement [an organizer] can apply that money to the future and hope that the venue’s wish to fill their calendar aligns with your need to have an event.”
An update on Hella Mega North America pic.twitter.com/RPHhP4eE2D — Hella Mega (@HellaMegaTour) May 19, 2020
An announcement regarding BTS MAP OF THE SOUL TOUR @bts_bighit https://t.co/wFlgIhcsxm pic.twitter.com/xipRQxKFxU — Live Nation GSA (@LiveNationGSA) April 28, 2020
When it comes to event planning, there’s money entangled among several stakeholders, making it a priority for promoters and artists to maintain their agreement and minimize their potential losses in any way possible. It’s why platforms like Eventbrite are actively encouraging organizers to look at options other than refunds to buyers. The ticketing company has a Covid-19 hub directed at artists that suggests specific alternatives, like asking buyers to donate the cost of their ticket, transfer it to a different event, or accept a gift card in lieu of a refund.
“Whether your event is canceled, postponed, or moving online, it’s important to know what options you and your attendees have outside of ticket refunds,” an Eventbrite document about refund alternatives obtained by Vox reads.
Paging through all these different policies and platform requirements and guidelines and services can make your head spin. The ultimate takeaway remains the same regardless: Refunds are hard to get when your show is postponed. And that is a major pain if you’re a fan, no matter how you shake it.
Leaving ticket buyers in the lurch is shaking fans’ faith
Forfeiting your money to an event that may or may not happen is one frustration. But fans are also losing out on an experience they were looking forward to and there’s an emotional impact. That’s what’s hitting some of us the hardest.
I’m one of those people who finds live music to be energizing and exciting — it’s a huge part of my life. Concerts are places to hang out with friends, ones I don’t get to see much otherwise. They provide the seeds of memories I hold dear to me for a long, long time. And they give me chances to experience music I love in a less lonely, internal way.
I’ve currently got nine shows on hold, which amounts to about $500 worth of tickets. One of them, Billie Eilish, was scheduled for March 20, right around the time New Yorkers were asked to stay at home. But Billie Eilish’s tour wasn’t actually postponed until last week, when a sad email reminder popped up in my inbox.
I’ve been getting emails like that one for two months now, all of them with vague promises to see me “soon.” Nobody knows if that’s a promise or just an empty platitude, including the artists themselves. I open these emails with a twinge of melancholy, forced to reckon with the fact that I have no idea when I’ll be able to go to a packed show again.
The attachments we have to music can leave us with complicated feelings about a postponement. If the show is rescheduled — and assuming it’s safe to do so, which is its own complicated question — we’d still want to go, right? And we want our favorite artists to be able to stay together long enough to afford to tour again when the chance arises, which requires financial support. But ticket sellers informing fans to just “wait and see” isn’t plausible for many people right now as the coronavirus rattles the economy.
It’s why even hardcore music fans like Jess Noé are left with big, frustrated regrets.
“I’m legitimately embarrassed by the amount of money I poured into this one [My Chemical Romance] show,” Jess said. “That money could have gone towards a new computer that I desperately need. If they made the call and I had everything refunded ... I could invest in a better computer than my 2012 MacBook, which would open up video editing opportunities for me that I can’t take advantage of right now.
“Ticketmaster is a historically shady company. I believe they can get away with this because concerts are a luxury, and they don’t see themselves as withholding an essential service. But money is essential and scarce right now for a lot of us.”
Live music will always be part of our lives. Hopefully when it returns, whenever it returns, we’ll still be able to afford it — and won’t still be waiting on our money back.


vox--2020-05-25--Why a manual by a control freak is the best thing to read when the world is out of control

You don ’ t need me to tell you that the world is out of control right now .
We ’ re living in the midst of a global pandemic , we ’ ll be living like this for months longer at the bare minimum , and there ’ s basically nothing any of us can do about it .
Being alive right now means feeling powerless .
And so the question I pose to myself on a daily basis is : How do I keep from going feral with rage ?
And one of the answers I have found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Comforts is a housekeeping manual written by Cheryl Mendelson , a former lawyer raised by militant housekeepers .
It has developed a bit of a cult following since its first publication in 2005 , and while that might seem unusual for a book about cleaning , its appeal will become clear once you have the book in your hands and heft its encyclopedic weight .
Written with a lawyer ’ s exhaustive eye for detail and a pedant ’ s belief in the inarguable correctness of one ’ s own opinion , Home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way to use a broom , exactly how many inches down you should fold your top sheet , why you should use carbon steel knives ( and how best to care for them ) .
