Dolly Parton Did Not Support the Black Lives Matter Movement
Despite video evidence to the contrary, and no evidence whatsoever in the affirmative, multiple media outlets continue to report that Dolly Parton pledged her support to the Black Lives Matter movement—meaning the political movement that advocates for specific political causes—as opposed to Dolly saying in a simple colloquial exchange that the lives of black individuals matter. In fact there is now further evidence of multiple media outlets knowingly altering Parton’s full comments in an effort to characterize that she supports the Black Lives Matter movement as opposed to presenting her words in full context.
The widely-circulated quote from Dolly Parton first published in a Billboard cover story on Dolly Parton reads, “…of course Black lives matter. Do we think our little white asses are the only ones that matter? No.”
The same Billboard feature also states that Dolly Parton is “unequivocal in her support” of “the Black Lives Matter movement.” This particular stanza of a wider, 33-paragraph feature on Parton is what dozens of media outlets have used to say Dolly Parton is in full support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
However in video of the interview where the quote was taken from, not only is there no “unequivocal” pronouncement from Dolly Parton about Black Lives Matter, she finishes the thought by saying, “Everybody matters.” Adding on phrases such as “all lives matter” or “everybody matters” are discouraged and seen as counterproductive, if not problematic when it comes to Black Lives Matter movement since it’s meant to emphasize the importance of black lives specifically. It’s unlikely Dolly Parton meant anything callous by the addition, but it certainly underscores that she did not pledge her support to the movement.
Furthermore, multiple media outlets who used the video of Dolly Parton speaking on the subject in their coverage—including CNN and others, purposely silenced the “everybody matters” portion of Dolly Parton’s comments.
Due to the altering and mischaracterization of Dolly Parton’s original comments, many media outlets continue to falsely report that Dolly Parton is a Black Lives Matter supporter. This week a mural depicting Dolly Parton was finished on the side of The 5 Spot venue and bar in Nashville’s 5 Points area by local artist Kim Radford. Inspired by Dolly’s recent comments, she added “of course Black Lives Matter” to the top left corner of the mural. The artist herself did not claim that Dolly Parton was a Black Lives Matter supporter, but multiple outlets are using the mural to once again falsely claim Dolly Parton is in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
People Magazine posted a story August 18th titled “New Dolly Parton Mural in Nashville Honors the Singer’s Support of Black Lives Matter“. Both Taste of Country and The Boot simulcast the same article (as they love to do) “Dolly Parton’s Support of Black Lives Matter Celebrated with New East Nashville Mural.” And Billboard—who was the original outlet who purposely cut Dolly Parton’s comments short and mischaracterized them as “unequivocal”—also ran a story on the mural titled, “There’s Now a Dolly Parton Mural in Nashville Honoring Her Stance on Black Lives Matter.” Many other outlets have also run similar headlines.
Also on Thursday, August 20th, The Washington Post published an article claiming “Three Generations of Country Singers Challenge the Genre’s Conservative Stereotypes,” once again falsely portraying Dolly Parton’s Black Lives Matter support with her edited statement, along with highlighting Taylor Swift and the (Dixie) Chicks, neither of which self-identify as country in 2020.
Why is this so important?
First, purposely editing and mischaracterizing Dolly Parton’s comments is misleading to the public and unethical, regardless of the motivations or intentions of these media outlets.
Secondly, naming Dolly Parton specifically in connection with a political organization is strictly against her long-standing oath to her fans to not get political. As Parton said in an interview with The Guardian in 2019, “I’ve got as many Republican friends as I’ve got Democrat friends and I just don’t like voicing my opinion on things. I’ve seen things before, like the Dixie Chicks. You can ruin a career for speaking out. I respect my audience too much for that, I respect myself too much for that. Of course I have my own opinions, but that don’t mean I got to throw them out there because you’re going to piss off half the people.”
In fact in the new Washington Post article speaks to how Dolly Parton has avoided polarizing political subjects in the past, but how her support of Black Lives Matter is what makes this moment so exceptional. “The quotes immediately went viral, and some were shocked. Not because Parton supported a social justice movement—she has it made clear that she supports LGBTQ rights—but she is famously apolitical and almost never talks about current events,” The Washington Post says.
But moreover, falsely claiming that Dolly Parton supports the Black Lives Matter movement doesn’t add weight to her words with the most important individuals who need to hear them—people who systemically devalue black lives—it hurts them. The gift and power of Dolly Parton has always been her ability to speak to all people universally, especially Southern whites who are more prone to hold racist views against black individuals. Falsely naming her as a Black Lives Matter supporter simply muddies her name by tying Dolly Parton to a political organization, and eroding the universal appeal and audience for her words.
Dolly Parton’s words were important. But it’s even more important that her words are accurately represented, not only to be fair to the country music and cultural icon, but for them to be helpful in effectively challenging racism, and for Dolly Parton to maintain her status any ability to speak to everyone, and be heard as a voice of reason.
August 21, 2020 @ 9:13 am
The media is a stranger to fact and the truth. It cannot be relied upon. It is clear to all but the media what Dolly said and most would agree with her. It is almost best to say nothing about anything…..the media twists whatever one says now to fit their own agenda. What their agenda is, is a real concern. Freedom of the press? Yes…..but with freedom must find responsibility and that is sadly lacking these days.
August 21, 2020 @ 9:24 am
It’s incredible how people eat up their respective political party affiliation’s media sources.
August 21, 2020 @ 9:44 am
The sad part is that she can’t come out and clarify her statements or she’ll be destroyed by BLM and its unhinged supporters.
August 21, 2020 @ 9:55 am
Yep.
August 21, 2020 @ 10:21 am
Or – and I know this will sound crazy – she is a fully capable and free adult, who hasn’t “clarified” anything because she is fine with the interview and subsequent coverage.
SCM is the only outlet I’ve seen that is obsessed with trying to parse our whether she meant to draw some sort of distinction between her general support for the protests and value of black lives, or is getting involved with a nefarious Marxist plot to destroy white families.
August 21, 2020 @ 10:34 am
The reason Saving Country Music is the only outlet that is highlighting the false reporting and purposeful manipulation of Dolly Parton’s comments is further evidence of the rampant echo chamber and agenda-driven campaign permeating most of today’s media where if you have the audacity to point out facts, you will be hounded down, ostracized, labeled as racist, and isolated in the media landscape. You shouldn’t be surprised Saving Country Music is the only one reporting this, you should be abhorred that once again the media is willfully misleading the public for clicks, and to forward a biased agenda.
August 21, 2020 @ 11:29 am
You’ve taken something nice – a universally beloved artist making an affirmative case for the value of black lives – and twisted yourself into a pretzel to find a divisive narrative within it. No one has claimed that Dolly is supporting some secret Marxist agenda. Very little confusion exists about what she said, which was basically that she empathetic to the protests and believed that blacks lives had value, too.
I’m sorry you perceive yourself to be such a victim/martyr in the media world, but as it pertains to this example, you’re the one that’s gone looking for the political angle, a way to turn something that is largely uplifting and unifying into a proxy for the same tired political battles we’re having over and over again.
What is so threatening to people about Dolly saying that black lives matter that people have to work so hard to turn this into some kind of controversy, to go searching for something in the reporting to oppose?
August 21, 2020 @ 12:11 pm
“No one has claimed that Dolly is supporting some secret Marxist agenda.”
Agreed. So that makes it okay to twist her words to fit one’s personal agenda? Billboard and CNN purposely edited Dolly Parton’s comments to characterize her taking a stance that she did not. That is the issue. This is indefensible.
August 21, 2020 @ 12:26 pm
Moses is the perfect example of how the average person gets duped by mainstream media’s falsehoods and half-truths all because of where the outlet leans politically. So gullible.
August 21, 2020 @ 12:43 pm
No one twisted her words. What stance did they characterize her taking that she didn’t? She affirmed the needs for the protests, she said that black lives matter. She didn’t equivocate. There’s not controversy here except the one you’ve to pains to make.
August 21, 2020 @ 1:14 pm
Bullshit. Billboard edited “Everybody matters” out of her comments fully knowing it would undercut what they wanted to portray, and the rest of the media ran with it. Even when outlets like CNN were present with the video, they edited out the comment as well. It was unethical and irresponsible, and the people in charge should have to answer for it.
August 21, 2020 @ 1:31 pm
How does editing out “everybody matters” undercut the portrayal that Dolly Parton supports Black Lives Matters? Are you asserting that people who support or affirm that black lives matter don’t also believe that other lives don’t matter? People object to All Lives Matter as a substitute for saying Black Lives Matter, not as an addendum.
I can guarantee you that if they’d instead ignored Dolly saying “black lives matter” and ran with “In response to Floyd protests, Dolly Parton asserts “Everybody Matters” you’d be on here losing your shit at the MSM for trying to portray Dolly as being racist, in service of their agenda to paint all of country music as racist, etc…
August 21, 2020 @ 5:17 pm
You’ll have to ask Black Lives Matters supporters that. According to BLM orthodoxy, saying “All lives matter,” “everybody matters,” “blue lives matter,” or anything aside “Black lives matter is an insult to the movement. I didn’t make that rule.
August 21, 2020 @ 5:30 pm
So you don’t actually know what you’re talking about, but are making conclusions based on your general antipathy towards people who support black lives matter.
As I said, the issue that people take with “All Lives Matter” is when the statement is issued as a rebuke to saying “Black Lives Matter.” Black Lives Matter, as a statement or a movement, isn’t asserting that non-Black lives don’t matter, or matter less, etc… If they’d made Dolly saying “everybody matters” the headline, it would have grossly misrepresented what she actually said, and made it seem like she was rebuking they notion of black lives mattering. The common comparison here is something like Breast Cancer Awareness. If you show up to a breast cancer event upset that they aren’t talking about all cancers, you’re an idiot. But if you say “we need to beat Breast Cancer, along with all other cancers” that statement would be reasonable. Of course, you know all this, but you found a little crack of air here to fill with your political agenda, and you’re going for it, regardless of how ridiculous it is.
August 21, 2020 @ 8:53 pm
Moses makes all the points here; this is a thorough take down of this sad and totally ironic attempt to parse Dolly’s pretty clear words in a way that support the position Saving Country Music favors vis-a-vis BLM. You are what you decry here.
There’s just not much here to suggest she’s equivocating or on the fence, as so many so clearly want her to be. Any fair reading of her comments suggests support for the equal dignity and value of Black people; that’s the central idea of the movement. And, it’s a radical one. She knows what she’s doing.
There’s just way less evidence to suggests she’s ambivalent. “She said everybody matters” after a full-throated endorsement of BLM’s organizing principle and expressing understanding for the protests is a thin reed. If anything, the conclusion that she’s equivocating based on that addendum is taking way MORE license with over-fitting the data than you accuse the “MSM” of doing, ironically.
Do you have evidence that Dolly is intimidated into not “correcting” the record for fear of “cancel culture”? Cause you assert it as fact. Are you operating some back channel where she’s conveying her true feelings to you, but no one else? If so, I’ll stand corrected. If not, your speculation is just as speculative as anyone else’s.
It’s very much more likely the opposite: she has more to lose by bravely supporting BLM than riding the fence. Moses idea is so much more plausible: she’s a smart grownup who a cultural powerhouse and she’d correct it if she damn well felt like it. What sounds more Dolly: She’s afraid, or self-possessed?
