Scott speaks as if that song is a unique point of view. Chris Janson tried to put out a song debasing COVID last year and Warner Bros stopped it. It would’ve made money… it was also a bad take.

Jeremy Gold

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Amplifying ignorance and the first amendment don’t go hand in hand. Discourse doesn’t fix the world, kindness does, The truth does, science does. Not putting negative false poison into the ecosphere does. Scott is correct, he can make whatever choice he wants, he is simply making the wrong one here.

Joe Greenwald

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What a mealy-mouthed excuse for his money-grubbing pandering. I’m sure he could find things to agree on with the guys from Skrewdriver, too. Thanks for holding his feet to fire!

Jeremy Shatan

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Cool hill to die on, Scott.

Michael Witthaus

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This is a screamingly cynical response that’ll convince no one but other monied boomers. good on you for calling it out.

Good shabbos bob

Israel Heller

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Mic drop.

Michael Patterson

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Fuck that. He’s defending his client who’s lamenting taking down confederate monuments. He’s complicit in perpetuating the spread of racism under the guise of free speech. Disgusting and harmful.

America needs to double down on teaching students about our horrifying history so that we don’t perpetuate the racism our country was founded on.

Eric Rippin

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Interesting that he talks about shaking hands.  Who are the people that this track is speaking to?  The folks who refuse to compromise.  “Love it or leave it” doesn’t allow room for discussion or change.  Scott’s not stupid, he sees opportunity. Money. Rifling off a list of different acts, only one of whom is decrying the removal of traitor statues, as somehow representative of the diverse set of mindsets at play is disingenuous at best.  Remind me, why did Lady A change their name?

Dave Conklin

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Ewww, gross.

Lee Vandeveer

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Scott Borchetta,

This is FAR from being a mere “political disagreement”, nor is it a first amendment issue.  This is a matter of what’s more important to you:  Your ethics or your wallet.

This man is literally defending slavers, traitors, racists, and war criminals…. Saying that we should continue to memorialize and honor them…. And you are defending it with some lame, flimsy “but muh freedumb of speech!” horseshit.

At least be man enough to admit that you don’t really care what kind of nonsense he is spewing, at long as it continues to swell your bank account.

I’d almost respect that, just for the honesty.  But that shit you just said was just spineless drivel. Man-up and take a stand for what you know to be right, or at least remain silent and stop trying to justify your self-serving choices with bullshit.

Mike Froedge
Atlanta, GA

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Remind your pal Scott that unless he’s somehow become a state actor the First Amendment doesn’t apply.

Kevin Casini

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Does this song make me want to boo boo cry for Aaron Lewis?   No.  But clearly there is more than once definition of what it means to be patriotic and he’s welcome to sing that song.   I would argue that maybe my science following bleeding heart lib POV is more patriotic.

Maybe next time he will try to write a song that could reach everybody.  I’m willing to listen.

Tim Redman

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I always love it when somebody says they believe in the first amendment and then go on to demonstrate that they don’t understand what it says.

Sam Smith

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Hi Bob,  in other words,  “anything for a buck $”.

Alan Segal

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How easy would it be for him to kindly direct the artist to another marketing/distribution entity if the artist’s messaging is not in alignment with the other artists on the roster, whose opinions are the only ones that matter?  I suppose he has an opinion too, but he also needs to make Q3.

Steven Okin

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Maybe his statement about not sharing Lewis’ political views helps Borchetta sleep at night, but he’s promoting an artist who is whining about the removal of statues that most intelligent people view as racist. Promoting this drivel suggests not an open mind but a lack of principles.

Patrick Donahue

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…….the parallel universe is alive……and unwell……….

Tommy Allen

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Hi Bob,
Greetings from Santa Monica.
What an asshole (hint: not you).
Gotta love label GUYS speaking like they’re THE artist (or ‘AN’ artist).
Let’s ask him how he feels about the ‘everyone should have a loud voice’ tact after the next homegrown Republican terrorist attack (or the one after that) based on mis and disinformation, and see if he changes his tune.
Spoiler alert: he won’t, because he doesn’t actually stand for anything other than making money.

