Hank Williams Jr: Obama is Muslim "who hates the U.S."

[HAL]

Yee-Haw!

(CBS News) Hank Williams Jr. just made it pretty clear which presidential candidate he'll be voting for come November.

The country singer took a political swing at President Barack Obama while performing for a crowd of 8,500 at the Iowa State Fair Grandstand Friday night.

After finishing the song, "We Don't Apologize For America," the audience started chanting "USA, USA..." According to the Des Moines Register, Williams then told the crowd, "We've got a Muslim president who hates farming, hates the military, hates the U.S. and we hate him!"

According to the concert review, Williams' comments brought on cheers and applause.

This isn't the first time Williams has spoken out against Mr. Obama. In July, Williams told Rolling Stone that the president "hates America in the first place, forget about the flag."

His latest album, "Old School, New Rules," is riddled with political jabs against Mr. Obama, too. In the song, "Take Back Our Country," Williams sings, "Hey Barack, pack your bags, head to Chicago, take your teleprompter with you so you'll know where to go."

He also gets political in a new image posted Monday on his website that reads: "Taking Back the Country 2012," which can be found here. The caption notes: "Are y'all ready to help take back this great country?"

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31749_162-57497290-10391698/hank-williams-jr-obama-is-muslim-who-hates-the-u.s./?tag=cbsnewsTwoColLowerPromoArea;fd.morenews

[JesusHChrist]

Sounds like a scene from Borat.

[Nick]

I must really be missing something.  I just don't understand why there seems to be so much hate towards Obama and I really don't understand the appeal of Romney as president.  What has happened to this nation...I mean really...something is very wrong.

[Nam]

You know the difference between Hank sr, and Hank jr?

Hank sr was a better person, writer[1], singer, and from what I've read about him, even growing up in the deep south in the 20s-30s, he wasn't racist, prejudiced, and though near the end of his life (young life) he was an alcoholic and pill popper[2], he seemed to be an all around great guy. People in all genres ofmusic feel this way.

His son: prejudiced, at times racist, wrote few great songs compared to his father but has written some good compositions but will never have his father's legacy based on his overall negativity.

-Nam

1.	even though he couldn't read/write notes
2.	mainly due to his spinal pain

[HAL]

I must really be missing something.  I just don't understand why there seems to be so much hate towards Obama and I really don't understand the appeal of Romney as president.  What has happened to this nation...I mean really...something is very wrong.

Let's not kid ourselves. It's because a black man got elected to the presidency. Pure and simple racism.

They finally realize this isn't the country depicted in Leave it to Beaver anymore.

[shnozzola]

I must really be missing something.  I just don't understand why there seems to be so much hate towards Obama and I really don't understand the appeal of Romney as president.  What has happened to this nation...I mean really...something is very wrong.

Yeah, I know what you mean, Nick.  Obama tends to speak from the middle of the road (sometimes too much, IMO), usually with common sense, not saying things that should piss people off.  It's too bad politics have become more important than progress.

I guess you're are right HAL, people can not still see past skin color.  Amazing really.  I will call people again for Obama in October.  I hope I dont get another response like - "I ain't votin for no nigger."  True story - democrat too - just saying.  I think I talked him into voting for Ralph Nader - better than having Sara that close to the presidency.

[Truth OT]

To get where hank Williams Jr. and the crowd that is talking about taking back America are coming from, we must first understand what they are saying and what they mean when they refer to America in this context. The America they see is based on 3 basic things: borders, language, and culture. Anything that threatens to change these things in their eyes is a threat to America and should be met with opposition and force. They are staunch believers in rugged individualism stepped in a faith that breeds a love and respect for the long held values of their community. Many of them are hard working folks that have had to deal with hardships or have seen friends and family deal with them and they have successfully come through thanks in part to their community values and their belief that they were going to make it through provided they kept on fighting and did things the "right way." They do not believe anyone not named mama, Daddy, or God has ever given them anything and they all but despise anyone who would ask for or accept a hand out. To these people, protecting their heritage which they equate with the American way is their duty as patriots. They genuinely believe that their America is the the ideal that everyone should help come back (though it never truly existed anywhere but in their own minds and community lore) because doing so would be in the world's best interest.