Politics as pollution is your idea and it’s a woeful misapprehension that leads to these kinds of frantic and misguided takes of motivated reasoning. It’s impossible, ignorant, and ahistorical. Anybody who understands country music, let alone defines themselves as involved in the project of “saving” it, would understand the central importance of politics to the roots and future of the music.
August 21, 2020 @ 11:26 pm
Billboard edited Dolly Parton’s comments. This was unethical, and indefensible. That is why 82 comments into this discussion, nobody has defended this action, nor even tried to. And everybody knows why those comments were edited.
“in a way that support the position Saving Country Music favors vis-a-vis BLM.”
Saving Country Music has no position on Black Lives Matter, and one should not be assumed. I participated in Blackout Tuesday in June. I released a statement addressing the George Floyd murder. I haven’t pledged my Allegiance to Black Lives Matter because it’s a political organization and I have vowed to not take political sides, just like Dolly Parton has. That’s also why we know she didn’t support Black Lives Matter. But that doesn’t mean I’m against the movement. I’ve said I think it is foolish for them to load up the movement with secondary causes that have eroded the support for their core mission. But I am not against Black Lives Matter. If anything, I’m for it’s underlying principle.
“Do you have evidence that Dolly is intimidated into not “correcting” the record for fear of “cancel culture”? Cause you assert it as fact.”
I never said anything of the sort. I agreed in passing with a comment with a simple “yep” that said that if Dolly Parton came out and tried to clarify her comments, it would probably result in a backlash. Because it would. That’s why it won’t happen.
I never said Dolly Parton doesn’t support Black Lives Matter. I said, and rightly so, you can’t draw that from her comments. She was purposefully splitting the difference which is what Dolly Parton does. It was the media that assigned certainty to them. Then I offered credible context refuting that certainty. This really isn’t that difficult to understand. But since it involves politics, some feel the need to fight, even if they have no ground to stand on. And since they have no ground to stand on, you attack the messenger.
As I’ve said many times before, even if I have an agenda and a bias, even if there is no fundamental different between the phrase “Black lives matter” and the organization. Billboard edited Dolly’s full quote, as did others, knowing they couldn’t assert that she “unequivocally” support the Back Lives Matter movement specifically otherwise.
August 22, 2020 @ 4:04 am
If I went up to a BLM supporter and said white lives matter, I would be called a racist and possibly physically harmed. I’ve said things on sites, this one included, things like”I think all lives matter”, and have been crucified. So yes, saying anything other than black lives matter around BLM supporters is against their rules and makes you a racist bigot.
August 22, 2020 @ 7:24 am
The issue is that in 2020, saying that you value black lives, and there is an issue in our country, that needs to be fixed, but you love everyone equally, is no longer acceptable. Dolly saying “of course black lives matter” and “everyone matters” is hateful in our current landscape. You have to support the movement itself, BLM.
Its hard for people like myself to find a place in this societal culture. I’m not racist, never have been, never will be. Everyone is equal and noone is special. Are they’re issues in our country? Sure. And I don’t know how to fix them. But I also don’t get behind any group or movement because it seems to divide. Whether its BLM, Proud boys, Antifa, insert protesting cause here, i can’t get behind any of them because i don’t see how it heals the country. I don’t understand why its racist to say that you truly believe all lives matter. All races, lgbt, every religion, every occupation. It seems as a society we pick and choose who matters for a given period of time. And if your not on board with the current cause, your a horrible human being.
August 22, 2020 @ 8:28 am
Trying, I could understand how you come away with that conclusion if you spend a lot of time on here, but I think it’s a pretty big misunderstanding of black lives matter. As proof, here is Dolly saying “of course black lives matter” and white lives “aren’t the the only ones that matter” and facing zero accusations of racism. Instead, she’s being widely lauded for making the kind of common sense statements of support you believe are now characterized as racist. The objection to people saying “All Lives Matter” or “white lives matter” is when the statement is offered as a rebuke to black lives matter. This is because BLM as a social movement (in whatever form you take it) is specifically concern with the historical and systemic devaluation of black lives as a discrete problem. As many have compared, showing up to a BLM protest and objecting “but all lives matter” is like holding a picket sign outside of Breast Cancer fundraiser objecting that ALL cancers need attention.
August 22, 2020 @ 10:30 am
I agree: it’s not that hard to understand. Endorsement of BLM is a way more reasonable takeaway from Dolly’s comments than “we just don’t know where she stands”. Unless you’re motivated to want to believe she’s equivocating. Your headline actually takes more license than any other.
By “Secondary causes”, do you mean the actual policy change that would enact the “underlying principle” you claim you might support? If you’re opposed to concrete, material change to our society through politics that would make black lives mattering realizable then you’re not for the principle. There can be argument about what policies and how far, but politics and policy are necessary ingredients. What policy change do you support?
“That’s why it won’t happen”. Again, you state fear of backlash as the factual reason why Dolly wont “correct” the record, even as you say you’re not. It’s an amazingly confused move. There’s no evidence of this unless you can quote her directly. It’s way more likely she’s unafraid to be who she is and say her piece cause that’s always been Dolly’s way.
August 22, 2020 @ 12:14 pm
MM, I’m with you, the semantics thing is tired. Billboard edited the “everybody” part out because it was redundant after saying the “white asses” part. This was reasonable editing. Whether Billboard was irresponsible in extending her statement to the political org, I don’t think any of us can know without Dolly saying so. Just spitballing, but I’d be willing to bet that her detailed position on it would be similar to a lot of people (myself included), that they support the idea and the political movement, but may not support or be indifferent to every specific detail of their platform. In fact, I suspect that given her breadth of life experience and remarkably consistent public display of empathy for the last 50 years, it’s probably closer to full on support. But, like everything else in comments sections on the internet, Dolly’s statement seems to have been reduced to the goofball premise that it’s all a zero-sum game, and partial agreement with anything means you’re an intellectually inconsistent wimpy loser hack.
I personally have a hard time abiding the “all lives matter” rebuke. Of course I agree with it by itself, but that’s not the point. BLM is not addressing whether or not I (white man) matter, it’s assuming that I do. “What about me” is just a real selfish and weird response to black folks speaking up about 300-ish years of white folks snuffing out their ability to thrive and benefit from all that this great experiment has to offer. White folks have a choice whether to contort it into a personal affront, or to listen and do their best to understand that we all have common ground.
August 24, 2020 @ 12:30 pm
The problem is that the deceptive mainstream media’s portrayal is that she said she supported the BLM movement, which she did not. She only said that black lives do matter as do all others. BIG difference!
August 21, 2020 @ 4:35 pm
I’m rolling my eyes at the drama.
August 21, 2020 @ 11:06 am
LOL
Exhibit A.
August 21, 2020 @ 11:30 am
Of what?
August 21, 2020 @ 4:26 pm
Yo Moslito,
“ or is getting involved with a nefarious Marxist plot to destroy white families.”
That Marxist plot is going to destroy way more black families than white ones, and in fact already has.
If you judge one’s feelings based on the results of their actions, as opposed to their rhetoric, it’s safe to say that BLM abhors black folks.
August 24, 2020 @ 10:58 am
Your entire racist attitude clearly underlines your misunderstanding. BLM is NOT A POLITICAL issue. It’s a HUMAN RIGHTS ssue. Look at you so worried that trying Dolly is being taken from your white supremacist grip. She’s not yours she’s not anybody’s she’s her own woman
August 24, 2020 @ 1:28 pm
Rosario, you are the one with the misunderstanding. ‘BLM’ is obviously a political group with a focused agenda, and the phrase ‘black lives matter’ is a common sense statement. If you don’t see the huge difference, you are part of the problem, not the solution.
August 21, 2020 @ 9:47 am
This is nearly as bad as the whole “Old Town Road” “controversy” from a couple years ago. Remember how the news media was reporting it was country music executives who removed the song from the country Billboard charts? A little research would have revealed it was Billboard, not Nashville, that took the song off the country charts.
August 21, 2020 @ 9:56 am
https://savingcountrymusic.com/lil-nas-x-the-media-echo-chamber-shane-morriss-vile-past/
August 21, 2020 @ 10:01 am
Right wing media sucks too, and all media has always been somewhat of a sensationalist sham. But nothing compares to what the mainstream media has turned itself into over the last few years. The narrow minded and partisan don’t really see it, but if you’re fortunate enough to break out of that, you can’t help but laugh at them. The WAPO example above is especially funny. There’s going to be a lot of people who show up to defend this disease called the mainstream media. But remember, laughter is the best medicine.
August 22, 2020 @ 6:26 pm
Too bad she supports communism. When they redistribute the wealth we’ll see if she still thinks that way.
August 22, 2020 @ 7:10 pm
Nah, chill out.
August 21, 2020 @ 10:08 am
must not of been any new music that came out, hate tuning in to see these kind of bullsh*t stories.
August 21, 2020 @ 10:16 am
What’s “bullshit” about this story? Seems when the words of a country legend are purposely edited in a way that goes viral and discredits her character, there would be nothing more important to report on and clarify on a site called “Saving Country Music.”
Been posting reviews left and right. Once again, reviews are the thing everyone cites as what they want to read, and are far and away the least-read content I post. But I keep posting them. And people continue to complain. I’m doing the best I can.
August 21, 2020 @ 10:34 am
Music takes us away from all of the bullsh*t of today’s society, it calms us and/or takes us away from it even if for just a moment and you bring it into the headlines. How many people actually care what Dolly did or did not say? How many people care when it has to do with what Dolly did sing?
music not media crap
black lives matter, all lives matter, COVID19, this world is very scary and crazy especially if you are raising kids in it and this site can take you away from it…most of the time.
August 21, 2020 @ 10:43 am
Fred,
I totally understand, and I work day and night to offer as much music coverage as possible. I posted a review of Jon Pardi yesterday. I posted a review of Mo Pitney earlier this week. I posted a lengthy articles going through all the big releases coming out next week. I’m working on further reviews as we speak. Every single year that Saving Country Music has existed I have posted more reviews than the previous one. I have posted more reviews so far in 2020 than ever. But it will never be enough.
When I go to a website, or pick up a newspaper or magazine, I don’t read every story. I read the ones that appeal to me. If this doesn’t appeal to you, I totally understand. But I cannot in good conscience stand back and watch people be lied to. It is my job as a media member to speak up. If that’s not your fight, I completely understand. But please understand my role and responsibilities as well.
August 22, 2020 @ 5:19 am
Hey trig, loyal followers appreciate the variety you offer. People have forgotten what journalism is. In 2020, you are only supposed to reports stories that fit someone’s political agenda… and album reviews.. common people this guys gives his heart and soul to saving country music. Trigger gets blamed for being right or left. He does a fine job of reporting facts and that makes people on both side uncomfortable. Everyone is always looking for their political agenda. Give the guy a break he is a professional journalist. I understand we don’t see that much these days.
Trigg intentions are exactly what he says “to preserve country music.” He is simply saying he does not appreciate a country music legend’s words to be twisted to fit a political agenda.
August 22, 2020 @ 1:30 pm
The bullshit is that the whole black lives matter – all lives matter butt hurt crowd is overreacting. Someone has what they consider a cause and the all lives matter crowd is being disingenuous. My sister wears a breast cancer ribbon pin on her collar. I don’t tell her all cancer matters. That’s her cause because it’s personal to her. Get over it.
