Johnny Cash

[Captain Liger 0]

Vote and discuss. This is a carry over from ATC...that and I'm stuck in Fort Hood and time keeps draggin' on.

[otterinbham 0]

I think we should call Johnny Cash sui generis and be done with it. Why does everything need a political label, anyway? /

[TitanTiger 20,511]

Some would call him a liberal, but that's mostly knee jerk politics from people who think you have to buy into every tenet of an ideology or you're wishy washy. Some of his views were conservative and traditional. Some were more on the "liberal" view of things. Some call that straddling the fence or wishy washy. I call it being a man of principle.

[AURaptor 1,126]

Clearly he was for the little guy, the underdog. But I don't recall him ever promoting the Gov't take care of everything. I could be wrong, but I think he wanted to elevate those who were down trodden, and make us all aware how tough it can be out there across the country. Life can be cruel, and can throw good folks a raw deal. Doesn't make them bad folk.

[lukeduke 8]

There needs to be a who cares, he was a singer option. Don't obsess over it unless you're gonna equally obsess over what the hollywood politicians have to say.

[Captain Liger 0]

There needs to be a who cares, he was a singer option. Don't obsess over it unless you're gonna equally obsess over what the hollywood politicians have to say.

Trust me, I'm not obsessed. I was bored and this made me post this topic.

[TexasTiger 13,028]

This thread grew out of this not-so-serious comment to Liger on Johnny Cash:

You know he was librul, right?

It was intended as a joking jab, and not as a real topic of discussion. But since it is one now, I first thought to make the comment because of conservative friends of mine who often assume that their country icons share their political views. I know guys who identify with Willie Nelson and are sure that Willie sees the world like that do. The truth is, by the measures typically employed on this site, Willie is a far-left liberal. He’s an advocate of biodiesel and endorsed Dennis Kucinich for President--- even I consider Kucinich as a member of the “looney left.” Willie recorded a song for Kucinich’s campaign:

What Ever Happened To Peace On Earth

There's so many things going on in the world

Babies dying

Mothers crying

How much oil is one human life worth

And what ever happened to peace on earth

We believe everything that they tell us

They're gonna' kill us

So we gotta' kill them first

But I remember a commandment

Thou shall not kill

How much is that soldier's life worth

And whatever happened to peace on earth

(Bridge)

And the bewildered herd is still believing

Everything we’ve been told from our birth

Hell they won't lie to me

Not on my own damn TV

But how much is a liars word worth

And whatever happened to peace on earth

So I guess it's just

Do unto others before they do it to you

Let’s just kill em' all and let God sort em' out

Is this what God wants us to do

(Repeat Bridge)

And the bewildered herd is still believing

Everything we’ve been told from our birth

Hell they won’t lie to me

Not on my own damn TV

But how much is a liars word worth

And whatever happened to peace on earth

Now you probably won’t hear this on your radio

Probably not on your local TV

But if there's a time, and if you're ever so inclined

You can always hear it from me

How much is one picker's word worth

And whatever happened to peace on earth

But don't confuse caring for weakness

You can’t put that label on me

The truth is my weapon of mass protection

And I believe truth sets you free

(Bridge)

And the bewildered herd is still believing

Everything we've been told from our birth

Hell they won't lie to me

Not on my own damn TV

But how much is a liars word worth

And whatever happened to peace on earth

“How much is a liar’s word worth?” is a not so implicit jab at Bush. “The bewildered herd?” Sorry, fellas.

Is Johnny Cash a “liberal?” He struck me as a pretty complex individual and I don’t know his entire belief system. He wasn’t overtly political in public, except through what one can reasonably glean from his lyrics and actions. What’s funny is that folks don’t want to believe that he might have been liberal— as if it would lessen him. I suspect no one here knew him, but his daughter was pretty close to him and she has no doubt about his politics:

Rosanne Cash:

Compounding the problem was her public opposition to the war in Iraq, which angered many of her father’s admirers. “I got so much hate mail,” Cash says. “Invariably, they would say, ‘Your father’s a real American, and you should go sleep with Sadaam.’” Ironically, Johnny Cash himself was adamantly against the war. “It broke his heart, it really did,” she asserts, claiming that her father was “addicted” to war coverage on CNN during his last months. “We talked about it in every single conversation we had,” she says. “He was almost a Quaker in his pacifism. He thought there was never a reason for war — and he had felt that way, he told me, since the Vietnam War.”