They are stuck in a mental box based on tradition and their own experiences that makes their world small. They, like so many people have a "my block" mentality that equates "right" with what they find familiar or what they have been conditioned to believe is the ideal. The bigger picture oftentimes alludes them entirely because what they believe must be fought for is the virtually non existant community ideal they believe existed at one time and should exist again. They don't necessarily hate the president, but they do hate the threat they perceive that he and others not in the same mental box as them, pose to their pursuit (actually defense) of the ideal. That ideal is something that the loudest voices among them feel is not compromisable and must always be held in esteem and defended.


BTW:

Nearly all, if not all of us are prejudice in various ways. We, as autonomous sentient individuals all have a case of "Pro-Me-Ism" that causes us to see the world, define right, wrong, and normal in terms dictated by our indiviual perceptions which we acquire from both genetics and conditioning.

[Nam]

I'm prejudiced against prejudicism.

-Nam

[jetson]

I have to agree with HAL.  This country was not ready for a black President, and who knows if it ever will be, what with so many people still raising their children to be racists.  I'm only 50 years old, and I can tell you that the racism I was around as a young boy was pretty nasty by today's standards, but it just has not gone away.

I know I've said this before, but in 2008 during the final campaigning, a man stated on a radio interview "I will not vote for a black man."  What else do we need to hear to know that this man is not alone in his thinking.  He is most definitely representative of at least a group willing to say it.  Under that premise, it isn't much of a stretch to imagine all of those who think it, but can't say it.

Sad.

[Chronos]

To get where hank Williams Jr. and the crowd that is talking about taking back America are coming from, we must first understand what they are saying and what they mean when they refer to America in this context ...

I understand what you are saying and I can see how change is not good for people who don't want change. Unfortunately, I know quite a few of the people in that group.

However, these same people never really engaged in this talk and behavior until a black man was in the white house. They didn't ask for Bill Clinton's birth certificate, question his religion or declare that he was not an American. They didn't declare that they had to get their country back; they just said that Bush would return dignity to the Oval Office.

Obama is black. Period. The situation reveals that a good 40% of Americans really are prejudice. It's sad. Statistics are proving that these people are on the wrong end of history, and they will only continue to get increasingly bitter as time goes on.

[Garja]

I would love to see the rights reaction if a real Socialist was running (and by running, I mean, like for real, not just some douche).


But yeah, generally I think its essentially good ole-fashion racism.

[jetson]

I would love to see the rights reaction if a real Socialist was running (and by running, I mean, like for real, not just some douche).


But yeah, generally I think its essentially good ole-fashion racism.

You may be on to something, although I don't think anyone would have the guts to go through with it.  As nutty as it is for a politician to blather on about God and family values, and prohibiting women from deciding on their own bodies, as well as limiting health care to those who can afford it, it would be really neat to see someone run as a pure socialist.

I mean, honestly, a socialist sounds tame compared to the wackos we have in our government these days.

[Garja]

Bernie Sanders is a Senator in Vermont who is usually listed as "Independent", but declares himself publicly as a "democratic socialist".  Granted, this is Vermont; one doesn't get much more of a blue state, but he's kinda the exception that proves the rule.  I have actually (very briefly admittedly) looked into formally joining a Socialist party... but most of these groups use "Socialist" in place of "Racist/homophobic/skinhead/Neo-Nazi/asshole" so I decided not to pursue it.  I'll take being grouped with Democrats over Nazi any day of the week.

[Truth OT]

  This country was not ready for a black President, and who knows if it ever will be, what with so many people still raising their children to be racists.  I'm only 50 years old, and I can tell you that the racism I was around as a young boy was pretty nasty by today's standards, but it just has not gone away.

I know I've said this before, but in 2008 during the final campaigning, a man stated on a radio interview "I will not vote for a black man."  What else do we need to hear to know that this man is not alone in his thinking.  He is most definitely representative of at least a group willing to say it.  Under that premise, it isn't much of a stretch to imagine all of those who think it, but can't say it.

Sad.

