Over the weekend Chris Sanders over at Grand Divisions wrote about singer Toby Keith's comments that gay marriage didn't bother him a bit. Sanders wrote:
One can argue about whether it matters what a country star or any other celebrity thinks about politics. On the issue of same-sex marriage it matters in this way. Very few male country stars are on record as being supportive of GLBT issues. Culture shapes politics. Country music and men's professional sports are still frontiers when it comes to issues of sexuality and gender. If there are whole cultural arenas in which these issues are not addressed in a positive way, then that reinforces negative views about GLBT people.
I thought about Sanders' words as I listened to some outstanding music at the Bluebird Cafe and I wondered why more country artists don't see themselves as Progressives -- or at least Democrats.
County music is all about people; songs about daily living, challenges, loves lost and found and the importance of people to one another. Hard work is good, but so is giving the shirt off your back to someone in need. Country music believes people deserve a fair break in life and that the little guy should get as much respect as the rich one.
So why is it that country stars feel the need to stand up for a political party that doesn't share those values? As Calvin Rye reminded us last week, "Republicans look at the strength and wellbeing of America, while Democrats concentrate on the strength and wellbeing of Americans."
Perhaps Keith will inspire others to take a look at their values and those of their fans and see that the radical right doesn't share their view of the world.
Those of us on the left don't always agree with one another, but we understand that the differences among us are important and we embrace them rather than condemning others for thinking differently.
-- Jim Grinstead
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