Last night, I was trying to leave campus by my usual route through the town of Arbutus, Maryland, and I got stuck in parade traffic. The cops shut down all the intersections so that everyone could march down the street holding candles. And when I say everyone, I mean pretty much everyone. I never knew there were that many people in Arbutus.

They were playing this horrible sappy country music over a PA system. I went and looked up the lyrics to one song that really impressed me. It's by Alan Jackson. Here's a sample:
[quote]
I'm just a singer of simple songs;
I'm not a real political man
I watch CNN, but I'm not sure I can tell you the difference
in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God[/quote]

Sure you do, pal. Why don't you ask Jesus and God to at least tell you the difference between these two countries that we've half-destroyed before we run off to finish the job? I mean, as long as you're discussing these issues with the Almighty, you might as well get some background info. Let us know what He says.

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What others say about boorite!

[quote]I went and looked up the lyrics to one song that really impressed me. It's by Alan Jackson. Here's a sample:
[quote]
I'm just a singer of simple songs;
I'm not a real political man
I watch CNN, but I'm not sure I can tell you the difference
in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God[/quote]

Sure you do, pal. Why don't you ask Jesus and God to at least tell you the difference between these two countries that we've half-destroyed before we run off to finish the job? I mean, as long as you're discussing these issues with the Almighty, you might as well get some background info. Let us know what He says.

[/quote]

You might want to finish the chorus before you blast Mr Jackson...

[quote]
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember from when I was young
Faith, Hope, and Love are some good things He gave us.
But the greatest is Love.
[/quote]

You took the Spiritual portion of the song completely out of context. All he said was that he prays.

It's kind of like he was trying to make sense out of the whole thing, and what he came up with is that Love is the answer.

In his own way, I think Mr. Jackson is opposing the violence against (at the time the song came out) Afghanistan, but it still works for this new World War that our president is trying to start.

Anyway, I, too, am not a "real political" person. Much of my "news" comes from you people, because I just can't stand to listen to politicians lie through their teeth.

To sum up... this post was about nothing. Carry on.

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This is not my empire.

I don't see how the "context" alters the meaning at all. What I object to is this attitude that we're just simple folk who ain't got no idear about the furren countries where we park our aircraft carriers, 'cause all we really need to know is Jesus and God. What a load of horseshit. And how arrogant for someone to claim he's on speaking terms with his good buddy the Almighty. (He didn't just say he prays. He knows Jesus. He talks to God.)

I left out the part about how the greatest thing in the world is love because it's bland, trite, uncontroversial. I mean who's going to argue with it? I guess it's supposed to sugarcoat the chorus's nasty combination of ignorance and arrogance and make it go down easy. But I still think the song sums up as well as anything what's wrong with American political life.

I mean, here are all these people marching along with candles, and they're ready to go to war, and they're singing along with this guy who seems proud to say he's not political and doesn't even know one country from another! Well shit, people, look at a fucking map! You wanna pray? Pray for an education!

Sorry. This shit gets on my last nerve. It's not Alan Jackson's fault, that no-talent slab of radio-friendly hack.

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What others say about boorite!

and...

[quote]
In his own way, I think Mr. Jackson is opposing the violence against (at the time the song came out) Afghanistan, but it still works for this new World War that our president is trying to start.
[/quote]

If Alan Jackson opposes Washington's lawless resort to international violence, then I'll be the first to buy his new CD. But I don't read that in there, and I can tell you for sure that those thousands of marching Arbutans (Arbutusians? Arbutusites?) weren't receiving any messages of peace on Earth. I'm glad you read it that way, though. I mean if we're all about love and Jesus and stuff, you'd think that would preclude bombing Baghdad. Too bad not everyone seems able or willing to make that connection.

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What others say about boorite!

I should've said it like this.

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What others say about boorite!

Saying that you know Jesus, and speak to God, is in no way arrogant. God wants you to love Him and talk to Him and know that He sent His son to die for you. -coming from the mouth of an athiest.

I know Clinton and talk to Gore.

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Shut it or I'll kick you over the Swiss-Polish border!

Actually, wait. Why d'you care? I thought people's idiocy was of no consequence?

With you on the song, though. This capitulating ignorance makes me want to eat my eyes.