If this picture from FOX is current, I would bet yes:
Posted on 07/21/2002 7:52:36 AM PDT by gilor
Edited on 04/22/2004 12:34:14 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
Guess I forgot all the Good hippies out there and all the good they did for this country.
When my father returned from Vietnam they were quickly escorted to a hanger away from the chants of 'baby killer' from these wonderful leftist commie pigs. He always stated 'baby killer' did not apply, but 'hippie killer' would have had he been alowed to confront the filth shouting taunts at him.
Assuming you really want to know, here goes. Steve is a very good songwriter and singer who never knuckled under and played what Nashville wanted him to play. He wrote and played his music the way he wanted to and never tried to be something he wasn't.
The majority of music coming out of Nashville these days is nothing but country flavored pop, it's just pretty people wearing cowboy hats and singing utterly forgettable songs. The alternative country side is where most of the really good artists are shelved. They get virtually no airplay on the radio because they do not fit into the mold that the execs in Nashville are looking for. (Steve Earle, Billy Joe Shaver, David Allan Coe, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Reckless Kelly, etc.)
Steve chose to do things his own way and has taken the lumps for it. I have great respect for somebody who stays true to their vision without succumbing to the lure of money.
Sadly, Steve has always had a lot of personal issues, although maybe that's why he is such a good songwriter.
If we deported this one particular a$$hole, it would be no big loss. However, that would be a gross violation of the right of free speech, as revolting as his "speech" may be to those of us who respect this country.
And if we start deporting people because we don't like the lyrics of their songs, who's to say that the next person to be deported won't be you or I for criticizing Bill and Hillary Clinton?
A better punishment, I think, is to hit him where it really hurts. He's clearly trying to make a buck off the controversy. (Often, that's an effective formula -- create a stir, and watch the mindless masses rush over out of curiosity, like spectators to a bad accident.) Let's make it NOT work out for him as he had planned.
Seems to me this guy's carreer is already dead. I say we bury it.
I, for one, have no plans to buy his record, and if I so much as happen to hear it anywhere on the airwaves, I will turn off the offending medium. (Then I will send a note to the radio or TV station, explaining why I won't be tuning in anymore.)
I know how you feel though. There are so many so called "artists" whose lyrics make me wish we could deport them.
HUH?
Earle's lyrics describe the United States as "the land of the infidel." Those fighting Usama bin Laden's declared jihad against the United States and Jews are said to have hearts "pure and strong."
Sounds like suppport to me.
I'm going to continue to be a fan and will buy his product including this upcoming album.
You'll be one of the few.
If this picture from FOX is current, I would bet yes:
In the song of which you speak, "Folsom prison blues," the narrator in whose voice Cash writes goes to prison and regrets committing the murder. He doesn't rise up to Heaven with Jesus.
And there aren't any Arabic prayers and praise of Allah in the background vocals.
And of the alt country acts out there, Earle was my favorite. I ranked him probably in my top 5 musicians of all time list. Until this weekend.
Based on the few comments Earle has made about this song, and the lines comparing Walker to Jesus, it is clear that he is trying to defend Walker and the Taliban.
And that's indefensible.
So don't be so sure alt country fans are necc more forgiving than traditional country fans.
Ironically the same lefties who will probably jump up to defend Earle for praising Walker and attacking America are probably the same ones who are against David Allen Coe for using the phrase "n*gger" in some of his songs.
Oh, I'm sure you are right about that. I'd say the inverse is true as well and a lot of people around here who are slinging mud at Steve are probably big Beatles fans, and their anti-american diatribes are well documented.
Seems to me Steve deserves the mud being flung.
IMO the beatles aren't even worth listening to.
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