Toby Keith - Advocate of lynching?

[Strangler Lewis]

Originally Posted by BarTopDancer

I seriously doubt the target audience of this song, or the related movie was the ultra liberal left leaning music listeners.

You mean the anti-lynching wacko pansies who whine about the need for trials, the rule of law and the presumption of innocence?

No argument there.

[BarTopDancer]

Originally Posted by Strangler Lewis

You mean the anti-lynching wacko pansies who whine about the need for trials, the rule of law and the presumption of innocence?

No argument there.

I consider myself a left leaning liberal who likes country music, Toby Keith and this song. I don't have an urge to go lynchin or fly a confederate flag. Thank you very much.

I'm still waiting to hear if people think the lyrics to the M.I.A. song promote terrorism or murder.

I'll fly like a paper get high like planes
Catch me at the border I got visas in my name
If you come around here I'll make em all day
I'll get one done in a second if you wait

Sometimes I think sitting on trains
Every stop I get to I'm clocking that game
Everyone's a winner, we're making our fame
Bonafide hustler making my name

All I wanna do (BANG BANG BANG BANG)
And a (CLICK CHING)
And take your money

Pirate skulls and bones
Sticks and stones and weed and bombs
Running when we hit em
A leathal poison pon dey system

No one on the corner had swag like us
Hit me on up on a
Pre paid wireless
We pack and deliver like UPS trucks
Already going hell
Just pumping that gas

All I wanna do (BANG BANG BANG BANG)
And a (CLICK CHING)
And take your money

Some some some o dem I murder
Some a some I let go

This is MIA
A third world democracy
I got more records than the KGB

So no funny business

[Alex]

Originally Posted by BarTopDancer

Actually, I know it didn't spawn a bunch of lynchings.

Has anybody suggested the song inspired any lynchings? All I see is people saying that the song seem to think there was something good about lynchings in the past and whether that isn't a very troublesome thing in light of the baggage associated with lynchings in this country.

[Strangler Lewis]

Unless there's some satirical or self-critical gloss that can be put on the lyrics, they don't seem to support the rule of law either.

[BarTopDancer]

Originally Posted by Alex

Has anybody suggested the song inspired any lynchings? All I see is people saying that the song seem to think there was something good about lynchings in the past and whether that isn't a very troublesome thing in light of the baggage associated with lynchings in this country.

The author of the article was concerned it advocated lynchings. I was pointing out that the song was #1 on the charts when it was released and there were no lynchings as a result.

[Alex]

Agreed. "Advocated" is not a synonym for "inspired."

[Alex]

And there's no question that the song is advocating lynchings. If not in a literal sense then in the sense of needing a modern equivalent since the current justice system isn't protecting society.

The question isn't whether the song advocates it but whether that means Toby Keith advocates it.

[BarTopDancer]

Originally Posted by Alex

Agreed. "Advocated" is not a synonym for "inspired."

I'm not disagreeing with you. Let me try another way. We didn't hear of anyone going out and lynching someone because "Toby Keith sang about it, it must be oK".

I'm curious if the M.I.A. lyrics going to be deemed acceptable because LoT members are fans of her but not country music.

[Strangler Lewis]

Never heard of M.I.A., but I was country when country wasn't cool.

[Alex]

I understand what you're saying. I'm saying it isn't relevant whether anybody lynched anybody because of the song.

I don't have any idea who either Toby Keith or M.I.A. is/are. You seem to be taking this personally. You shouldn't, it is ok to be entertained by a homophobic racist who would like all black people to be lynched (if that is what Keith is, I'm not saying he is).

But reading about M.I.A. it seems she is quite open about the politics and advocacy of her music. I don't know if I find the lyrics you've posted problematic because I don't know what she is trying to say with them.

I also don't know for certain what Keith is trying to say with his song. But at least on surface reading it seems to be pretty explicit in its yearning for a bygone era of more instantaneous (and harsher) judgment.