It is so exacting in its didactic instructions that it makes Martha Stewart seem mellow .
Home Comforts contains descriptions of lace-edged sheets scented with lavender that are so evocative , I am hard put not to take a nap immediately upon reading them .
Home Comforts has an index entry for “ pets , emotional dividends of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passage in which Mendelson explains that many people like pets but they are also filthy .
( She also tells you how to clean up after them , should you be so weak as to acquire an animal . )
Home Comforts has a chapter devoted solely to breaking down the exact legal definition of the laundry symbols on a care label — and when you can safely disregard them and instead turn to Mendelson ’ s explanations of how best to care for every type of fabric that exists .
Home Comforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In times of stress , I reflexively turn to how-to manuals written by control freaks .
They are the best resource I know of to create a sense of a world that is orderly and rational and utterly within one ’ s powers , to inform you that there is a correct way of doing things , one that you can learn .
When you can ’ t control the world around you , you can at least control your environment , right ?
That ’ s why I used to read @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks .
The pandemic is a period of stress unending , and it requires special measures .
Home Comforts is the biggest and most exacting how-to manual I know of , and while I have never met Mendelson ( though I ’ m sure she ’ s lovely in person ) , she reads like the most Type-A control freak the world has ever seen .
Bless her for it .
Home Comforts is what you need to take control of one corner of your life in a world that renders you powerless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s recommendations feature .
In each edition , find one more thing from the world of culture that we highly recommend .
Every day at Vox , we aim to answer your most important questions and provide you , and our audience around the world , with information that has the power to save lives .
Our mission has never been more vital than it is in this moment : to empower you through understanding .
Vox ’ s work is reaching more people than ever , but our distinctive brand of explanatory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic and an economic downturn .
Your financial contribution will not constitute a donation , but it will enable our staff to continue to offer free articles , videos , and podcasts at the quality and volume that this moment requires .
Please consider making a contribution to Vox today .

One Good Thing is Vox’s recommendations feature. In each edition, find one more thing from the world of culture that we highly recommend.
You don’t need me to tell you that the world is out of control right now. We’re living in the midst of a global pandemic, we’ll be living like this for months longer at the bare minimum, and there’s basically nothing any of us can do about it. Being alive right now means feeling powerless.
And so the question I pose to myself on a daily basis is: How do I keep from going feral with rage? And one of the answers I have found is: Read Home Comforts.
Home Comforts is a housekeeping manual written by Cheryl Mendelson, a former lawyer raised by militant housekeepers. It has developed a bit of a cult following since its first publication in 2005, and while that might seem unusual for a book about cleaning, its appeal will become clear once you have the book in your hands and heft its encyclopedic weight.
Written with a lawyer’s exhaustive eye for detail and a pedant’s belief in the inarguable correctness of one’s own opinion, Home Comforts tells you everything: the correct way to use a broom, exactly how many inches down you should fold your top sheet, why you should use carbon steel knives (and how best to care for them). It is so exacting in its didactic instructions that it makes Martha Stewart seem mellow.
Home Comforts contains descriptions of lace-edged sheets scented with lavender that are so evocative, I am hard put not to take a nap immediately upon reading them. Home Comforts has an index entry for “pets, emotional dividends of,” which leads you to a passage in which Mendelson explains that many people like pets but they are also filthy. (She also tells you how to clean up after them, should you be so weak as to acquire an animal.)
Home Comforts has a chapter devoted solely to breaking down the exact legal definition of the laundry symbols on a care label — and when you can safely disregard them and instead turn to Mendelson’s explanations of how best to care for every type of fabric that exists. Home Comforts is here to take you in hand.
In times of stress, I reflexively turn to how-to manuals written by control freaks. They are the best resource I know of to create a sense of a world that is orderly and rational and utterly within one’s powers, to inform you that there is a correct way of doing things, one that you can learn. When you can’t control the world around you, you can at least control your environment, right? That’s why I used to read organizing books in high school during exam weeks.
The pandemic is a period of stress unending, and it requires special measures. Home Comforts is the biggest and most exacting how-to manual I know of, and while I have never met Mendelson (though I’m sure she’s lovely in person), she reads like the most Type-A control freak the world has ever seen. Bless her for it. Home Comforts is what you need to take control of one corner of your life in a world that renders you powerless.


