The Statue of Liberty slaps her forehead with the palm of her hand...
I just checked my blog to see if I'd written anything lately. Seems I haven't. That's a shame; I like reading my blog--I just wish I wasn't the one who had to write it all the time.
A few weeks ago over on Planet Carlton there was some discussion of patriotic songs. Well, I don't know if you guys know this one or not, but I heard an utterly ridiculous Toby Keith song called "Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue." This is not a new controversy; apparenly people have been yelling drunkenly about this one for a few weeks now, but since I think (native Oklahoman) Toby Keith's songs tend to be insipid anyway I didn't realize what all the fuss was about. [Just for the record, I do like quite a few country songs, so it's not that I'm a country music hater.]
What is disturbing about this song, subtitled "The Angry American," is that Keith's lyrics show utter disregard for the lives of the people we are attacking and killing overseas. True, *they* showed the same disregard for us when they attacked us, but aren't *we* supposed to be aware enough to know that innocents die too, in war? That celebrating war, in any way shape or form, is, um...wrong? Morally despicable and all that? I'm having trouble even describing this sentiment without feeling like I'm talking down to my readers.
The image of the United States as a vengeful beast is comforting in the aftermath of tragedy; bloodthirsty sentiments that show no regard for human life can definitely make one feel better...It's called catharsis, you know, to speak your emotion without letting conscience get in the way. But Keith's song is NOT a cathartic moment; it's a well-planned statement of hostility, not declarations made from a burst of emotion. The *planning,* the deliberation behind the song is what makes it, well, kind of sicko. Patriotic war songs of the past are not sinister. This is not part of the 'great tradition of patriotic war songs' so I hope nobody tries to use that argument.
Thank God for Peter Jennings. Weird statement, I know, but Jennings listened to the song and then put his foot down saying to ABC, Do not let this man play our Fourth of July special.
Here are some of the lyrics:
Now this nation that I love - Has fallen under attack - A mighty sucker punch came flyin' in - From somewhere in the back - Soon as we could see clearly - Through our big black eye - Man, we lit up your world - Like the Fourth of July.
(t's commentary: Oh, Jeez. I'm okay with it until, 'Man, we lit up your world like the Fourth of July.' The Fourth of July is generally regarded by Americans as a celebration of *freedom*--here he's using it as a celebration of the *death of other people,* which should be thought of as an unfortunate byproduct of the struggle for freedom, not as the fun part.)
Hey Uncle Sam put your name - at the top of his list - And the Statue of Liberty - started shakin' her fist - And the eagle will fly - And there's gonna be hell - when you hear Mother Freedom - start ringin' her bell - And it'll feel like the whole wide world - is rainin' down on you - Brought to you courtesy - of the Red, White and Blue.
(t's commentary: Basically, I'm okay with it except that it is so ultra-cheesily written. But something's very sinister about the line 'And it'll feel like the whole wide world is rainin' down on you.' )
Oh justice will be served - and the battle will rage - This big dog will fight - when you rattle his cage - And you'll be sorry that you messed with The U.S. of A. - 'Cause we'll put a boot in your ass - It's the American way.
(t's commentary: there's no need for commentary, is there? Keith's sentiment here is, "we will enjoy killing you." I'm not gonna waste my time commenting on that.)
By the way, the first part of the song describes that he was raised by a dad who was a soldier, and that he was raised so patriotically. This isn't fiction. Keith reiterates this in interviews. QUESTION: if 40 year old Toby Keith is so f$&^ing patriotic, why didn't he go into the armed forces when he was younger? Did he even *try* to join after September 11? Three of my friends did join in the week following--true, we're 13 years younger than Keith, but did he even TRY? I am so irritated by it all. I want to write Peter Jennings a thank-you for not jumping on this bandwagon, I just don't know his address.
I just checked my blog to see if I'd written anything lately. Seems I haven't. That's a shame; I like reading my blog--I just wish I wasn't the one who had to write it all the time.
A few weeks ago over on Planet Carlton there was some discussion of patriotic songs. Well, I don't know if you guys know this one or not, but I heard an utterly ridiculous Toby Keith song called "Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue." This is not a new controversy; apparenly people have been yelling drunkenly about this one for a few weeks now, but since I think (native Oklahoman) Toby Keith's songs tend to be insipid anyway I didn't realize what all the fuss was about. [Just for the record, I do like quite a few country songs, so it's not that I'm a country music hater.]
What is disturbing about this song, subtitled "The Angry American," is that Keith's lyrics show utter disregard for the lives of the people we are attacking and killing overseas. True, *they* showed the same disregard for us when they attacked us, but aren't *we* supposed to be aware enough to know that innocents die too, in war? That celebrating war, in any way shape or form, is, um...wrong? Morally despicable and all that? I'm having trouble even describing this sentiment without feeling like I'm talking down to my readers.
The image of the United States as a vengeful beast is comforting in the aftermath of tragedy; bloodthirsty sentiments that show no regard for human life can definitely make one feel better...It's called catharsis, you know, to speak your emotion without letting conscience get in the way. But Keith's song is NOT a cathartic moment; it's a well-planned statement of hostility, not declarations made from a burst of emotion. The *planning,* the deliberation behind the song is what makes it, well, kind of sicko. Patriotic war songs of the past are not sinister. This is not part of the 'great tradition of patriotic war songs' so I hope nobody tries to use that argument.
Thank God for Peter Jennings. Weird statement, I know, but Jennings listened to the song and then put his foot down saying to ABC, Do not let this man play our Fourth of July special.
Here are some of the lyrics:
Now this nation that I love - Has fallen under attack - A mighty sucker punch came flyin' in - From somewhere in the back - Soon as we could see clearly - Through our big black eye - Man, we lit up your world - Like the Fourth of July.
(t's commentary: Oh, Jeez. I'm okay with it until, 'Man, we lit up your world like the Fourth of July.' The Fourth of July is generally regarded by Americans as a celebration of *freedom*--here he's using it as a celebration of the *death of other people,* which should be thought of as an unfortunate byproduct of the struggle for freedom, not as the fun part.)
Hey Uncle Sam put your name - at the top of his list - And the Statue of Liberty - started shakin' her fist - And the eagle will fly - And there's gonna be hell - when you hear Mother Freedom - start ringin' her bell - And it'll feel like the whole wide world - is rainin' down on you - Brought to you courtesy - of the Red, White and Blue.
(t's commentary: Basically, I'm okay with it except that it is so ultra-cheesily written. But something's very sinister about the line 'And it'll feel like the whole wide world is rainin' down on you.' )
Oh justice will be served - and the battle will rage - This big dog will fight - when you rattle his cage - And you'll be sorry that you messed with The U.S. of A. - 'Cause we'll put a boot in your ass - It's the American way.
(t's commentary: there's no need for commentary, is there? Keith's sentiment here is, "we will enjoy killing you." I'm not gonna waste my time commenting on that.)
By the way, the first part of the song describes that he was raised by a dad who was a soldier, and that he was raised so patriotically. This isn't fiction. Keith reiterates this in interviews. QUESTION: if 40 year old Toby Keith is so f$&^ing patriotic, why didn't he go into the armed forces when he was younger? Did he even *try* to join after September 11? Three of my friends did join in the week following--true, we're 13 years younger than Keith, but did he even TRY? I am so irritated by it all. I want to write Peter Jennings a thank-you for not jumping on this bandwagon, I just don't know his address.
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