Ed Schultz is going OFF on country singers today

[proud2BlibKansan]

He wants to know why they aren't singing any songs praising Obama for killing Osama bin Laden. He says they wrote new songs and their stations played one patriotic song after another following 9/11 but they've been silent all week. He called out Toby Keith by name, asked when the Nashville folks will be scheduling the concert thanking the president.

I've listened to Ed for years and I don't remember him being this pissed off.

[cali]

1. what an idiot. who gives a shit.

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. Well obviously Ed does

[CatWoman]

3. um

Me?

[cali]

11. OK, but does anyone really think (or want) liberal country singer/songwriters

to pen that kind of bombastic crap?

[ThatPoetGuy]

16. I'm always in favor of calling out fake patriots for their hypocrisy. nt

[Chorophyll]

55. Yup, exactly. nt

[JVS]

22. I think there could be a market for it.

Based on the posts here over the last few days.

[blondeatlast]

27. Pointing out hypocrisy is the same as a desire for crappy tribute music?

Who knew? :shrug:

[Demoiselle]

20. I kinda like this particular brand of idiocy.

I can't remember when anybody ever challenged right wing "country" orthodoxy for its lack of patriotism before.
Rather refreshing. Let's hear what they manage as a defense.
I do like a lot of country music, though, and it's sure not all right wing bullshit.

[calimary]

23. Some of us do.

I'm glad he's calling Country music out on this. I'm glad he's making a stink about it. They, and the rest of us, need to be reminded of how one-sided and downright jingoistic most of Country music was, and called out on their distinct and VERY obvious double standard. And they need to know that their slanted shit back then was noticed and won't be forgotten anytime soon. They need to know that a lot of us have been keeping track. I remember what Country music, and its assorted radio stations and advocates, did to the Dixie Chicks, who - like the rest of us liberals who were muzzled, shouted down, called names, and accused of being treasonous and anti-American and unpatriotic - turned out to be 100% correct. Even if I LIKED Country music, which I DON'T, I wouldn't be buying the CDs of artists who'd been so pro-bush and pro-knuckle-dragger, ever again.

[Dawson Leery]

57. Recall that several country "artists" supported the Dixie Chicks boycott.

[calimary]

64. I can't think of any, offhand. But then again I don't follow Country music.

I know there were some issues with Toby Keith but I was focused mainly on the Dixie Chicks because of how abysmally they were being treated by THEIR community. Back then, what I DO remember a LOT (because it still stings to this day) was how people were afraid to stick their necks out and be vocally against the war and opposing bush (Ah'm a WAR Prezdnt!). The backlash against ANY of us, famous or not famous, was immediate and HORRID. The names we were called! I had my car keyed and one of my tires slashed because of my "bush KNEW" bumper stickers (and my Dean for America sticker and my War is NOT the Answer sticker), and I received so many menacing looks from big-ass middle-aged white guys with buzz cuts driving their pickup trucks too fast on the Ventura Freeway. Got flipped off a lot, too, while driving and when I attended anti-war rallies. We who tried to object were stifled, muzzled, ignored, and heaped with criticism, derision, and in some cases (fortunately not mine) even death threats. We were treated like SHIT. And WE were the ones who were proven correct about it ALL. Precious few dared to buck that, knowing the hailstorms that would rain down on them if they did. Most of 'em stayed below the radar and, if they actually did support the Dixie Chicks, they stayed in the closet about it. The jingoistic hatred that was STANDARD EQUIPMENT with that pro-bush crowd was almost unbearable at times. NOBODY wanted to listen or even entertain the notion that anything we said, or any facts or other evidence we presented, would be valid. And it all was. And THEY were FUCKING-ASS WRONG!!!!!!!!

And believe me, I for one will NEVER forget that. I will NEVER forget those assholes in their arrogance and swagger and certainty. I will NEVER forget how I was treated and I was just one of the masses. People like me were lost in the crowd. The Dixie Chicks were on the front lines, and stuck their necks out for the truth, and were damn near flayed alive for it. And damn near NOBODY in their industry had the balls to stick up for them.

