Èlite Socialistas

So, apparently, 2,173 online music fans “banned” together to sign an online petition on Change.org asking actor-musician Jared Leto and his band 30 Seconds to Mars — as well as other famous bands — to back out of the Gudang Garam(Indonesia’s largest tobacco company) Indonesia’s Java Rockin’ Land festival on July 22 – 24.

Leto’s rock band, 30 Seconds to Mars, was nominated in June for a Teen Choice Award. Leto, a celebrity who catapulted to fame in the ‘90s on the TV show “My So-Called Life” and has a large resume of TV and film credits, has stated in press interviews that he and his band members are vegan and promote a healthy lifestyle.

Mother Jones magazine reports that 30 Seconds To Mars, as well as Neon Trees, Good Charlotte and The Cranberries, have ignored a campaign by Marita Hefler, a PhD candidate in Public Health at the University of Sydney asking them to cancel their appearance at the concert. Hefler started her petition on Change.org, the world’s fastest-growing platform for social change demanding that the bands pull out of the festival, which features scantily-clad models distributing cigarettes for free to concert-goers.

“We thought the social activism of many of the bands … meant they would be horrified to learn they were part of a tobacco promotion, and would immediately take steps to remove the association…obviously we were wrong,” said Hefler.

Maroon 5, Alicia Keys, Kelly Clarkson and many other bands have declined offers to play music events sponsored by tobacco companies in the past.

“Change.org is happy to be the platform to support the important work of Marita Hefler and other anti-tobacco advocates,” said Carol Scott, Change.org editor. “This campaign is of international importance.”

Current signature totals from Hefler’s Change.org campaign:
http://www.change.org/petitions/tell-utahs-neon-trees-other-bands-drop-tobacco-sponsorship-in-indonesia