Editing Linda Ronstadt (section)

=== Political activism ===
Ronstadt's politics received criticism and praise during and after her July 17, 2004, performance at the [[Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts]] in [[Las Vegas Strip|Las Vegas]]. Toward the end of the show, as she had done across the country, Ronstadt spoke to the audience, praising ''[[Fahrenheit 9/11]]'', [[Michael Moore]]'s documentary film about the [[Iraq War]]; she dedicated the song "[[Desperado (Eagles song)|Desperado]]" to Moore.<ref name="aladdin2">{{Cite web |last=Rothschild |first=Matthew |date=July 21, 2004 |title=The Progressive |url=http://www.progressive.org/mag_mclindar |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927183846/http://www.progressive.org/mag_mclindar |archive-date=September 27, 2007 |access-date=May 12, 2007 |website=Linda Ronstadt Gets the Hook at Aladdin}}</ref> Accounts say the crowd's initial reaction was mixed, with "half the crowd heartily applauding her praise for Moore, (and) the other half booing."<ref name=aladdin2 />

Following the concert, news accounts reported Ronstadt was "evicted" from the hotel premises.<ref name="aladdin">{{Cite web |last=Weatherford |first=Mike |date=July 20, 2004 |title=Aladdin officials defend eviction of singer after political comments |url=http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2004/Jul-20-Tue-2004/news/24348468.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120923021840/http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2004/Jul-20-Tue-2004/news/24348468.html |archive-date=September 23, 2012 |access-date=December 13, 2012 |website=Las Vegas Review-Journal}}</ref> Ronstadt's comments, as well as the reactions of some audience members and the hotel, became a topic of discussion nationwide. Aladdin casino president Bill Timmins and Michael Moore each made public statements about the controversy.<ref name="aladdin1">{{Cite web |title=Open Letter to Bill Timmins, President Aladdin Casino and Hotels |url=http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/message/index.php?messageDate=2004-07-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060319134057/http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/message/index.php?messageDate=2004-07-19 |archive-date=March 19, 2006 |access-date=June 24, 2007 |publisher=Michael Moore}}</ref>

The incident prompted international headlines and debate on an entertainer's right to express a political opinion from the stage and made the editorial section of ''[[The New York Times]]''.<ref name="Desperadoes">{{Cite news |date=July 21, 2004 |title=Desperadoes |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/21/opinion/21wed4.html |url-status=live |access-date=May 12, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130518093816/http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/21/opinion/21wed4.html |archive-date=May 18, 2013}}</ref> Following the incident, many friends of Ronstadt's, including the Eagles, immediately cancelled their engagements at the Aladdin.<ref name=kqed /> Ronstadt also received telegrams of support from her rock 'n' roll friends around the world like [[the Rolling Stones]], the Eagles and [[Elton John]]. Amid reports of mixed public response, Ronstadt continued her praise of Moore and his film throughout her 2004 and 2006 summer concerts across North America.

At a 2006 concert in Canada, Ronstadt told the ''[[Calgary Sun]]'' that she was "embarrassed [[George W. Bush|George Bush]] (was) from the United States.&nbsp;... He's an idiot. ... He's enormously incompetent on both the domestic and international scenes.&nbsp;... Now the fact that we were lied to about the reasons for entering into war against Iraq and thousands of people have died{{nsmdns}}it's just as immoral as racism." Her remarks drew international headlines. In an August 14, 2007, interview, she commented on all her well-publicized, outspoken views, in particular the Aladdin incident, by noting, "If I had it to do over I would be much more gracious to everyone ... you can be as outspoken as you want if you are very, very respectful. Show some grace".<ref name="Blogcritics">{{Cite magazine |last=Dunham |first=Nancy |date=August 14, 2007 |title=Interview: Linda Ronstadt |url=http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/08/14/085901.php |magazine=Blogcritics |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081014155540/http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/08/14/085901.php |archive-date=October 14, 2008 |access-date=November 25, 2012}}</ref>

In 2007, Ronstadt resided in San Francisco while also maintaining her home in [[Tucson]].<ref name="sfchronicle">{{Cite news |last=Selvin |first=Joel |date=July 28, 2006 |title=Linda Ronstadt, at 60, is back in San Francisco, raising kids and singing what she wants to sing |work=[[San Francisco Chronicle]] |url=http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/07/28/DDG2PK61T81.DTL |url-status=live |access-date=November 25, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120620095218/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fc%2Fa%2F2006%2F07%2F28%2FDDG2PK61T81.DTL |archive-date=June 20, 2012}}</ref> That same year, she drew criticism and praise<ref name="azstar1">{{Cite news |date=June 7, 2007 |title=Linda Ronstadt draws readers' ire |url=http://azstarnet.com/news/opinion/mailbag/linda-ronstadt-draws-readers-ire/article_1a69bb9c-6b72-5912-9118-8747115bb201.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130117121839/http://azstarnet.com/news/opinion/mailbag/linda-ronstadt-draws-readers-ire/article_1a69bb9c-6b72-5912-9118-8747115bb201.html |archive-date=January 17, 2013 |access-date=January 12, 2025 |newspaper=[[Arizona Daily Star]]}}</ref> from Tucsonans for commenting that local city council's failings, developers' [[strip mall]] mentality, greed and growing dust problem had rendered the city unrecognizable and poorly developed.<ref name="azstar">{{Cite news |last=Burch |first=Cathalena E. |date=June 2, 2007 |title=Ronstadt: Dust drove me away |url=http://azstarnet.com/news/local/ronstadt-dust-drove-me-away/article_9b6bc861-375f-5986-8738-a479dbb3669e.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130117225922/http://azstarnet.com/news/local/ronstadt-dust-drove-me-away/article_9b6bc861-375f-5986-8738-a479dbb3669e.html |archive-date=January 17, 2013 |access-date=January 12, 2025 |newspaper=[[Arizona Daily Star]]}}</ref>