vox--2020-05-25--Do Joe Biden’s “you ain’t black” comments ultimately matter?

Former Vice President Joe Biden is no stranger to the political gaffe .
And on Friday , he stepped in it once again .
After putting it off for months , Biden finally sat down for an interview on “ The Breakfast Club , ” a radio show that ’ s earned a place in the black cultural canon for its buzzy , confrontational interviews of entertainers and political leaders .
While the 18-minute interview with host Charlamagne Tha God was tense overall , it wasn ’ t until its final moments that Biden uttered the sentence that would set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a problem figuring out whether you ’ re for me or Trump , then you ain ’ t black.
” The backlash was swift , with critics claiming that Biden overstepped , a sign that he ’ s taking the black vote for granted .
Others came to the presumptive Democratic nominee ’ s defense , arguing that the offhand comment was “ in jest.
” Biden himself later went on to express regret : “ I was much too cavalier .
[ … ] I shouldn ’ t have been such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during a virtual meeting with an organization that advocates for black economic empowerment .
Biden ’ s latest comments add to his portfolio of blunders and off-the-cuff remarks that have led people to question his commitment to the black community .
Last year , when he invoked tender memories of working with segregationist senators to make a moot point about civility , leaders like Sen. Cory Booker criticized Biden and urged him to apologize .
It also took Biden nearly 30 years to acknowledge his failings in the handling of Anita Hill ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden ’ s latest comments are questions concerning the black community ’ s solidarity politics : Why do black people vote Democrat if the party , and its presumptive nominee , seem to take the black vote for granted ?
And will comments like these ultimately matter to black people come November ?
Chryl Laird , assistant professor of government at Bowdoin College and co-author of the book Steadfast Democrats : How Social Forces Shape Black Political Behavior , says supporting the Democratic Party is an entrenched norm for black people .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t technically “ wrong , ” it ’ s problematic because he , as a white person , can not be a norm enforcer for the black community .
Laird explains to Vox how Biden ’ s comments might impact black voter turnout in the general election .
Our interview has been edited and condensed .
Let ’ s talk about the recent “ The Breakfast Club ” interview when Joe Biden , unprompted , said , “ If you have a problem figuring out whether you ’ re for me or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ black.
” What was your initial reaction to his statement ?
I face-palmed just thinking about it because Biden is notorious for saying out-of-pocket statements , especially with respect to race .
Even with all of the ties to Obama , he ’ s made statements related to race around the Anita Hill situation and around segregationists .
So I was not that stunningly surprised by it as much as I was like , “ You need to think about what you say before you say it !
” I think he is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as we saw in the primary .
He has support , but he needs to be careful because the support he ’ s gotten shouldn ’ t just be assumed .
And he doesn ’ t need to speak to African Americans in a way that isn ’ t understanding of their politics .
It came off like he didn ’ t necessarily have respect for it .
It comes off as patronizing .
In watching the full interview , did you feel there was an overall casual tone or carelessness on Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s break down “ you ain ’ t black.
” What ’ s the problem with him saying that ?
The statement itself was sort of in jest , as others have said .
But even in jest , you are an older white man ; you are a white person , period , who is speaking on identity politics outside of your own group .
You are not black , so placing yourself in that position as some arbiter of blackness makes you an interloper .
This is an intra-group , within-group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interview , in the lead up to the Biden statement , there was discussion about black politics and the election .
The interview had already been a little tense between the two of them and “ The Breakfast Club ” is notorious for controversial interviews .
I don ’ t know how much prep [ Biden ] had going into it .
There ’ s a casualness to it that ’ s appropriate to this setting since he ’ s trying to appeal to an audience that is young , Gen Z , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or Latino and listen to the show .
He ’ s trying to appeal to a base of individuals whose support he did not get in the primaries .
If he were trying to appeal to older voters , who ’ d be listening to something like a Steve Harvey or Tom Joyner [ radio show ] , there would be a different decorum .
Same with if he were in a black church or traditional black institution .
In this case , you should come with some casualness because being a stick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appeal in that space .
But also don ’ t let your guard down in the casualness that you take , because you are still a nonblack individual being invited into a black space and given a pulpit to speak to individuals that you need to work on your appeal with .
For me , something about Biden ’ s statement is reminiscent of Trump ’ s 2016 unscripted campaign trail appeal to black voters : “ What do you have to lose ?
” Is that a fair comparison to make ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ like they ’ re both in a similar space .
They seem to be telling black people what they should do politically .
