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Posted on 11/12/2014 6:48:37 PM PST by robowombat
Nov. 12, 2014 10:35am Zach Noble
Rapper Eminem’s F-bomb-laced set wasn’t the only eyebrow-raising moment during Tuesday’s “Concert for Valor” on the National Mall — there’s some debate over whether some songs were insulting to the very U.S. servicemen and women and women the show was meant to honor.
Bruce Springsteen, Dave Grohl and Zac Brown played a cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Fortunate Son,” which contains such lyrics as:
Yeah, some folks inherit star spangled eyes Ooh, they send you down to war, Lord And when you ask them, “How much should we give?” Oh, they only answer, more, more, more, oh
It ain’t me, it ain’t me I ain’t no military son It ain’t me, it ain’t me I ain’t no fortunate one
The Weekly Standard described it as an “anti-war screed, taking shots at ‘the red white and blue.’ It was a particularly terrible choice given that Fortunate Son is, moreover, an anti-draft song, and this concert was largely organized to honor those who volunteered to fight in Afghanistan and Iraq.”
However, others were quick to point out that “Fortunate Son” can be read as a critique of class differences — the rich staying home while the poor go off to fight the wars — instead of as an “anti-military anthem.”
Meanwhile, another Springsteen performed didn’t spark quite as much controversy:
Springsteen played a stripped-down version of his “Born in the USA” which, as the Washington Post noted, is a very dark, critical portrayal of American society and the Vietnam War:
Born down in a dead man’s town The first kick I took was when I hit the ground You end up like a dog that’s been beat too much Till you spend half your life just covering up Born in the USA… Got in a little hometown jam so they put a rifle in my hand Sent me off to a foreign land to go and kill the yellow man Born in the USA… Come back home to the refinery Hiring man says “son if it was up to me” Went down to see my VA man He said “son don’t you understand now” Had a brother at Khe Sahn fighting off the Viet Cong They’re still there he’s all gone He had a woman he loved in Saigon I got a picture of him in her arms now Down in the shadow of penitentiary Out by the gas fires of the refinery I’m 10 years burning down the road Nowhere to run ain’t got nowhere to go
Of course, some people took umbrage to both songs.
The ivy’s im sure had a few. But they weren’t exactly the soldier factories you imply. And today ivy participation is nearly unknown. But the ivy’s do contribute most of our red white and blue national leaders... who often excitedly point the cannon at you.
Nobody watched it.
Fine day in the heart of Dixie, gun shop owner disses VETERANS! SAY GOODBYE TO YOUR BUSINESS FOOL! DEEDING IT TO YOUR WIFE WON’T SAVE IT!
Alabamian’s anti-veterans rant lands him in serious hot water - Yellowhammer News
http://yellowhammernews.com/faithandculture/alabamians-anti-veterans-rant-lands-serious-hot-water/
Poster #1 got it right.
Springsteen is no patriot.
So many other fine, patriotic performers available.
Agreed. What Mensa decided inviting that overrated, grimacing tool to perform his third rate bilge for our veterans was a good idea?
I can see your point about soldiers who were drafted and fought during Vietnam while some got a pass. That’s not the case with the military of this era. I, for one, would not bother to watch anything about ‘valor’ from HBO which included Springsteen or M&M. Anyone who could not see what that was going to be about are about as astute as Obama voters.
Springsteen is a communist skunk, plain and simple.
I don’t disagree about Springsteen, or the differences between the draft and volunteer military. I stopped watching all these celebrations on the mall shows years ago, they have become love fests for the out of work leftie celebrities.
Yours is a good point. I spent 20 years in the AF but the motivation for enlisting was a draft lottery number of 11.
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