When, If Ever, Does it Stop?

[Keukasmallies]

The NY Yankees have discontinued playing Kate Smith's rendition of "God Bless America" at the seventh inning stretch in  response to a complaint that in the early 1930's Ms Smith recorded a "racially insensitive" song.  (The article notes that singer Paul Robson also sang the song at times.)

 

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/26556341/yanks-drop-smith-god-bless-america-recording

 

When I was in  high school (1954 - 1958) I hit a black kid in a fight over a long-forgotten issue; has an office been set up where I should now submit a report of that incident and surrender my car keys?

[Uncle Joe]

It won't. First the DL, now this. ?

[eball]

I hate the song God Bless America.  I'd like to see it banned everywhere.

[KD in CA]

It stops when people stop voting for the politicians who quietly support/enable/bring pressure for this type of nonsense. 

[Dr. Who]

  On 4/19/2019 at 2:44 PM, KD in CA said:

It stops when people stop voting for the politicians who quietly support/enable/bring pressure for this type of nonsense. 

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Given the propaganda initiated in pre-K through the Ivy elites and everything in-between, Hollywood, media, Google newsfeeds, etc., unlikely to ever change short of complete societal collapse. We are technologically sophisticated barbarians without piety or wisdom.

[Gugny]

Another statue bites the dust ...

 

On Friday, the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers also announced its intent to distance themselves from Smith and her rendition of the song.

 

"We have recently become aware that several songs performed by Kate Smith contain offensive lyrics that do not reflect our values as an organization," said the Flyers in a statement. "As we continue to look into this serious matter, we are removing Kate Smith's recording of 'God Bless America' from our library and covering up the statue that stands outside of our arena."

  On 4/19/2019 at 2:52 PM, Dr. Who said:

Given the propaganda initiated in pre-K through the Ivy elites and everything in-between, Hollywood, media, Google newsfeeds, etc., unlikely to ever change short of complete societal collapse. We are technologically sophisticated barbarians without piety or wisdom.

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What on earth would we gain for mass piety?

[Dr. Who]

  On 4/19/2019 at 2:53 PM, Gugny said:

What on earth would we gain for mass piety?

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Well, piety in the sense of reverence for being, including past history, understanding of complexity and therefore decency towards persons who have lived without summarily dismissing their achievements when demagogues with moralistic hammers act like the Taliban destroying Buddhist statues, etc.

[Gugny]

Here are the lyrics to the song, "That's Why ***** Were Born,":

 

Someone had to pick the cotton
Someone had to pick the corn
Someone had to slave and be able to sing
That's why ***** were born;
Someone had to laugh at trouble
Though he was tired and worn
Had to be contented with any old thing
That's why ***** were born;
Sing, sing, sing when you're weary and
Sing when you're blue
Sing, sing, that's what you taught
All the white folks to do;
Someone had to fight the Devil
Shout about Gabriel's Horn
Someone had to stoke the train
That would bring God's children to green pastures
That's why ***** were born

 

*** The censored word is "dark.ies."  I am not trying to get around the word filter; I just think it's important context.

MORE ON GENIUS

 

Edited April 19, 2019 by Gugny

[Bill from NYC]

  On 4/19/2019 at 3:32 PM, Gugny said:

Here are the lyrics to the song, "That's Why ***** Were Born,":

 

Someone had to pick the cotton
Someone had to pick the corn
Someone had to slave and be able to sing
That's why ***** were born;
Someone had to laugh at trouble
Though he was tired and worn
Had to be contented with any old thing
That's why ***** were born;
Sing, sing, sing when you're weary and
Sing when you're blue
Sing, sing, that's what you taught
All the white folks to do;
Someone had to fight the Devil
Shout about Gabriel's Horn
Someone had to stoke the train
That would bring God's children to green pastures
That's why ***** were born

 

*** The censored word is "dark.ies."  I am not trying to get around the word filter; I just think it's important context.

MORE ON GENIUS

 

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That is awful no doubt. I do however wonder exactly when the Yankees learned of this.

