Conservative country singers urge everyone to vote

[Kadie]

Conservative country singers urge everyone to vote

JOHN GEROME, Associated Press Writer
Tuesday, August 17, 2004

(08-17) 19:48 PDT HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. (AP) --

A group of politically conservative country music stars launched a get-out-the-vote project Tuesday, saying everyone has a responsibility to vote in November regardless of political affiliation.

"Your vote does count," country and bluegrass musician Ricky Skaggs said. "It's a God-given right and a freedom that we have in this country. And freedom is not free."

The "Your Country Your Vote" initiative involves artists who appeared on "America Will Always Stand," a recent album of original music inspired by the Civil War.

snip...
Referring to musicians such as Bruce Springsteen and the Dixie Chicks who are actively working to oust Bush, Skaggs said, "I don't think that's going to make a big difference in the election .... The American people, they're not going to let Bruce Springsteen or anybody else or Ricky Skaggs or Marty Raybon or Billy Dean choose who they vote for.

"And we're certainly not going to let Hollywood choose who we vote for because I don't think they really have a pulse on America," Skaggs said. "I think the heartland of America is Nashville, Tennessee, or Kansas City or St. Louis or Denver, Colorado -- that's the heartland of America."

more...
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2004/08/17/politics2241EDT0751.DTL

[Jack Rabbit]

1. Everyone has a responsibility to vote regardless of political affiliation

Regalrdless of his political affiliation, I must agree.

My son registered to vote today and I am proud of him.

[XanaDUer]

2. Bwa ha ha ha!

Skaggs said, "I don't think that's going to make a big difference in the election .... The American people, they're not going to let Bruce Springsteen or anybody else or Ricky Skaggs or Marty Raybon or Billy Dean choose who they vote for.


But they will be influenced by a singer with the last name of Skaggs...

:eyes:

[enigmatic]

10. And Skaggs supported Pat Robertson for President, too..

Oy!

[FatSlob]

66. Uhhhh, look at the quote again.

He said ...or Ricky Skaggs...

[ZenLefty]

3. Yeah, Denver

There's more anti-bush bumper stickers in Denver than you can shake a can of WD-40 at. If bush gets 33% of the Denver vote, I'll be shocked.

[kaiden]

56. Oh yeah, Denver.

Where we've had Democratic mayors for the last 20 years -- and two Democratic congressWOMEN since 1972.

[susanna]

4. "...and furthermore, the 'non-heartland' of America doesn't matter!"

Essentially, says Ricky. All the while when he's trying to make you think your VOTE does count? Hmmm....

Ricky: PLEASE Cheney off. Thank you kindly. (My southern momma taught me /some/ manners.)

[Democat]

6. The heatland votes matter more because of the electoral college

A vote in those little states is worth a lot more than a vote in Hollywood.

One person, one vote does not exist with the electoral college in place.

[susanna]

14. Understood, Democat.

I think I'm just pointing out some hypocrisy here. Anyone's vote SHOULD matter. No matter where.

I'm just pointing out the idea that the heartland has had themselves built up by the electoral college - but the majority in this country don't agree with their cr4p.

Fair?

[fishwax]

80. Actually, that isn't exactly true.

The part about Hollywood isn't anyway. Votes in Hollywood actually count more than votes in Colorado or Missouri (2 of the states Skaggs mentioned).

In 2000, CA had 203071 voters per electoral vote. Nationwide, there were 195920 voters per electoral vote. Minnesota was the state that got most screwed, with 243868 voters per electoral vote.

I often hear the electoral college criticized because big states get screwed, but really it's more mid-sized states that get screwed.

Still, I agree with criticisms of the electoral college because, even though there were only about 150,000 voters per electoral vote in Oklahoma, my vote didn't count at all. Nor will it matter this year.

[XanaDUer]

7. Right

He makes little sense, even for a conservative:

Your votes will not be influenced by me and those like me, but I will attempt to influence your vote.