Without a doubt there are SOME (a decided minority) that don't and didn't like the idea of a non white male being head of state, especially if that person has a name like and an 'interesting' upbringing like that of one Barack Hussein Obama Jr.
People with knowledge of that upbringing, knowledge of Obama's mentors he grew up with, knowledge of the activism and dreams of and from Barack Sr., as well as Mrs. Obama's comments about being proud of America for the 1st time, and let's not forget 20 years of Jeremiah Wright, are well within reason for questioning Obama's love for and loyalty to that which many understand as traditional America and American values.
If Reggie Dwayne Jenkins III, a lifelong member of Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church from Saint Louis had run instead of Obama, he would have gotten his share of undue hate sure, but the opposition to him wouldn't equal that to Obama as much of it, in fact MOST of it is idealogical.


Racism is a fact of life, always has been, and quite likely will always rear its ugly head. In this world, racism is a many laned boulevard with offenders from virtually all races, it just so happens that in this world at this time in history, it is the "white" races that have the privilege of sitting in positions of power and influence and have been able to make it so that their 'normal' is the standard by which others are judged and must ascribe to.

[Nam]

I've taken several online tests, which all agree that I'm a Social Democrat. I voted for Walter Brown (Social Democrat who ran independently as a Socialist) in 2004 for president.

I disagree with Jetson. If people weren't ready for a black president then he would've lost in 2008. It wasn't like a close race, or anything.

Republicans may have not been ready for a black president but they don't make up the vast political spectrum[1] of people in the US.

-Nam

1.	pop. Of people

[Mr. Blackwell]

I must really be missing something.  I just don't understand why there seems to be so much hate towards Obama...

Really? Do you remember how much hate there was against Bush?

Why wasn't that considered racism?

It couldn't possibly be that their policies are so polarizing that people from all walks of life have to disagree with them on one level or the other could it?

I love you Nick, you have a pretty good sense of humor but your 100% dedication to one party over the other throws me off.

So what if Obama is black....he is also white. He chooses to self identify as whatever is most expedient to his cause at the moment. Just like any other politician.

Would you claim that a black person who disagreed with Clinton's policies is a racist?

[Garja]

I see your point Blackwell, and if the complaints about Obama were based on policy I would agree with you.  But I think (in the very least) the birther bullshit, and the closet Muslim crap is ENTIRELY based on race.

[Mr. Blackwell]

I see your point Blackwell, and if the complaints about Obama were based on policy I would agree with you.  But I think (in the very least) the birther bullshit, and the closet Muslim crap is ENTIRELY based on race.

Thank you. I believe you are probably right about the Muslim crap being a racist inspired line of attack. But the birth certificate issue is a different matter the way I see it.

Obama could have stopped that screwed up line of attack at the beginning if he had done what McCain did when his citizenship was called into question.

Do you remember?[1][2][3]

McCain settled the issue of his citizenship right then and there with the Robinson v. Bowen case.

But what did Obama do? He basically told Hilary Clinton and later the Republicans to shove it. So I think that has much more to do with the Birther issue than racism. Although I am sure that racist people still cling to this boondoggle. I'm just saying that it's not PURE racism. 

 

1.	http://www.snopes.com/politics/mccain/citizen.asp
2.	http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/11/us/politics/11mccain.html
3.	http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=10006

[kcrady]

(CBS News)After finishing the song, "We Don't Apologize For America," the audience started chanting "USA, USA..." According to the Des Moines Register, Williams then told the crowd, "We've got a Muslim president

Who bagged Osama bin Laden?  Remember when you guys used to say that anybody who hated the President was on the side of the ter'rists?  Whose side does that put you on, Hank?

(CBS News)
who hates farming

Whatsamatta, Obama won't get Big Government out of your farm subsidies?  Obama, you magnificient bastard!

(CBS News)
hates the military,

Hates it so much he still spends as much on it as the military spending of the rest of the planet combined.  See also: Osama bin Laden, death of.

(CBS News)
hates the U.S.

Really, Hank?  Really?!

(CBS News)
and we hate him!"

If at first you don't secede, try and try again.  Don't let the door hit your asses on the way out.

(CBS News)
According to the concert review, Williams' comments brought on cheers and applause.