August 21, 2020 @ 10:14 am
BLM but they have had ZERO to say about Aliyah Norris and Trinity Randolph
August 21, 2020 @ 1:16 pm
you don’t seem to grasp nuance very well. those murders were unfortunate, no one is arguing that. but they are being investigated and people are being held accountable. why are the killings of george floyd and breonna taylor different? because they were killed by cops and not only are those cops not being charged with murder, but most are holding onto their jobs.
August 21, 2020 @ 4:32 pm
Hey Dawg,
The badge cam on Floyd is out. Have you seen it?
August 21, 2020 @ 5:03 pm
Honky,
Let’s please not veer too far off the subject at hand. Thank you.
August 21, 2020 @ 5:48 pm
I agree with you 100% that the media lied about what Dolly said.
But I’ll bet that if you pinned her down, she’d say she supports the organization BLM.
Like a lot of your commenters, she’d be either unwilling, or unable, to differentiate between supporting the BLM organization and simply just thinking everyone is equal.
August 22, 2020 @ 9:00 am
I mean thug floyd is the whole reason blm crawled out from under their sewer so kinda is on topic
August 22, 2020 @ 9:33 am
“Thug” or no, nobody deserves to die like a dog in the street for a petty crime. If it can happen to him, it can happen to any of us. Regardless of what anyone thinks about Black Lives Matter or the reaction to George Floyd’s death, he didn’t deserve to die like that.
August 22, 2020 @ 10:08 am
… “Thug” or no, nobody deserves to die like a dog in the street for a petty crime. If it can happen to him, it can happen to any of us. Regardless of what anyone thinks about Black Lives Matter or the reaction to George Floyd’s death, he didn’t deserve to die like that.”…
Trigger,
I was going obey your ultimatum to leave this alone, but since you decided to jump in…
Have you watched the badge cam? Nobody died “like a dog in the street for petty a crime”.
Those cops were utter gentlemen for 10 minutes while Floyd resisted arrest. You could tell they felt bad for the guy as they repeatedly asked him to get in the car.
You hate fake, lying journalists? Then don’t be one.
August 22, 2020 @ 10:41 am
I’m not arguing that George Floyd didn’t deserve to be arrested, or even forcibly restrained until he stops resisting. But he didn’t deserve to die. Have him stand trial for his crimes, including resisting arrest. I’m not lying or trying to hide anything. We’ve known George Floyd resisted arrest from the beginning.
But yes, let’s move on from this discussion please.
August 21, 2020 @ 5:05 pm
let me guess, you even though he was properly subdued and outnumbered they should have knelt on his neck harder and for longer?
August 22, 2020 @ 12:40 pm
Let’s please move on from this discussion. Thanks!
August 22, 2020 @ 8:48 am
Breonna Taylor, her address and boyfriend were on a search warrant!(a no knock warrant) but I’m gonna assume you don’t know how difficult those are to get.
Anyway it’s not like she was some innocent person the cops decided to just go murder like the media has you believing.
Far as Floyd i got no sympathy take that however you want.
But you are truly SICK trying to compare criminals losing their lives to innocent kids being killed in cold blood.
And who cares that the COWARDS got arrested?! Does that mean just to ignore what they did? I mean Ted Bundy was a crazy bastard but hey he got arrested no reason to talk about him as a piece of Sh**!
August 22, 2020 @ 8:54 am
this rant has been brought to you by fox news.
August 22, 2020 @ 9:19 am
I actually don’t watch none of the media outlets i just form my opinion on my own.
But thanks for only having a one sentence response cause going back and forth with your type will go nowhere
August 22, 2020 @ 9:29 am
strange how your fully formed personal opinion mirrors all the talking points of those outlets…
August 21, 2020 @ 10:14 am
She should have known better and not open her big mouth to liberal media. Good grief.
August 21, 2020 @ 1:12 pm
But by all means tune into Fox or some other conservative outlet for the truth. Gimme a break. I’ll take The NY Times over the NY Post any day of the week. I keep hearing all the Magamites railing about the lame stream media. What paper do y’all read? Any TV news other than Fox? What web sites do you trust? Do you dig deeper and check the sources? Who pays the bills?
America 2020 is fucked up. Huge numbers of people think Covid is made up! Masks infringe on your fucking rights. BLM is a commie plot because you don’t want to admit that and entire race has gotten the shaft around here for a couple of hundred years. Where is the compassion for others?
Worry about something important. Dolly said what she said and NONE OF YOU KNOW WHAT’S IN HER HEART.
Fucking strange times…
August 21, 2020 @ 1:37 pm
Are you done yet?
August 21, 2020 @ 1:46 pm
Probably not…
Sorry if I don’t conform to your world view.
August 21, 2020 @ 11:46 pm
Thank you, Chris! About time someone on here said it!
August 21, 2020 @ 11:20 am
In 2020, you must disclose your allegiance in the Culture War. Should you fail to do do, an allegiance will be declared on your behalf.
August 21, 2020 @ 12:04 pm
Dolly has been a strong supporter of minorities such as gay and black people for many years, I’m pretty sure she’s in favor of BLM too. She never voices her opinion when it comes to politics because she knows that the country music fanbase is mostly conservative and votes for Trump (whom she probably despises, as any sane citizen would).
August 21, 2020 @ 12:09 pm
There is no evidence that Dolly Parton supports the Black Lives Matter movement. Editing her words to make it appear that she does is immoral and unethical.
August 21, 2020 @ 12:27 pm
Also there is no evidence that she does not support BLM. Why can you not stick to the ideals of this site. Do you really need to resort to all this crap to get readers. No.
August 21, 2020 @ 1:17 pm
I don’t get any readers from posting articles like this. I lose readers. I post them because it’s important.
Dolly Parton does not support the Black Lives Matter movement. Billboard edited her comments to make it appear that she did. So did CNN and others. That is underhanded and unethical, and the public should know the full context of what she said.
The reason I know Dolly Parton doesn’t support Black Lives Matter is because if I went to Twitter right now and simply typed “Everybody matters” I would immediately lose dozens of followers and be publicly rebuked.
August 21, 2020 @ 1:26 pm
It seems to me to be a pretty curious way to be rebuked and lose dozens of followers. Just typing two words. And those same two words prove what you believe to be what Dolly believes. Do the lottery. You are a cert to win.
August 22, 2020 @ 1:17 pm
As far as I can tell, no one as asked her to parse her support yet. Fair or not, if you and Dolly both posted “everybody matters, dummies,” I suspect you’d wildly different responses.
August 21, 2020 @ 1:18 pm
trigger isn’t political, y’know.
August 21, 2020 @ 1:47 pm
Off course he isn’t. But it is nice to see him get all worked up.
August 21, 2020 @ 11:47 pm
As I’ve pointed out to you multiple times, Trigger, you are in no position to talk about shoddy, immoral, and/or unethical journalism.
August 21, 2020 @ 12:30 pm
“I’m pretty sure she’s in favor of BLM too”
I’m pretty sure assumptions aren’t healthy.
August 21, 2020 @ 12:30 pm
No tweets about Evan Felker to write 3000 word articles about today? SCM = country TMZ
August 21, 2020 @ 1:11 pm
I have written all of three articles about Evan Felker in the last 8 months, and one of those was about a song he released through The Next Waltz. I have never written an article about him based off a Tweet, 3000 words or otherwise.
Not sure how giving an in-depth analysis of how the media twisted Dolly Parton’s words is like “TMZ.”
Bad comment.
August 21, 2020 @ 12:41 pm
In 2020, there is so much to be outraged by, from how poorly our nation has handled the virus, to the murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and so many other people of color, to the corruption, misinformation, and attacks on democracy by the President, or to real misinformation that’s spread by conspiracy theories like QAnon and others. Whether or not Dolly Parton supports the Black Lives Matter organization and the official movement or not, or if she simply supports the general fight to help people of color, is pretty low on the list of things that are worth getting upset by in this nation. I will say that if someone like her does think that black lives do matter and they are upset that there’s still racial injustice, they probably do support the Black Lives Matter organization, whether they realize it or not. Despite the fact that Trigger has said some negative things about them as an organization, if you read what they believe and are fighting for, it’s pretty clear that their organization exists as a political movement that is committed to fighting against injustice towards people of color in terms of their race, gender, or sexual orientation or identity (simply go to Black Lives Matter’s homepage and look under the section “what we believe.”)
It’s clear from reading this site that Trigger has his own political agenda that he continues to post about on here, and it seems to be a mix of hatred toward the media (which is a broad concept that doesn’t take into account how incredibly diverse and big the media is), fighting against “cancel culture” (although he whines when liberal artists speak up and plays down when other people say ridiculous, racist, or sexist things), and pushing the idea of “free speech” without understanding that freedom of speech doesn’t mean (has never meant) freedom from social consequences for your speech. I continue to follow this site because I do want to find out about good country/Americana/roots music and Trigger does a great job informing us of those artists who are worth checking out. However, the obsession with chasing political stories in music and putting his own spin on it (something he claims to hate) has me looking for other sites to discover quality music.
August 21, 2020 @ 1:25 pm
My agenda is not allowing the media to lie about country artists in a way that is injurious to their public reputation and results in them losing support, and whether that is Rolling Stone’s portrayal of Eric Church, Dolly Parton’s portrayal of Dolly Parton, putting artists on an “Accountability Spreadsheet,” or any other activity, I will call it out, on the right, or the left. I have regularly rebuked radio for what they did to The (Dixie) Chicks after their comments. This is a non partisan concern. I take no political affiliations aside from believing politics is a scourge, with episodes like this Dolly Parton being an excellent example.
Billboard purposefully edited Dolly Parton’s words to fit their agenda. So did CNN and others. This is undeniable, and indefensible. Even if I had a political agenda, this would still be undeniable and indefensible. You can call into question my motivations or credibility all you want. Billboard edited out “Everybody matters” from Dolly’s statement, and we all know why.
Of course there are bigger things to be outraged by in 2020. But this is a country music website. If you twist the words of a country legend and it results in them losing thousands of fans as this situation did, it’s my turf. It would be irresponsible and unethical for me to not speak up.
August 21, 2020 @ 2:11 pm
So, the crux of your argument is that billboard leaving off “everybody matters” from Dolly’s statement substantially changed the meaning of what she said, and that it was injuorous to her public reputation? Injuorous how? Who are these people who wouldn’t be angry with Dolly if only they knew she said “everybody matters”, and why should we care?
August 21, 2020 @ 5:26 pm
Let’s not lose site of the fact that when Dolly Parton’s name ended up on a misguided “Accountability Spreadsheet” admonishing those who had not come out and shown support for Black Lives Matter at that time on Twitter and Instagram (specifically), we also had numerous people say they would no longer support Dolly’s music.
https://savingcountrymusic.com/willie-nelson-dolly-parton-more-on-misguided-accountability-list/
Also, I went out of my way to say that people who were judging her for her stance, EVEN IF she had supported Black Lives Matter were the in the wrong the first time I broached this subject:
https://savingcountrymusic.com/dissecting-dolly-partons-reported-support-of-black-lives-matter/
Leaving off part of Dolly Parton’s statement was injurious because it implied that she had taken a political stance. As I illustrated with Dolly Parton’s quote in the article, as well as a quote from the “Washington Post,” heretofore, Dolly had always pledged NOT to get involved in political matters. So it wasn’t only the stance she took that angered some, but that she was taking a political stance at all. To some fans, this was Dolly going back on her word, and this was the specific criticism I have seen against her in connection with this issue.
