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American Morning

Peace Refrain

Aired March 03, 2003 - 08:34   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Some of the biggest names in music now on record opposing military action in Iraq. Among those leading the opposition, David Byrne, guitarist and songwriter, former lead of the band Talking Heads, also the hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons. He is to name another one. Some 59 artists have formed a protest group. It's called Musicians United to Win Without War They join us now here in our studios.
Good morning to both of you. Thanks for taking the time.

What do you want to accomplish with this?

DAVID BYRNE, MUSICIAN: We would like that there shouldn't be a rush to war. It feels like we're rushing into something, that give it more time. The inspections are working. The missiles are being dismantled, and that's great.

HEMMER: So your message is time? You're not necessarily saying no war?

RUSSELL SIMMONS: Let me say also you have to accept yes for an answer. The fact is we can use power over force here. We've already started a process. The world is focused on Iraq. If disarmament is our real mission, then I believe we can certainly accomplish that. But if not, we can certainly contain them.

HEMMER: But at some point, do you support war?

SIMMONS: Let me just say $200 billion? The war on ignorance and poverty is a war that we have never really put resources to. And I believe, yes, we can contain the war and, yes, we should look to all kinds of other resources that we have, including especially our power and our allies to help us with this problem.

HEMMER: Tell me, why should people listen to your message?

BYRNE: That's the reason they should listen. We're just like anybody else, who has common sense, and we read the papers and watch TV and listen to what people say on the street. We talk to our friends. It's the only reason.

HEMMER: The reason I bring that up, though, is celebrities often attach themselves to a project and because of your high profile...

SIMMONS: I'm on your show.

HEMMER: That's why we have you here. SIMMONS: Our voices are more well liked and establish an importance across the world to young people than George Bush.

HEMMER: I want to pick up on that point a second. Rick Lyman, "The New York Times" wrote a piece this past weekend. In it, he says the question is, "With so many celebrities spouting off, does anyone care anymore?" Your thoughts on whether or not the public listens.

SIMMONS: Absolutely. I just said Jay Z. I said he's probably more well liked and respected across the world by young across the world than Colin Powell. It's very important, these people, who speak for the masses, their voices are heard. So people who think like they think, who are compassionate, and want to operate out of love versus fear and anger, there are other people that speak their language and who represent them.

HEMMER: David, pick up on this point. Rick also writes, no one seems to have done any empirical studies on whether attaching a celebrity to an idea makes that idea more attractive to people. Do you think it does with your status and standing?

BYRNE: Well, I think a lot of people who will listen to an artist because they believe that artists, they speak from their heart. That's what their job is. That's what they do in their career, in their life's work, and presumably, that's what they do when they speak out about something. They don't have ulterior motives. They're not trying to get something over. They're speaking from their heart, and they don't have some hidden agenda.

HEMMER: Russell, you mentioned hip-hop. The influence of Puff Daddy, J.D., and there are others who have climbed on board as well. They're speaking to a much younger demographic.

SIMMONS: Remember when they said, hell no, we won't go? The fact is, the war was over. The young people, their input, they don't have to be involved every day in the process. They have hearts and they have common sense. And so do most Americans have common sense, and when they hear things that make common sense, then they respond.

HEMMER: Do you believe, Russell, your position may have a negative impact on the men and women right now serving overseas, on the ground, in the desert in Kuwait when they hear voices of opposition?

SIMMONS: Well, I believe it's very important now because our before our men go to war and before maybe hundreds of thousands people die, before we spend $200 billion, we should voice our opposition to the idea of going to war.

HEMMER: Thank you, men. David Byrne, Russell Simmons, good luck to you, all right? Appreciate the give and take.

BYRNE: Thank you.

SIMMONS: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired March 3, 2003 - 08:34   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Some of the biggest names in music now on record opposing military action in Iraq. Among those leading the opposition, David Byrne, guitarist and songwriter, former lead of the band Talking Heads, also the hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons. He is to name another one. Some 59 artists have formed a protest group. It's called Musicians United to Win Without War They join us now here in our studios.
Good morning to both of you. Thanks for taking the time.

What do you want to accomplish with this?

DAVID BYRNE, MUSICIAN: We would like that there shouldn't be a rush to war. It feels like we're rushing into something, that give it more time. The inspections are working. The missiles are being dismantled, and that's great.

HEMMER: So your message is time? You're not necessarily saying no war?

RUSSELL SIMMONS: Let me say also you have to accept yes for an answer. The fact is we can use power over force here. We've already started a process. The world is focused on Iraq. If disarmament is our real mission, then I believe we can certainly accomplish that. But if not, we can certainly contain them.

HEMMER: But at some point, do you support war?

SIMMONS: Let me just say $200 billion? The war on ignorance and poverty is a war that we have never really put resources to. And I believe, yes, we can contain the war and, yes, we should look to all kinds of other resources that we have, including especially our power and our allies to help us with this problem.

HEMMER: Tell me, why should people listen to your message?

BYRNE: That's the reason they should listen. We're just like anybody else, who has common sense, and we read the papers and watch TV and listen to what people say on the street. We talk to our friends. It's the only reason.

HEMMER: The reason I bring that up, though, is celebrities often attach themselves to a project and because of your high profile...

SIMMONS: I'm on your show.

HEMMER: That's why we have you here. SIMMONS: Our voices are more well liked and establish an importance across the world to young people than George Bush.

HEMMER: I want to pick up on that point a second. Rick Lyman, "The New York Times" wrote a piece this past weekend. In it, he says the question is, "With so many celebrities spouting off, does anyone care anymore?" Your thoughts on whether or not the public listens.

SIMMONS: Absolutely. I just said Jay Z. I said he's probably more well liked and respected across the world by young across the world than Colin Powell. It's very important, these people, who speak for the masses, their voices are heard. So people who think like they think, who are compassionate, and want to operate out of love versus fear and anger, there are other people that speak their language and who represent them.

HEMMER: David, pick up on this point. Rick also writes, no one seems to have done any empirical studies on whether attaching a celebrity to an idea makes that idea more attractive to people. Do you think it does with your status and standing?

BYRNE: Well, I think a lot of people who will listen to an artist because they believe that artists, they speak from their heart. That's what their job is. That's what they do in their career, in their life's work, and presumably, that's what they do when they speak out about something. They don't have ulterior motives. They're not trying to get something over. They're speaking from their heart, and they don't have some hidden agenda.

HEMMER: Russell, you mentioned hip-hop. The influence of Puff Daddy, J.D., and there are others who have climbed on board as well. They're speaking to a much younger demographic.

SIMMONS: Remember when they said, hell no, we won't go? The fact is, the war was over. The young people, their input, they don't have to be involved every day in the process. They have hearts and they have common sense. And so do most Americans have common sense, and when they hear things that make common sense, then they respond.

HEMMER: Do you believe, Russell, your position may have a negative impact on the men and women right now serving overseas, on the ground, in the desert in Kuwait when they hear voices of opposition?

SIMMONS: Well, I believe it's very important now because our before our men go to war and before maybe hundreds of thousands people die, before we spend $200 billion, we should voice our opposition to the idea of going to war.

HEMMER: Thank you, men. David Byrne, Russell Simmons, good luck to you, all right? Appreciate the give and take.

BYRNE: Thank you.

SIMMONS: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com