Posted on 09/04/2025 2:32:09 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
Honoring the Rust Belt’s greatest sellout — and elitist suck-up.
It was July 1984, a very late weeknight. My buddy Mike and I closed up Perkins Restaurant in Butler, Pennsylvania, and left about 1 a.m. with a six-pack of Budweiser pounders for the old Kaufman’s department store in downtown Pittsburgh. There we joined a long line of fellow 1980s degenerates sleeping out all night on the sidewalk in quest of coveted Bruce Springsteen concert tickets.
Perkins is a nice family restaurant chain. The restaurant where Mike and I worked — he as a junior manager and I as cook, dishwasher, and all-purpose grunt — flew a gigantic American flag on a high pole outside Clearview Mall. That flag always pleased patriotic Americans, of whom there were many in our hometown, including among classmates who had graduated from Butler High School the previous month.
My friends and I weren’t political or ideological. We loved our country but knew little about politics. I couldn’t define a Republican or a Democrat. Like almost everyone in America, however, we liked Ronald Reagan. Even Walter Cronkite had marveled about Reagan, “I never thought I’d see anyone that well-liked …. Nobody hates Reagan. It’s amazing.” That was evident when Reagan was reelected with nearly 60 percent of the vote, 49 of 50 states, and winning the Electoral College 525 to 13.
We patriotic teens also liked Bruce Springsteen. Already an established pop-rock star, he had just reexploded on the music scene with a smash album, Born in the U.S.A. The album cover and Bruce himself were bedecked in red, white, and blue. The stars and stripes were his theme. Old Glory was front and center for every performance during Springsteen’s enormously successful year-long-plus tour that hit major cities in America (Pittsburgh twice, both the Civic Arena and Three Rivers..)
(Excerpt) Read more at spectator.org ...
Draft dodging bastard
Bored in the USA? I’ve never been able to stomach any of his crap. EVER!
I was a teenager, but I wasn’t so stupid that I didn’t analyze lyrics to songs people around me were playing and singing.
I hated the song then, and hate it now.
I’ve always been amazed and disgusted with people who play Born in the USA during Fourth of July parades.
I do have a constitutional quibble with Lee Greenwoods song - men died *defending* my right to be free but only God *gave* that right to me.
He’s also pissing on the flag on the album cover.
** Springsteen Sucks Ping List **
And “Born in the USA” is Kommie drivel
Megadittos.
I can’t answer for all the gals or old school men. Springsteen was and is communist crap.
Songs of renown, disagreement and later conversation is great. If you believe in the land of the free. I appreciate good dialogue.
(Brothers and sisters, am on my phone. May need some help. Oh ya, you are welcome to pump up the volume. I will probably end up screwing up this post due to phone incompetence, all my fault as a man. Don’t let a woman read this.
Many others, have to go for an appointment. Blessings! Founded
OF COURSE, Northern Commieville [Minnesota] was the one state that didn't vote for Reagan. Along with the District of Commies.
The Minnesota race was close enough to challenge, but they decided not to bother.
Minnesota has been rigged for DECADES. Effin Commies.
James Taylor is another one
I just have to dismiss the views of ‘artists’, they tend to have a warped view of the world, I guess it just comes with the territory.
I always hated this guy from the time ran his mouth about his politics.
Hey, that does look like what he’s doing. What a POS from way back.
The song says a veteran can't get a good job because he spent his early adult years fighting a pointless war. So the only job he can do is the refinery near the prison. His brother is MIA in Vietnam (suggesting we didn't do enough to bring home MIA's).
I was about 15. I caught on immediately that it was an anti-American song. Never understood why the masses treated it as patriotic.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.