…

“Dad was so opposed to this war. It broke his heart. It really did…Dad always remained a Democrat. But he never registered, you know. He never affiliated himself with a party, but he was definitely a liberal in his social and political views.”

…

“You know what’s so fascinating? I did this press conference with David Byrne, Russell Simmons and Lou Reed, right before we invaded Iraq – it was part of Moveon.org, this subgroup called Musicians United to Win Without War – and we said why we were against it. I got so much hate mail after that. Not just ‘I disagree with you,’ but really vicious name-calling. And this one guy wrote, “Well, I’m just going to stick with the real Americans like Merle Haggard and your dad.’” This cracks her up. “And I’m thinking, they’re both as liberal as I am!”

http://www.liberalcountryfan.com/?p=170

Most folks aren’t so easily predicted to be explained by a single label. You can’t always predict where Titan will be on an issue or Otter. Even though Raptor is a consistent Bush supporter, I seem to recall him being a big advocate of evolution.

I support a balanced-budget amendment, own a few guns and think I have a right to do so, supported taking on the Taliban in Afghanistan, supported welfare reform, and NAFTA, but I am repeatedly referred to as some kind of extreme liberal on this site because I didn’t support invading Iraq. I opposed it from the start when that was a very unpopular position.

Had Johnny Cash assumed an anonymous persona on this forum and posted his opposition to the war at its outset, he would have been quickly labeled a soft-on-terrorism liberal by many of the same people who I’m sure refused to label him as such in the poll on this thread. The denial at work here is kinda funny.

[AFTiger 282]

This thread grew out of this not-so-serious comment to Liger on Johnny Cash:

You know he was librul, right?

It was intended as a joking jab, and not as a real topic of discussion. But since it is one now, I first thought to make the comment because of conservative friends of mine who often assume that their country icons share their political views. I know guys who identify with Willie Nelson and are sure that Willie sees the world like that do. The truth is, by the measures typically employed on this site, Willie is a far-left liberal. He’s an advocate of biodiesel and endorsed Dennis Kucinich for President--- even I consider Kucinich as a member of the “looney left.” Willie recorded a song for Kucinich’s campaign:

What Ever Happened To Peace On Earth

There's so many things going on in the world

Babies dying

Mothers crying

How much oil is one human life worth

And what ever happened to peace on earth

We believe everything that they tell us

They're gonna' kill us

So we gotta' kill them first

But I remember a commandment

Thou shall not kill

How much is that soldier's life worth

And whatever happened to peace on earth

(Bridge)

And the bewildered herd is still believing

Everything we’ve been told from our birth

Hell they won't lie to me

Not on my own damn TV

But how much is a liars word worth

And whatever happened to peace on earth

So I guess it's just

Do unto others before they do it to you

Let’s just kill em' all and let God sort em' out

Is this what God wants us to do

(Repeat Bridge)

And the bewildered herd is still believing

Everything we’ve been told from our birth

Hell they won’t lie to me

Not on my own damn TV

But how much is a liars word worth

And whatever happened to peace on earth

Now you probably won’t hear this on your radio

Probably not on your local TV

But if there's a time, and if you're ever so inclined

You can always hear it from me

How much is one picker's word worth

And whatever happened to peace on earth

But don't confuse caring for weakness

You can’t put that label on me

The truth is my weapon of mass protection

And I believe truth sets you free

(Bridge)

And the bewildered herd is still believing

Everything we've been told from our birth

Hell they won't lie to me

Not on my own damn TV

But how much is a liars word worth

And whatever happened to peace on earth

“How much is a liar’s word worth?” is a not so implicit jab at Bush. “The bewildered herd?” Sorry, fellas.

Is Johnny Cash a “liberal?” He struck me as a pretty complex individual and I don’t know his entire belief system. He wasn’t overtly political in public, except through what one can reasonably glean from his lyrics and actions. What’s funny is that folks don’t want to believe that he might have been liberal— as if it would lessen him. I suspect no one here knew him, but his daughter was pretty close to him and she has no doubt about his politics:

Rosanne Cash:

Compounding the problem was her public opposition to the war in Iraq, which angered many of her father’s admirers. “I got so much hate mail,” Cash says. “Invariably, they would say, ‘Your father’s a real American, and you should go sleep with Sadaam.’” Ironically, Johnny Cash himself was adamantly against the war. “It broke his heart, it really did,” she asserts, claiming that her father was “addicted” to war coverage on CNN during his last months. “We talked about it in every single conversation we had,” she says. “He was almost a Quaker in his pacifism. He thought there was never a reason for war — and he had felt that way, he told me, since the Vietnam War.”

