Get Bruce to Stay Home From Live 8

To: Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band

We, the undersigned, being of Bruce Springsteen body and Little Steven mind, humbly but emphatically request that Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band do not appear at Live 8 Philadelphia on July 2, 2005, regardless of the success of actions by other Philadelphia-based groups to accomplish just that. If we may have a word directly with Bruce and the group to explain our position:

Dear Bruce and E Streeters,

We know that in the last year, like every year since 1973, you have given until it hurts. During the election, you were a shining beacon of reason and bravery. When we think back to that time of hope and tremendous longing for real change in this country, it is not a little bit heartbreaking. But among the small bits of solace we have are the words and deeds of Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band: Those concerts and Bruce's words during that tumultuous time gave us all hope, and reminded us of something very critical in American life. It's the idea that voices are not only there to be heard, but they are also there to make sense of things, even when, true enough, nothing seems to make sense. Not Even the lineup at Live 8 Philadelphia.

Frankly, Bruce and the E Street Band, we are worried about this Live 8 thing. The lineup in Philadelphia is an atrocity. While the motives of Mr. Geldof and his concern are clearly above board as the wealthiest nations in the world, we do indeed have a moral obligation to help those in need we worry that the Philadelphia bill, frankly, is so frivolous that the concert's intentions will get lost in the shuffle. In addition, as a city with whom Bruce and the band have such a long and inspiring history, your appearance would simply cheapen this very same history, tarnishing the image of you that we all hold dear while adding a bit too much credability to the performers already on the bill who were not petitioned to perform. We do need your inspiration, we do need your tunes. But we do not need them in this place, at this time. Plus, we understand that the pay isnt very good. Definitely not The Boss good.

With that, we humbly ask you, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, to not pack up the van, not to plug in and show these fools how it's done. Oh, and please tell David Sancious to stay at the Jersey Shore that day.

We also request that if you do, indeed, appear at Live 8 Philadelphia that you also perform at the Vans Warped Tour in Camden on August 12th.

With all the love in the world,