But again, Dolly did not take such a stance. That is why I felt the need to underscore that Dolly Parton did not support the Black Lives Matter movement, ESPECIALLY after numerous outlets continued to report this incorrect information tied to the new Nashville mural.
August 21, 2020 @ 1:34 pm
Bravo Mike. Well spoken and articulated. I found this site by accident some time ago. I agree that Trigger would appear to have an axe to grind about certain things. But as you say he does have a knack of finding some really class music that I would never have heard. Yes indeed. He has cost me a small fortune buying music.
August 21, 2020 @ 1:59 pm
Yes, I do have an ax to grind. It’s with media outlets lying about artists to generate clicks and forward a political agenda.
Here’s an example of me doing it when InfoWars falsely claimed that Taylor Swift was not registered to vote in Tennessee after she came out in support of Democrat candidates.
https://savingcountrymusic.com/despite-reports-taylor-swift-is-registered-to-vote-in-tennessee/
Been doing this shit for years. Just happens to be happening more and more often now.
August 21, 2020 @ 11:54 pm
No, Kyle, your axe to grind is with a lot more than that. You tried to take Isbell to task over “Be Afraid” not over any “media portrayal” of what he said. FFS, even your review of his full album spent the first 60% of the review kvetching about his political stances.
.
We all know what your agenda is, Kyle, and like Mike said: while you’ve introduced me to some great music, the rest of your rhetoric has grown very tiring.
August 23, 2020 @ 3:40 am
“…and like Mike said: while you’ve introduced me to some great music, the rest of your rhetoric has grown very tiring because it doesn’t agree with my opinion. However, I will continue to come to your site, read articles such as this, and argue until you agree with me.”
Fixed yours and Mike’s post.
August 23, 2020 @ 4:51 pm
*yawn*
August 23, 2020 @ 7:53 pm
Roll your eyes all you want. Mine are rolling too. I have far more esteem for black people than you will ever have. Because I believe black people are perfectly capable of being successful without help. You subscribe to the bigotry of low expectations. I do not. Black people in this country are capable of doing anything they desire. Ask me how I know.
August 21, 2020 @ 6:13 pm
“However, the obsession with chasing political stories in music and putting his own spin on it (something he claims to hate) has me looking for other sites to discover quality music.”
I will be more than happy to give you some suggestions on other sites so you can go there, and stay.
Trigger presents his subjects in a balanced manner. One cannot deny that, if you can read and have elementary comprehension.
August 21, 2020 @ 7:38 pm
People of color are just as capable as anybody. God helps those who help themselves. Many people of color do not consider themselves victims. There are some great youtube channels where you can get the perspective of black men who do not subscribe to the victim theory. I suggest Modern Renaissance Man and Officer Brandon Tatum.
I have personally tested saying All Lives Matter. It didn’t go well.
August 22, 2020 @ 12:27 pm
Maybe you shouldn’t say something as idiotic as that then. It is not as if “all lives” have had to put up with the same shit as some had, but do go on looking for the outliers on f#cking youtube to feel better about your lack of empathy.
Ivory tower bullshit.
August 22, 2020 @ 12:44 pm
It is idiotic to say All Lives Matter??? Life is what you make of it. Some of us start out poor and become billionaires like Oprah. Some people prefer to sell drugs and fight the police. See how that works??? And no, I don’t have empathy and I don’t mind. I’m good with it. I don’t see black people as victims. They have every chance to succeed just as much as anybody else. Why would a perfectly capable person need my empathy??? We had a black president for 8 years. I’m over the “woe is me” narrative.
August 22, 2020 @ 2:53 pm
Yes. It is idiotic to say all lives matter. In fact if anything reeks of “woe is me” it is hijacking a movement dedicated to fighting injustice against a specific element of society because you feel left out.
Also, only a white person would claim something as moronic as “they (emphasize yours) have every chance to succeed just as much as anybody else.”
August 22, 2020 @ 3:06 pm
Danny (and everyone else),
Dolly Parton said “All lives matter” in an interview with CBS This Morning a couple of days after her interview with Billboard where this whole thing started.
https://www.wvlt.tv/video/2020/08/17/dolly-parton-interview-cbs-this-morning/
And as has been highlighted here multiple times, Dolly saying “Everybody matters” was edited out of her comments by Billboard, CNN, and others, likely because it was seen as injurious to her otherwise universally-appreciated statement.
Your comment illustrates perfectly why the editing of Dolly’s comment matters. And if saying “All Lives Matter” is strictly frowned upon by the Black Lives Matter movement (which it is), why it’s unlikely Dolly Parton meant to pledge her support to the specific organization itself, as opposed to simply uttering a phrase.
August 22, 2020 @ 10:54 pm
There is a big difference in indicating you believe everyone’s life matters in an interview or specifically seeking out protesters and shotting over their movement by having zero empathy and understanding of their point and inserting yourself into the discussion somehow.
The first is being a human being. The second is being a bigot. Dolly did the first. Charlotte did the second.
August 23, 2020 @ 4:54 pm
*rolls eyes at Charlotte*
And Kyle, you are glossing over the fact that Dolly also said “I understand people doing what they need to do to be seen and heard.”
You are doing the exact same thing you accuse Billboard and CNN of doing. Stop pretending you have any moral high ground here. You are so incredibly unethical.
August 23, 2020 @ 5:04 pm
I didn’t gloss over anything. I presented the video of Dolly Parton discussing this issue in full for everyone to see all her comments and in context. Saying, “I understand people doing what they need to do to be seen and heard” is in no way pledging your support to a specific political organization.
August 24, 2020 @ 12:18 pm
You very much glossed over it, Kyle. Your agenda shines through quite clearly.
August 23, 2020 @ 1:26 am
The BLM movement is stupid. I have ZERO empathy. BLM is the equivalent of a person who is worried about washing the dishes when the house is on fire. Neither BLM nor the person standing over the sink while the house is being burned or looted is addressing the real issues. There are plenty of black people who do not buy into this movement. At all. They are winners who refuse victim status. If you will take notice and actually listen to what they have to say, you will see they are much happier people as a result.
August 23, 2020 @ 2:07 am
I don’t have the see you to know what the color of your skin is. Your privilege is shining bright enough to illuminate your utter ignorance.
August 23, 2020 @ 3:43 am
HAHAHAHA Danny proved Trig’s point but he doubled down on the dumb. Beautiful.
August 23, 2020 @ 6:45 am
Hey mouthbreather, I don’t think you understand the dynamic of this discussion here. Learn to read then we’ll talk.
August 22, 2020 @ 2:51 am
Before you go, Mike..
https://youtu.be/uosLIWkA2OE
August 22, 2020 @ 9:24 am
Who cares about George Floyd.
August 22, 2020 @ 12:30 pm
A great many people. Obviously.
August 21, 2020 @ 12:42 pm
This is the first time I’m ever posting here on Saving Country Music.
Trigger, I love your site, so, so much. You have introduced me to SO much music that I hold very dear. From Sturgill to Tyler to Cody (Jinks) to Zeph, and many others. Without this site, and this sounds hyperbolic, but I don’t think I would be the person that I am (and I like who I am!). I used to have a hard cut-off at 1991 (the year Randy Travis’ High Lonesome was released), and I wouldn’t listen to anything else released after, but then I found your site. I realized beautiful, good shit was being made NOW, in the 21st century! And I’ll be forever indebted to you for that.
Obviously, here comes the “but.” Your characterization of this column/post as “calling out the media” seems suspect, strange, and ill-timed, at best, and disingenuous, at worst. You impugn the media as immoral and unethical. These are serious accusations, and they’re weighty! I don’t disagree that media have their own set of ideals, priorities, agendas; they’re human, like us! I just don’t understand why you want to die on this hill. You try and separate your politics from your writing and your reviews, and you try to stay neutral, but I think in this instance you’re overtly showing your hand and laying your politics bare, which is fine, but don’t couch it in anything but your disdain for the BLM movement (or any kind of progressive politics). I know you view yourself as a “Media Watch Dog” and that’s fine, but I don’t think this rose to the level of needing to be called out, especially in the context of the current socio-political climate. I’d argue that this post is just as “immoral” and “unethical” (to use your terminology, which I take issue with; I don’t think you’re immoral or unethical, nor do I think CNN or Billboard are), as the articles published by CNN and Billboard and other media outlets. This post and those articles purposefully mischaracterize things to push an agenda or ideology. I think you have to know this deep down. One can debate the degree to which things are are being mischaracterized, but I think it’s pretty plain what you’re doing and what other media outlets are doing.
Also, this comment is doing a ton of heavy lifting, “I cannot in good conscience stand back and watch people be lied to. It is my job as a media member to speak up. If that’s not your fight, I completely understand. But please understand my role and responsibilities as well.” I think you can certainly let this one lie. You have to know that this isn’t nearly an egregious framing of a narrative as other things we’ve seen in the media. Positioning yourself as this staunch guardian of truth and martyr of media ethics detracts from your credibility, in my opinion. I think good media folks know which battles to fight and which ones not to. I think they also know that things are always much more nuanced than they seem, i.e. headlines frequently create a somewhat false impression, designed to entice readers. Is this good? Probably not, but it’s a tale as old as time, and most reasonable folks know this. And even if they don’t, again, is this particular issue the hill you want to die on?
I love your site, your writing, and your dedication to honest, real, affecting country music, and I’ll continue to come here, but I am a little disappointed with your approach here.
Cheers and be well,
Patrick
August 21, 2020 @ 1:06 pm
I want to reply to say that I applaud Trigger for also being willing to engage in dialogue. I appreciate that about him and this site.
Thanks, Trig.
August 21, 2020 @ 1:39 pm
And hopefully it will be the last time.
August 21, 2020 @ 5:18 pm
Hi there,
I’m curious if I said something that offended you. I’d be happy to address it, if so.
Cheers and thanks,
Patrick
August 22, 2020 @ 2:37 am
Not a thing. Just having fun.
August 21, 2020 @ 1:43 pm
Patrick,
I appreciate your comments.
This is a very, very simple situation.
Billboard and others edited Dolly Parton’s quotes to push a specific political agenda. That action has resulted in THOUSANDS of Dolly Parton fans swearing to never listen to her music, never watch her movies, never visit Dollywood or any of her other properties. This was a situation it was imperative for a site called “Saving Country Music” to broach.
Whether this issue is popular or not with readers or the public is inconsequential. If this is the hill I die on, so be it. I died for a good cause, which was exposing the truth. Whether it’s an album review, or an article such as this, it is my obligation to every reader and to the public at large to be as honest and truthful as I can, regardless of the popularity or ramifications.
I’ve seen quite a bit of criticism for me from posting this article. I have yet to see anyone defending Billboard or CNN for editing Dolly Parton’s comments. And I will not see that, because their indefensible. And so in those cases, you go after the messenger.
But the great thing about operating a site with no underwriters or editors is it’s inconsequential to me what anyone thinks. I’ll take this stance now, let everyone else say it’s petty, agenda-driven, unpopular, etc., and then I’ll step back and let time decide how this matter is ultimately regarded. Because lies don’t age well, and the truth only grows more powerful over time.
