I gave my wife the
TNR article on George Allen. You know, the one that outs Allen as a sadistic, fake, cowboy, always looking for a better job. The one about how George Allen has made a career out of wrapping his sickness and hate in the confederate flag and southern culture to score political points and maybe become president. Yeah that one.
Well, she read it, and she looked at me stunned and horrified for a few minutes. I was about to start a diatribe on how scary the whole thing is, but she stopped me. Before I could get going, she laughed and sang "look at them boots!". Then she smiled at me and said "He's gone country!".
Now it was my turn to look stunned. "huh?" See, I'm from Denver, but my family's all New York, we don't really get country music. The closest I ever got to Country growin' up was Lynrd Skynrd. My wife, however, grew up in Arkansas, went to school in Memphis, and let's just say, she knows a thing or two about country music.
"Yeah, it's what people who can't do any better for themselves do when they hit rock bottom." she said, "They go country 'cause that's where the money is."
He, he, my wife is awesome. After reading that profile of George Allen, where before I saw a Golden Idol of the conservative movement with feet of clay, now I simply see a scared boy with a violent father who needed to belong and chose the Confederacy to get the attention he needed.
Well, in honor of George Allen here are the lyrics to Alan Jackson's "Gone Country". Y'all can decide for yourselves.
He commutes to la
But he's got a house in the valley
But the bills are piling up
And the pop scene just ain't on the rally
He says 'honey I'm a serious composer
Schooled in voice and composition
But with the crime and the smog these days
This ain't no place for children
Lord it sounds so easy it shouldn't take long
Be back in the money in no time at all'
He's gone country, look at them boots
He's gone country, back to his roots
He's gone country, a new kind of suit
He's gone country, here he comes
Yeah he's gone country, a new kind of walk
He's gone country, a new kind of talk
He's gone country, look at them boots
He's gone country, oh back to his roots
[
Crosspost at Raising Kaine Blog]
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