Controversy in country music land? You bet.
Yesterday, Monday Night Football pulled Hank Williams Jr.'s longstanding theme song ("Are you ready for some football?") from the broadcast. It was done in response to comments the singer made about President Obama on Fox & Friends.
Hank Jr. had this to say about a golf match between House Speaker John Boehner and the President:
"That'd be like Hitler playing golf with Netanyahu." (video)
This was ESPN's official statement:
"While Hank Williams, Jr. is not an ESPN employee, we recognize that he is closely linked to our company through the open to Monday Night Football. We are extremely disappointed with his comments, and as a result we have decided to pull the open from tonight's telecast."
Personally, I don't think it's a good idea to compare anyone to Hitler. But that comes less from a sense of moral outrage -- than that it's a really clumsy rhetorical device.
But should ESPN have pulled the tune? Or even gotten involved in the first place?
Let me know what you think in the comments.
Comments
What happen to freedom of speech? What about all the nasty things liberals say about Bush and the Tea party? I support Hank Willaims Jr. Shame on espn they will no longer be watched in my house.
Freedom of speech apparently doesn’t count when it comes to Obama, unless HE is speaking. Leave it to Hank Jr to speak his mind. Really more of us should!
I think the question isn’t so much one of free speech as it is of judgement. Remember when the Dixie Chicks were criticized for their comments about president Bush and even had their songs pulled from some stations. I thought his comments were inflammatory and not thought out what really showed poor judgement was his “apology” With a public persona goes some expected ideas of decorum. I thought he was both disrespectful to both the office and the man.
Hank should just shut up and sing….no one cares what he thinks….Fox News baited him into say n something stupid…..morons. Hank’s the only one who got hurt.
I do agree with whatever happened to freedom of speech because, yes, we all do have the right to that. However, even if I did not agree with all of the ways that President Obama is running our country that still does not give me the right to do a public “bash” against the President of the United States. We as people should know that those types of things against the president are not taken lightly. We as people need to learn to be more mindful when we are speaking. As the old saying goes there is always a time and a place to do or say anything, we just need to know when.
SUPPORT HANK ALL THE WAY! (:
There goes another right of ours…Freedom of Speech..What they want is for everyone to be mute
If Hank Williams, Jr. was Hank Smith, Jr. he’d be signing for his supper in some tacky roadhouse serving stale beer & week old sliders!
When the declaration of Independence was written, it does state that we have a freedom of speech but it does not specify whom we direct our thought at. If you know your rights then don’t be affraid to stand up for them. Freedom of speech, the right to bear arms, and the freedom to travel the country without restriction, (such as car insurance and drivers liscence.).
Oh yea if you feel that hank is in the wrong, or. If you feel that this doesn’t fall under freedom of speech, then you are too ignorant to be posting on an adult convorsation. Anyway I feel that ESPN needs to be sued for violating Hanks rights. I have made songs about prior presidents, as long as you do not threaten them in any way shape or form. You gotta know what to say and when to say it. Hank said this in a sarcastic way. If it were a black singer that made a remark about a white president, then it would be ok. That’s just messed up. Sad but true