This is NOT a pro-lynching song

[Michie]

I’m surprised nobody has brought up Demi Lovato’s latest anthem.

 

[durangodawood]

Oh, I remember the brouhaha over the Dixie Chicks. Not sure how it's applicable to this discussion though...

How is it not applicable? Its precisely about taking offense at songs and lyrics and dealing out consequences.

(And wow did The Chicks turn out to be right in hindsight with many of their haters eventually coming around to the get the heck out of foreign wars POV.)

 

[durangodawood]

I’m surprised nobody has brought up Demo Lovato’s latest anthem.

No one would take offense at that, now would they? Its just entertainment!

 

[probinson]

I’m surprised nobody has brought up Demo Lovato’s latest anthem.

Demi Lovato's anthem about abortion rights? Most of the lyrics are full of vulgarity that can't be posted here. But here's a taste.

We gotta grow 'em, we gotta raise 'em, we gotta feed, and bathe 'em​

And if you won't, they call you a witch to burn at the stake in Salem​

Thought by now they'd change, but we're still waiting​

​

...​

​

My life, my voice
My rights, my choice (oh)
It's mine
Or I'm just swine​

​

My blood, my loins
My lungs, my noise (oh)
It's mine
Or I'm just swine​

The message here seems to be that if you can't abort your baby, you're just a pig. Offensive? Perhaps. But Ms. Lovato is entitled to her free expression. And just like with other songs I don't like, I just listen to something else.

 

[BPPLEE]

Dixie Chicks?

Y'all remember how bad they were cancelled by "conservatives" when they lyrically stood up to the GWBush Iraq War II ?

I'm guessing not.

Great offense was taken I can tell you.

You mean conservatives have the power to do what the left does?
Who knew?

 

[BPPLEE]

How is it not applicable? Its precisely about taking offense at songs and lyrics and dealing out consequences.

(And wow did The Chicks turn out to be right in hindsight with many of their haters eventually coming around to the get the heck out of foreign wars POV.)

With them it was something they said and not a song though

 

[probinson]

How is it not applicable? Its precisely about taking offense at songs and lyrics and dealing out consequences.

I guess I don't find it applicable because I wasn't offended by that either. As I originally said, I struggle to understand why people expend energy being offended by a song.

 

[durangodawood]

With them it was something they said and not a song though

Whats the difference? A song is an expression just like any other. Well, ok it has music too. But the ideas can be exactly the same.

 

[BPPLEE]

Whats the difference? A song is an expression just like any other.

Were they right to tick off their own fan base though? I don’t remember any big hits they had after that. Maybe it was a moral victory

 

[durangodawood]

Were they right to tick off their own fan base though? I don’t remember any big hits they had after that. Maybe it was a moral victory

Yep they ticked off their fan base by telling them thing things it would take a decade or two to come around to by themselves.

Ahead of the curve can be a dangerous place.

 

[WolfGate]

As expected, responses to this became very tribal, with sides not even willing to consider there may be nuance. So, I'll close and leave this conversation with a post I saw today from Justin Goboney of the & Campaign (theologically conservative Christians). Wasn't related to this topic, but I think it fits.

"Where'd we get the idea that someone who loves their culture shouldn't publicly critique and correct that culture? Repeating narratives that make any culture seem faultless isn't helpful. Examining your community honestly and constructively is an act of love.".

As a true conservative, but not a partisan or populist, I agree entirely.

 

[probinson]

Were they right to tick off their own fan base though? I don’t remember any big hits they had after that. Maybe it was a moral victory

I think this is the "dealing out consequences" mentioned. If you take a position that runs counter to your core fan base, you should not be surprised when they turn away. This is not the "canceling" that we're talking about with this song though. A good many people would love to censor anything they disagree with and/or find "offensive", and that is concerning.

The cornerstone of our freedoms is found in freedom of speech and expression. Free speech is messy, because it requires you to support the right for people to say things that you find "abhorrent".

 

[BPPLEE]

I think this is the "dealing out consequences" mentioned. If you take a position that runs counter to your core fan base, you should not be surprised when they turn away. This is not the "canceling" that we're talking about with this song though. A good many people would love to censor anything they disagree with and/or find "offensive", and that is concerning.

The cornerstone of our freedoms is found in freedom of speech and expression. Free speech is messy, because it requires you to support the right for people to say things that you find "abhorrent".

I agree and the current trend is to try to silence the voices of those who disagree. Cancel them

 

[durangodawood]

I think this is the "dealing out consequences" mentioned. If you take a position that runs counter to your core fan base, you should not be surprised when they turn away. This is not the "canceling" that we're talking about with this song though. A good many people would love to censor anything they disagree with and/or find "offensive", and that is concerning.
....

Really? Loads of country radio pulled the Dixie Chicks from rotation because people were offended. How is that not exactly like CMT dropping this video?

 

[Michie]

The Aldean song is mediocre at best. Never would of gotten to the position it is without the whining.

 

[probinson]

Really? Loads of country radio pulled the Dixie Chicks from rotation because people were offended. How is that not exactly like CMT dropping this video?

Well for starters, the radio stations were simply catering to the whims of their fan base. The fans didn't want to hear the Dixie Chicks any more.

In this case, the fan-base was NOT offended. In fact, as we see by the song jumping to number one yesterday, the fan-base apparently LIKES the song and WANTS to hear it. So CMT is not responding to the desires of their fan base, and I suspect there will be some fallout for them as well.

Why did CMT drop the video if the fan-base likes it? Answer that question, and you'll understand the difference between this instance and what happened with the Dixie Chicks.

 

[probinson]

The Aldean song is mediocre at best. Never would of gotten to the position it is without the whining.

Exactly. The song is just "meh". But those that took offense to it have now caused it to be elevated to a position it could never have dreamed possible otherwise.

 

[durangodawood]

Well for starters, the radio stations were simply catering to the whims of their fan base. The fans didn't want to hear the Dixie Chicks any more.

In this case, the fan-base was NOT offended. In fact, as we see by the song jumping to number one yesterday, the fan-base apparently LIKES the song and WANTS to hear it. So CMT is not responding to the desires of their fan base, and I suspect there will be some fallout for them as well.

Why did CMT drop the video if the fan-base likes it? Answer that question, and you'll understand the difference between this instance and what happened with the Dixie Chicks.

CMT has something at stake here. And its not any threat of the govt shutting them down. And also, if youre right, its not audience desertion. So.... what is it?

 

[probinson]

CMT has something at stake here. And its not any threat of the govt shutting them down. And also apparently its not audience desertion. So.... what is it?

A miscalculation of what their fan-base wants? Attempting to appeal to people who would otherwise never watch CMT? Your guess is as good as mine...

 

[BPPLEE]

CMT has something at stake here. And it’s not any threat of the govt shutting them down. And also, if youre right, it’s not audience desertion. So.... what is it?

Their ESG rating?