Music

He's Merle Haggard, and He Approves This Message

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Happy Independence Day.

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Books Editor Jesse Walker is the author of Rebels on the Air and The United States of Paranoia.

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  1. Pottsy

    Thanks for not saying “happy fourth of July…”

  2. John-David

    I have it on semi-good authority that Jesse Helms is enjoying the first day of an eternal cookout.

  3. SIV

    I’m sure all American artists who ever aspired to draw welfare checks get an NEA grant are celebrating the demise of their nemesis, Senator Jesse Helms

  4. TWC

    Jesse, you da man.

  5. Larry Edelstein

    That was an interesting video. It’s got a good style. And Merle’s arresting when he sings to the camera – those little eyebrow raises are effective at giving the viewer a little tweak.

  6. Naga Sadow

    Damn. Jesse Helms is dead. Well, I don’t know about everyone else but I’m attending his funeral . . . to make sure he really is dead. Then after I’m sure he’s dead, I’ll talk smack about him.

  7. FREE D

    Sometimes Jesse was on the side of freedom, sometimes he fought against it. A mixed bag.

  8. Tar Heeled Dave

    Jesse Helms was a disgusting bigot who did little more than antagonize anyone who disagreed with him. He went to bat only for himself and the racist tobacco farmers who put him in office. The fact that he occasionally wound up on the side of liberty is nothing to be celebrated.

    Good fucking riddance.

  9. Les

    Sometimes Jesse was on the side of freedom, sometimes he fought against it. A mixed bag.

    I disagree. When you’re a bigoted fundamentalist working to keep government big and bigoted, whatever he did on the “side of freedom” becomes rather insignificant. Maybe he was a loving husband and father. If so, that’s all the respect he really deserves.

  10. e

    I found that video ideologically suspect – talking about “rebuilding America” and showing all those down-and-out losers! It’s their own fault; quit whining and start a fortune 500 company already!

  11. Racist Tobacco Farmer

    who did little more than antagonize anyone who disagreed with him

    “little more”? Look at the list of scum Jesse Helms “antagonized” International Communism, the United Nations, would-be freeloader untalented liberal artists………

  12. Les

    Look at the list of scum Jesse Helms “antagonized” International Communism, the United Nations, would-be freeloader untalented liberal artists………

    An asshole who’s an asshole to some assholes is still an asshole.

  13. Rex Rhino

    I got the following:
    “This video not available in your country”.

    Can someone tell me what it contains?

  14. Les

    Rex, it’s a great new Merle Haggard song, “America First,” suggesting we take care of America before taking care of the rest of the world. Yee-haw!

  15. Sparky

    …and, most importantly, Haggard is buck naked except for his cowboy hat through the whole video.

  16. John in Nashville

    I used to co-host a call-in talk show that was broadcast of Saturday nights. During the week that Ray Charles and Ronald Reagan died, I knew that I had to say something good about Reagan. I remarked that he made a great contribution to American music when (as governor) he pardoned Merle Haggard.

  17. JImmy Dean

    Yeee Hawww! Merle Haggard in da house yo!

    JT
    http://www.Ultimate-Anonymity.com

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