Rick Sorkin

Ps- he should keep Sheryl crow’s name out of his mouth.

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Not that I had any doubt whatsoever that you would share Scott’s words with us, but I have to thank you for doing so.

Thank you.

R. Lowenstein

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From a very blue girl…..except for the statue line and knowing Aaron’s political beliefs, the song could be sung be any American. Across the country, red and blue, we have all felt most of his lyrics these past years.

When an artist can inspire patriotism and thought from both sides, that’s beauty and should always have a voice.

I applaud and more than appreciate executives that make those calls, even when it goes against their own personal beliefs….. we can’t really cancel culture because it already is, but we can find common ground, work together with an intention to create a multi-cultural society that embraces, teaches and rewards all beliefs without judgements or cancelling anyone.

Dawn Soler

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Spider-man said it best: with great power comes great responsibility, Scott.

Aaron Harris

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Guys like Scott Borchetta are the reason the music business is so lame and unappealing.

Rob Warden

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Scott Borchetta, what a joke you are, hiding behind the First Amendment.  1A doesn’t mean you have to release this dreck; Lewis can always find his own platform (and he’s got one, Fox).

Keep on writing Bob, we need you.

Carl Nelson

Ellicott City, MD

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Bob….

Please pass my email back to Borchetta…

Hey Scott-Fuck you. You’re a sleazy Pig! Love and kisses-John Green

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“My job has always been about identifying unique talent with a unique voice and a unique point of view.”

Roster of has beens & people who sing like Fox News broadcast? Not sure what’s unique about that. One could argue that his pandering style of artists squander/squash any uniqueness out there. We’re living in a time where ideology trumps artistry.

Migjen Bakalli

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“It would be too easy to just dismiss this missive…”

So instead I’ll write 14 paragraphs.

Fuck him.

Gary Mendel

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Scott is a wimp!

Kurt Lambeth

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Borchetta and Lefsetz. Both brilliant men. That being said. Game, set, match. Scott Borchetta.

George Marshall, Jr.

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It doesn’t work if we’re so divided that we can’t reach across the aisle, have a conversation or an argument, and ultimately, shake hands.  If we can’t do that, and this moment is so divisive, we may never get our country back.

Has Scott been out of the country for the last 4 1/2 years?

Greg Stroh

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“It doesn’t work if we’re so divided that we can’t reach across the aisle, have a conversation or an argument, and ultimately, shake hands.  If we can’t do that, and this moment is so divisive, we may never get our country back. “

He’s right.  It doesn’t work.

The question is, What evidence is there the Trump GOP wants to bend even a little?

How does that work?

Dennis Pelowski

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What a laugher this response was.  Aaron’s message is speaking to millions lol. Most as you rightfully point don’t know who the fuck Aaron Lewis is or care. And the spin that he’s inspiring conversation ? You could say the same thing about Tucker Carlson. Doesn’t make it a good thing . Thank god for someone like Olivia rodrigo with way more influence helping advocate for the vaccine. Maybe Aaron can go on the deplorable tour and play to all the hospitals of unvaccinated people on ventilators.

Jarred Arfa

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Bob, May I just say one thing about why the two sides don’t get together? It’s actually simple to understand.. In the Old Days, life was more Local gov’t first when it came to gov’t being in our lives. Communities got things done as things came along that needed to be done. Voluntary association. You front door could be unlocked all day long.. It was Jimmy Stewart paying back the government money he took when he was down and out in Miracle of 34th Street. (I think that was the movie) Government was limited, and Communities accepted that it was their responsibility to protect, and all the Community would help those who needed it.                                     

Now, everything starts with a gigantic federal government. Overreaching into everyone’s lives, un-Constitutional in my modest opinion, with taxes and regulations and the bureaucracy forced upon the working class for things unheard of a few decades ago. Our money is centrally controlled and is being devalued by this insatiable gigantic money pit, government.