It comes off as paternalistic , like black people need guidance on what they should do .
As my co-author Ismail K. White and I write in Steadfast Democrats , we have frustrations with the literature on race , ethnicity , and politics because there ’ s been this idea that African Americans don ’ t have agency .
For one , very little of the literature typically focuses primarily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even when blacks are the focus , it should be about giving them an agency and some consideration with respect to the constraints they find themselves in politically .
Black people have to navigate a system literally not designed to include them .
They ’ ve been added into a system that never had them in mind in the first place .
So how do you politic in that ?
How do you engage the structure ?
And that is just not respected as much as we would want it to be .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ not understand what they should be considering .
And it ’ s not even that what Joe Biden said was wrong .
But I think for Trump ’ s statement “ What do you have to lose ?
” he actually is wrong , in a lot of ways , in saying that .
It assumes there aren ’ t a bunch of reasons that black people wouldn ’ t align with the Republican Party .
I think Trump sees himself in isolation , like not within the context of Republican Party history @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said not inherently wrong ?
Biden is in a situation where he is speaking to the phenomenon that Ismail and I speak to .
We argue that partisanship and racial identity for African Americans are very intertwined .
In some ways , we ’ ve even said , “ to be black is to be Democrat.
” Democratic partisanship is such an understood norm of the community , and it ’ s being done that way for a reason .
It is through this constrained space that African Americans are in politics — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a voice in a system that is majority-based and they are a minority group on a numerical dimension .
So how do you do that ?
Black people have recognized that what you can do is work together in this structure as a group and throw our weight to the party and candidates that we think represent our group ’ s interests the best .
We know what our group interests are , and we maintain it by basically calling out the people who seem to not understand the norm , like blacks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s not that we aren ’ t politically diverse : There are conservative blacks , liberal blacks , progressive blacks , moderate blacks ; there are blacks who are socially conservative and economically conservative .
There is a lot of political diversity , a lot more than people realize .
But we still vote Democrat .
African Americans are extraordinarily aware of the system .
They ’ re aware of what they are doing , and they are doing so with such a high level of recognition of the challenges this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strange thing for people to understand .
It just doesn ’ t sit with how we have been told politics is supposed to work because it ’ s a group-based politics .
And , it doesn ’ t involve white people !
That ’ s the other part of it — the way we maintain it and build a collective identity around it .
How we invoke ways to call out others .
And we don ’ t care when people on the outside comment on the way we do it .
Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We still call Kanye West a sell-out , if we think he ’ s a sell-out .
And people refer to [ black Republican Sen. ] Tim Scott that way .
Tim Scott came out and said he was saddened [ by Biden ’ s comment ] , as did other black Republicans .
After that , black people were like , “ Yeah , whatever , ” because that ’ s how the norm works .
You talk about there being a spectrum of black Democratic voters .
So I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden ’ s statement will be on black progressives , for example .
And , two weeks from now , will people remember this or even care ?
Several years ago , I wrote an article titled “ Black Like Me : How Political Communication Changes Racial Group Identification and Its Implications.
” In that article , I talk about notions of blackness and black identity around this concept of linked fate .
I stratify blacks into different groupings — those who are “ chronically included ” ( which consists of the highly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ status who are always at the top of the black agenda or can define the agenda ) ; then there are blacks in the middle , and I call them “ moveable blacks ” mainly because they are encompassing a large set of African Americans , but they ’ re not in this chronically included set .
I feel like the highly educated blacks are going to be the ones who remember this down the line .
[ Laughs ] A lot of the black progressives , a lot of upper middle class @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenged , will remember .
Their blackness has been challenged because they are engaging in a lot of spaces , they are highly educated ; they ’ re at predominantly white institutions .
This hit something within them where they felt like the diversity of the black community and their views are looked down upon or overlooked by the party .
Many of those individuals are the progressives and even activists working with grassroots organizations .
But for large swaths of black people , I don ’ t think this is even on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is on their radar , they ’ re like , “ Yeah , but it ’ s not wrong.
” And maybe they ’ re bothered that a white person said it , which is valid .
So what does this mean for voter turnout in November ?
This isn ’ t the first time Biden has had to walk back comments related to race .
Does his ongoing record of this mean he ’ s actively turning away black voters despite what ’ s at stake in the general election ?
What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that those chronically included blacks have access to media outlets .
They are in prominent positions , so they can keep this going and keep coming back to it .