August 21, 2020 @ 1:51 pm
I’m not sure how to measure the impact of thousands of people swearing on the internet to never visit Dollywood. For what? Believing (possible falsely, possibly not) that she supports BLM? Who cares. They can go bury their heads in the sand with the Big Tex’s of the world.
August 22, 2020 @ 11:26 am
Why in gawds name would anyone swear off an artist over their personal views. Quite immature. Like swearing of the Dixie Chicks, oh wait… the chicks when they opined about George. Funny, the chicks were proven right in the end. The lying about WMD. Oye. As an Army vet, I sure as hell don’t want to be on a mission based on an out right lie.
Come on. We all have a personal responsibility to be informed on any stand we make take morally, intellectually or emotionally. How Dolly sings has nothing to do with BLM. These are the zealots who are unable to parse maturity from emotion.
Enjoy disneyland!!
August 22, 2020 @ 12:22 pm
Tammy, the Dixie Chicks were WRONG, and George Bush was RIGHT. Iraq DID possess “weapons of mass destruction.” I guess you missed the 1980 to 1988 war between Iraq and Iran where Iraq used poison gas to kill enemy soliders and civilians? (Not to mention Saddam Hussein also using such weapons against the Kurds.) One source of info about that is at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraqi_chemical_attacks_against_Iran; there are plenty more if you want to do some research. If you are truly an Army vet, you should have known about Iraq having chemical weapons. Why else did US Army forces wear MOPP suits when the invasion of Iraq took place? The only question was where did Hussein hide his WMDs, not whether or not he had them.
And why swear off some “artists”? Well, for one thing, I am not going to spend any money on anyone who insults me, or who insults my views on the world. I supported President Bush, the Chicks insulted said president, and so indirectly they are insulting me. Hence, I do not spend any money on the Chicks. Simple, no? Heck, the left is ALWAYS boycotting things they don’t like, except they go one step further and try to have what they don’t like banned so nobody else can like them, either!
Also, I only have so much money available to spend on frills like entertainment, and so I have to spend it on folks who don’t insult me.
August 22, 2020 @ 12:48 pm
“the left” Honestly??
People in general who throw out terms like the left or the right…. I can’t engage with.
When I say WMD I’m talking about LARGE scale stockpile, not small arms to gas his own people or old munitions found from before the treaty. That is a weak argument & misleading and the search was ceased I believe in 05 (check me on that). The President himself no longer says there are or were WMD based on the story to told to go. Even chaney laughs it off. Sorry but no, I don’t agree with you.
I am an Army vet. Enough said on that. I’ also quite informed of the workings of the intent to go, the reason for staying and why we should not have been there.
I have no problem with that Madman being taken out. I shall stipulate that off the top.
They lied and it’s well known now.
The whole “he is my president therefore I shall follow” is a naïve. But, you do you. As for me, I will not follow blindly. I served, honorably & the president was wrong. I followed orders but would not follow illegal orders. If I was active at the time, I would’ve had no reason not to follow orders until the truth came out.
And a criticism of the president does NOT equate to canceling listening to good artist. Again, it’s emotionally immature from BOTH sides. I find cancel culture nauseating. to each his own but don’t look for the ribbon or a cause.
August 23, 2020 @ 1:45 am
Even if you don’t agree with these broad terms, the left’s voting option has been reduced to a man whose brains have already checked out and is being supported by the old neocon brigade. Making the Democrats the official War Party.
Btw, I don’t agree with your take on separating the artist from their politics. Some entertainers have become insufferable. If I see a movie that features De Niro, I now see a little man in heels that wants to punch the president in the face. Like Ricky Gervais said: they are in no position to lecture the public about anything.
August 23, 2020 @ 7:40 am
Steven
“Like Ricky Gervais said: they are in no position to lecture the public about anything.”
Why not? Politicians do it. We as the people do. Teachers, Steel Workers, cashiers etc. Why can’t actors and singers and painters etc.? Why are they denied a voice if they are Americans.
THIS Gervais guy, I’ve heard him. I no longer hear him. I use my own judgement to make decisions. It doesn’t mean he or Nugent Or Chachi don’t have a right or even Mr. Eastwood talking to an empty chair (how undignified for such an American icon). Let them do their thing. Speak out, protest, I don’t care.
I don’t think people should be quiet for profit which is what is being implied for Dolly. I so disagree with this. I’ve never stopped being, doing or purchasing a thing because of someone’s beliefs. Instead, I try to educate through truth & not political propaganda, Lies & conspiracy theories or calling people names.
Dolly is a strong woman, a Christian & devoted to her family and fans. She is also an American Citizen who has the right to vote (unless revoke which I find highly unlikely). Why can’t she speak freely? Her opinion is just as important as bob on the corner or tom out in the country or…. De Niro in NY or Hollywood where ever he is. Are some of some of people exhausting? YES!! as are some chest thumping, boasting republicans. Both sides have their faults. So, LOOK AT THE CANDIDATE!
Dolly supports equal rights and for that I love her all the more. She also believes “do unto others as you would have done unto you.” Some people tend to forget that. Racism has NO PLACE and Dolly knows this.
August 23, 2020 @ 9:16 am
Tammy, there is a difference between having an opinion and thinking you can use your platform to insult half of America or, in general, thinking that your views are in some way superior to those ofJoe the plumber or a factory worker. Especially the people in Hollywood should take this to heart, as almost all of them let filth like Weinstein have their little merry way with aspiring actresses. That’s what Gervais was talking about. I think it’s great he called those hypocrites out.
I’m not too concerned that Dolly will suffer because of this ‘controversy’. But it’s a scumbag way, the way the media more or less manipulated her message. If she were to come out in support of BLM, that’s her choice. If she did, I bet it wouldn’t be because her management told her to do so, but because she actually believes in getting rid of the nuclear family and all that other looney stuff.
August 23, 2020 @ 3:53 am
“I used to have a hard cut-off at 1991 (the year Randy Travis’ High Lonesome was released), and I wouldn’t listen to anything else released after”
Sounds like 1991 was your cut-off year with the mainstream media as well because in 2020 they are nothing more but PR extensions of the two-party system.
If you can’t see that they are now in the business to chop, dice, and remove pieces to re-frame things furthering their agendas then perhaps you should go back and wait for Kurt Loder to show up with MTV News.
August 21, 2020 @ 12:57 pm
Apologies if it takes time to show up, but did you really delete my comment? It was extremely measured and well-thought out, and usually you seem to be willing to engage with reasonable comments even if you disagree with them. This is a huge bummer.
August 21, 2020 @ 1:05 pm
Comment has been posted. It had been sent to moderation by the spam filter.
August 22, 2020 @ 1:16 pm
Do cuss words trigger the spam filter? Asking for someone with 9 brothers.
August 22, 2020 @ 1:25 pm
Cuss words are allowed, but I do not allow very sharp, over-the-line direct insults to other commenters, offensive terms dealing with race, sex, religion, etc., or threats. Sometimes comments are sent to moderation automatically for a host of reasons, but I try to approve them ASAP.
August 21, 2020 @ 1:38 pm
Go buy yourself a box of tissues.
August 21, 2020 @ 5:03 pm
Hi Fellow Padraig/Patrick,
I acknowledged that I was impatient and in the wrong above.
Cheers and thanks,
Patrick
August 22, 2020 @ 8:13 pm
Lads lads lads, pints pints pints, sesh sesh sesh.
Sorry, it’s been a long 2 weeks locked up in D2.
August 21, 2020 @ 1:44 pm
I have to say I agree with Patrick here. The distinction between believing that black lives matter and supporting a decentralized movement that believes Black Lives Matter is arguable at best. Clearly you believe that it’s a huge and important distinction. To me it’s a distinction without a difference. You believe that stating “Dolly Parton supports BLM” impugns her character. I don’t.
Maybe Dolly makes a distinction, maybe she doesn’t. Maybe she supports the “BLM movement”, maybe she doesn’t. We don’t really know. She’s not out there fighting to make the distinction, that much is clear. You are, and as Patrick pointed out, it’s a bit baffling that this is the hill you want to die on.
August 21, 2020 @ 1:50 pm
“Maybe Dolly makes a distinction, maybe she doesn’t. Maybe she supports the “BLM movement”, maybe she doesn’t. We don’t really know.”
Awesome. Then that’s what you say. You don’t emblazon it in a headline and present it as matter of fact, especially after you edited out critical words in her quote. However by editing out those comments, you present a smoking gun to your intentions. As I said in my first article about this subject (before I’d seen the videos), “Soon dozens of outlets were parroting this same take, even though it may not even be correct. Or, maybe it is correct. But it’s at least deserving of clarification and context.”
August 21, 2020 @ 2:36 pm
I get your criticism of the sensational headline. I do. It’s fair to say that that’s ethically questionable, even if it’s more or less par for the course.
I guess the point I’m trying to make with all my comments is that you’re putting your own editorial spin on the situation too, which I see as this: you believe there is a difference between saying “black lives matter” and “I support black lives matter”, and the difference is huge and important, and one is a good thing to say and the other is not. That’s your opinion, and there may be others that share it, but this is only really an issue for people that share that fundamental opinion
August 21, 2020 @ 5:31 pm
Fair point.
I guess why it’s so critical around Dolly Parton is the fact that she had vowed previously to never take political stances and divide her fan base. Some felt that’s what she did, fueled by these incorrect headlines, and so all I was trying to do here was offer more context.
Also, I’m not trying to portray this as some huge deal. But it is important to get this right. Tons of major media outlets have been posting that Dolly Parton supported the Black Lives Matter movement. All I’m doing with my tiny little platform here is trying to clarify the situation.
August 21, 2020 @ 2:58 pm
Josh Turner releases an album filled with country classics, including a motherfucking Kris Kristofferson appearance on Why Me Lord and I’m reading about whether Dolly Parton does or does not support BLM.
Saving Country Music.
August 21, 2020 @ 5:36 pm
I appreciate your interest in a review of the new Josh Turner album.
First off, I’m not ignoring it. I’ve already posted a dedicated article on it.
https://savingcountrymusic.com/new-josh-turner-tribute-record-to-feature-randy-travis/
Second, as I’ve underscored here many, many times, though you might not have seen it, it’s very rare myself or others in the media receive review copies for major label releases since they’re very guarded against records getting leaked early. So I just started listening at 11:01 Central last night like everyone else. I’ve been listening all day and I will get my review up ASAP.
But NO article is ever posted in lieu of an album review. Album reviews require hours and hours of listening, and then hours crafting a compelling narrative around the music. I am constantly working on album reviews, and multiple ones at any give time. When they’re ready, they’re posted. But it’s not like I sat down this morning to write the Josh Turner album review, and wrote this instead. I’m listening to the record until I feel confident in what I have to say. Then I’ll write it, and post it when I think the most people will read it, which isn’t always the day of a release either.
August 21, 2020 @ 4:39 pm
Trigger,
Why don’t you just leave a comment with a link to BLM’s website? It’s weird that there’s so many commenters here that don’t believe it’s an organization with a written agenda.
August 21, 2020 @ 5:49 pm
The same arguments here have played out time and time again on this site. What’s the point?The responses are all predictable and if people think they are changing or opening other people’s minds, they are either sadly mistaken, or heroes and ‘resistors’ in their own minds. Trigger has taken the media to task many times before, and usually in a very neutral and logical way. There are people here who can’t handle that though, and want him to say exactly what they want to hear. Spoiler alert: It just goes around in circles.