So one side is fighting to keep what they earn. The private sector. While the other side is fighting to take, by force of a majority, the wealth the private sector creates.. The private sector doesn’t think the government should have it, and the methods used to take it, and what it’s being taken for are unethical and immoral.

The Democrat is seen looting and destroying property, and the Democrat government does nothing about it. The media does not act neutral, but takes sides, always against the private sector. So the private sector will NEVER accept the Socialism the Democrat demands.. Period, Rich Case

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Aaron’s song represents how well the right wing claimed, staked and re-marketed modern patriotism for profit. MAGA isn’t a movement as much as it is a Q cult wanting to feel a part of something after the failure of the American Dream for everyone else that is not rich and famous. Aaron’s song is hooky, terrible and perfectly timed for the tailwinds of our current media climate to push streams and manufactured relevance. Yes, he is saying what a lot of polarized people whose over stimulated limbic regions of the brain via algorithms, Murdoch, Koch backed media and Facebook panic-porn are reacting to.

When money started to pollute our political waters for media attention, clicks and influence, Aaron Lewis and Big Machine are guilty of monotzing co-opted “Americana Culture” via using those that fought and died for this country. You can make the argument that those who died fought to preserve “freedom” for all Americans  which you can directly translate to “everyone’s right to vote”. Aaron Lewis and Big Machine are just tapping into the MAGA market and you have every right to call this out for what this is, a bad song that resonates with the fearful, the angry, the lost..

Brian Sirgutz

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Scott Borchetta adopts the Facebook rationale of the First Amendment. It’s like “Hey, we’re just a record label putting out music”.

We, as members of the GP, need to realize labels are in it to make money. It’s the same thing that drives entities like Fox News.

Welcome to the ugly side of Capitalism y’all.

Yeah they have a diverse roster, but it’s mainly white acts. And of course they’re based in Tennessee, a state that, outside of Nashville and Memphis, is Trump country.

It’s no news that labels are mostly white-owned. Their executives live in gated communities, far away from the scourge of white supremacists and drug dealers (mostly). Their kids go to private schools.These guys could give a shit about their “product’ . It could be the viles gangsta rap or the swill from Aaron Lewis – as long as it sells.

As Sam Cooke sang, “A Change is Gonna Come”.

Lets see what happens with Mickey Guyton.

Tom Cartwright

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Well, Scott Borchetta’s ignorance (and duplicity) is apparent from the get – doesn’t he realize that the first amendment prevents the GOVERNMENT from stifling our speech? We, as private citizens, can make any decision we want in regard to others’ speech. If we want to do good in the world, which sometimes conflicts with making money, then we can choose to not do business (and therefore to not spread ignorance and hate) with someone who we think makes the world a worse place. Neo-Nazis or Donald Trump for instance have the right to say what they want in this country, but I’m sure as hell not going to help them, no matter how much money it might make me.

David Zevin

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Scott Borchetta…what a f**&in load of waffle. There is no division in your country, because division requires two equally authentic sides. There is no authenticity in fact there is no credibility, even worse there is no morality, in a side that seeks to disenfranchise an entire race of people for its own benefit. We are facing a new version of slavery. You can have artists sing and wail about the issues but until they get off their buses and their jets and bring the message of equality to the streets, they fail to mean anything.

John Brower

Toronto

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“ It doesn’t work if we’re so divided that we can’t reach across the aisle, have a conversation or an argument, and ultimately, shake hands.”

Here’s his fallacy. That argument might have worked in the olden days. But it doesn’t work anymore when massive numbers on one side of the aisle believe that vaccines contain 5G radiation enhanced werewolf venom and other such idiocy. You can’t shake hands with crazy people.

Jim Carroll

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1 – I’m not American, & have no connection to the U.S. , so why do I know what the 1st amendment says and what it protects, but yet Borchetta seems to have no clue? He thinks the 1st amendment has any relevance to whether he can or should be involved in what an artist sings or writes? or is he perhaps blowing smoke & obfuscating hoping that the uneducated fall for it?

