Conservative Politics & Rock Music

Tvad, I take exception to your characterization of Christmas
as having become "shallow and nihilistic." It is people who are shallow and nihilistic, and that is as old as time. Some of us turn to God for release from these conditions and find it.

What could be more "shallow and nihilistic" than rock music?

I really don't get some of the comments above that move from the premise that rock and roll has strong anti-establishment roots to the assertion that someone with a political viewpoint defined as conservative in today's political vernacular can't legitimately understand certain songs in a way that resonates with their beliefs.

Rock and Roll is the province of one American political party or ideology? Please, this is ludicrous. Conservative political ideology is the synonymous with the establishment or "the man"? Also ludicrously simplistic: American society is diverse, with the establishment comprised of people with all sorts of political leanings. (Indeed, the New York Times is far more part of the establishment than the comparatively obscure National Review.)

If a self-described conservative wants to find meaning in a song, more power to him. If a liberal is so inclined, likewise. It just seems way over the top to me that some with a certain political leaning are trying to exclusively claim an entire genre of music.

Ah, politics and audio, what a swell thread. Where's Mrtennis when we need him most?

What? No Neil Young? I'm another former lhcpf (though the US Army took care of the lh for a couple of years, since then nature has taken care of the rest...) Now, how many versions of 'God Bless the USA' are there?

Race (social construct or not) and rock-n'-roll no longer need to be in the same discussion (IMO). Yes, many forms of music can be traced directly back to black culture (be that South Eastern US or Africa) as well as many other non-white cultures. Asside from knowing and enjoing the historical significance of the roots of the music why does this matter? Every category and genra you think has been established has been "eclecticized" and otherwise expounded upon.

Rock-n'-Roll Hall of Fame is the measuring stick by which teh deaf (no offense to tthe hearing impaired - really) judge rock music. Can you say minnor attraction in a boring city?

I have been surprised at the great difficulty in pigeon-holing people on the criteria of politics, musical taste, race, IQ, and SES. I know an ultra-conservative who absolutely loves Neil Young and is incredibly intelligent (two qualities I would not normally associate with ultra-conservatives). I know a earthy/hippy farmer woman who has a Bush sticker on her little chicken truck.

Rock is neither conservative nor liberal, it is both conservative and liberal, it is apolitical... it's freakin' rock. Music (rock or otherwise) is an expression of its creator that would not acheive "pop" status without something catchy or otherwise mass-apealing. Most people don't catch nor care to catch the message of any given song. They want something they can hum too. Otherwise WEEN would be more popular.

The National Review, Rush (the junky, not the band), and Fox "News" are all just forums for ultra-conservative masturbation. Surprisingly some of these guys have decent taste in music. I guess you can't judge a book by it's political affiliation.