Hypocrisy & Country Music

[WolfStar999]

COUNTRY STARS URGE FANS TO VOTE

Some of the biggest country music stars in the US have launched a campaign to urge Americans to vote in November's presidential elections.
Ricky Skaggs, Randy Travis and Billy Dean are behind Your Country Your Vote, which says fans should vote, no matter which party they support.

"It's time to speak for America and not just one party," said Skaggs, who got five Grammy nominations this year.

"To me, this is the most important election in our nation's history."

Although Skaggs has not hidden his personal support for President Bush, he said: "It doesn't matter whether you're a Republican, a Democrat or an independent - your opinion counts."

The musicians, who all worked on the recent America Will Always Stand album, will make public service announcements on television and at concerts.


We're certainly not going to let Hollywood choose who we vote for
Ricky Skaggs

Darryl Worley, Josh Turner and Marty Raybon are also involved.
They say they came up with the idea on 4 July and have set up a website to help fans register to vote.

Skaggs said artists like Bruce Springsteen and the Dixie Chicks would have little effect in their attempts to oust Bush.

"The American people, they're not going to let Bruce Springsteen or anybody else - or Ricky Skaggs or Marty Raybon or Billy Dean choose who they vote for," he said.

"And we're certainly not going to let Hollywood choose who we vote for because I don't think they really have a pulse on America.

"I think the heartland of America is Nashville, Tennessee, or Kansas City or St Louis or Denver, Colorado - that's the heartland of America."

Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/entertainment/3575492.stm

Published: 2004/08/18 08:11:06 GMT

If Bruce Springsteen and the Dixie Chicks are so bad for expressing their dislike for the administration, what gives Skaggs and his buddies the right to come out in support of Bush? (This kinda shit confuses me to no end) What makes Skaggs so sure that Denver, St. Louis, and Nashville have their fingers on the pulse of America as opposed to Los Angeles? Maybe they do for white-bred, subdivision dwelling America, but not the neck of the woods that I live in...and btw, I fully recognize Los Angeles as quite a funky lil' burgh that has more than its share of cheaters and fakes...Just like Nashville.

[FORD]

It's funny that the rightwingers claim that Springsteen (who recently sold out a stadium for 10 nights in a row) is doing his tour as a "career move" and now here comes Ricky Skaggs who hasn't had a hit in well over a decade because (and here's the irony) his style of country music doesn't fit the corporate country format dictated by the Bush state media conglomerate Clear Channel.

[WolfStar999]

Referring to a point I made in another thread, Springsteen has always done things like to stand up for the underdogs in this country. Need I remind folks of songs like "Johnny 99", "Born in the USA", or "American Skin"? That's one of the reasons I respect him. He sticks to his guns, no matter what kind of heat he may take, and that's why he is, has been, and always will be the fuckin Boss! :D

[BigBadBrian]

Another stupid thread.

[FORD]

Originally posted by BigBadBrian
Another stupid thread.

This, coming from the king of neocon ???

[Rikk]

Fascinating. And what a fucking racist that loser Skaggs is. He's basically saying who should represent America and who shouldn't. Pity I hate his music or I could boycott him.

I love these moronic arguments that Bruce Springsteen is a has-been. I guess selling out a series of stadiums is "has-been behavior"? And R.E.M....they never sold any records or anything. They're only one of the biggest bands in the world, with only their last album not selling all too well. But they still toured like crazy on it and did very well.

Skaggs can go fuck himself. Stupid redneck asshole!

[WolfStar999]

And don't get me started on Randy Travis- I used to like one of his songs when I was a kid ("Oscar the Angel") but then he became the puppet of the Pat Robertson & John Hagee Contingent- and those guys are to Christianity what Osama Bin Laden is to Muslims.

And Brian, as stupid as my thread may seem to you, at least I'm fuckin trying to encourage debate and an exchange of ideas. I don't see you making any kind of effort. If you got something worthwhile to get out, then by all means proceed. If not, shut yer damn piehole and piss off, ya little bitch!

[Big Train]

I will give liberals a point here: It is a career move, no matter who you endorse. Country fans are primarily conservatives, so they are using that to their advantage, while being careful to say that they don't represent any one party, "Vote for who you want". There are liberal country fans and although they don't know any personally, a sale is a sale.

