Imagine the irony! I was listening, via Pandora, to an excellent live version of Levon Helm singing his masterpiece, “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.” It opened with a little horn riff on “Dixie” itself. The song is simply magnificent, capturing everything that was noble and tragic and horrible and epic and personal in our ancestors’ fall into defeat.
So imagine how it was ruined for me by, even as I was listening to it and appreciating it, reading this low farce from Karen Floyd:
Dear Subscriber
An unprecedented event recently occurred, where the president of the United States issued a report to the U.N. Human Rights Council that bashed a state law. In a desperate attempt to gain the awe and admiration of global elitists, President Obama sounded off about the many “sins” in America’s history, including Arizona’s new illegal immigration bill.Obama writes, “A recent Arizona law, S.B. 1070, has generated significant attention and debate at home and around the world. The issue is being addressed in a court action that argues that the federal government has the authority to set and enforce immigration law. That action is ongoing; parts of the law are currently enjoined.” He also went on about how he is seeking to offer free health care to illegal immigrants.
The context of this U.N. forum is to discuss human rights in the United States. Apparently, Obama thinks that Arizona’s law is in violation of human rights, which is why he is not only suing the state, but also reporting it to the U.N. council.
Lesson learned everyone: a liberal will always seek the praise and respect of foreign powers over the rights of the American people or the Constitution.
As a direct result of Obama’s ridiculous report to the U.N., the Arizona law will come under formal review on November 5 by the three member countries of the UN Human Rights Commission: France, Japan, and Cameroon. The U.N. Commission will then issue directives on what they recommend the United States do in response to the Arizona law.
This is simply outrageous! How can an American president sell out his own countrymen to a foreign entity over a state law that simply enforces existing federal laws? Our president should be bowing to the people’s demands, and NOT the whims of an international organization.
Folks, it is time to fight back. We desperately need trusted conservatives like Mike Mulvaney, Nikki Haley and Jim DeMint to fight for our liberties and state sovereignty. The elitists in Washington are trying to allow a foreign power to dictate your life and safety. Will you allow this to happen?
Click here to help fund conservative change and individual rights! Let’s help elect individuals who will enforce the Constitution and stand up for our rights and sovereignty.
Sincerely,
Karen Floyd
SCGOP Chairman
P.S. Let’s take the battle to them and send Obama a message! Please click here to donate now.
Just as elites conned the poor white population into being their cannon fodder in a lost and bankrupt cause in 1860, this new strain of Radical Republicanism keeps playing on the same resentments and sensitivities and inferiority complexes to manipulate the great mass of white voters in the South today.
They just keep on driving Dixie down.
So you’re defending bringing up the Arizona law to the United Nations? Good luck with that…
Maybe you should go back and read what I said. I said absolutely nothing about that, probably because it didn’t interest me.
I commented on the continuing phenomenon, running through the recent New Nullification Act and the TEA Party and other such developments, of playing on this notion that the states are somehow beleaguered victims of the federal government. And doing so as a demagogic means of attaining political advantage.
Brad may not defend it but I will. The stupid Arizona law should be brought up and ridiculed for the absurdity that it is. The racial overtones in that travesty are palpable. Go Obama!
Anyone notice a pattern in all these conservative rants. They are all about fear mongering. The evil “liberal campaigns” cannot be allowed to succeed. Obama can’t talk about a bad law because it might allow a horde of maniacal Mexican’s into the country. Is fear all the GOP has to offer? We are so much better than this. Too bad fear is such an effective tool. It worked for Hitler and now Karen Floyd is giving it a try. Hiel Karen!
OK, lately I have praised Pandora, but here’s a complaint: Yeah, I like “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.” A lot. But now it’s playing for a second time today. The original studio version. Apparently, Pandora doesn’t understand that, although it’s a different recording on a different album, it’s the same song. Either that, or Pandora is reading my blog and concluding I really, REALLY like it and want to hear it as often as possible.
Which is creepy to contemplate.
Great song, but it’s not Levon’s. Canadian Robbie Robertson researched and wrote lyrics and music – which may account for the song’s unusually accurate perspective. And the horn section – added for the Last Waltz concert that became the movie – was created by noted New Orleans musician Allen Toussaint (who is still playing and touring at age 73)
Why wouldn’t the modern day heirs to the racist oligarchy which ruled SC in 1860 support a racist xenophobic law? They have to continually distract the simpletons and play upon their prejudices while picking their pockets.
re: Karen Floyd hyperventilating.
Some Americans are willing to critically examine the U.S. and work to improve it rather than live a delusion of national perfection, like Floyd does.
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AP article:
In its first-ever report to the U.N. Human Rights Council on conditions in the United States, the State Department said Monday that some Americans, notably minorities, are still victims of discrimination. Despite success in reforming such inequities as slavery and the denial of women’s right to vote, the department said, considerable progress is still needed.
“Although we have made great strides, work remains to meet our goal of ensuring equality before the law for all,” it said.
The report noted that although the U.S. now has an African-American president and that women and Hispanics have won greater social and economic success, large segments of American society suffer from unfair policies and practices.
High unemployment rates, hate crime, poverty, poor housing, lack of access to health care and discriminatory hiring practices are among the challenges the report identified as affecting blacks, Latinos, Muslims, South Asians, Native Americans and gays and lesbians in the United States.
The report, which drew on meetings that U.S. officials held with various groups around the country since January, also cited concerns from civil rights activists and citizens related to immigration and racial profiling by law enforcement agencies.
If I’m not mistaken, the live version you posted is from the Band’s last concert, from Martin Scorsese’s film of the same, “The Last Waltz.” One of the greatest concert movies ever, and the one that made me a Mavis Staples fan for life.
I first learned of the song not from the Band’s version, but from Joan Baez’s cover of it which went to #3 on the charts when I was 10 years old and listening to Casey Kasem while washing dishes on Sunday nights.
And incidentally, the song is NOT by Levon Helm, but by Robbie Robertson…a Canadian, no less. How ’bout them apples?
What the heck is a “global elitist”?
Is that like a jet-setter? Someone who is elite in all aspects of his or her endeavors? Someone who is round, yet exclusive?
What is a “global elitist”? They aren’t like us. They can’t be trusted.
Didn’t you get the memo? Kathryn, the global elitists are THEM.
Kathryn, I like your “round,yet exclusive” definition the best. Interesting mental picture.
Y’all, I didn’t think Levon had WRITTEN the song. It kind of has the Robbie Robertson style all over it. But if Levon hadn’t SUNG it, we wouldn’t love it as much.
And sorry, but I never liked the Joan Baez version. Too pretty. And she got some of the lyrics wrong. (“Til SO MUCH cavalry came…?” It’s STONEMAN, Joan. Stoneman.)
Phillip, I like your taste in (popular) music. Maybe I’ll ask you to play keyboard when I get the band started…
Dang! Speaking of Pandora — they just played “Amie” by Pure Prairie League and I missed it.
Dave Hampton and I used to play guitars together and sing that one back when we were copy boys at The Commercial Appeal. It was right in the range for my voice. Dave, by the way, later became editorial page editor of the capital city newspaper in Mississippi. He still HAD that job, last time I heard.
I should put that one on my band’s playlist. You know, for when I have a band…
Was Vince Gill still with PPL when they did Amie?
Sorry, Vince came later.