For the campaign , their attempt to deal with it was to have [ Biden ’ s senior adviser ] Symone Sanders , who ’ s black , and others try to pivot the way that it was being interpreted .
They tried to say he ’ s on Charlamagne ’ s show in the first place , so that displays his commitment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what Biden needs to lean into — his commitment to black interests and black communities for those who are in that progressive realm .
And he may not get a lot of those voters .
He honestly doesn ’ t necessarily need to get that numerically because of just how strong some of the moveable blacks and the other black individuals will be .
Younger people who also comprise that progressive set sadly do not turn out in the highest numbers .
So that might not be a space where he really needs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ definitely doesn ’ t want to piss them off either .
I also think it would help if he just announced a VP that was a black woman already .
That would be good !
[ Laughs ] And Amy Klobuchar ’ s name has been floating around .
They need to end that conversation because now they ’ ve just stepped in it .
For this election , there ’ s obviously a choice between Biden and Trump , since they ’ re the major candidates .
But there ’ s also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a decision to just not turn out .
Turnout is the challenge that the party is dealing with .
Ismail and I also write about how we don ’ t like the way that people talk about black turnout .
They say black turnout went down in 2016 — no , it went back to normal levels .
We had the pickup because a black president got elected in 2008 and 2012 , which is an anomaly .
We need to see the data that way .
When it came down in 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ levels , and that ’ s where black people have stayed .
If they ’ re planning on turnout being higher and they ’ re trying to get to Obama levels , I think many things will be motivating to black voters , like getting Trump out of office and now coronavirus .
This all fits into the broader conversation that Democrats take the black vote for granted .
Similarly , we don ’ t see leaders on the right enacting enduring policy that creates real prosperity for the black community .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for black people on how to maintain a sense of dignity and direction as we make voting decisions in a framework that constrains us ?
Black individuals , even the chronically included people ( and I am a member of said bougie contingent — I have a PhD ; I work at a private liberal arts college ; I live in Maine ) , all of us , shouldn ’ t be ashamed of what we do politically .
There ’ s a way in which the concern about the white gaze or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to become very concerning .
I think that ’ s a lot of what we saw on Friday .
People were very bothered by a notion that white people are seeing us and this is how they ’ re going to think about us , and that Biden clearly believes this and others are going to look at us and not think we are diverse .
I say don ’ t worry about it .
I think what we have in strength and power politically is the fact that we do have strength @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why Biden even has to apologize .
It speaks to the power of what it did in the primaries .
Black people are making very difficult political decisions in a very constrained space .
Many blacks are risk averse because government is slow and clunky .
Change doesn ’ t happen overnight .
Bernie Sanders ’ s campaign was struggling with this .
They were making it sound like they were going to change the world in two presidential terms and black people , especially older blacks in the South , were looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t know you .
It ’ s never happened .
That ’ s not a thing .
No one can do that .
Give me something more realistic.
” And you see what they did in South Carolina [ by voting for Biden in the primary ] .
Everyone seemed shook , but that was expected .
It is a strategic and very informed decision .
I think black people have to be more politically aware than anyone else because of where we are situated in society .
We are lucky enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ populations , to have the numbers to leverage power , and it ’ s nothing to be ashamed of .
I think sometimes people feel shame about it .
It makes them feel like sometimes we are collectively “ on the Democratic Plantation ” and that we “ don ’ t have minds of our own or free thoughts.
” Black people are thinking ; they aren ’ t just blindly making decisions .
And even if they don ’ t articulate it the way we are — we are lucky enough to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and have the time , resources , and linguistics to talk about these things — that ’ s okay .
If other black people are saying , “ I ’ m voting for this person because black people are like , ‘ this is what we do , ’ ” I don ’ t know how that ’ s any different from any other type of group politics .
People are just confused by it manifesting for blacks .
We do it for the parties — that ’ s party politics and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are trying to pretend like it ’ s not .
Right now in the pandemic , there are anti-lockdown people and anti-vaxxers collectively organizing under an identity and behaving in certain ways based on that .
I think black people should feel unabashed in what we do .
We are doing it , and we are brilliant .
And the fact that Biden even has to pay attention to this , and that Trump ’ s campaign has picked up on it , is a signal to how important the black vote is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vox , we aim to answer your most important questions and provide you , and our audience around the world , with information that has the power to save lives .
Our mission has never been more vital than it is in this moment : to empower you through understanding .