:mad: :grr: :nuke: :banghead: :puke:

[Dawson Leery]

65. We are in agreement. As someone from New England, I have never

been warm on Country. After the Dixie Chicks debacle, I am cold on it.

The old small town ("clique") mentality showed up during the Bush's term (hostile to "outsiders"). By admission, the country community has always been this way.

Natalie v. Toby from CMT:
1)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRhzodyLEZ4&feature=related
2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzo0q290MTM&feature=related
3)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBXmZi1lxJ0&feature=related

Country "Music" can go to hell! And anyone who wants a career in country, I say, MAY YOU FAIL! :argh:

"Traditional" country is music to slit ones wrists by. With country, everything is bad.

[DainBramaged]

63. It's a good point, calling out their hypocrisy....

:shrug:

[Dawson Leery]

4. Where do I begin with my DESPISE of THAT genre of "music".

It goes back further than 9/11.

The country base of religious fundamentalists/neo-confederates are the same thugs who worked to remove the Beatles from the air after John Lennon made the infamous comment.

[ScreamingMeemie]

6. My late husband, part of that "base", was a better liberal than I.

We will be a better people when we start realizing that stereotypes help no one.

[proud2BlibKansan]

28. My husband is a good liberal, a musician and he loves country

He plays rock and blues but loves country.

[Rebubula]

29. So....

...I guess it is cool with you when people start talking how they despise Rap "music" and the rap base of misogynists, rapists, gangbangers etc???


:wtf:

[Bake]

5. I don't remember any country songs naming Bushie by name.

And Toby Keith actually leans Democratic, from what I've heard.

Ed: lighten up.


Bake

[northoftheborder]

7. Toby Keith does not lean Democratic

[Dawson Leery]

9. He voted for John McCain in order to get Sarah Palin into a position

of power. Toby the Chickenhawk sees ignorance as an endearing trait.

[proud2BlibKansan]

32. Toby supported Obama

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/19/toby-keith-praises-obama_n_119930.html

[Dawson Leery]

35. Toby said that Obama had the best chance of winning (for Democrats).

http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1596198/toby-keith-registering-as-independent-voter.jhtml

""I've been a lifetime Democrat, and I'm re-registering this year as an independent," he said. "It's strictly my party, that I've been affiliated with all these years, doesn't stand for anything that I stand for anymore. They've lost any sensibility that they had, and they've allowed all the kooks in, so I'm going independent."

He's convinced the attacks on Palin are likely to backfire on the Democrats.

"It's just like this: If I was a strong supporter of Obama and Biden ... the kooks in the Democratic party -- this extreme left -- are hammering Palin so bad, that they're gonna cause John McCain to win this thing," he said.

Keith said he will probably vote for McCain because Palin is his running mate."

[CBGLuthier]

31. Yeah. He doesn't LEAN democratic. He IS a democrat

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/19/toby-keith-praises-obama_n_119930.html

— Barack Obama is getting praise from Nashville, courtesy of one big, patriotic country star.

Toby Keith, perhaps best known to non-country audiences for his post-Sept. 11 song "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue," says he's a Democrat, and was impressed by the senator from Illinois.

So hard to pigeonhole people any more isn't it? Tim Robbins goes RW and Toby Keith never was what you thought. So damned funny too.

[proud2BlibKansan]

37. He's still an ass though

My sister sat behind him at a college basketball tournament and said he was such an ass and so drunk that security had to come tell him to calm down.

[mmonk]

59. He's a Democrat I believe.

I guess having him and Natalie in the same fold is like having Kucinich and Shuler in the same fold.

[Still Blue in PDX]

53. Toby Keith leans Democratic??

This bears researching. I haven't actually listened to country music in years, but I got the impression that Toby Keith was a rabid repug.