I’m more curious about what you think of the new Mo Pitney album, since you didn’t comment on that article. I checked him out awhile ago, thanks to you.
August 22, 2020 @ 12:03 am
“Trigger has taken the media to task many times before, and usually in a very neutral and logical way.”
You have very odd definitions of “neutral” and “logical.”
XD XD XD XD
August 22, 2020 @ 9:05 am
I agree, it is odd today. Tying this in to another comment you’ve made here: You’ve been making the same arguments against Trigger for awhile now…how’s it working out for you? Seen any change in his approach?
August 23, 2020 @ 3:09 am
Just because he hasn’t made a change of approach doesn’t mean my argument is incorrect.
Kyle is ignoring portions of Dolly’s comments in the same way he accuses CNN and Billboard of doing. And he does it to fit his own narrative.
August 23, 2020 @ 8:39 am
Not the point of my comment. I’m just wondering…what is it like to so often be a broken record, pissing in the wind?
August 23, 2020 @ 8:30 am
Jake,
I replied to your comment on the Mo review.
August 21, 2020 @ 5:49 pm
Motive is what’s missing here. And trigger, I like u a bunch but you have no idea what Dolly’s motive is anymore than anybody else. Maybe she threw her full throated support behind BLM and is happy with the coverage. Maybe she meant what you interpret her to mean and now she is scared to speak up. Doesn’t sound like Dolly to me but sure, could be. Maybe ‘the media’ took the narrative and ran with it to support a political movement. Or the maybe the media just saw another story and reported what they had. Maybe the cut the end of the quote to support the narrative. Maybe they did it because TV is about pithy sound bites and Dolly gave them a good one and the extra quote was unnecessary. You suffer, as many do, from the idea that much of the media is political when, in fact, most of them are simply bored. Fox News certainly has a narrative. CNN and MSNBC as well. But having an opinion is not the same as lying and selling a false narrative. They care far less about your politics than you think they do. You have your assumptions. I have mine. But there aren’t any facts to be had with this a story until Dolly starts talking again or until she shows up at a protest.
August 21, 2020 @ 6:22 pm
Actually, I think motive is the most clear cut portion of this issue. Think piece after think piece and academic papers have been published ad nauseum saying that the way to erode the conservative mindset in rural America is through country music, and they regularly weaponize artists and their word to attempt to create a wedge between mainstream performers and the beliefs of their fans. That’s what all of this is about. And hey, they can do what they want. I don’t have a dog in that race. But when you twist the words of a country icon and it costs them fans, it becomes my business. I never though simply pointing out what Dolly Parton actually said would be so controversial.
August 22, 2020 @ 12:06 am
All hail Trigger: knight of preserving Dolly’s fanbase in the wake of her comments while out of the other end of his mouth, deriding Isbell for his comments because he disagrees with them politically.
August 22, 2020 @ 8:12 am
The only thing you have cited as troublesome in this article is my Jason Isbell album review I wrote four months ago. I think that’s a great illustration of just how completely void of explanation or excuse people are to the willful editing and mischaracterizing of Dolly Parton’s words that I continue to compel people to defend, and nobody has even attempted to do so.
August 22, 2020 @ 9:29 am
At the risk of sounding like i am kissing your ass, “echo chamber style”, maybe a lot of us aren’t “defending” Dolly, because it is not necessary.
Dolly can say whatever she wants, & more power to her.
Personally, i love Dolly, and think she is a hoot.
August 22, 2020 @ 9:37 am
Cobra,
STF up
August 21, 2020 @ 6:46 pm
It seems simple enough, saying “of course Black lives matter” is not equivalent to “I support Black Lives Matter”.
August 22, 2020 @ 7:55 am
Exactly. By the looks of the rantings here, there are a bunch of below average English students here.
Dolly’s quote indicates her support of the sentiment “black lives matter”. It says nothing of her opinion regarding the organization/movement “Black Lives Matter”. She may well be privately supportive of BLM, but I cannot see her saying “all lives matter” if she was one of their tuned in fans.
August 21, 2020 @ 7:33 pm
The whole movement is stupid. Looking back, the country overreacted over George Floyd. It was bad what happened, but he wasn’t some kind of hero. This whole thing with him won’t age well.
August 23, 2020 @ 2:33 am
Maybe you are unaware of the fact that George Floyd was the final straw for a great many people?
August 21, 2020 @ 7:37 pm
I have two comments, one is that Dolly Parton was interviewed again a couple days ago, and at about the 5:12 mark in the video linked below she is asked again about Black Lives matter. I will make two observations about this: One, that she said pretty much the same thing she did last time, ie, adding “all lives matter”. And two, that she did not feel it was necessary to explain that she did not support the movement. So overall, I give your thesis partial credit.
https://www.wvlt.tv/video/2020/08/17/dolly-parton-interview-cbs-this-morning/
The fact that news sources carefully edited her comments in the first interview is deeply troubling and you are to be commended for calling it out. Just like the creative headlines around Eric Church. So irritating.
The piece that surprised me is the commentary about saying “black lives matter” is not the same thing as supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. This distinction doesn’t really appear in the press anywhere. And any sites that really rant about the marxist tone of some of the mission statements on BLM’s website are the exclusive domain of right-wing reportage. In my experience as a bystander to BLM and observing the opposition, it started with “Blue Lives Matter”, then moved on to “All Lives Matter” – neither statement of which on its own is particularly offensive (they are 100% correct). The problem with them was that the speaker used them as a way to refuse to recognize or acknowledge that Black Lives Matter. More recently, the anti-BLM argument has shifted over to saying “well of course BLM we all knew and recognized that (even though they did not), it’s the BLM Movement that I have a problem with!!!” Overall, it just feels like another way to avoid acknowledging systemic racism that devalues black lives, whether it is in school, in our legal system, or even in medicine. Maybe we could all just put the concern over the founders of the movement aside, take a deep breath, and repeat after Dolly. Black Lives Matter, everyone matters. It’s OK to say them both, just don’t replace one with the other. We don’t need to stand in opposition to any of it. And shame on the media for editing her statement.
https://www.politifact.com/article/2020/jul/21/black-lives-matter-marxist-movement/
August 21, 2020 @ 8:58 pm
Peter,
Did an abdominal scan on a patient, at Mt. Sinai, in Miami, (2006). It was the genrleman’s 2nd, (SECOND) kidney transplant. The patient was acquainted with the procedure, and was well aware that he needed to hold quite still for the scan. Guess he was feeling particularly feisty that day, because when instructed him to hold as still as possible, he told me that nobody told him what to do.
Shot back at him, Alright, you move as much as you want, and we will process this study, shoot it to the radiologist, & wish him the best of luck, in trying to read it.
The gentleman did not so much as bat an eyelash, the entire study. Got a beautiful scan. Told him i was very proud of his not squirming or moving around.
We visited for a few minutes, and gave a big hug on the way out of the rad. dept.
The gentleman was a black individual and homeless.
That is correct. Homeless. But was still Blessed enough to be looked after by many in the community, and had not 1, but 2 kidney transplants. MANY, MANY, people around the world are on transplant lists. A lot of people worldwide die while actively on these lists.
“Overall, it just feels like another way to avoid acknowledging systemic racism that devalues black lives, whether it is in school, in our legal system, or even in medicine.”
Taking a personal interest in the fallacy, of this part of your text.
August 21, 2020 @ 7:47 pm
Gonna be real, man…if Dolly thought there were any fucking difference at all between saying “I believe Black Lives Matter” and saying “I support Black Lives Matter,” she’d have said something to that effect.
Further…the people having meltdowns about what Dolly said don’t care about that distinction.
They’re throwing a fit because they don’t think that “everyone matters,” they just hope that they’ve lied long enough and hard enough about BLM that people won’t notice.
Dolly doesn’t give a flying fuck about what incels like CountryKnights think.
Your efforts on her behalf aren’t worth your time.
August 21, 2020 @ 8:38 pm
If there’s no difference between the phrase and the movement, why didn’t all the headlines simply read what Dolly Parton actually said? Why did they go out of their way to say that Dolly Parton supported the Black Lives Matter movement, with the originator of the quote, Billboard, saying she was “unequivocal” in her support. If there’s no difference, why did they edit her comments? The answer is because they knew as much as anyone that there is a difference.
You can say I have an agenda of my own. You can say I have an ax to grind. You can say there’s no difference between the phrase and the movement. But it still doesn’t explain why they edited Dolly Parton’s words.
When you can’t attack the message, attack the messenger.
The media lied, and there’s overwhelming proof that I’ve yet to see anyone challenge.
August 22, 2020 @ 6:30 pm
I’m not saying you have an agenda or an axe to grind, man.
(At least not about this – your hatred of Midland is another story, haha!)
I’m saying that if Dolly felt her stance was being mischaracterized, she’d say something herself.
She’s Dolly Fucking Parton. She makes her own platform, and she doesn’t need you to defend her. If she had a problem, she’d speak up herself.
She doesn’t have a problem with people saying that she “Unequivocally supports BLM,” though, so she hasn’t spoken up.
And, of course, I’ve repeatedly said that there is no difference between the phrase and the movement – a bunch of lying racists are just desperately trying to make the phrase controversial by pretending otherwise.
August 22, 2020 @ 7:52 pm
Cool Lester,
Are you black?
Of African descent?
God Bless You Man.
Relax. There is a lot of love out here
August 22, 2020 @ 8:19 pm
…
…
…
What would any of those things have to do with thinking that Black Lives Matter?
My best friend from preschool is Black. My best friend from kindergarten is Black. My best friend from high school is Black. My best friend from freshman year of college is Black.
None of that is at all relevant to my saying, believing, and supporting Black Lives Matter.
August 22, 2020 @ 2:57 am
I heard they are hiring at Billboard. Might be just the job for a cool, smooth dude like you.
August 22, 2020 @ 8:14 am
Why do you capitalize where it’s not called for? It only sows confusion.
August 22, 2020 @ 10:39 am
Lester,
Gonna be real too, man.
Until you use data to disprove or debunk anything CountryKnight has said, I will henceforth consider you his bitch.
If you’re referencing another commenter who hasn’t even commented on this article, it’s clearly because you’re their bitch and they own you.
August 22, 2020 @ 6:32 pm
lol.
He just so utterly exemplifies the type of “differently abled” incel, desperate for the approval of avowed racists like you and RD, who would spend hours harassing Dolly on Twitter.
August 21, 2020 @ 8:10 pm
This is absurd. The phrase and the movement are the same thing. Any suggestion to the contrary is racist. Take a seat, Trigger.
August 21, 2020 @ 8:33 pm
Ah, I see this this is the argument folks think they can’t get to stick in the absence of any explanation of why multiple media outfits willfully and unethically edited Dolly’s words to fit their narrative, instead of vice versa.
August 22, 2020 @ 8:28 am
No. The movement and the phrase are 2 different things. Alot of people are very uneducated. They just hear a PHRASE and think, oh of course black lives matter. They agree with the phrase without ever going to BLM website or learning anything about what the movement really is about. By the way, many black people do not support the movement. I do not support it. I DO support All Lives Matter. It is really absurd that you label someone as racist because they separate the movement from the phrase.
August 22, 2020 @ 5:34 am
Fuck you neo-Marxists for making it necessary for Trigger to write this story.