In August 2009, Ronstadt, in a well-publicized interview to [[Planet Out|PlanetOut Inc.]] titled "Linda Ronstadt's Gay Mission", championed gay rights and same-sex marriage, and stated "homophobia is anti-family values. Period, end of story."<ref name="PlanetOut09">{{Cite web |last=Stewart |first=Jenny |date=August 26, 2009 |title=Linda Ronstadt's Gay Mission |url=http://www.gay.net/entertainment/2009/08/legend-linda-ronstadt-gay-lesbian-mission.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120329150038/http://www.gay.net/entertainment/2009/08/legend-linda-ronstadt-gay-lesbian-mission.html |archive-date=March 29, 2012 |access-date=April 30, 2010 |publisher=[[Planet Out]] |url-status=dead}}</ref>

On January 16, 2010, Ronstadt converged with thousands of other activists in a "National Day of Action". Ronstadt stated that her "dog in the fight"{{snds}}as a native Arizonan and coming from a law enforcement family{{snds}}was the treatment of illegal aliens and Arizona's enforcement of its illegal immigrant law, especially Maricopa County Sheriff [[Joe Arpaio]]'s efforts in that area.<ref name="NDAProtest">{{Cite web |last=Lemons |first=Stephen |date=December 29, 2009 |title=Linda Ronstadt Calls Joe Arpaio 'a Sadistic Man', Will Participate in Anti-Arpaio Human Rights March Saturday, January 16 |url=http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/bastard/2009/12/linda_ronstadt_call_joe_arpaio.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100206013449/http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/bastard/2009/12/linda_ronstadt_call_joe_arpaio.php |archive-date=February 6, 2010 |access-date=March 21, 2010 |website=[[Phoenix New Times]]}}</ref>

On April 29, 2010, Ronstadt began a campaign, including joining a lawsuit,<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Cooper |first1=Jonathan J. |last2=Davenport |first2=Paul |date=April 30, 2010 |title=Linda Ronstadt joins group filing suit against Arizona law |work=[[The Christian Science Monitor]] |agency=[[Associated Press]] |url=http://www.csmonitor.com/From-the-news-wires/2010/0430/Linda-Ronstadt-joins-group-filing-suit-against-Arizona-law |url-status=live |access-date=November 25, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022061523/http://www.csmonitor.com/From-the-news-wires/2010/0430/Linda-Ronstadt-joins-group-filing-suit-against-Arizona-law |archive-date=October 22, 2012}}</ref> against Arizona's new illegal-immigration law [[SB 1070]] calling it a "devastating blow to law enforcement&nbsp;... the police don't protect us in a democracy with brute force", something she said she learned from her brother, Peter, who was Chief of Police in Tucson.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Fischer |first=Howard |date=April 29, 2010 |title=2 lawsuits challenge Arizona's immigration law |work=[[Arizona Daily Star]] |agency=Capitol Media Services |url=http://azstarnet.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_5f4f524e-53e0-11df-b705-001cc4c03286.html |url-status=live |access-date=April 30, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100503135518/http://azstarnet.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_5f4f524e-53e0-11df-b705-001cc4c03286.html |archive-date=May 3, 2010}}</ref>

Ronstadt has also been outspoken on environmental and community issues. She is a major supporter and admirer of sustainable agriculture pioneer [[Wes Jackson]], saying in 2000, "the work he's doing right now is the most important work there is in the (United States)",<ref name=Engaged /> and dedicating the rock anthem "Desperado" to him at an August 2007 concert in [[Kansas City, Kansas]].<ref name="SalinaJ">{{Cite web |last=Strand, Michael |date=October 1, 2007 |title=Ex-Interior Department secretary says The Land Institute on right track |url=http://www.saljournal.com/rdnews/story/Prairie100107 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081224214156/http://www.saljournal.com/rdnews/story/Prairie100107 |archive-date=December 24, 2008 |access-date=November 25, 2012 |website=[[Salina Journal]]}}</ref>

Ronstadt endorsed [[Kamala Harris]] for the 2024 US Presidential election.<ref>{{cite magazine | url=https://www.billboard.com/lists/musicians-endorsing-kamala-harris-president-2024/james-taylor-2/ | title=All the Musicians Supporting Kamala Harris in the 2024 Presidential Election | magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] }}</ref>