[CBGLuthier]

8. sounds kind of pathetic

IS this man just stupid or what?

[northoftheborder]

10. I won't forget what happened to the Dixie Chicks when....

....they made a comment about Bush.......They were boycotted, lives threatened, concerts canceled, careers almost ruined, for years................

[Arugula Latte]

12. Hey, I grew up listening to country music.

And that is why I have an abiding hatred for it today.

[Dawson Leery]

13. LOL!

:kick:

[CatWoman]

34. my dad pretty much forced it on us

all of our friends used to laugh at us -- we were the only black family in the neighborhood whose house was filled with that music :scared:

having said that - I still enjoy some CW artists and their music.

Johnny Cash RULES!! :)

[Arugula Latte]

50. That is funny!

Well, you know there was Charlie Pride and, uh, Hootie I guess is into country now. :)

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/apr/22/hootie-who-blowfish-lead-vocalist-goes-country/

But, yeah, I agree with you, Johnny Cash does rule!

[jberryhill]

14. Well, if Osama's wife had left with an old buddy in his pickup truck

...and taken the dog with her, so that all he does now is drink, THEN you'd have a country song about it.

[nolabear]

15. Yeah! It's been five DAYS already!

C'mon, gin up something worth ginning. I hate the tendency on both sides to turn speculation into faux reality. Ed's often admirable but he has not idea whether anyone's writing a country song about this.

[texshelters]

17. How about this one by Tex Shelters

Bend over America
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYBRy6vvBjM

Peace,
Tex Shelters

[brooklynite]

18. Name a song that was written 4 days after 9/11.

[The Nexus]

19. Anyone got video on this?

Would love to see it.

[JVS]

21. Not to defend country singers, who are a true scourge upon our society, but it might be that over...

the last 10 years most people have had time to move on and 9/11 no longer looms as large in their minds as before.

[Rebubula]

33. Country singers are a scourge??

Really?

I guess hating people and stereotyping folks is cool if they are white and country folk.

[Modern_Matthew]

41. That seems to be the consensus, doesn't it?

I'm not fond of country music, but I consider it a matter of taste. The double standards on DU sometimes are sickening.

[cordelia]

49. So true. So prevalent.

[JVS]

48. Of course they're a scourge, they make country music. And country music sucks.

This isn't rocket surgery.

[madamesilverspurs]

24. I get it.

But I tend to just turn the radio off.

Don't get me wrong, I've long enjoyed "country" music. For my money, it's second only to Big Band swing for dancing. That said, I've been more than sickened by many of my neighbors who like to wrap themselves -- and their houses and their cars and and their children and their pets -- in the flag, while blaring those allegedly patriotic anthems as they drive down the street in their Hummers with the yellow ribbon magnets on the back. As if doing so makes them more American.

-

[Elwood P Dowd]

25. Country music has done a 180 from the music that made it popular when I was young.

The music of Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Hank Williams, Willie Nelson, and Waylon Jennings has been replaced with corporate redneck rock that's unlistenable. It's rare to find a station that ever plays "real" country music.

[owlsayswoot]

45. A very hearty

this! Course, most music is unlistenable these days, 's why I stick to oldies, big band, and those unsigned nobodies that still know how to move people with their art. ;)

[TransitJohn]

47. A good friend of mine who passed away a few years ago, amazing musician

had a way of phrasing that phenomenon. He used to say, "New country? It's not country at all, it's BAD ROCK'N'ROLL!"
He was right.

[ieoeja]

51. That is why they turned on the Dixie Chicks the first time.

With Country Disco (aka line-dancing) all the craze, some suit finds a band of good-looking women doing a great job with old style country, figures they could be molded into the modern style and with their good looks and talent attract a crowd. So he signs them to a record contract.

When the Chicks showed up for their first recording, they are told they can not use steel guitars and fiddles. And absolutely, positively *not* sing bluegrass. The Chicks told them to shove it, and did the recording their way.