[susanna]

18. Exactly.

I've turned four conservatives (non neo-cons) to Kerry. I'm still working on it, too. Ricky Skaggs can go whistle his latest hit* in the wind for all I care. :-)

* Does he have one?

[XanaDUer]

24. Is he the one who wrote

"We will never forget", or whatever that horrible song is?

Blech.

[Democat]

5. Hollywood vs. Nashville

What TV, movies, music, and other entertainment do kids in Nashville, Kansas City, and St. Louis, watch and live on?

Most of it comes from their "hated" Hollywood.

Hollywood is the cultural "heartland" of the United States whether anyone likes it or not.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

8. Bingo!!! It's about time we took these "Red State Facsists"....

to account for their bigotry. Also, who the HELL is Skaggs the BIGOT to tell us about what America is???

:wtf:

Nashville (Julep City) has NO concept of what America is REALLY about.

[Claire Beth]

54. wait a minute....

Ricky Skaggs doesn't speak FOR NASHVILLE. I've been working hard to help the Kerry/Edwards campaign. I hear every day from progressive democrats right here in Nashville and across the state who are hearing the same things I am hearing about getting Bush out. Kerry is in a VERY CLOSE race with Dumbya in Tennessee and especially the Nashville area. Tennessee has a LOT of independent voters and I've certainly seen a LOT more Kerry/Edwards signs and bumper stickers than I have the Bushies. I doubt that Ricky Skaggs or any of the country stars named in the article will draw even 1/3 the number of people that Bruce Springstein and the others will draw.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

78. Some folks here on DU like to stereotype those of us that live in....

...in the South. I'm even seeing Kerry stickers in Huntsville, AL, and that is encouraging just by itself.

[susanna]

No kidding.

I'm always amazed by the self-denying "I hate Hollywood" meme. If they really do, then these folks must:

1) see no movies, EVER
2) listen to no music, EVER
3) do not watch reality shows on TV, EVER

Yeah right. They're in the thick of it, or these entertainment corporations wouldn't have the ratings they do. I don't know a soul among my friends who watched Survivor. Of course that doesn't mean there aren't some, but I don't hear about it. Now, me, personally? I could care less who wins these shows. So I must be one of them "hate Hollywood" types. ;-)

[LiberalFighter]

39. Exactly!! Hollywood is the heartland of America... cultural and otherwise>

They must be under the mistaken idea that all of the actors, actresses and other players in Hollywood are originally from and/or live in Hollywood.

As for the cultural connection... it would seem to me that ABC show Entertainment or whatever it is called wouldn't be on 5 nites a week if the people from the "Heartland" weren't watching to see what is happening to the stars of Hollywood.

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

11. Thank You ksatriyakiller!!! I am sick and tired of the South......

the land of Juleps and Slavery has NO RIGHT TO TELL this American about what America is about!!!

I like you're way of thinking, unlike so many others around here.

[Name removed]

22. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Syrinx]

35. thank you ZombyWoof!

It's about time we started standing up against these bigots!

[Bake]

33. Jeebus! That was only, what, 144 years ago?

**I** didn't try to break off from this country! Because I live in the South, am I less of an American than you northerners? I pay my taxes, I vote in every election all the way down to the school board elections. Am I less American than you?

BITE ME. And I'm being restrained.

Bake

[Rocinante]

34. Nice

Bigot much?

[Syrinx]

36. nah, he just dabbles

What do you call a "Democratic" freeper?

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

61. One word (or two, actually):

[Claire Beth]

57. Not everyone in south *is* as you describe and...

you take on the personality of the ones you attack when you make such a blanket statement. LOOK at the electoral map, you will see that only in the DEEP south is Bush running way ahead in the polls. Even Georgia has moved to the pink zone! http://www.electoral-vote.com/ I am NOT suggesting that the south is all going BLUE, but I wouldn't stereotype all the south under such a blanket description! There is hope here that TN will be blue in November as well as NC and Arkansas.