…

“Dad was so opposed to this war. It broke his heart. It really did…Dad always remained a Democrat. But he never registered, you know. He never affiliated himself with a party, but he was definitely a liberal in his social and political views.”

…

“You know what’s so fascinating? I did this press conference with David Byrne, Russell Simmons and Lou Reed, right before we invaded Iraq – it was part of Moveon.org, this subgroup called Musicians United to Win Without War – and we said why we were against it. I got so much hate mail after that. Not just ‘I disagree with you,’ but really vicious name-calling. And this one guy wrote, “Well, I’m just going to stick with the real Americans like Merle Haggard and your dad.’” This cracks her up. “And I’m thinking, they’re both as liberal as I am!”

http://www.liberalcountryfan.com/?p=170

Most folks aren’t so easily predicted to be explained by a single label. You can’t always predict where Titan will be on an issue or Otter. Even though Raptor is a consistent Bush supporter, I seem to recall him being a big advocate of evolution.

I support a balanced-budget amendment, own a few guns and think I have a right to do so, supported taking on the Taliban in Afghanistan, supported welfare reform, and NAFTA, but I am repeatedly referred to as some kind of extreme liberal on this site because I didn’t support invading Iraq. I opposed it from the start when that was a very unpopular position.

Had Johnny Cash assumed an anonymous persona on this forum and posted his opposition to the war at its outset, he would have been quickly labeled a soft-on-terrorism liberal by many of the same people who I’m sure refused to label him as such in the poll on this thread. The denial at work here is kinda funny.

So you are a misunderstood anti-war conservative?

[Captain Liger 0]

This thread grew out of this not-so-serious comment to Liger on Johnny Cash:

You know he was librul, right?

It was intended as a joking jab, and not as a real topic of discussion.

I knew you were kidding around. I was going to reply back with something like "well, everyone has their flaws " but before I could the topic had spiraled into a political debate so I took it here...but mainly out of boredom.

I couldn't care less what Johnny Cash's political beliefs were. He was a hell of a performer and I enjoy his music and lyrics. It may sound mundane but probably my favorite song of his is Folsom Prison Blues but that may be just because it was one of the first songs I learned to play on the guitar when I was a kid.

There are many performers I probably don't see eye to eye with politically but I enjoy their music. Take Green Day for example. Many don't consider their music rock even to be very good alternative. I think they're awesome, though. I've been a huge fan since 10th grade when they released the Dookie album. I know they're liberal and they've jumped on the global warming bandwagon. But I don't care. I love their music and I enjoy playing the hell out of it on my Les Paul. As long as performers keep their political beliefs somewhat buried and don't make it the crux of their whole exsistence then I can tolerate them. If Green Day were to make every one of their concerts a friggin' political rally I probably would stop liking them. But they don't. The Dixie Chicks, however, don't seem to get it. I suspect them shooting their mouth off at every opportunity is the reason why they aren't very successful with the majority of America. They don't get it. Pearl Jam is another one. I used to like them and buy their music. But after they burned Bush in effigy on stage in Denver they fell out of my good graces. They don't get it either which is a shame because "Better Man" is a kickass song.

[CCTAU 3,346]

Whatever he was, we wil not know, he kept it to himself. He realized he was a singer not a politician. Too bad he didn't teach that thing that was his daughter the same beliefs. And I would not put it past a moveon.orgy person to make stuff up for their own gain. And I would like to hear Merle's side on this.

[AFTiger 282]

Whatever he was, we wil not know, he kept it to himself. He realized he was a singer not a politician. Too bad he didn't teach that thing that was his daughter the same beliefs. And I would not put it past a moveon.orgy person to make stuff up for their own gain. And I would like to hear Merle's side on this.

If you use his music as an indicator, I would say that Johnny Cash was a Populist.

[JohnDeere 0]

How can so called fans let this debate continue?

Has anybody heard

"The One on the Left is on the Right"

or

"The Ballad of Ira Hayes"

[otterinbham 0]

I like what Elvis Costello said a few years back when somebody threw him a political question: "Don't ask me that stuff. I'm just an entertainer."

[DKW 86 7,441]

http://www.moonbattery.com/

Dennis Kucinich is a moon bat liberal.

The Right may have Jesse Helms and Pay Robertson, but the Left has DK.