While everyone else dressed country and sung city, the Chicks dressed city and sung country. And became the 2nd biggest seller in Nashville history (Elvis was still #1).

They made the industry leaders look like idiots. So when they come out with Good-bye, Earl, a "spontaneous" ban of Dixie Chick music sweeps the radio stations.

Because nothing could be farther from Country Music than a humorous song about a battered ex killing her abuser with poisoned black-eyed peas.

[Dawson Leery]

54. Which is why there is a great deal of contempt from

the industry, including many other country "artists".
Don't discount the Dixie Chick's took on Sony for holding back millions in payment. The end deal was $4 million in cash and the rights to produce and direct all future content. Sony would be the distributor. Many were jealous that the Chicks received such a deal being in the business for only 4 years at the time.

[Modern_Matthew]

26. Sounds like something the other side would pull out of their ass. Lame. nt

[blondeatlast]

30. I see it is once again fashionable to hate Ed on DU again.

It's so hard to keep up nowadays...

[proud2BlibKansan]

38. I don't hate him at all

I was cheering him on while listening to his rant today.

[blondeatlast]

44. I know--I liked Big Eddie back when he wasn't fashionable! nt

[CBGLuthier]

40. If he is going to say stupid, really stupid things then yes, he gets the derision

Otherwise I don't even know who the fuck he is. Because I don't waste my time listening to talk radio. I have better ways of masturbating thank you very much.

[blondeatlast]

46. Thank you for your superiority. nt

[bobbolink]

36. Ed sure finds a way to get his panties in a twist about nonessentials.

Never mind those people in your city who are starving and homeless, Ed. That just wouldn't be sexy, would it?

:puke:

[guitar man]

39. Aw c'mon Ed

It's only been 4 days since we found out. That's a pretty short time to write a song, book studio time, record, mix, master and put it out there. Geez :eyes:

[pamela]

42. They're afraid to say they are proud of President Obama.

There are quite a few Dem/progressive country singers but they are afraid of getting Dixie Chicked. That's the thing that makes me so sad about Obama's presidency. The teabaggers and their ilk get so angry if anyone says anything nice about the President. I've honestly never seen anything like it in my lifetime. These people get furious if anyone even treats him decently or acknowledges that he IS President. If a country singer came out and said they were proud of the President, the baggers would be smashing their records and boycotting them. Guaranteed.

[HopeHoops]

43. The really fucking one is something about "drinkin' cold beer" and "wearin' blue jeans" - troops.

Yeah, that's why the troops are slugging through the sand in Iraq and Afghanistan - so you can wear blue jeans and get shitfaced on crappy beer. Fuck you.

[Orsino]

52. Ed's frequently a dumbass. n/t

[meow mix]

56. Where is Lee Greenwood??!??!

:shrug:

[mmonk]

58. They will schedule it when pigs fly.

[cherish44]

60. I knew there was a reason I liked Ed so much

Country music makes me want to kick puppies and I don't like it when I feel that way

[Wait Wut]

61. Slow news day, Ed?

With all that's going on THIS is what he's bitching about today?

You lost me last year, dude. After the rally and you got your first taste of stardom, you went all batty, preachy and LOUD.

[Bake]

62. And don't forget Ralph Stanley ... made a COMMERCIAL for Obama.

Of course, Ralph isn't Nashvegas Country (which ain't country anyway).

Bake

[Manifestor_of_Light]

66. country music is very depressing.

I think most people in rural areas are probably depressed all the time, between the sad songs on the radio and the preacher telling 'em every sunday that they are worthless POS's just because they are breathing. That would send me over the edge.

I am a native Texan and I hate country music. I can't stand people who sing with a clothespin on their nose and whine. And commit pedal steel guitar abuse.

The only country singers I like are Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson. They don't whine.

I don't like rap or hip-hop either. And I didn't like Led Zep when they were new in 1968. I still don't like 'em. Way too much distortion.


:popcorn: