Country Music Association bans Confederate flag imagery ahead of 2022 fest

[Tanuki]

https://www.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/music/2022/06/01/cma-fest-2022-bans-confederate-flag-imagery/7468644001/

"This year, CMA Fest joins a growing list of major country music events to ban attendees from displaying Confederate imagery. 

The four-day Nashville festival – considered one of the largest country music gatherings in the world – lists “Confederate flag imagery of any kind” under prohibited items for the 2022 event, according to cmafest.com.  

"This year’s CMA Fest is our first major fan-facing event in nearly three years. We have always had policies in place that protect the safety of our fans and ban discrimination, but we felt it was important to further refine our language to explicitly outline what will and will not be tolerated," said a statement from the Country Music Association provided Wednesday to the Tennessean. 
.. .

The statement continued, "In line with our first CMA Fest lineup announcement in early April, our event policy was published on our website, which states any behavior that causes one of our attendees to fear for their personal safety will not be tolerated, and that is inclusive of any displays of the Confederate flag." 
....
The decision comes as many artists, advocates and industry leaders continue to push for racial equality in country music. Once used as a contentious symbol of the format’s Southern roots, some hitmakers and gatekeepers now reckon with the racist history represented in Confederate imagery. "...(more)

[Dorian Gray]

1. That there

is a need to ban it is really depressing.

(Meaning people will likely show up with it.)

[hatrack]

2. Gee, and it only took 157 years . . .

[Paladin]

3. Country-Western music, being dragged into the 21st century.

Way overdue, as usual.

[peacebuzzard]

6. its no longer the redneck honky-tonk.

CW is more like a slicked up Hollywood style genre; more $$, highly marketable & attracts the international appeal.

[stopdiggin]

4. credit where due ...

given the recalcitrance of a large portion of our population (and one major political party) - the 'blowback' in FL and DisneyWorld, etc, etc. - is it really so hard to envision the CMA not taking any affirmative action?

so - credit where due. some people are trying - and we should recognize that.

[intheflow]

5. Agreed.

Kudos to them for waking up and taking action.