Tom Petty on Past Confederate Flag Use: 'It Was Downright Stupid'

[sufrommich]

The Confederate flag was the wallpaper of the South when I was a kid growing up in Gainesville, Florida. I always knew it had to do with the Civil War, but the South had adopted it as its logo. I was pretty ignorant of what it actually meant. It was on a flagpole in front of the courthouse and I often saw it in Western movies. I just honestly didn't give it much thought, though I should have.

In 1985, I released an album called Southern Accents. It began as a concept record about the South, but the concept part slipped away probably 70 percent or so into the album. I just let it go, but the Confederate flag became part of the marketing for the tour. I wish I had given it more thought. It was a downright stupid thing to do....



I used it onstage during that song, and I regretted it pretty quickly. When we toured two years later, I noticed people in the audience wearing Confederate flag bandanas and things like that. One night, someone threw one onstage. I stopped everything and gave a speech about it. I said, "Look, this was to illustrate a character. This is not who we are. Having gone through this, I would prefer it if no one would ever bring a Confederate flag to our shows again because this isn't who we are."

It got a mixed reaction. There were some boos and some cheers. But honestly, it's a little amazing to me because I never saw one again after that speech in that one town. Fortunately, that went away, but it left me feeling stupid. That's the word I can use. I felt stupid. If I had just been a little more observant about things going on around me, it wouldn't have happened. We did do a live record [Pack Up The Plantation: Live!] and there was a picture inside of us playing in front of one. I went back and had it removed from the record. It took a little time to get done, but it did get done. I still feel bad about it. I've just always regretted it. I would never do anything to hurt someone.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/tom-petty-on-past-confederate-flag-use-it-was-downright-stupid-20150714




Tom Petty is a true southerner,unlike asshole Kid Rock (who,unfortunately comes from my neck of the woods),Petty understands the hurt that flag has caused in modern times.

[spanone]

1. k&r...

[gollygee]

2. Kid Rock knows what it means

At least generally. I'm from Michigan and people who fly it here use it to mean, "I don't like black people." Kid Rock knows that, and I imagine that's why he uses the image.

[sufrommich]

4. I'm from Michigan too. And,yeah,that's

exactly what it means up here.

[malaise]

3. K & R

Some know truth - others perpetuate lies for self interest

[cwydro]

5. Most southerners get it.

Despite what some think here on DU.

[sufrommich]

8. I believe that's true. nt

[cwydro]

11. Thank you for that.

It gets a little annoying here some days.

[sufrommich]

15. Yeah, the south bashing gets a little ridiculous

around here.

[Eleanors38]

26. Sometimes I think there is more sentiment to re-fight the Civil War on DU than anywhere else.

[cwydro]

29. I hear about that war here more than I have ever heard about it during my

life in the south.

It's always the same posters. Funny because they remind me of my rooster Henry.

Full of hot air, but terribly stupid:

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[corkhead]

6. Well, Tom Petty has talent and class while Bobby Ritchie is a no-talent, greasy-haired dumbass

whenever I hear "Werewolves of Sweet Home Alabama" I want to puke.

[sufrommich]

7. That song embarrasses me as a Michigander.

Everybody I know thinks it puke worthy.

[DinahMoeHum]

12. Yeah, so unoriginal. What a squirrel.

[historylovr]

28. Oh my God, that's a perfect description of that crap "song."

[samsingh]

9. kick - yay TOM

[appal_jack]

10. Tom Petty is a true gentleman, & hopefully will inspire many (white) southerners to reconsider.

Last edited Wed Jul 15, 2015, 11:30 AM - Edit history (1)

This is exactly the message that (white) southerners need to hear. The Stars & Bars really were an icon of the (white) south for much of the 1970's and 1980's. I loved the Dukes of Hazzard as an eight year old boy, and had no idea back then who "General Lee" was, nor the meaning of the flag painted on the roof of a cool car that bore his name. The Dukes were just "good ol' boys... makin' their way the only way they knew how." To me as a kid, their ways involving moonshine, pretty women, fast cars, and a gentle sort of lawbreaking rebelliousness where no one ever got really hurt and the good guys always prevailed some how were great. Of course, now I can bring feminist, historical, and anti-racist perspectives to the old show in a way that I could not as a kid (and thus I find more and different meanings), but even through all that I do still appreciate the message of rebelliousness with honor and kindness that the Bo & Luke Duke embodied. The show is a part of my past, and I choose to recall its good parts, while also not choosing to watch it or otherwise celebrate it much in the present...