[ksatriyakiller]

64. i ddidn't a=imly all of south was racist

i did not imply all of south was racist, unchrisitian, or unpatriotic. look at what i said. there's nuance in what i said.

[74dodgedart]

65. If the north is going to claim Lincolin, they have to take Scaggs too

They are both from Kentucky..

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

12. Ricky Skaggs is the Emo Phillips of country / bluegrass music...

...an acquired taste. One that I never acquired.

[Syrinx]

38. Ricky Skaggs is actually a fine musician

If he's a Republican, I don't agree with him politically. But that doesn't mean his musical ability is any less valid.

[mac56]

50. Ricky Skaggs is a phenomenal musician

and one of the nicest guys in country music.

I'm dismayed that he's a Republican, but there's always hope. Perhaps he needs to spend more time guesting on "Prairie Home Companion" and hanging around Garrison Keillor to see what the real heartland is about.

[richmwill]

13. Thank you, Mr. Skaggs...

Thank you for not considering NY and D.C., the home of the 9/11 attacks, the "heartland of America".

Your "Christian Kindness" really shows through with that statement.

[stranger_with_candy]

15. Everyone should vote

regardless of political party, opinions... I can't believe how many Americans DON'T vote and just take it for granted that they can. I have almost never voted for the same person as my dad... but when election day comes around and i call to talk to him and jokingly disagree on our choices he says, "well at least you take the responsibility to vote and express your opinion."

[dumpster_baby]

16. Skaggs ain't even a pimple on the ass of hank williams' ghost.....

fuckin' sellout....

[richmwill]

19. Please

Don't even equate Skaggs with my relatives :)

(Hank Jr. is my 2nd cousin)

[PROGRESSIVE1]

20. Hank Jr. is a Right Wing Swine Bag!

He's nothing like the Father.

[richmwill]

21. Oh, believe me...

I am much more proud of my lineage to Sr. than Jr.

[susanna]

28. Good on you, richmwill...

My family's from Bama-Lama (old grandpa joke). My granddaddy once opened for Hank Sr. in the old days. Grandpa's gone now, but I inherited his guitar (Gibson). :-)

[susanna]

26. Holy smokes,

No kidding. Hank Jr. (aka Bocephus), can do whatever he likes. Thank goodness I don't have to listen to (or pay) for it. But, now, his daddy? He was/is amazing!

What a difference a generation makes...

[TX-RAT]

53. Wheres Luke The Drifter when we need him.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

17. With the "Emerging Democratic Majority(Minorities of all stripes)...

the "Heartland" of America that Mr. Skaggs refers to will be sidelined into irrelevancy as the Old South must give way to the Progressive 21st Century.

[K8-EEE]

23. From Hollywood: Fuck This "Heartland BS!"

Bruce and Dixie Chicks don't even live here you idiot -- why are they "Hollywood?"

And I'm so sick of the "Hollywood Isn't The Heartland BS" I could hurl. Why isn't it? CA is just as much the heartland as anywhere else. I'll bet we grow more food here than in most of those red states, we even have the best C&W (Bakersfield!)

God I've had it with their "we're America you're not" bullshit from these second rate "country" hummers. Hell Willie Nelson's not voting for Bush, God I hate these bad Clear Channel country-esque schlock "artists!"

[ignatius 2]

60. And I believe that if California stood alone as a country they

would be #5 on GDP..larger than most countries. Not only is California American..they are the largest part of the American economy. I imagine THAT pisses off the Texas oilmen, bigtime!!

[alcuno]

25. Chicago, New York, LA. That's the heartland of America,

I am so sick of hearing about how the heartland is some specific geographic area in the middle of the country - as if we don't have heart.

[stevebreeze]

27. the right to vote is a God given right?

"Your vote does count," country and bluegrass musician Ricky Skaggs said. "It's a God-given right and a freedom that we have in this country.

Someone ought to tell Jeb so he stops disenfranchising Black voters. Of course if that stopped happening the GOP would have far less chance of winning any elections in the south.