August 22, 2020 @ 6:30 am
Partick M. said: You impugn the media as immoral and unethical.
The MSM is, absolutely, the most or second most lyingest entity on the face of the planet. Period, and being first or second in line is nothing to brag about, when the front is “lying”.
Lying IS immoral. The MSM IS UNethical. ALL of them.
I swear- most people I know, and/or have known have an inherent take what someone says with a grain of salt- until it comes to politics, which is media driven bullshit- that’s precisely what it is. The talking heads and so called journalist are, to a person, educated beyond their intellectual and are inherently, intellectually dishonest as are ALL political hacks, especially the empty fucking suits in the Districts of Criminals around this Country.
Kyle is, without a doubt, the most objective writer of current event situations I’ve ever read, and trust me, I read a lot- I am very political and I think, no, I know, the left right paradigm bullshit from the media is STUPID and does absolutely nothing to help anyone other than itself. Follow the money, see the agenda. The MSM agenda? Lie cheat and be immoral to generate revenue- the outcome is immaterial.
Good lord- you people are pathetic. You defenders of bullshit don’t deserve a web site like this one.
August 23, 2020 @ 4:01 am
Hear, hear DJ.
August 22, 2020 @ 10:52 am
I’ve never commented here as I prefer to sit back & absorb everyone’s views, whether I agree or not, and wait for the next article. Some of you are hysterical but very informed. Some come with a boat load of opinion but if opinions were fact we’d all be sitting idle on still water. Others are passionate, informed & opine politely. It’s blog I look forward to visiting for a host of reasons, including you Trigger. Right or wrong, you are entertaining for sure. I appreciate that.
However, this article bothers me. If Dolly were offended by the interpretation, she would have spoken out. She has NEVER shrunk herself to please others. Not to be confused with holding her opinion. I believe her statement was quite forceful & NOT open to this or any other interpretation. It was pretty concise & it’s meaning was clearly intended. She doesn’t have to say she supports BLM. It was clearly implied with “LITTLE WHITE ASSES…..” ASSES being the give. I don’t believe there is any ambiguity here. Her intent was well stated.
Racism issues are at an all time high. I don’t believe, fundamentally, BLM is a political movement as much as it is a HUMAN movement. Other than white people are pleading with us to see what is happening in the real world. Not the insolated world many White people live in. I am guilty for not knowing the extent of it myself.
I’ve read all the comments here. I am deeply disappointed in some of them. I don’t believe in the adage of “you can’t read a persons heart therefore you don’t know if they are racist”. Come on, hogwash. Watch what they do & listen to what the say or type. The question is why? Why is one racist? Personally, it’s nonsense but that is my asshole leaking thoughts again.
I’m closer to Dolly’s generation than many of you here, so I’ve been around this block several times. It does NOT make me an authority on anything other than watching the absolute divisive behavior we are witnessing in this country right now. There seems to be no middle. This particular article & the following comments prove the point. I listen to all sides even when I want to spit fire. We all have a right to an opinion but with that comes judgement and consequences.
With all due respect, as I’ve thoroughly – for the most part enjoyed your blog/writing, I feel your splitting hairs here & I wonder if your imparting your own beliefs onto Dolly’s meaning & if that is not the real issue you might want to look at. Or maybe not. Dolly would have been all over this if she felt it should be corrected & personally, I’ve never known Dolly to be afraid to correct the record in any manner.
I know people have very strong opinions about the BLM movement. They equate it to hating cops. Again, not true. Not all cops are bad but good cops need to speak out against bad cops if they want the stigma removed. A fake $20.00 bill on an unarmed man should not cost his life. I look at it that directly. There is no excuse for his death.
You can tell me to go shovel shit but you can’t tell me the manner in which I do it. That’s for me to decide. Just as it’s up to you to decide how to convey your opinion on what Dolly meant by what was said. But I dare say, having not yet corrected the record, she is fine by the interpretation.
I give you credit for writing on this as I’m sure you knew it would provoke many opinions. We need to talk openly about racism if we are going to correct the issues surrounding it. Many people still put their heads in the sand and let others carry the task. So, GOOD FOR YOU!!
FYI: I just finished a book called How to be ANTI-Racist by Ibram X. Kendi. I found it incredibly enlightening & it actually addresses, to a degree, what is taking place with this post.
August 22, 2020 @ 12:47 pm
There is an old saying that goes, “If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” I also like to say, “When you see racism in everything around you, then YOU are the racist!”
BLM is a political organization, funded by the likes of George Soros. It’s sole purpose in causing all of the riots lately is NOT because they care about black lives, but because they want to destabilize the country and then bring down President Trump. If BLM really cared about black lives, they would do something about trying to have kids raised by 2-parent households; they would try to do something about gangs and crime in the inner cities, etc. But they don’t even mention that sort of stuff. All they do is get their knickers in a twist over a known criminal who resisted arrest. Granted, the cop shouldn’t have kneeled on Floyd’s neck for so long, but then again Floyd shouldn’t have resisted arrest, especially if it was just over passing a counterfeit bill.
And it still goes back to the left trying to politicize everything. And I HIGHLY resent folks who call me “racist” merely because I am white. I do not apologize for my birth, or for my upbringing. I am who I am. I judge people NOT by the color of their skin, but how they act towards me. You treat me fair, I’ll treat you fair. You call me a redneck, or a cracker (or even “boomer”!), then I’ll look at you with a hairy eyeball and mistrust anything and everything you say or do. I do NOT have “white privilege,” I worked for everything I’ve got. I NEVER asked for anyone to give me a hand-out. I did get some vocational skills when I was young, and that allowed me to get good jobs. When I started said jobs, I was at the bottom of the seniority list and had to work nights and weekends, but I expected that, and was not bothered by it.
If entertainers were truly smart, they would just shut up talking about any controversial subject.
And one more thing. I always like to tell people to watch the movie “Miracle” about the 1980 USA Olympic hockey team. There is a scene in that movie where the coach keeps asking players “who do you play for?” The players will answer with their various college hockey teams, as most of them were collegiate players. Finally, one player “gets it”! When asked “who do you play for?” he answers “I play for the United States of America!” That should be put into effect in our “real lives” today. Instead of identifying as “black-Americans” (or any other kind of hyphenated American) you should identify as “American.” Some folks on the left are bothered by the phrase “All Lives Matter” even though it by default includes black lives. In fact, that phrase should be even more simplified to “Lives Matter.” But maybe the left doesn’t like the phrase All Lives Matter because then the left would be bothered by aborting babies (as obviously unborn lives don’t matter to some people)?
Sorry to write just a lengthy political response on your great site, Trigger, but I had to respond to Tammy’s implying I am a racist.
August 22, 2020 @ 1:13 pm
Hmmm… looks like your trying to pick a fight with the new lady today. I was responding to TRIGGER not you as clearly stated in my post. “including you Trigger.” ” for the most part enjoyed your blog/writing” “I give you credit for writing on this as I’m sure you knew it would provoke many opinions.”
Now, I will admit, I may not have hit the right REPLY button as I stated, it was my first time responding. So, that said, everything you just posted was on a post meant for trigger.
BLM was founded in 2013 after the Zimmerman trial. Nothing to do with trump, clearly. Does it now, most things do. Most billionaires send money to causes of their choosing. The left, the right and independents. So what? No point made here. Do I agree with all the rights choices, hell no.
As far as the remainder of your post, I’m lady enough to agree to disagree. this is after all a music site & I would have to veer to heavily political to counter your thoughts.
FYI: I am 1/2 American Indian. It was the white man who forced the name NATIVE AMERICAN on us.
August 22, 2020 @ 1:15 pm
Tammy,
I appreciate the concern and perspective here.
The reason there is such conflict and disagreement circling around this issue is due to the fact that we don’t really know specifically what to draw from Dolly Parton’s comments. I’m not saying that she doesn’t support the Black Lives Matter movement. I’m simply saying that I cannot deduce that specifically from her comments. That is why I said in the title of my article that she “Didn’t.”
What I can deduce from her comments is that it is incorrect to say Dolly Parton is “unequivocal” in her support of the Black Lives Matter movement (all caps). Otherwise, there would be no discussion here. I can also deduce via concrete evidence that Billboard, and later CNN cut off Dolly Parton’s words in a way that gives us less information and insight than more into this contentious issue. That is what this article is about. We can debate back and forth what Dolly possibly meant, and those discussions could go on forever due to the lack of a concrete conclusion. All I am saying, and the point of this article was to assert that saying Dolly Parton supports the Black Lives Matter movement deserves more context, including her FULL comments. And so that is what I offered into the public discourse.
” If Dolly were offended by the interpretation, she would have spoken out.”
I disagree. Dolly Parton coming out and saying, “No, I don’t support the Black Lives Matter movement” would be a public relations nightmare. Furthermore, she waited nearly three months to speak on this matter, even as she faced public rebuke for not speaking up. Dolly Parton is the 74-year-old owner of a major corporation. To her, this discussion is likely a tempest in a teapot, if she is even aware of it. She said her peace, which was likely purposely ambiguous to split the issue down the middle.
I addressed this issue last week as well:
August 22, 2020 @ 1:22 pm
Tammy,
I appreciate the concern and perspective here.
The reason there is such conflict and disagreement circling around this issue is due to the fact that we don’t really know specifically what to draw from Dolly Parton’s comments. I’m not saying that she doesn’t support the Black Lives Matter movement. I’m simply saying that I cannot deduce that specifically from her comments. That is why I said in the title of my article that she “Didn’t.”
What I can deduce from her comments is that it is incorrect to say Dolly Parton is “unequivocal” in her support of the Black Lives Matter movement (all caps). Otherwise, there would be no discussion here. I can also deduce via concrete evidence that Billboard, and later CNN cut off Dolly Parton’s words in a way that gives us less information and insight than more into this contentious issue. That is what this article is about. We can debate back and forth what Dolly possibly meant, and those discussions could go on forever due to the lack of a concrete conclusion. All I am saying, and the point of this article was to assert that saying Dolly Parton supports the Black Lives Matter movement deserves more context, including her FULL comments. And so that is what I offered into the public discourse.
” If Dolly were offended by the interpretation, she would have spoken out.”
I disagree. Dolly Parton coming out and saying, “No, I don’t support the Black Lives Matter movement” would be a public relations nightmare. Furthermore, she waited nearly three months to speak on this matter to begin with, even as she faced public rebuke for not speaking up. Dolly Parton is the 74-year-old owner of a major corporation. To her, this discussion is likely a tempest in a teapot, if she is even aware of it. She said her peace, which was likely purposely ambiguous to split the issue down the middle.
I addressed this issue last week as well, where I went further into the issue of separating the phrase from the organization, as well as the unfairness at the backlash against Dolly Parton.
https://savingcountrymusic.com/dissecting-dolly-partons-reported-support-of-black-lives-matter/
This article was simply to further underscore that her comments had been edited, and to offer context to the continued headlines that say she supports the Black Lives Matter movement, full stop. Which again, we have no concrete evidence of. I’m simply stepping back to offer the full picture, the full quotes, and the full context on this matter, including the fact that according to two separate sources, including Dolly herself, she would never pledge her support behind any organization that could be deemed political, which regardless of how you may feel, “Black Lives Matter” the organization most definitely could be, and is.
August 22, 2020 @ 1:41 pm
Trigger,
Saying it slowly to self… “separating the phrase from the organization”. I could give you that one. BUT, Can we really do that anymore? As one IS associated to the other. Just a point of thought.
