Posted on 07/16/2015 3:18:31 PM PDT by dennisw
Florida-born rocker used the flag for song Rebels about southern heritage But he now admits he had not fully thought through the flag's history He implores all Americans to denounce the flag as it offends black people It comes after South Carolina took it down following Charleston attack Fellow rocker Kid Rock, from the Midwest, has defended the Confederacy
Tom Petty has apologized for displaying the Confederate flag during his Southern Accents tour of 1985.
The Florida-born rocker has spoken out to denounce the controversial banner after South Carolina removed it from their statehouse and conceded that to many it is symbol of racial hatred.
Writing in the Rolling Stone, Petty says admits he was 'pretty ignorant' about the history of the flag, and goes as far as to call himself 'downright stupid'.
Midwest-born Kid Rock - defended the flag and continue to sell Confederate merchandise.
'I noticed people in the audience wearing Confederate flag bandannas 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."'
Controversy surrounding the symbol resurfaced in June when a Confederate flag-touting gunman shot dead nine black churchgoers, shouting: 'I have to do this.'
The shooting prompted national outcry over the fact that the South continues to fly the flag as a symbol of southern heritage.
One hundred and fifty years old, it was used by the seven southern slave states during the civil war. Its racist associations were refreshed during the civil rights movement, when anti-integration state flew the Confederate flag in defiance.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Hey Tom. KISS MY ASS.
Didn’t even take the gates of hell to make him back down, just the example of Nikki Haley
Will anyone apologize for owning a Koran that inspired today’s shooter?
He should apologize for singing off key.
No kidding. I’m disgusted.
That was 30 years ago. Isn’t there a statute of limitations on a pc crime.
Actually, not (quite) true.
And I’m keeping the T-shirt in hopes that will piss the twerp off.
Nikki’s proud of you Tom. You’re her kind of man.
But no longer ours.
Petty’s a liberal faggot.
Oh no!!
I’ll never listen to born a rebel the same
No I’ll never listen to it again
Great rocker and one of the few good things to come out of Gainesville. Sorry to hear that he’s turned into a wuss in his old age.
There Now I can sleep at night.
This dope had a couple good songs 30 years ago. I own tons of music and he’s not on the shelf, didn’t make the cut.
Again, people just need to think about how it looks to a black person. It's just awful. It's like how a swastika looks to a Jewish person. It just shouldn't be on flagpoles.
Tom should have taken the time to think whoever it was that talked him out of his planned "Swastika Flag Tour" back in '83.
**********************
I liked his music back in the day, but I think that you've nailed it here.
Apology for a 1985 incident of flag waving?
Seriously???
Petty is a wuss or needs some attention.
Hey Tom, I won’t back down.
Has Skynnard apologized yet?
Am I being PETTY if I call him a fool? Time to get into his Dr. Who telephone time-travelling machine and take down that Confederate flag from his 1985 show.
And this is from the singer of the song “I WON’T BACK DOWN”!
PC BS!!
Who cares
Always a Gainesville libtard
He and Phil Anselmo can BJ each other
Though Tom might choke from the rumour Ya hear
I detest these cowards
We got yankees defending us and a Florida boy and a New Orleans lad got no spine at all
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.