This isn't the first time Williams has spoken out against Mr. Obama. In July, Williams told Rolling Stone that the president "hates America in the first place, forget about the flag."

His latest album, "Old School, New Rules," is riddled with political jabs against Mr. Obama, too. In the song, "Take Back Our Country," Williams sings, "Hey Barack, pack your bags, head to Chicago, take your teleprompter with you so you'll know where to go."

I thought they ran country singers out of town on a rail when they publicly attacked a President.  Remember the Dixie Chicks?

[Willie]

However, these same people never really engaged in this talk and behavior until a black man was in the white house. They didn't ask for Bill Clinton's birth certificate, question his religion or declare that he was not an American. They didn't declare that they had to get their country back; they just said that Bush would return dignity to the Oval Office.

What? Did you sleep through the 90's?

Right-wing nutjobs accused Bill Clinton of rape (Juanita Broaddrick), murder (Vince Foster), and socialism/marxism/communism. And those are just the high profile ones, comparable to the allegations against Obama of being foreign born, muslim, or socialist/marxist/communist. There were many more less mainstream accusations and conspiracy theories circulating on right-wing message boards (on BBS's in the early 90's, internet in mid-to-late 90's) and talk radio. Drug running, pedophilia, other murders/rapes, satanism, illuminism, atheism, antichrist, etc.

Have you forgotten the militia movement that sprang to life because far-right idiots convinced themselves that Clinton and other liberals were out to take away their guns and their religious freedom?[1] Have you forgotten the Oklahoma City bombing or the Republic of Texas hostage situation that that insanity produced?

Right-wing jabber about "taking their country back" was every bit as prominent when Clinton was in office as it is now.

1.	The Ruby Ridge and Waco incidents did a lot to incite "militia" furor. But if you think that those events are the cause of that movement, you're having another memory lapse. Those events themselves were, in part, symptoms of the already extant and growing movement.

[Willie]

I see your point Blackwell, and if the complaints about Obama were based on policy I would agree with you.  But I think (in the very least) the birther bullshit, and the closet Muslim crap is ENTIRELY based on race.

You make a good point. I agree that people don't fall for such profoundly stupid crap because of mere policy disagreements. I also agree that bigotry is a prime suspect, but there are more kinds of bigotry than just racism.

Racism is surely a factor, but I think that political bigotry is a much bigger one. From the vitriol and the whack-a-doodle beliefs that emanate from commentators on right-wing media and from private individuals on message boards and comment sections of news articles, it seems to me that many on the right just flat out hate liberals, and that this hate has taken on a life of its own, completely disconnected from any real underlying disagreements. They hate liberals just for being liberals, in the same way that homophobes hate gays and white racists hate blacks. Of course, there is some of this on the left too, but it is an order of magnitude greater on the right.

[screwtape]

Really? Do you remember how much hate there was against Bush?

Why wasn't that considered racism?

Because bush was a fucking asshole in more ways than I have time to elaborate.

It couldn't possibly be that their policies are so polarizing that people from all walks of life have to disagree with them on one level or the other could it?

No, it couldn't.  The reason I say that is because he's not offered any policies that are that outrageous.  His healthcare reform was the plan the republicans proposed 12 years ago[1].  And now it is suddenly socialism?  On top of that, most of the right wing criticism I hear is 90% factually inaccurate.

They claim he wants to take away their guns.  Really?  In what way?  He hasn't proposed any legislation that would indicate that.  He hasn't made any executive orders that would indicate that. look at the whack jobs here:
http://www.gunbanobama.com/Whathesays.aspx


He has been very protective of a lot of conservative ideas.  He didn't investigate or prosecute any of the members of the bush regime for torture, war crimes, etc.  He didn't investigate or prosecute any of the banksters for the financial meltdown. He did not instigate any real financial reform that would prevent another financial meltdown because it would annoy the wall street crowd.  Jesus christ, 20 years ago Obama would have been considered a moderate but solidly reliable republican.

1.	http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2010/apr/01/barack-obama/obama-says-heritage-foundation-source-health-excha/

[Nam]

Kcrady,

They didn't run the Dixie Chicks out of anything, they are still quite popular. However, they did threaten their lives with death and violence but mainly 'cause they[1] stated something disparaging against Bush in England. It's one thing doing it here in the US, it's another doing it in another country: in their mind.