It is a trendy thing to do right now to have a strong political opinion, which entertainers generally avoid like the plague.

The bottom line is who cares what either Ricky Skaggs or Bruce Springsteen have to say? Make up your own mind.

[JCOOK]

I said it about Springsteen and the same applys to these hillbillys I dont'go to concerts to hear about your politics SHUT THE FUCK UP AND PLAY!

[WolfStar999]

[i]...It is a trendy thing to do right now to have a strong political opinion, which entertainers generally avoid like the plague. [/B]

Didn't I already state that The Boss has been doing shit like this since he got started?! Like I said earlier, that one of the reasons I respect him. He sticks to his guns. And if having strong political convictions and keeping up on current events & world affairs is trendy, then I hope the trend spreads and digs in deep like a fuckin' case of head lice in a pre-school classroom!!

[Sgt Schultz]

Ricky Skaggs, Randy Travis, Billy Dean et al suck dead donkey dicks. You can also throw in the Dixie Chicks.

Do me a favor Richard, just shut the fuck up and play your cliche'd brain dead music for your inbred fans and stay out of politics.

[nondairycreamer]

Posted by WolfStar999
"If Bruce Springsteen and the Dixie Chicks are so bad for expressing their dislike for the administration, what gives Skaggs and his buddies the right to come out in support of Bush? (This kinda shit confuses me to no end) What makes Skaggs so sure that Denver, St. Louis, and Nashville have their fingers on the pulse of America as opposed to Los Angeles? Maybe they do for white-bred, subdivision dwelling America, but not the neck of the woods that I live in...and btw, I fully recognize Los Angeles as quite a funky lil' burgh that has more than its share of cheaters and fakes...Just like Nashville."

That you are confused is not surprising! Now, we all know that Springsteen, DMB, The Dixie Chicks and others hate George Bush. That is not in question. We also know that country artists (if you can call them that) are more conservative, in general.

The thing that seperates them, by only a fraction (I'll give you that), is that Skaggs at least said, "It doesn't matter whether you're a Republican, a Democrat or an independent - your opinion counts." He's definately in support of Bush (or not Kerry) and he did make the disclaimer regarding political affiliation, "Your Vote Counts." That is something that the other artists don't do. He's not trying to railroad Bush BACK into office like the others are trying to railroad him OUT of office. He's saying make up your own mind.

He even said 'Bruce Springsteen nor himself, or the other country artists are going to be able to tell the American people who to vote for.' So, at least he's taken a step back and indicated how important it is to vote regardless of who he personally would vote for. Whether that actually generates any votes at all, who's to know?

Maybe that will help with the confusion. . . But my questions for you are, what/who you consider white-bred sub-urban dwelling America? If it's bad to be that (your post suggests that it is by the very nature of your comment)? And, what they should do to through that yoke off if they are?

Also, Nashville like Hollywood with the fakes & cheaters? I agree with you on that. It's the nature of the people there because of the products that come from there. But really, Los Angeles the pulse of America? Like St. Louis, KC, or Denver?

xdairycreamer

[BigBadBrian]

Originally posted by FORD
This, coming from the king of neocon ???

I'm an Independent...my views are not for sale...and I really don't know what the hell a "neocon" is.

[FORD]

Originally posted by BigBadBrian
I'm an Independent...my views are not for sale...and I really don't know what the hell a "neocon" is.

I was referring to the fact that you the board with every PNAC columnist you can find, all of whom spout the neocon party line word for word. If you don't support their agenda, then what are you, a paid advertiser??

[Keeyth]

Originally posted by WolfStar999
And don't get me started on Randy Travis- I used to like one of his songs when I was a kid ("Oscar the Angel") but then he became the puppet of the Pat Robertson & John Hagee Contingent- and those guys are to Christianity what Osama Bin Laden is to Muslims.

Another funny thing about Randy Travis: I saw a 'Behind the music' type of show on some station about him that stated that, before his career began, he was actually convicted of a felony and was on his way to prison when he won a talent show, and the record company somehow got him out of his prison sentence. Nonetheless, he IS a convicted felon, and shouldn't be allowed the right to vote anymore, right? I mean, that right would be taken from any of us if we were convicted of a felony, and yet here he is, on a campaign to promote voting... ...I love the irony!:D