“It’s innate in me to be a blue-dog Democrat. I’m not saying I’m right or wrong, but that’s what I am. My wife and I and our family will do everything we can to support Obama. I like his ideas, I like his energy, and I like the statement he would make for our country to the world.”
You’d think those words would be understood as the simple statement of an American citizen exercising their 1st Amendment rights; one person expressing their opinion. Except in the very politically Conservative world of country music, leaning left and/or expressing support of any sort for Barack Obama is considered just this side of treasonous. Anyone familiar with the backlash the Dixie Chicks experienced when they spoke out against George W. Bush at a London concert in 2003 will understand just how true this is. They spoke out against the war in Iraq (lead singer Natalie Maines became the face that millions hated because of her “heresy), and it for all intents and purposes turned their careers into a train wreck. The members of the band received death threats (hence the line “Shut up and sing or your life will be over” from “Not Ready to Make Nice”), fans burned their CDs, and ticket sales to their concerts dropped off.
With the Dixie Chicks serving as a larger than life cautionary tale, country performers who may lean slightly (or more) to the left have learned to keep their mouths shut. So much for free speech, eh? Imagine how much courage it took for Tim McGraw to discuss his support for Barack Obama in a 2008 interview with People magazine. McGraw compounded the “problem” by speaking glowingly about Bill Clinton “as the best president the U.S. has ever had and…for inspiring him to think about embarking on his own political career.”
Lit match…meet gasoline. The uproar was fast and predictably as furious as it was knee-jerk. If there’s one thing Conservatives collectively don’t tolerate well, it’s one of their heroes showing their true colors and daring to speak their mind. A country star who “comes out” as not Conservative and daring to think for themselves is running the risk of committing career suicide. Fortunately for McGraw and his wife, fellow country superstar Faith Hill, their careers survived the Sturm und Drang with relatively little damage. The storm blew over…until some Conservative blogs dug up McGraw’s comments again, some evidently unaware that they were from a six-year-old interview. Unfortunately, some Conservative bloggers aren’t nearly as proficient when it comes to fact-checking as they are at righteous outrage.
As you might imagine, social media lit up with comments about McGraw’s support and admiration for Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. I suspect most of the offended neither knew nor cared that the interview was from 2008. The outrage generated by those who in some cases seem barely literate are actually rather amusing. I was always taught that it was better to be thought a fool than to…well, in this case to spew forth on Facebook and remove any lingering doubt. After the jump, you can see what I mean.
I suppose this is what happens when you get your news from the Fox News Channel echo chamber and can’t be bothered to develop anything resembling critical thinking skills. Why think when you can react indignantly?
Most artists, regardless of genre, steer clear of politics because they don’t want to run the risk of aggravating any of their fans and thus jeopardizing their bank account. The sad truth is that this means they forgo the opportunity to exercise their 1st Amendment rights. Then again, country music performers know their audience, and the few who aren’t reliably Conservative understand what can happen to someone who dares voice opinions Conservatives won’t get behind. As in other aspects of life, most Fox News Conservatives are used to reacting in anger instead of soberly considering differing aspects of issues. It’s SO much easier to react than think.
If you’re a country music performer who’s politically and/or socially Liberal, you be well advised to keep that to yourself and keep writing and singing about safe topics like love, family, and faith in God. Unless you want to spend your career playing for peanuts in roadside bars in Appalachia, that is.
