Chabenda wrote:
I feel though that these are the 'Muricans we are talking about here. Patriotism is one of the things that they are BIGGEST on. Watch what happens if you say or do something anti-american. If you are an American you are expected to die for for your country if needs be. I can't imagine a Country and Western singer refusing to sing in those conditions (they may prove me wrong). I mean, this was the Presidential inauguration!! It smacks of a world with no backbone to me. This must have been one of the Marine Corps Band's most shameful events ever. I feel for them.
I think that's too simplistic and one dimensional a view.
I was at an Amnesty International show in 1988. Springsteen was top of the bill. He gave a great speech about how you can love your country but hate what your country is doing. Springsteen was a draft dodger - and doesn't cover that up. A lot of American musicians were critical of the Viet Nam war in the 60s and 70s (Phil Ochs wrote the splendid "I Ain't Marching Anymore"). More recently there have been songs critical of the USA's presence in the middle east. The Dixie Chicks - a band on the poppish side of country - denounced George W Bush from the stage. Eliza Gilkyson (daughter of Terry Gilkyson who wrote soundtracks for Walt Disney) wrote and recorded the song "Man of God" which took several big swipes at Dubya and the war on terror. I haven't checked to see what Steve Earle had to say about all of this, but I can imagine.
America is a big country, and I find it hard to generalise about America and Americans because it's so big and because there's so many people and because they don't all think and act the same. Hell, a lot of them don't even drink lite beer.
