NO SAFE ZONES. I’m sorry, but the only way to fix this is to be an asshole, complain loudly, and make things even more unpleasant for the perpetrator than for you. Even a flatworm is smart enough to turn away from pain.

UPDATE: A reader emails:

I have been a contributor to the NY Phil for several years. But no more. I thought that the Philharmonic was about music and art. But Bramwell Tovey recently made some gratuitous political remarks from the stage, championing Barack Obama and, by obvious implication, demeaning George W. Bush.

Since my own politics lean in the opposite direction, and since the Philharmonic has chosen to make itself a political organization, I will no longer contribute. I don’t begrudge Mr. Tovey, or the members of the orchestra who applauded him, their political convictions. I do begrudge their choice to air their politics at a concert! I simply cannot understand why you allow behavior that is guaranteed to alienate many members of your audience.

No more. You may consider me a former contributor. I am thoroughly disgusted about this.

Like the Big Media, they don’t seem to mind losing audience in exchange for politics.