St. Paul, Minnesota
Perhaps the thing conservatives—and many liberals, too—dislike most about the contemporary left is their demand for ubiquitous political commentary. While a democratic form of government demands an informed and active citizenry, this does not equal the claim that “the personal is political,” with its implication that nothing can ever be enjoyed without bringing politics into it. For too many people, no conversation about, or experience of, art, literature, music, movies, how well done you like your steak, how you get to work, your hairstyle, the weather—or anything else—evade politicization.
Even sports is no longer immune. ESPN’s recent financial woes are tied to the rise of the internet and the collapse of cable television. But as Clay Travis at Outkick the Coverage explained, the network’s woes are also related to their decision that “We’ll be MSESPN, the home for far left politics and sports!” None of which really surprises me. I never had cable TV, but I did subscribe to ESPN the Magazine for several years. I gave it up because it seemed like the Nation in Under Armour.
But not everything has been assimilated. My son takes bagpipe lessons from Mike Breidenbach, the pipe major for the Macalester College Pipe Band at the local progressive educational redoubt. (Notable alumni include: Walter Mondale, ’50; Kofi Annan, ’61; Dave Zirin, the sports editor for—seriously—the Nation, ’96.). But even with all of that in the air at Macalester, I’ve never been quizzed about my politics or the political implications of bagpipes by anyone in the program. (“So, do you agree that kilts are gender non-conforming?”) I’ve been allowed to think that the regulator, a simple chanter played with the heel of the hand on Uillean pipes, is cool without forsaking my belief that many a bureaucratic regulator should also be given the heel of the hand.
And despite the leftward tilt of politics in modern-day Scotland, piping itself has some distinctly anti-PC angles to it. The bagpipe is a musical instrument for war and the traditional Highland piping costume includes a dirk (a twelve-inch dagger) worn on the leg. No one cares. Further, no one asks if Owen Sehon—a young black man who’s a star on the tenor drum and who may or may not have Scottish blood in him—might be committing an act of “cultural appropriation.” Pipers believe that your identity should not define your artistic appreciation or participation.
All of which is why I was frightened when the family and I arrived at the Macalester Pipe Band’s spring concert last month and discovered that the special guests were not limited to the Minnesota Youth Pipe Band (my son’s group), a folk-punk band, and a Scottish dance group. At the top of the list was DFL (Democratic) Mayor of St. Paul, and Minnesota gubernatorial candidate, Chris Coleman. Loud windbags are aplenty at piping concerts; politicians need not apply.
Emcee John Cosgrove, a native of Scotland, started out well enough. “You can tell by my accent,” he purred, “that I come from South Minneapolis.” But I cringed at the obligatory derisive Trump references. The bagpipes are a war instrument; we wouldn’t want the president to get hold of that information, would we? Hardy har. A few more such comments and my worry grew. What would the mayor say? Though he isn’t a raging progressive, Coleman knows how to read a room and which way the wind is blowing.
But it turns out there may be hope for America and, perhaps even for Democrats. Taking the stage for the last few numbers along with my son’s group, Coleman—in full piping kit—was introduced but not invited to speak. “You’ll be hearing from him all year,” the pipe major explained. Nor did he seem interested in doing anything but playing music. His only spoken words during the show came during a lag when the tech crew was moving equipment between numbers and he told a traditionally self-deprecating piping joke: “What do you call it when you throw an accordion into a dumpster and hit a bagpipe kit? Perfect pitch.”
I won’t be supporting Coleman in this year’s race, or anytime in the near future. But I genuinely admired this Democratic pol who skipped the opportunity to politicize yet another aspect of life and made a perfect pitch.
David P. Deavel is editor of Logos: A Journal of Catholic Thought and Culture and teaches at the University of St. Thomas.
