Findings
| When | Description | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Linda Ronstadt performed at the Sun City resort in South Africa, reportedly for a fee of $500,000, while the country was governed by its apartheid system of racial segregation. The United Nations-supported cultural boycott aimed to deny the apartheid regime international cultural legitimacy. Ronstadt defended her decision, arguing that the arts should not be subject to boycotts and saying she had not understood the boycott before arriving. Her performance nevertheless drew criticism from anti-apartheid activists, and her later appearance on Paul Simon’s Graceland album also attracted criticism because it was recorded partly in South Africa during the boycott. | Source |
| Ronstadt performed a benefit concert for the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, which combines wildlife conservation, botanical research and public education about the Sonoran Desert. Her participation supported a specific conservation and educational institution. | Source | |
| 2009 | Ronstadt publicly advocated for gay rights and same-sex marriage, describing homophobia as incompatible with family values. | Source |
| 2010 | Ronstadt joined a lawsuit challenging Arizona’s SB 1070 immigration law, arguing that it encouraged discriminatory policing and threatened civil rights. She also publicly opposed Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s immigration enforcement practices. | Source |
| 2004 | Ronstadt dedicated “Desperado” to filmmaker Michael Moore at a Las Vegas concert, praised his film Fahrenheit 9/11, and encouraged the audience to see it. The Aladdin hotel-casino’s president then had her removed from the property, saying she had been hired to entertain rather than express political views. | Source |
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