Posted on 03/06/2018 7:09:43 AM PST by Kaslin
One of country music’s most powerful executives, says gun-toting, Bible-clinging fans like former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee are no longer welcome.
The controversy started when the Country Music Association triggered a massive outbreak of microaggressions after they appointed Huckabee to the board of its charitable foundation.
Huckabee has been a longtime supporter of music education so his appointment to a charitable board that supports music programs for young people was a perfect fit.
However, a mob of social justice warriors, led by openly gay country music executive Jason Owen, protested – calling Huckabee’s appointment “grossly offensive” and “heartbreaking.”
“This man has made it clear that my family is not welcome in his America,” the owner of Sandbox Entertainment wrote in a letter to the CMA. “And the CMA has opened their arms to him, making him feel welcome and relevant.”
Owen, whose roster includes Faith Hill, Little Big Town, Kacey Musgraves and Midland, threatened to pull out of the CMA Foundation over Huckabee’s appointment.
“Huckabee speaks of the sort of things that would suggest my family is morally beneath his and uses language that has a profoundly negative impact upon young people all across this country,” he wrote.
For the record, Huckabee is a born-again, Southern Baptist preacher who follows the teachings of the Holy Bible. And that includes the Bible’s directives on marriage.
Owen also objected to the former governor’s involvement with the National Rifle Association calling it “harmful and damaging.”
“What a shameful choice,” he wrote. “I will not participate in any organization that elevates people like this to positions that amplify their sick voices.”
Less than 24 hours later, Huckabee resigned from the CMA Foundation Board and wrote an open letter to the industry titled “Hate Wins.”
“If the industry doesn’t want people of faith or who hold conservative and traditional political views to buy tickets and music, they should be forthcoming and say it,” Huckabee wrote.
Huckabee said he did not want the controversy to overshadow the good work of the foundation – helping children.
“All of us have deep passions about our beliefs. I do about mine. But I hate no one,” he wrote. “I wish upon NO ONE the loss of life or livelihood because that person sees things differently than me.”
Has it really come to this, America? Must we renounce our religious beliefs and bow down to those who will not tolerate tolerance?
“I hope that the music and entertainment industry will become more tolerant and inclusive and recognize that a true love for kids having access to the arts is more important than a dislike for someone or a group of people because of who they are or what they believe,” Huckabee wrote.
I’d be willing to bet a gallon of sweet tea and a bucket of chicken that a good many country music fans go to church, own a gun and share the same beliefs as Gov. Huckabee.
That’s why there are more country music songs about God and pickup trucks and honky-tonks instead of Chevy Volts and juice bars.
Folks, I’d be lying if I said I was not concerned about Gov. Huckabee’s public flogging. As difficult as it may be we have to ask whether the country music industry has been overrun by a bunch of anti-Christian, gun-hating bullies.
I certainly hope that is not the case, but one thing is mighty clear – we’re not in Hee Haw anymore.
“Traditional C&W has roots in Europe and, with country swing in the ‘40s, blues and jazz mixed in. Jazz is the only music that’s truly American.”
“Everything” has it’s roots somewhere else. The blues are definitely African in their roots. And more specifically in the Black Churches. One of our daughters “who is White.” was in the UC Berkeley Gospel Choir when she went to school there. All you have to do is visit a Black Church for Sunday Services to understand where it came from. If you want a unique musical experience, go to a Black Church. God surely “hears” them. They have a unique sprit that moves you.
I played in a band that opened for Hank Thompson one time here in OKC. (Western Swing Guy) I had the privilidge of saying “Please put your hands together and welcome to the stage HANK THOMPSON!!!”
Send it to Ray Stevens...he does a lot of protest songs against modern liberalism. I think you have something here by the way. Needs a musical coda then a final third verse then the chorus repeated twice...song end. Love to see you try a third verse.
The performers are just wanting to get an audience. What’s wrong with that? I think it’s the audience.
Blues was born in America. Jazz was its child.
Yep. We live in OKC suburb, but have ranch in SE Oklahoma. We're at Ranch at least 50% of our time. This is outside of a 2,400 person town. When you go into town to the grocery store, or tractor supply, or dollar general.... everyone you see under the age of about 35 or 40 has multiple tats, piercings, clothing to match, unkept, etc etc. I mean almost ALL of them. My experience tells me that in this day and age.... most small town country people are David Allen Coe's "poor white trash."
So you have those who actually have a job, like oil field job etc... and they do really good there. And the rest are on the government dole living government check to government check. In this little town, there isn't much middle class.
The world is just not what it used to be, and neither is Country Music.
Someone pointed that out to me quite some time ago - “the reason you don’t like new music is there are no melodies.” True. And often not really even songs, just chanting and grooves. No sense of a beginning, story, and ending.
I think the same thing. Real country is the Working Man's Blues.
Not “Party on the Beach” music.
Heh, heh, I’ll turn 70 later this year. All I know about Taylor Swift is that she is the latest in a string of `pop tarts’ going back to Britney Spears whose claim to fame is found in the tabloid scandal sheets.
I have also liked video parody since the early days of Weird Al, and there are several LOL parodies of Taylor Swift by Smosh and Bart Baker. Didn’t even know she was into country music.
Anyway, someone wrote that bluegrass is the only remaining true country music. I totally agree & love the message of Christian faith found in much of bluegrass music.
Garth Brooks and his plastic hat circa 1990 were the beginning of the decline.
Maybe I am the only person here who enjoys new country. I like music and I like hearing current artists and my favorite right now is country. I am not from the south and I am a new fan for only about 5 years. Around then, I watched a few awards shows and heard anti Obama and anti left jokes! I thought I had found my peeps. Since then though the CMAs have been nearly as left oriented as the pop music awards. I still love the music.
I’m reminded about a rock guy who lived on the West Coast who moved to Nashville, and stayed for quite a few years. He never pretended to be country, just liked living there, I guess. But one day he reappeared on the East Coast, New England. When asked why he left Nashville he said “everybody I moved there to get away from started moving there.”
That song immediately came to mind when I saw the title of this thread.
I agree with you. What is ironic though is back in the day - at least for me the 70’s and 80’s - certain stars were boycotted by the industry because they were not considered “country” enough. Two that come to mind are Olivia Newton-John and K.D. Lang (her because she came out as a lesbian). Now there is a homosexual calling the shots.
That is why a lot of old schools refer to it as country rap - CRAP for short.
For those who like good country music and have SIRUIS XM, there is a station called Outlaw Country. Some good stuff on that station.
Mmm ... Gunilla Hutton ...
the country music industry has been overrun by a bunch of anti-Christian, gun-hating bullies.
Well this sucks rocks. I don’t listen to country music but I kind of liked Midland. If they are represented by the “openly homosexual” loser that’s attacking Mike Huckabee for his beliefs, then I’m done with them.
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