Vox ’ s work is reaching more people than ever , but our distinctive brand of explanatory journalism takes resources — particularly during a pandemic and an economic downturn .
Your financial contribution will not constitute a donation , but it will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ free articles , videos , and podcasts at the quality and volume that this moment requires .
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Former Vice President Joe Biden is no stranger to the political gaffe. And on Friday, he stepped in it once again.
After putting it off for months, Biden finally sat down for an interview on “The Breakfast Club,” a radio show that’s earned a place in the black cultural canon for its buzzy, confrontational interviews of entertainers and political leaders. While the 18-minute interview with host Charlamagne Tha God was tense overall, it wasn’t until its final moments that Biden uttered the sentence that would set social media aflame: “If you have a problem figuring out whether you’re for me or Trump, then you ain’t black.”
The backlash was swift, with critics claiming that Biden overstepped, a sign that he’s taking the black vote for granted. Others came to the presumptive Democratic nominee’s defense, arguing that the offhand comment was “in jest.” Biden himself later went on to express regret: “I was much too cavalier. […] I shouldn’t have been such a wise guy,” he said during a virtual meeting with an organization that advocates for black economic empowerment.
Biden’s latest comments add to his portfolio of blunders and off-the-cuff remarks that have led people to question his commitment to the black community. Last year, when he invoked tender memories of working with segregationist senators to make a moot point about civility, leaders like Sen. Cory Booker criticized Biden and urged him to apologize. It also took Biden nearly 30 years to acknowledge his failings in the handling of Anita Hill’s testimony.
At the core of Biden’s latest comments are questions concerning the black community’s solidarity politics: Why do black people vote Democrat if the party, and its presumptive nominee, seem to take the black vote for granted? And will comments like these ultimately matter to black people come November?
Chryl Laird, assistant professor of government at Bowdoin College and co-author of the book Steadfast Democrats: How Social Forces Shape Black Political Behavior, says supporting the Democratic Party is an entrenched norm for black people. And yet while Biden’s statement isn’t technically “wrong,” it’s problematic because he, as a white person, cannot be a norm enforcer for the black community.
Laird explains to Vox how Biden’s comments might impact black voter turnout in the general election. Our interview has been edited and condensed.
Fabiola Cineas
Let’s talk about the recent “The Breakfast Club” interview when Joe Biden, unprompted, said, “If you have a problem figuring out whether you’re for me or Trump, then you ain’t black.” What was your initial reaction to his statement?
Chryl Laird
I face-palmed just thinking about it because Biden is notorious for saying out-of-pocket statements, especially with respect to race. Even with all of the ties to Obama, he’s made statements related to race around the Anita Hill situation and around segregationists. So I was not that stunningly surprised by it as much as I was like, “You need to think about what you say before you say it!” I think he is someone who appeals to black voters, as we saw in the primary. He has support, but he needs to be careful because the support he’s gotten shouldn’t just be assumed. And he doesn’t need to speak to African Americans in a way that isn’t understanding of their politics. It came off like he didn’t necessarily have respect for it. It comes off as patronizing.
Fabiola Cineas
In watching the full interview, did you feel there was an overall casual tone or carelessness on Biden’s part? And let’s break down “you ain’t black.” What’s the problem with him saying that?
Chryl Laird
The statement itself was sort of in jest, as others have said. But even in jest, you are an older white man; you are a white person, period, who is speaking on identity politics outside of your own group. You are not black, so placing yourself in that position as some arbiter of blackness makes you an interloper. This is an intra-group, within-group politics.
If I recall the full interview, in the lead up to the Biden statement, there was discussion about black politics and the election. The interview had already been a little tense between the two of them and “The Breakfast Club” is notorious for controversial interviews. I don’t know how much prep [Biden] had going into it. There’s a casualness to it that’s appropriate to this setting since he’s trying to appeal to an audience that is young, Gen Z, or millennial voters who are African American or Latino and listen to the show. He’s trying to appeal to a base of individuals whose support he did not get in the primaries.
If he were trying to appeal to older voters, who’d be listening to something like a Steve Harvey or Tom Joyner [radio show], there would be a different decorum. Same with if he were in a black church or traditional black institution. In this case, you should come with some casualness because being a stick in the mud is not going to appeal in that space. But also don’t let your guard down in the casualness that you take, because you are still a nonblack individual being invited into a black space and given a pulpit to speak to individuals that you need to work on your appeal with.