2 – Borchetta wants to present this as a ‘ good people on both sides’ argument? As if your country & democracy ISN’T on the verge of collapse? Shameful

regards

Steve Cole
Elmvale, Ontario

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Go Scott! Bob you have no clue!

Mark Mason

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He’s a bright, intelligent, and successful guy (being all about the benjamins, perhaps he’ll re-release and promote Earl Johnson’s “…Woodpile” song because it’ll speak to millions of people) – but, I won’t “ultimately, shake hands” with racists and/or nationalists and/or dominionists and/or Big Lie proponents who want to cancel (kill, destroy, remove, diminish) so many of the people I love, and a whole lot more I’ve never met. These people aren’t just yelling “FIRE” in a crowded theatre, they’re setting the fire.

It’s that simple.

Hugo Burnham

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Mr. Borchetta:

Reading your recent response, I am unconvinced about your cognizance of the real difference between Aaron Lewis and Morgan Wallen.

Both may have much in common with each other culturally, but there is a world of difference in terms of the context in which each artist interacts with his lyrical and musical message towards his audience and towards the the broad music consumer populace in general.

Regardless of BMLG’s diverse roster, Lewis’s narrow demographic targeting does not bode optimistically towards a pathway of positively measurable future artist development,

Thank you, Phil Klausner

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There is nothing unique about Aaron Lewis.  He is, to a certain extent, a hypocrite.  Lewis, perhaps with the exception of Bill Maher, is the BIGGEST pot smoker I’ve ever heard of or seen.  How would that resonate with all those right-wing Christian conservatives?

This wreaks of opportunism.  You wonder why Taylor Swift might have chosen to part ways with Big Machine?  I concur with your assessment of Geffen.  He stood for something and still does.  Sure, he wanted to “make it,” and boy did he, but there was a bridge too far, at least with the Geto Boys.  The irony is Geffen’s position of not wanting to profit from that music which he felt “glamorizes and possibly endorses violence, racism, and misosgyny” in the case of the Geto Boys, is exactly what Lewis and by extension Scott Borchetta are doing.  Do January 6th, George Floyd, and a money culture that allowed Jeffrey Epstein, Harvey Weinstein, and Donald Trump go unfettered for so long, ring a bell?

All the flag waving, reveling, and dispersions cast on Springsteen in that song indicate how little Aaron Lewis understands about the principles that underlie our flag.  I’m reminded of that quote from Andy Shepherd/Michael Douglas in the Rob Reiner film, “The American President”, “You want to claim this land as the land of the free? Then the symbol of your country cannot just be a flag. The symbol also has to be one of its citizens exercising his right to burn that flag in protest.”  You think Aaron Lewis gets that?

Tom Lewis

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I have heard a lot of people call you ” a douche” over the years- did so a few times myself- but  until your cracks on Aaron Lewis never had I witnessed you act like “IL DUCE”. And saying that because you don’t like Lewis’s views he should be dropped and the label that put out his music should be shamed is full on fascism.

I took a listen to the song and although Lewis’s views are not views I share or agree with I would fight for his right to have them- and for America to stay a country where freedom of speech is important enough to remain the first Amendment to our Constitution- regardless of what self important so called “experts” on any business have to say about it.

SHAME ON YOU for trying to cancel Aaron Lewis and humiliate Scott Borchetta when it is you who has acted more shamefully than either of them. Cancel culture is supposed to be a young man’s game Bob but here you are doing it yourself?

It’s a much better look to kiss ass than kick it when you are kicking the wrong asses for the wrong reasons. Attacking someone over their right to have opinions- even shitty ones- is way worse than having shitty opinions Bob.

You’ve made a living  espousing your opinion thru the written word and most of the people I know think you are full of it-and yourself. But now you think that artists with messages you do not agree with should be cancelled? Thanks for proving me right- you are full of IT.