But where I live now, there are some (white) neighbors of mine who still choose to fly or otherwise embrace the Stars & Bars. While I try to challenge them to reconsider its meaning and examine the larger message that the flag inevitably sends, I also can understand where they are coming from. My part of NC has been plagued by poverty and inequality. The Depression started here in the 1920's and didn't really end until the 1950's. I know (white) people whose houses lacked electricity and/or even septic systems in their living memory. Plus, from the 1990's on, NAFTA and other manifestations of globalization and corporate power have further ravaged the fabric of this locale. The textile mills are gone. The furniture factories are gone. Unions were decimated in the early 20th Century here and never regained a foothold. Plus, the southern Appalachian mountains are racially homogenous enough that black people are easily portrayed by racists here as a distant and ominous "other," who unfairly suck tax dollars or other resources away. It's a ridiculous portrayal, but it can gain traction in some of these rural circles.

It's not right for anyone to blame any of societal problems on black people, food stamps, or any other bogeyman of the right wing. Nor is it right for white southerners to celebrate an emblem of slavery and secession. But I can understand how it's easy for some (white) folks to do so, and even how a quite awesome guy like Tom Petty got sucked into it back in the early '80's. Those of us with more political experience and better historical educations need to engage those who are still at it now and point out the real villains (corporations and the whole speculative FIRE economy: Finance, Insurance, & Real Estate). What we must NOT do is dismiss these neighbors of mine as simpleton racists who are inevitably enemies of our causes for justice. They might be making idiotic choices when sharing stupid Kid Rock memes on Facebook, but it's frustration with their own blinkered economic situations and misplaced blame at the roots. And underneath that frustration and misplaced blame is the same hunger for justice that all of us (should) have. Misplaced blame plus a hunger for (personal) justice can be a breeding ground for hate and even fascism, and we have to fight against that.

So anyway, I'm really glad that Tom Petty is being awesome (as usual). He has more cred with my (white) southern neighbors than I ever will. La lucha continua. K&R,

-app

PS- All my parenthetical 'white' notations above are because of the racial homogeneity of my particular mountain locale, and because of course the black folks I know were never fooled by the 'heritage not hate' nonsense by which certain white southerners promulgated the Confederate Battle Flag.

[madokie]

22. Yup, Tom Petty is a true gentleman. n/t

[ProfessorGAC]

13. Attaboy, Tom!

Nice find. Thanks for linking.

[alcibiades_mystery]

14. CLASS ACT

[calimary]

18. VERY. It takes a very big person, a very classy person, to admit he or she was wrong.

Tom Petty obviously has a brain, and a heart, and a conscience. AND a grip on reality. But we've seen that before, too, in other ways. I admire him very much, especially for this. Good on him. And his music is KICK-ASS! Love his work in the Traveling Wilburys, too!

[CBGLuthier]

16. and bear in mind that Mr. Petty works under the hindrance of being a Florida Man

yet he is capable of rising above his handicapped roots.

[Eleanors38]

23. Quite a few of us see little hindrance, and we don't need anyone's approval.nt

[cwydro]

30. Wow, really?

"Handicapped?"

Your post is offensive on a number of levels.

[TwilightGardener]

17. Will always love Tom Petty, forever and ever, amen.

[abakan]

19. he won't back down

[Eleanors38]

24. His aunt is the Sheriff of Alachua County.

[TheKentuckian]

20. TP is a cool mofo

[whatchamacallit]

21. Love TP (and the Heartbreakers)! n/t

[PeaceNikki]

25. That is one of many reasons why I've seen him 11 times and would see him 100 more.

Great artist and class act. The anti-Nugent.

[Paladin]

27. K&R. (nt)