[Charlie Brown]

29. Our right to vote is not "God given"

It's provided by our state laws and protected by the Constitution. The Bible prescribes either a priesthood (Old Testament) or a group of elders centered around the Church (New Testament). This guy needs to find a new slogan.

[Dr Fate]

30. Fine by me- perhaps a few folks will learn the value of free speech...

Remember the anti-Dixie Chicks nonsense?

Then again, I am giving them too much credit...

[goclark]

31. Please tell me Clint Black is on our side n/t

[PROGRESSIVE1]

40. He refered to the Iraqis as "trash" in his hate filled song...

"Iraq-I Roll". He's a Bush lovin' Nazi.

[goclark]

73. I am so so sad

Thanks for the heads up.
I met him a few months ago. He was with his cute wife and cute little kid.
He was so friendly.

Too bad Clint, you sure did look liberal to me.

[JawJaw]

32. Hey Mr Skaggs - Stick To Fiddlin'

Didn't the SkaggMeister do a song once called "Simple Life (In difficult times)" or something along those lines?

That's all very well for a country song title, but did Dubya have to base his whole political philosophy on it?

[xXx]

41. Idiot conservative country singers

They think everyone from the south is a fuggen Republican and that just ain't true. Sickening bastads.

[DU GrovelBot]

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[nolabels]

63. Grovebot can you please tell me who Ricki Skaggs is?

Guess ole Merle forgot to play "Okie from Muskogee" for them



http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000060NUP/002-9737628-7894402?v=glance

[readmylips]

42. Heartland of Ignorance per Jimmy Brezlin...

Brezlin had an article about the red states and called it 'heartland of ignorance and welfare states.'

[Skittles]

43. f***ing country assholes

they act like people who live on the coast aren't Americans

[Voltaire99]

44. The theological idiocy of Ricky Skaggs

"Your vote does count," country and bluegrass musician Ricky Skaggs said. "It's a God-given right and a freedom that we have in this country. And freedom is not free."

Errr...if freedom's "God-given," then it must be "free," you stupid right wing redneck.

[Piperay]

45. Like it or not Hollywood

is also one of the 'heartlands of America' it has great influence and impact on all those other 'heartlands'.

[OKNancy]

46. Too many generalities and lack of thought in this thread

Did anyone think to look up if there are Democratic Kerry supporters among country artist, just to get an even view on this subject?

-------

Talking about the Dixie Chicks ( country artists btw):

"''It's more dangerous now,'' said Merle Haggard, whose hippie-baiting, Vietnam-era songs Okie From Muskogee and Fightin' Side of Me still rank with his most popular works. ''It seems to be more damaging to the females: Seems like people don't want them to say anything.''

In Nashville, the Music City Democrats organization is enlisting artists and music business people to raise money and excitement for Kerry, in a Volunteer State that looks at present to be a win for Bush.

<snip>

This part refers to bashin on FreeRepublic:


One posting referred to Democratic artists such as Griffith, Hal Ketchum, Emmylou Harris, Pam Tillis and Allison Moorer as ''traitors'' because of their participation in the organization.

Bob Titley, one of the founders of the Music Row Democrats, called such tactics ''bullying,'' but no one denies that each political maneuver an artist makes has the potential of turning off fans who hold differing viewpoints

http://www.tennessean.com/local/archives/04/08/55927708.shtml?Element_ID=55927708

[Claire Beth]

59. thank you....

I was trying to make the same point! I'm in Nashville and happen to know of LOTS of support for Kerry/Edwards here. I find it offensive for people to use such a blanket description as this poster did.

[nolabels]

67. Bad music and bad politcs, what could be simpler?

I like lot's of country music(but not all), and I have never known or cared if i ever heard any Ricki Skaggs, so i guess i haven't missed much

Let's just say his foot print is not that big

[auburngrad82]

47. Boycott the right wing artists

I love Ricky Skaggs' music but I'm not supporting right wing politics by purchasing music that he's involved in.