[Gray Beard]

  On 4/19/2019 at 3:32 PM, Gugny said:

Here are the lyrics to the song, "That's Why ***** Were Born,":

 

Someone had to pick the cotton
Someone had to pick the corn
Someone had to slave and be able to sing
That's why ***** were born;
Someone had to laugh at trouble
Though he was tired and worn
Had to be contented with any old thing
That's why ***** were born;
Sing, sing, sing when you're weary and
Sing when you're blue
Sing, sing, that's what you taught
All the white folks to do;
Someone had to fight the Devil
Shout about Gabriel's Horn
Someone had to stoke the train
That would bring God's children to green pastures
That's why ***** were born

 

*** The censored word is "dark.ies."  I am not trying to get around the word filter; I just think it's important context.

MORE ON GENIUS

 

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That same word appears in the song Way Down Upon the Swanee River.  So does that mean that anybody who ever sang that song should also be banned? That would be a looooong list. 

Edited April 19, 2019 by Gray Beard

[KD in CA]

  On 4/19/2019 at 3:46 PM, Gray Beard said:

That same word appears in the song Way Down Upon the Swanee River.  So does that mean that anybody who ever sang that song should also be banned? That would be a looooong list. 

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Guess it's time to ban reruns of The Honeymooners, right SJWs?

 

p.s.  "Dark-ies" is word filtered?  

[Dr. Who]

  On 4/19/2019 at 3:46 PM, Gray Beard said:

That same word appears in the song Way Down Upon the Swanee River.  So anybody who ever sang that song should also be banned. That would be a looooong list. 

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It's unpopular to argue the point, but sensibilities are historically situated. What is eggregious for folks today was not contextualized in the same manner in the past. Retrospectively, its easy to characterize everyone in the past as bigoted, unenlightened knuckledraggers. I don't think that is just, but the current frenzy to destroy (implicitly also to signal one's "moral purity" so as to deflect the danger of the mob coming for you) really is the hallmark of totalitarian societies. In any event, its likely not everyone intended racially pejorative meaning where it seems obvious today. But folks will come after you with pitchforks and fire for suggesting it or at least try to make it so you can't hold a job or speak in public, that's the way we've been moving for decades now and it's accelerating in the age of social media.

[LeviF]

It's never going to end.  Forget that this song satirizes racism, if it offends one double-digit IQ snowflake, it must go and so must everyone and everything associated with it.  Because their feelings are more important than history and culture.

[row_33]

  On 4/19/2019 at 2:53 PM, Gugny said:

Another statue bites the dust ...

 

On Friday, the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers also announced its intent to distance themselves from Smith and her rendition of the song.

 

"We have recently become aware that several songs performed by Kate Smith contain offensive lyrics that do not reflect our values as an organization," said the Flyers in a statement. "As we continue to look into this serious matter, we are removing Kate Smith's recording of 'God Bless America' from our library and covering up the statue that stands outside of our arena."

 

What on earth would we gain for mass piety?

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nothing

 

[BillsFanNC]

Maybe it ends after we get to tearing down the Lincoln Memorial. He was a racist after all.

[RaoulDuke79]

  On 4/19/2019 at 4:24 PM, BillsFanNC said:

Maybe it ends after we get to tearing down the Lincoln Memorial. He was a racist after all.

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I've been doing my part by replacing George Washington with Medgar Evers on all my $1 bills. 

[row_33]

  On 4/19/2019 at 4:39 PM, RaoulDuke79 said:

I've been doing my part by replacing George Washington with Medgar Evers on all my $1 bills. 

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you still have $1 bills in normal usage?

 

[Rockpile233]

Who has the time to sit down and research all of this? Would love to have that free time.

 

 

[RaoulDuke79]

  On 4/19/2019 at 4:52 PM, row_33 said:

 

you still have $1 bills in normal usage?

 

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Sure, how else am I supposed to make it rain at the gentleman's club.

[row_33]

  On 4/19/2019 at 4:55 PM, RaoulDuke79 said:

Sure, how else am I supposed to make it rain at the gentleman's club.

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i have heard of this native practice.

 

that would be a demonstrably efficient use of the $1 bill

 

not sure what we do in Canada, $1 and $2 coins would hurt