Chris Long

Los Angeles

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Imagine writing a song so passé as to require a record label head to come to your rescue, and that this was its only means of salvation. And as far as cultural pulse is concerned, wasn’t this particular Bro privy to the sale of Swifts masters??? This is the guy we’re debating here? Cool you signed her, and profited to be sure, but not exactly a shining record of having the artists best interest in mind I don’t think…

Anywaysssss… however you wanna spin it… that track reeks of thin blue lines, punisher stickers, fuzzy Viking helmets and old world patriarchal jizz-lobbing. As does its defense. Pandering to a certain aging, completely un-self-aware demographic, is not the “original point of view” this kat is trying to sling. As if any of these MF’s give a shit about a fucking statue anyways.

The real white secret at play here is that the “squeaky wheel gets the grease”, so if you go on TV and keep pissing in the wind about what you want, some asshole sporting a high and tight and oakleys (millions, apparently) out there will think its true and will spend their inflating dollars in its defense.

Mediocre.

The point is this song can be distilled down to whining about what once was – which has demonstrably NOT FUCKING WORKED FOR ANYONE INVOLVED EXCEPT FUCKING WHITE MALES, which contrary to popular belief is not what makes this country run.

Even the titles soggy; YOU KNOW YOURE NOT THE ONLY ONE CAUSE THATS WHY THEY LET YOU ON FOX IN THE FIRST PLACE.

This “red white and blue” he has such a boner for is a culture of cruelty fueled by misogyny, and built on Asian manufacturing, MidEast oil, LatinX labor and African culture / suffering to name a few… and that’s to say nothing of the near Thanos level snapping and decimation of Native populations, who at least knew how to value and honor the hand that fed them; the land, and for their part tried to work with and believed what the white man said, simply because he said it… to their ultimate demise, cause the “white man” lies.

You say “Unique voices” but these lyrics sound pretty “retired cop dad” to me… rehashed cishet white republican talking points, which if they really mattered or were relevant to the GLOBAL CULTURE – which need I remind everyone we are a part of – then Lefsetz’s initial diatribe would have been about how the track is original and explosive, ‘cause so many ppl would be listening and talking about it already, and actually generating WORTHWHILE conversation. Pissing back and forth about this of all songs is so fucking far from that as to be a profane insult to the

ones and zeros it’s written with.

“Be loud and be heard”!? Ugly.

This world’s had a enough of that for millennia.

How about be wise? Empathetic? Realistic? Pragmatic even? Shit I’d take Patriotic if it was expressed in the way it was intended, not the way it’s paraded today… You can’t be a global leader by only considering yourself.

Sorry bros, canned myopia is on exactly NO ONES wishlist.

THIS IS THE MAID SPEAKING BY THE WAY.

Paul MacLachlan

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“Firstly, I believe in the First Amendment.  My job has never been to tell my artists what to sing and write about.  My job has always been about identifying unique talent with a unique voice and a unique point of view.”

Anyone who even knows of Scott knows he only cares about one thing, and it’s not the First Amendment… unless the jargon happens to coincide with whatever current flavor is lining his pockets. And you don’t need to work with every major in Nashville, including his, to know that. But I did. And speaking of his fabled “job” to identify talent (lol)

“Sheryl Crow singing “Woman In The White House” to Aaron Lewis singing “Am I The Only One” to Ray Wylie Hubbard to Tim McGraw to Thomas Rhett to Glen Campbell to Nikki Sixx/Rob Zombie/John5 (L.A. Rats) to Brantley Gilbert to Justin Moore to Florida Georgia Line to Brett Young to Lady A to Ayron Jones to Callista Clark and many more…

Go pull up BMLG’s roster and you’ll see more of the same… giant artists and bands in whom he invested exactly zero dollars to break. Someone else did all the dirty work, all the heavy-lifting and trench-crawling, invested the capital and the time. Sure, you may find outliers, but this is Scott’s entire business model. His MO. Let someone else take all the risk. Most of the newer artists Scott actually did take a chance on have long since gone the way of Dot records.