[0007]

48. Fuck those funny looking asshole COWBOYS and the songs they sing

Most all of 'em sing through their nose about the women they lost and the women they're gonna get, yuck!! And I love women!

"And freedom is not free." Nashville, Tennessee, or Kansas City or St. Louis or Denver, Colorado -- that's the heartland of America." how come he left out Texas? LOL!!

I signed up 23 Voters today in Midland Texas to vote for Kerry.

[Shallah Kali]

49. Has the GOP told these folks to shut up and sing yet

as they have done to people like the Dixie Chicks & Springsteen? Oops! I forgot only pro-gop people are allowed to speak their minds!

[mac56]

51. Read here for a breath of fresh air

http://www.musicrowdemocrats.com/missionStmnt.htm

Music Row Democrats.

[redstateblues]

68. Thanks For Posting Music Row Democrats Web Address

I went to the Janet Reno function and was pleased to see such a big turnout of music biz folks who don't like what's happening.

[Tuttle]

52. Ricky Skaggs is a great musician

however, I've heard he's gay and his wife is a beard.

I can't understand the gay support of Bush!

Tut-tut

[GoldenOldie]

55. Nashville hasn't been "Country," for years

Nashville has become Big Business, they haven't had time for the authentic "Country Western," entertainers for years. So it ain't the Country Music entertainers that are standing behind Skaggs and company. It is big business Nashville and the fundamentalist christians like Ricky Skaggs, Loretta Lynn, etc.

I know who Skagg's is but who in the hell are Marty Raybon and Billy Dean.

Please stop connecting these idiots like George Bush operator of a longgone pig farm/sceered of horses and the drugstore wannabee cowboys and gals who fake the twang and sing the song. The authentic working cowboys have absolutely nothing in common with these phonies.

[shrub chipper]

58. wasn't Skaggs caught in the sack w/ a male member of his band?

A gay man voting for Bush is the same as a chicken voting for Col. Sanders

[HollowHead]

62. Springsteen and the Dixie Chicks may not influence many voters

(I think they will), but they will raise oodles of cash for the campaign. And that's a good thing!

[redstateblues]

70. Freepers Have Tried To Intimidate Country Artists Against Bush

There was a good article in the Sunday Tennessean, part of which exposed Freeper efforts to hurt some Nashville Artists who are against Bush- Pam Tillis, Nancy Griffith, Willie Nelson and several others. My computer was down this weekend so I couldn't post the article.

[Zero Gravitas]

69. Hey Skaggs

There are many many people in Kansas City who loathe and despise George W. Bush and everything he stands for.

[Snellius]

71. Why do they call it the "heartland"? Why not the "large intestine"?

Why is the geographic center of America called the "heartland"? Hasn't anyone told them that the heart, like everything else in the human body, is controlled by the brain? Which is not in the butt hole middle but to the side. So does that mean we should start calling New York and California the Mind of America? And everything else the Great American Gut? I don't know. These metaphors get very confusing.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

74. New York is the mind of American.

[JoFerret]

72. Rural America is leaning to Kerry

.

[foo_bar]

75. isn't Nashville a "blue city"?

aren't all cities blue cities?

[redstateblues]

79. Nashville is A Democratic Stronghold- Dem Mayor, Congressman

[CBHagman]

76. The thing is, someone like me won't try to blacklist a conservative.

I wouldn't demand that a store not stock a CD because the artist was conservative, and I wouldn't try to get a right-wing actor dropped from a TV show. I would probably avoid spending my money on their products, but the object is not to ruin them.

I have no problem with someone encouraging us to get out and vote, though I might dispute the notion that all votes are counted. As we know to our sorrow, some votes count more than others, and some are tossed away outright.

[Tuttle]

77. Good point!

I'm not about to burn my Ricky Skaggs' CDs either -- it's great music (even the gospel singing)

Tut-tut