Fabiola Cineas
For me, something about Biden’s statement is reminiscent of Trump’s 2016 unscripted campaign trail appeal to black voters: “What do you have to lose?” Is that a fair comparison to make?
Chryl Laird
It’s interesting. I feel like they’re both in a similar space. They seem to be telling black people what they should do politically. It comes off as paternalistic, like black people need guidance on what they should do. As my co-author Ismail K. White and I write in Steadfast Democrats, we have frustrations with the literature on race, ethnicity, and politics because there’s been this idea that African Americans don’t have agency. For one, very little of the literature typically focuses primarily on African American political behavior. And even when blacks are the focus, it should be about giving them an agency and some consideration with respect to the constraints they find themselves in politically. Black people have to navigate a system literally not designed to include them. They’ve been added into a system that never had them in mind in the first place. So how do you politic in that? How do you engage the structure? And that is just not respected as much as we would want it to be. It assumes an ability of blacks to not understand what they should be considering.
And it’s not even that what Joe Biden said was wrong. But I think for Trump’s statement “What do you have to lose?” he actually is wrong, in a lot of ways, in saying that. It assumes there aren’t a bunch of reasons that black people wouldn’t align with the Republican Party. I think Trump sees himself in isolation, like not within the context of Republican Party history.
Fabiola Cineas
So how is what Joe Biden said not inherently wrong?
Chryl Laird
Biden is in a situation where he is speaking to the phenomenon that Ismail and I speak to. We argue that partisanship and racial identity for African Americans are very intertwined. In some ways, we’ve even said, “to be black is to be Democrat.”
Democratic partisanship is such an understood norm of the community, and it’s being done that way for a reason. It is through this constrained space that African Americans are in politics — where they’re trying to be a voice in a system that is majority-based and they are a minority group on a numerical dimension. So how do you do that? Black people have recognized that what you can do is work together in this structure as a group and throw our weight to the party and candidates that we think represent our group’s interests the best.
We know what our group interests are, and we maintain it by basically calling out the people who seem to not understand the norm, like blacks who decide to be Republican. And it’s not that we aren’t politically diverse: There are conservative blacks, liberal blacks, progressive blacks, moderate blacks; there are blacks who are socially conservative and economically conservative. There is a lot of political diversity, a lot more than people realize. But we still vote Democrat.
African Americans are extraordinarily aware of the system. They’re aware of what they are doing, and they are doing so with such a high level of recognition of the challenges this creates. It’s such a strange thing for people to understand. It just doesn’t sit with how we have been told politics is supposed to work because it’s a group-based politics. And, it doesn’t involve white people!
That’s the other part of it — the way we maintain it and build a collective identity around it. How we invoke ways to call out others. And we don’t care when people on the outside comment on the way we do it. Black people still do what they do. We still call Kanye West a sell-out, if we think he’s a sell-out. And people refer to [black Republican Sen.] Tim Scott that way. Tim Scott came out and said he was saddened [by Biden’s comment], as did other black Republicans. After that, black people were like, “Yeah, whatever,” because that’s how the norm works.
Fabiola Cineas
You talk about there being a spectrum of black Democratic voters. So I’m curious what you think the impact of Biden’s statement will be on black progressives, for example. And, two weeks from now, will people remember this or even care?
Chryl Laird
Several years ago, I wrote an article titled “Black Like Me: How Political Communication Changes Racial Group Identification and Its Implications.” In that article, I talk about notions of blackness and black identity around this concept of linked fate. I stratify blacks into different groupings — those who are “chronically included” (which consists of the highly educated blacks and those with high socioeconomic status who are always at the top of the black agenda or can define the agenda); then there are blacks in the middle, and I call them “moveable blacks” mainly because they are encompassing a large set of African Americans, but they’re not in this chronically included set.
I feel like the highly educated blacks are going to be the ones who remember this down the line. [Laughs] A lot of the black progressives, a lot of upper middle class blacks whose blackness has been questioned and challenged, will remember. Their blackness has been challenged because they are engaging in a lot of spaces, they are highly educated; they’re at predominantly white institutions. This hit something within them where they felt like the diversity of the black community and their views are looked down upon or overlooked by the party. Many of those individuals are the progressives and even activists working with grassroots organizations.
But for large swaths of black people, I don’t think this is even on their radar. And even if it is on their radar, they’re like, “Yeah, but it’s not wrong.” And maybe they’re bothered that a white person said it, which is valid.