-Nam

1.

DC

[nogodsforme]

I think a lot of the hatred towards President Obama is, unfortunately,  based on race.

The Affordable Care Act is a good example. As has been stated previously, this was originally a Republican plan designed by the right-wing Heritage Foundation back in the 90's. Obamacare kept all the for-profit insurance companies, did not include a public insurance program like Medicare for all, required people to buy insurance, and still left a bunch of people without care.

It was the exact same plan that Gov. Romney implemented in MA and was the plan the Repubs. proposed as the "sensible" capitalist alternative to "socialist Hillarycare". Obamacare was Bob Dole's Republican health care plan.

Better than nothing, but hardly what a socialist would design. Nowhere near as comprehensive as even the least generous health programs in other countries, like Canada and England. Every other country besides the US has non-profit, public health care available to all, not just to the elderly (Medicare) and poor (Medicaid).

So why did people go batsh!t crazy when offered Bob Dole's Romneycare program? Why did they act like it was the end of the world, and would destroy America? Why hadn't they acted like that when Bob Dole proposed it? Because it was being promoted by the black guy. I can't see any other reason.

It is even more telling that when people are offered the components of the ACA, not telling them that it is Obama's program, they overwhelmingly like it. Some 80% of people approve of the ACA when it is explained piece by piece.

I am formulating what I call the Mockingbird Theory of Racism. It is based on the story To Kill a Mockingbird. In that story, a black man was convicted of a rape he could not possibly have committed and died in prison. People focus on that aspect of the story. But I think the more insidious part of the tale was why the white community hated this black man so much. It was because he had helped a poor white girl and had pointed out that she had needed his help.

For a certain segment of the white population, low income, rural, low educated, the only thing that keeps their self-esteem above rock bottom is racism. At least they aren't black. Psychologically, all black people have to be below them. So, if a black person is in a position to help them, they have to reject it, even though it seems incredibly stupid. And wealthy, powerful whites love to use this racial stuff to keep people voting against themselves. Muslim! Socialist!

Obamacare is exactly that-- a black person offering to help them. They have to kill the mockingbird.

[JesusHChrist]

What Obama isn't a Muslim?!?

[Nam]

^no, he's an atheist.

-Nam

[rev45]

^That actually makes him worse in some people's eyes.

[JesusHChrist]

The pecking order is something like

atheist < Scientologist < Black Muslim (Insert Obama here) < Muslim < JWs < Mormon < Jew < Catholic < Good WASPy Christian

At least Muslims believe in a SuperBestFriendForever.

Atheists have no SuperFriends. 

It's not easy being infested with devils. They itch.

[Timo]

Really quick

So what if Obama is black....he is also white. He chooses to self identify as whatever is most expedient to his cause at the moment. Just like any other politician.

I'm wondering if you'd be so kind as to offer up an example.  I can't recall a time when Obama ever presented himself to the public as anything other than a black man.  A black man with a with a white mother, a black man with a complicated backstory, one that was tweaked and touched up for maximum rhetorical effect in his political life, but a black man nonetheless.  You can go back to Dreams from My Father and find a young Obama making a point of ridiculing a mixed race woman called Joyce who, as Zadie Smith noted, Obama condemns out of her own mouth, which itself reminded me of the way Aaron McGruder dealt with Jasmine in the Boondocks.



Really, I don't think he could get away with what you're accusing him of even if he wanted to.  Racial identy, being largely a social construct, is something more than the simple recitation of one's anscestry.  And it's not just a matter of self-identification.  I remember being a teenager when Tiger Woods referred to himself as 'Cablinasion,' to which my circle seemed to collectively and in unison respond "whatever, nigga."  Racial identity is just as much about how you are seen.  And, for better or worse, Americans in general and black Americans specifically still largely subscribe to the one drop rule.  Maybe it's wrong to ask someone of mixed heritage to identify with one rather than or even simply more than another part of that mix, or even to deny them the opportunity to vascillate between identities, but that's not we do things.  Obama, better than a lot of people, understands that.