“I think that’s the foundation for the idea of our country.  It doesn’t work if we’re so divided that we can’t reach across the aisle, have a conversation or an argument, and ultimately, shake hands.  If we can’t do that, and this moment is so divisive, we may never get our country back”

Horseshit. We’re not talking about having a conversation about healthcare, police reform, or increasing minimum wage. Lewis, with “don’t tread on me” scrawled across his neck, is equating the removal of a racist figurine to our flag burning on the ground and disrespecting our troops. Come on, man. Horseshit.

As for the rest of his message, Scott is out of touch. I mean, the dude even double-spaces after every period. Tell me you’re not current without telling me you’re not current.

Chris Alaways

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The Aaron Lewis track is a 100% turd.  Anyone that tells you otherwise is a fucking bleeding-heart, MAGA-hat wearing, insurrectionist dope or just a lover of shitty music (which, let’s be real, is one in the same).

There was one and ONLY one reason to release the Aaron Lewis song – to cash in on the dummies that like bro-country and sing the National Anthem at a Wal-Mart in the middle of Texas.  Nothing sells anymore so now what?  Well, let’s get some streaming revenue going for the dummies and the curious because a streaming cent is a streaming cent regardless of what side of the isle you’re on.

I heard the Aaron Lewis track a week ago and this blind patriotism/nationalism makes me ill.  I don’t want to hear songs about it.  I don’t want to read about it.  People that are a part of it are blind sheeple.

Where are the musicians that want to put songs out that are going to offer a kick in the groin to the modern GOP belief system?  Well, they don’t exist.  Everyone is too scared to lose out on advertising/sponsorship dollars and too afraid of rocking the fan boat so they just stay dead center and act like nothing is going on. Sheryl Crow isn’t moving units and isn’t moving me to think about politics in a strong way regardless of whether or not I’m on board with her message (which I am).

There is a monetary motive here.  That’s it.  Don’t get all grass roots with me about creating conversation and getting to the heart of the matter.  How about get Aaron Lewis in the studio on a mic and talk with him about how to make his vocal phrasing a little less bull in a China shop approach?

Such a turd of a song.  Really, really bad.

David Moorhead

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Scott’s right Bob.

Aaron Lewis and Morgen Wallen have every right via the First Amendment to spew their hateful bullshit and disinformation, just as the Ghetto Boys did to sell their filthy language ridden records and as long as it sells no label in their right mind is going to drop an artist no matter how offensive their music may be to some.

But the Ghetto Boys weren’t actively endangering their fellow countrymen by justifying white supremacy or amplifying anti-vaccination paranoia which is absolutely, irrefutably, scientifically untrue. Why the hell do geniuses like Lewis and Wallen think they never got the chicken pox, mumps, measles, rubella or polio I wonder?

This isn’t the false equivalence, both sides crap that people with an right wing agenda would have everyone believe, it’s simply that conservatives all seem determined to conflate their unearned overconfidence for expertise and we sane, empathetic people who actually value participating in society pay the price.

What is the value in having a “conversation” with people who won’t even acknowledge a shared set of empirical facts and data? Especially since the science shows that presenting conservatives or conspiracy theorists with the facts which disprove their paranoid ideas only make them double down and refuse to budge?

It’s the same dynamic at play with all of the outrage over Critical Race Theory, which is really just the college level, intensive study of and acknowledgement that this country was started by slaveowners and the reverberations of that throughout our history and up to the present day. It’s not even being taught in grade school anywhere, though it should be, yet Trump’s drooling cultists are protesting it everywhere as if their very lives depended upon no one ever calling them a racist.

White rage? What white rage?

This is also why “red” states and the petulantly unvaccinated are holding the country back from fully beating COVID. One side are unrepentantly selfish, sociopathic, racist morons while the rest of us are just people who actually care about others.

The real “wake up call” is the fact that it’s soon effectively only going to be the unvaccinated who continue to die, but conservatives will still keep denying that too, no doubt. Till their own dying, last labored breaths through a ventilator.

Martin Ferrini