Also, here Is why I said she WOULD come out. Do you remember when she first started supporting LGBTQ? It was in a song called Family back in the early 90’s. Lyrics “some are preachers, some are gay, some are addicts, drunks and strays/ BUT NOT ONE IS TURNED AWAY WHEN IT’s FAMILY.
So, when I say one can make the jump from assert to assumption, it’s really not far reach is it?
I get why your hot under the collar over the journalistic integrity, I do. I appreciate that fact as I too do not want to be misquoted or corrected with FALSE information. I stand with you.
If your true meaning is the statement from the cause, ok.
If it’s the JI, take it up with billboard or let it rest as Dolly has not refuted it (and I heavily disagree with you on this point). Dolly is so beloved, I don’t believe this would hurt her. She is loved by all sectors of our human community. Gays, straights, white, non white, men, women, children, foreigners and citizens. As a woman, I believe she would speak up to protect her own P.O.V.
At the end of the day, does it really matter, She supports Blacks in their cause by saying in her very Dolly way “lilly white asses….”. I think if you view this as THE WHOLE of DOLLY, we could bridge a little closer. If not, I understand your point, I just think it’s splitting hairs.
Thanks for answering the spam question so timely. I’ll look around and read rules in a bit.
August 22, 2020 @ 10:57 am
And… By the by, JOURNALISTIC INTEGRITY should be called out. BILLBOARD should be contacted and asked WHY?
Have you done that? If not, then I challenge what would appear as boasting for a cause that I truly don’t believe Dolly needs your, mine or anyone else’s help on. She is tough as nails & I for one believe she is one of the classiest people out there. It’s likely she would contact them directly & express her opinion.
So, I do question is this really about the journalism or more about Dolly supporting the movement, which it is implied.
August 22, 2020 @ 7:02 pm
I’m with you Moses. I love SCM, but I disagree with you here.
August 22, 2020 @ 7:21 pm
We’ve spent TRILLIONS of dollars on the black community since 1965 in the form of federal, state and local welfare.
How the hell much is enough?
August 22, 2020 @ 8:33 pm
Lester,
Not sure i understand where you are coming from.
There is so much love in the world. Just saying, don’t stress so much. Try the positives. Seriously.
At 5’1″, laughed when Sudanese & Ethiopian friends invited me to join in at basketball, at the Y, in Guymon. At 6’5″, 6’7″ they could have squashed me like a bug. But we chose to laugh about the absurdity of it all.
And because i am SUCH an idiot, don’t you know, i actually took my stupid self onto the court for a few minutes while the gang was blowing off steam, after work.
Great memories
August 23, 2020 @ 2:40 am
I thought the red scare ended many decades ago… all these knee jerk reactions to “Marxism” from people who clearly have no idea what that means not what it is that BLM has been associated with, are just laughable.
August 23, 2020 @ 7:43 am
This is what kills me. Be against it, fly (your) racist flag but stop labeling and using words you clearly don’t understand the meaning of. My gawd, if that were the case, Dems would be busy all day pulling out thesauruses on the gop. The Red Scare is back in full force & it is sad if that is the answer to people wanting a better life for some of citizens.
August 24, 2020 @ 1:36 pm
One of the founders of BLM, Alicia Garza, has openly admitted being a Marxist, and until recently listed that in her bio on the BLM website. One of their stated goals is “disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure requirement by supporting each other as extended families and “villages” that collectively care for one another, especially our children, to the degree that mothers, parents, and children are comfortable.” But whatever…
August 24, 2020 @ 3:28 pm
Whatever indeed.
That quote is not damning in the least and just because “onenof the founders” is a marxist (which is about as broad a nomer as possible by the way) doesn’t automatically mean a living movement follows her political beliefs.
This focus on Marxism is just a scaremongering tactic employed by people who have zero idea of what Marx actually was about.
August 24, 2020 @ 5:06 pm
It’s OK. If you believe in Marxist principles like they do, you don’t have to explain it to me or make excuses.
August 24, 2020 @ 11:18 pm
What are you? 12?
August 23, 2020 @ 6:09 am
I don’t understand why you are so determined to say Dolly does not support BLM? Isn’t it a good thing if she does?
What is the point of these articles? I am confused.
August 23, 2020 @ 6:31 am
I’m not saying that Dolly Parton doesn’t support the Black Lives Matter movement. I’m saying that she has never said such. I’ve also said (in my previous article on the subject), that if she does support the organization, that’s her right and her opinion, and fans should respect her for it. I’m not personally against Black Lives Matter, though this continues to be assumed. What I am against is any member of the media purposefully and verifiably altering someone’s comments to make their opinion fit one’s own in a way that is injurious to their own fan base, and misleads the public, which is not a hypothetical, it is exactly what happened in this scenario.
“Isn’t it a good thing if she does?” That depends on your opinion, not because Black Lives Matter is solely about promoting the importance of Black lives (which it isn’t), but because it likely doesn’t represent the true opinions of Dolly Parton, which are that she supports Black lives, but not a specific movement that has lumped many strictly political causes into its mission. That is why I went into detail using multiple sources and Dolly Parton’s own words to explain that she has never, and would never support a political organization like Black Lives Matter.
I’m not the one who made a claim of what Dolly Parton supports or doesn’t. I simply presented her comments in full to clarify what she did and didn’t say for the public to decide. And again, in 158 comments and counting, I have yet to see anyone in any capacity try to explain why they edited her comments, because it’s indefensible. It’s also the smoking gun.
August 23, 2020 @ 7:14 am
…“I’m not personally against Black Lives Matter, though this continues to be assumed.“…
I’ve never assumed that about you.
My question or concern is, do you also embrace their Marxism, or do you deny it exists?
August 23, 2020 @ 9:39 am
Trigger,
My question wasn’t rhetorical and I’d enjoy seeing a response from you.
As far as I can tell, there are 3 camps of BLM supporters, and I’m curious which one you fall in.
1. Well meaning people on the left or right, who ignorantly believe black people are oppressed, and support the BLM movement, either having no idea an organization of the same name exists, or having no idea about the Marxist intentions of the organization.
2. Leftist radicals, who know full-well of BLM’s Marxism, but deny it in order to hide it from the public, so that it may advance further.
3. Leftist moderates, who support BLM and are aware of the Marxism, but laugh it off as no big deal, either because they don’t understand Marxism, or because they don’t think anybody takes that part seriously.
August 23, 2020 @ 5:24 pm
None of the above.
I do believe there is systemic racism in America. I do not think of myself as either a leftist moderate or radical, nor a right moderate or radical. I take no opinion on the Black Lives Matter movement because it is political organization, and I do not pass judgements on any political organization aside from saying they’re pretty much all corrupt and a scourge on society. I also think that there are many “Leftist moderates” who just simply think the organization is just about saying that Black lives matter, and really don’t know what else is being pushed under the “Black Lives Matter” banner, and I don’t blame them for pledging their support. They’re just trying to do the right thing. I also think that if the Black Lives Matter movement did not want people to pass such hard judgement on them and wanted to actually help shape law, they should attempt to enact some scene control, and refocus the movement back on the core issue of battling against police brutality as opposed to adopting things such as Marxist views, though as I’ve said before, some people involved in the organization have no idea what is being pushed behind the name.
August 23, 2020 @ 6:17 pm
“ I do believe there is systemic racism in America.”
You’re right; there is, but it’s not against black folks. And if you attempted to use statistics to prove it is, you’d fail.
I’d love to see you try though. It might be eye-opening for you.
August 23, 2020 @ 10:43 am
I live in the UK so must be missing some important context about the BLM movement.
I see it as a movement against racism, against the way black people are treated by the police and discriminated against by society at large. In this context, I do not see BLM as a political issue (Democrat/Republican). I view it as a human rights/morality issue.
In this context I see nothing wrong by being associated with it – rightly, or as you set out, wrongly in Dolly’s case. Being associated with a good cause is not a bad thing and I can not see how it can damage your image. Therefore even if Dolly’s views are incorrectly portrayed I do not feel it merits all the article space you are giving it here as it comes across as a non-issue for me.
However if for some reason there is a dark side to the BLM movement that I have missed then that would be different – but to be frank I do not see any of that in there and seeing what happened to George Floyd they have every right to protest as they have.
Many people in the USA, UK and Europe have openly voiced their support for BLM – and it basically means they are against discrimination and racism. That is essentially what it means to reasonable/sensible human beings and if Dolly is seen to back them – good for her.
August 23, 2020 @ 5:15 pm
Hey Cowboyal,
This article was meant to be an addendum to another more in-depth (and much less controversial) article I posted last week about Dolly Parton’s comments and Black Lives Matter. It explains a bit more why many people distinguish saying “Black lives matter” with the specific organization that unfortunately has been loaded up with multiple political aims that have little to anything to do with actually trying to protect black people from police brutality, or end systemic racism. That is why associating Dolly Parton with the organization specifically was seen as problematic by many.
https://savingcountrymusic.com/dissecting-dolly-partons-reported-support-of-black-lives-matter/
I’m not taking a stance either way on the Black Lives Matter movement. I am simply clarifying that she did not say she supported the organization specifically, she just uttered the phrase, which the media then edited and misconstrued to sex up the story and portray it as they wish. Regardless of how anyone feels about these matters, that was an unethical move, and that move can be verified by the evidence above.
August 24, 2020 @ 3:13 am
Thank you for your considered response.
I take your points on board and accept irrespective of the matter under consideration a person’s point of view should not be intentionally misinterpreted and misrepresented for one’s own personal agenda – that is ethically unacceptable.
I do like Dolly 🙂
December 5, 2020 @ 1:45 am
Hey Trigger, I understand that the Black Lives Matter movement has become a scary thing for some. Change is hard for everyone. I thought you might find it surprising to watch an interview with the three ladies that started it. Take care.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-55106268
December 5, 2020 @ 1:34 am
Dolly fan from the U.K. here. ????
For what it’s worth, I’ve always appreciated that Dolly speaks carefully when she speaks out. She chooses the causes she supports with care and always an abundance of love and respect.
I see no reason for anyone to try to twist her words.
“As soon as you realise that [something] is a problem, you should fix it. Don’t be a dumbass. That’s where my heart is. I would never dream of hurting anybody on purpose.”
August 23, 2020 @ 7:18 am
When looking at the framing of any issue, see if you can find an enemy. If you find one, it’s probably a distraction.
August 23, 2020 @ 7:49 am
Excellent comment Matt!!! “When looking at the framing of any issue, see if you can find an enemy. If you find one, it’s probably a distraction.”
August 23, 2020 @ 7:23 am
This is one of the most pointless articles I’ve ever read….I’ve wasted far too much time on SCM I realize
August 24, 2020 @ 12:27 am
https://www.politifact.com/article/2020/jul/21/black-lives-matter-marxist-movement/
The answer: nope (and that is even when looking at rhe broad spectrum the term Marxism is used to represent nowadays,)
August 25, 2020 @ 12:40 am
What about poor Unknown Hinson?
August 26, 2020 @ 4:03 pm
Who fuckin cares, dude? You’re splitting hairs
November 26, 2023 @ 7:38 pm
She is a southern white woman…..Black lives likely do not matter to her. I feel like even the most religious Caucasian does not feel like they will be judged by their treatment of minorities