Chris Cornell and his life-changing love of David Bowie
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Revisit the moment Chris Cornell called out “pro-life” campaigners back in 1992
Chris Cornell cared deeply about social issues, and he never stuck to solely discussing the topic of music. The Soundgarden frontman expressed from his heart on an array of topics, and his impassioned comments about ‘pro-life’ campaigners are particularly poignant and timely.
In 1992, when Cornell made the comments, it was an issue that many felt no longer needed to be discussed, and women should be able to have autonomy over their own bodies. However, the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the Roe vs Wade verdict has jeopardised this freedom, and those who claim to be ‘pro-life’ are on the verge of returning women’s rights to the dark ages.
In several states across the US, it is now impossible for women to gain legal access to abortions. According to a study in The Economist, the decision will hurt those already suffering the most and hit society’s poorest people.
It’s been a debate that has been rumbling since abortions were legalised in 1973, and few suspected the ‘pro-life’ campaigners would eventually win the battle. However, in 1992, this was a topic discussed on the fringes of society, and Cornell likened those who supported it to Tippa Gore, who was trying to censor musicians.
In an interview with MTV, Cornell said: “You know, sometimes there’s people like Tippa Gore who are sitting around and getting tired of making tea for dinner parties, and they decide they are gonna go out and pick a cause to go out and fight for. Like the supposed pro-life movement, these people feel like whatever they are championing, this is a cause that’s really necessary.”
He continued: “When in reality, there’s people who are already alive that really need help that these people aren’t spending any energy or money towards. There’s living people that are dying. Why not ship the energy towards that? Why not ship the energy towards real problems instead of worrying about musicians and songwriters who are a big part of the American culture in a positive way.”
For Cornell, those fighting for censorship and those fighting to ban abortions simply had too much time on their hands which is why they dedicated their lives to these causes. In his view, they were wasting their time and could be using their time to make the world a better place rather than watering down art or taking away a woman’s right.
While art and the right to have an abortion are incomparable, Cornell does make a point about the type of people who fought against them both. It shows his liberal tendencies and his belief that people shouldn’t have their lives interfered with, whether this is their creative process while making an album or more serious subjects such as their decision to give birth.
