I
had not heard the song yet, but I was hearing plenty about just how awful it
was. In fact, the “stuff” was hitting
the proverbial fan in chunks over [Brad Paisely’s] Accidental Racist.
It
would seem that the main criticism of the song is that it is [dishonest]. [Some] were more civil about it than
[others].
Alas,
I am here to tell you that the song is all too painfully honest. For that could have been me wearing that
Lynyrd Skynyrd t-shirt without any thought of what it represents to those who did
not grow up in the culture I did.
Hey,
it is arguable that Paisley just put to the music what I basically told a
confused young man from Iowa one night at my house 30 some-odd years ago. For he had followed our bunch over to the
house to eat breakfast after a night of drinking and dancing in an area
honky-tonk, and in the middle of still having too much fun, he said that he did
not understand why there were still so many Confederate battle flags on
prominent display around the southwestern part of Missouri since the Union had won
the war. Yeah, the party came to a
screeching halt, and I took him outside to explain what was what before someone
decided to do more than just have a talk with the boy.
That
was a long time ago, and there are a lot of things that I see differently now
that our Heavenly Father has allowed and enabled me to see things through His
eyes. To be perfectly honest about it,
there is a lot that I wish I could not see so well. For I still find it quite irksome that the
south was so completely in the wrong.
No,
I have never been a supporter of slavery in any form, but I have been in favor
of states’ rights to a much greater extent than I am comfortable with these
days. For divided, we cannot stand, and
if the current crop of hardcore conservatives would like to see what the United
States of America would look like if they win the day this round, all they have
to do is look at the mess that the [European Union] has wrought.
Oh,
and Arlynda would never let me hear the end of it if I failed to mention just
how much we enjoy [LL Cool J] on [NCIS: Los Angeles], but I liked many of his
rap songs long before she started paying attention. So, there!
Accidental Racist
Brad Paisley (with
LL Cool J)
To the man that
waited on me
At the Starbucks
down on Main
I hope
You understand
When I put on that
t-shirt
The only thing I
meant to say
Is I’m a Skynyrd fan
The red flag on my
chest somehow
Is like the
elephant
In the corner of
the south
And I just walked
him right in the room
Just a proud rebel
son
With an ol’ can of
worms
Lookin’ like I got
a lot to learn
But from my point
of view
I’m just a
White man
Comin’ to you from
the
Southland
Tryin’ to
understand what it’s like
Not to be
I’m proud of
Where I’m from
but not everything
We’ve done
And it ain’t like
you and me can re-write
History
Our generation
Didn’t start this
nation
We’re still pickin’
up the pieces
Walkin’ on
eggshells
Fightin’ over
yesterday
And caught between
Southern pride
And southern blame
They called it
Reconstruction
Fixed the buildings
Dried some tears
We’re still siftin’
through the rubble
After a
hundred-fifty years
I try to put myself
in your shoes
And that’s a good
place to begin
But it ain’t like I
can walk a mile
In someone else’s
skin
‘Cause I’m a
White man
Livin’ in the
Southland
Just like you I’m
more than
What you see
I’m proud of
Where I’m from
But not everything
We’ve done
And it ain’t like
you and me can re-write
History
Our generation
Didn’t start this
nation
And we’re still
paying for mistakes
That a bunch of
folks made
Long before we came
And caught between
Southern pride
And southern blame
Dear Mr. White Man
I wish you
understood
What the world is
really like
When you’re livin’
in the hood
Just because my
pants are saggin’
Doesn’t mean I’m up
to no good
You should try to
get to know me
I really wish you
would
Now my chains are
gold
But I’m still
misunderstood
I wasn’t there when
Sherman’s March
Turned the south
into firewood
I want you to get
paid
But be a slave
I never could
Feel like a newfangled Django
Dodgin’ invisible
white hoods
So when I see that
white cowboy hat
I’m thinkin’ it’s
not all good
I guess we’re both
guilty
Of judgin’ the
cover
Not the book
I’d love to buy you
a beer
Conversate
And clear the air
But I see that red
flag
And I think you
wish I wasn’t here
I’m just a
White man
If you don’t judge
my do-rag
Comin’ to you from
the
Southland
I won’t judge your
red flag
Tryin’ to
understand what it’s like
Not to be
I’m proud of
Where I’m from
If you don’t judge
my gold chains
But not everything
We’ve done
I’ll forget the
iron chains
it ain’t like you
and me can re-write
History
Can’t re-write
history baby
Oh
Dixieland
The relationship
between the Mason-Dixon
Needs some fixin’
I hope you
understand
What this is all
about
Quite frankly
I’m a black Yankee
But I’ve been
thinkin’
'Bout this lately
I’m a son of the
New south
The past is the
past
You feel me
And I just want to
Make things right
Let bygones be
bygones
Where all that’s
left
Is southern pride
RIP Robert E. Lee
But I’ve gotta
thank Abraham Lincoln
For freeing me
Know what I mean
It’s real
It’s real
It’s truth
Lyrics From:
[BradPaisley.com]
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