Findings
| When | Description | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Patti Smith has a longstanding record of publicly supporting civil rights and human rights and opposing war and political repression. She protested the Vietnam War and later campaigned against the Iraq War, which she described as an act of aggression and morally wrong. She has also addressed Guantánamo and Palestinian rights through her work, and has supported climate activism. | Source | |
| Smith has identified environmental degradation as a major concern and has participated in environmental/climate activism. In 2018 she performed at a Pathway to Paris benefit, and she performed at the opening of COP26 in 2021. She has also described environmental protection as an issue affecting future generations. | Source | |
| 1978 | Smith co-wrote and repeatedly performed the 1978 song “Rock N Roll Nigger,” which uses the N-word throughout and applies it to figures including Jimi Hendrix, Jesus Christ and Jackson Pollock. Smith's stated artistic concept was to redefine the word as an honorific for outsiders and people outside conventional society. | Source |
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