Travis Tritt Says Concert Vaccine Mandates Are Not About Science, They’re About Shame & Division

Travis Tritt means business.

He recently announced that he would be canceling all shows that have a COVID mandate for entrance, including mandatory masks, proof of vaccination, or a negative COVID test.

He made an appearance on FOX News with Tucker Carlson to discuss why he decided to cancel shows, lose money, and stand up for his fans who were blindsided by last minute policy changes.

He noted that these concerts have proven to not be hotbeds for the spread of COVID, none of the mandates put in place were instituted by the State or local government, and that fans were not offered refunds on the shows they were forced to miss.

“It came as quite a shock to me and a lot of my fans, when after the first week of October, a lot of these shows had restrictions placed on them, not by the state, not by the local city government, not by the local health department and municipalities, but by the actual promotors/venue owners, and there was nothing that justified it.

I started getting a ton of messages from fans, who were basically not warned about these mandates or restrictions ahead of time, showed up at the gate and were turned away, and were not even offered refunds. They were offered credits to an upcoming show that had to be used within the next 12 months.

It was just heartbreaking to me. People have been getting shut out from getting to see concerts for over a year, and they’re finally getting a chance to do that again and now they’re being turned away for some unexplained reason.”

For Tritt, these mandates aren’t about safety… they’re about shame and division

“This is not about following the science or trying to look out for the safety of the people there, this is about something else.

This is trying to divide people, this is trying to shame people, this is basically trying to discriminate against people that they don’t feel are clean enough to be a part of enjoying a concert like that.”

He went on to explain that he grew up with nothing and was incredibly fortunate to have the long-term success that he has had. But more than that, he understands his fans because before he was playing music, he was just like them.

“These are hardworking Americans that just want to take care of their families, put food on the table, put a roof over their head and occasionally go out and experience a concert, enjoy themselves, forget about their troubles for a little while.

And to be able to enjoy all of those different things… I just felt like I had to stand up for freedom. Freedom for all of those people to be able to go out and enjoy a concert without being harassed.”

And he added that he was more than willing to lose money to do so.

As a result, Tritt has cancelled four of his upcoming shows at Emens Auditorium on the campus of Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, the Pearl River Resort in Philadelphia, Mississippi, the Peoria Civic Center in Peoria, Illinois and Louisville Palace in Louisville, Kentucky.

Here’s his full statement on the decision:

“I’m putting my money where my mouth is and announcing that any venue or promoter mandating masks, requiring vaccinations, or pushing COVID testing protocols on my fans will not be tolerated.

Any show I have booked that discriminates against concert-goers by requiring proof of vaccination, a COVID test, or a mask is being canceled immediately. Many people are taking a firm stand against these mandates around the country, and I wholeheartedly support that cause.

I have been extremely vocal against mandates since the beginning. This is a sacrifice that I’m willing to make to stand up for the freedoms that generations of Americans have enjoyed for their entire lifetimes.

There are plenty of promoters and venues around the country that appreciate fans and the freedom of choice in this great country, and those are the promoters and venues that I will be supporting.

I’m sorry for any inconvenience this situation creates for anyone who had purchased tickets to these shows. We will try to reschedule unrestricted shows in these areas as soon as we can.”

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