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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsFrom The Guardian: Rockin' in the free world? Inside the rightwing takeover of protest music
'Its easy to laugh at hardcore patriots misunderstanding Bruce Springsteens Born in the USA, but such appropriation is increasingly widespread and dangerously twisting the truth.'
'Did you know that Born in the USA is actually an anti-Vietnam war anthem? Since Donald Trump embraced the 1984 Bruce Springsteen song during rallies, the lyrics have prompted so much explanation it now borders on cliche. Yet its no less unsettling for it, becoming a prime example of a startlingly widespread trend for the right wing to co-opt music about struggle and progress.
President Ronald Reagan made the first attempt to gloss over the context of the songs ironically upbeat chorus after the release of the Born in the USA album. Reagan name-checked Springsteen during a New Jersey rally in an attempt to connect the musician to a message of hope for America. Springsteens opposition to its use didnt affect the fervour for the song from Trump and his supporters. As Barack Obama noted in an episode of his podcast series with Springsteen this month: It ended up being appropriated as this iconic, patriotic song. Even though that was not necessarily your intention.
Neither has the Clashs status as leftist punk icons been a sticking point for Boris Johnson, who named the band one of his favourites in 2019; nor has Rage Against the Machines socialism and anti-police stance been a problem for anti-mask truthers and Trump diehards, who last year blasted the bands Killing in the Name at a Trump rally.'
much more text and photos at link:
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/apr/13/right-wing-take-over-protest-music-bruce-springsteen-born-in-the-usa-american-politics
Damn reTHUG fascist insurrectionists are the reason why we can't have nice things!
JenniferJuniper
(4,496 posts)As in "If Adolph Hitler flew in today, they'd send a limosuine anyway."
Carlitos Brigante
(26,481 posts)Caliman73
(11,693 posts)That shouldn't stop people who actually know the intention of those songs from using them appropriately. We lose when we cede that ground to right wingers.
malaise
(267,808 posts)after 9/11