Fabiola Cineas
So what does this mean for voter turnout in November? This isn’t the first time Biden has had to walk back comments related to race. Does his ongoing record of this mean he’s actively turning away black voters despite what’s at stake in the general election?
Chryl Laird
What he needs to be careful with is that those chronically included blacks have access to media outlets. They are in prominent positions, so they can keep this going and keep coming back to it. For the campaign, their attempt to deal with it was to have [Biden’s senior adviser] Symone Sanders, who’s black, and others try to pivot the way that it was being interpreted. They tried to say he’s on Charlamagne’s show in the first place, so that displays his commitment to the community. That’s what Biden needs to lean into — his commitment to black interests and black communities for those who are in that progressive realm.
And he may not get a lot of those voters. He honestly doesn’t necessarily need to get that numerically because of just how strong some of the moveable blacks and the other black individuals will be. Younger people who also comprise that progressive set sadly do not turn out in the highest numbers. So that might not be a space where he really needs to make significant inroads. But he definitely doesn’t want to piss them off either. I also think it would help if he just announced a VP that was a black woman already. That would be good! [Laughs] And Amy Klobuchar’s name has been floating around. They need to end that conversation because now they’ve just stepped in it.
For this election, there’s obviously a choice between Biden and Trump, since they’re the major candidates. But there’s also a decision between Biden and abstention, a decision to just not turn out. Turnout is the challenge that the party is dealing with. Ismail and I also write about how we don’t like the way that people talk about black turnout. They say black turnout went down in 2016 — no, it went back to normal levels. We had the pickup because a black president got elected in 2008 and 2012, which is an anomaly. We need to see the data that way. When it came down in 2016, it went back down to 2004 levels, and that’s where black people have stayed. If they’re planning on turnout being higher and they’re trying to get to Obama levels, I think many things will be motivating to black voters, like getting Trump out of office and now coronavirus.
Fabiola Cineas
This all fits into the broader conversation that Democrats take the black vote for granted. Similarly, we don’t see leaders on the right enacting enduring policy that creates real prosperity for the black community. So what’s a message you have for black people on how to maintain a sense of dignity and direction as we make voting decisions in a framework that constrains us?
Cheryl Laird
Black individuals, even the chronically included people (and I am a member of said bougie contingent — I have a PhD; I work at a private liberal arts college; I live in Maine), all of us, shouldn’t be ashamed of what we do politically. There’s a way in which the concern about the white gaze or what white people think of us starts to become very concerning. I think that’s a lot of what we saw on Friday. People were very bothered by a notion that white people are seeing us and this is how they’re going to think about us, and that Biden clearly believes this and others are going to look at us and not think we are diverse. I say don’t worry about it. I think what we have in strength and power politically is the fact that we do have strength and power politically. It speaks to why Biden even has to apologize. It speaks to the power of what it did in the primaries.
Black people are making very difficult political decisions in a very constrained space. Many blacks are risk averse because government is slow and clunky. Change doesn’t happen overnight. Bernie Sanders’s campaign was struggling with this. They were making it sound like they were going to change the world in two presidential terms and black people, especially older blacks in the South, were looking at him like, “I don’t know you. It’s never happened. That’s not a thing. No one can do that. Give me something more realistic.” And you see what they did in South Carolina [by voting for Biden in the primary]. Everyone seemed shook, but that was expected. It is a strategic and very informed decision.
I think black people have to be more politically aware than anyone else because of where we are situated in society. We are lucky enough, unlike other communities like American Indian populations, to have the numbers to leverage power, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of. I think sometimes people feel shame about it. It makes them feel like sometimes we are collectively “on the Democratic Plantation” and that we “don’t have minds of our own or free thoughts.”
Black people are thinking; they aren’t just blindly making decisions. And even if they don’t articulate it the way we are — we are lucky enough to have gone to college, gotten degrees, and have the time, resources, and linguistics to talk about these things — that’s okay. If other black people are saying, “I’m voting for this person because black people are like, ‘this is what we do,’” I don’t know how that’s any different from any other type of group politics. People are just confused by it manifesting for blacks. We do it for the parties — that’s party politics and what all politics is. And people are trying to pretend like it’s not.
Right now in the pandemic, there are anti-lockdown people and anti-vaxxers collectively organizing under an identity and behaving in certain ways based on that. I think black people should feel unabashed in what we do. We are doing it, and we are brilliant. And the fact that Biden even has to pay attention to this, and that Trump’s campaign has picked up on it, is a signal to how important the black vote is to both campaigns.