Well, this week we have come to my favorite genre - country. And considering my conservative southern upbringing, I may also be slightly biased to the politics of country music. I will try to remain as objective as possible. Don't hesitiate to point out if I am otherwise, though.
So, when it comes to country and politics, there is one artist that stands out before the rest, and that is Toby Keith. With a point to prove, this southern democrat has numerous political hits, including Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue, American Soldier, The Taliban Song, Beer for My Horses, and (most recently) Made in America. Throughout his music there is a common thread of true patriotism, of sticking by America no matter what mistakes she may make. I chose the song American Soldier, because to me it speaks of a higher meaning for freedom. There is no more noble, dignified form of patriotism than a soldier in uniform. When the people of America want to argue and rant about political issues - things that should change, things that should never have changed, things that are unfair, things that the system is responsible for ruining, ... - it is the military that protects their right to do that. If each citizen were to remember that their political activism comes at the cost of a soldier's life, we would all be more careful with how we went about addressing political issues. Many artists we have been studying take small issues, blow them out of proportion, and cause a big scene. Others merely "protest for protest's sake," giving little thought to whether the issue is even worth fighting about. In this touching video, Toby reminds us all to choose carefully what we stand for. Like he says, freedom don't come free.
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