“Accidental Racist”

[Truthseeker420]

But beyond the good intentions, there’s a shocking amount of naivety on display in “Accidental Racist”, particularly for two men who’ve spent a combined 85 years living in American society. From most- to least-forgivable, their sins are:

CONFLATING PERSONAL PREJUDICE WITH INSTITUTIONALIZED RACISM: You wouldn’t know it from movies like The Help, but the history of racial oppression goes beyond some people being rude to some other people because of the color of their skin. But everyone messes this one up—even us!—so Brad and LL get a pass.

GLOSSING OVER SLAVERY AND JIM CROW AS “MISTAKES”: Calling your girlfriend your ex’s name is a mistake. Systematically robbing millions of people of their humanity goes a little further than that. For the sake of lyrical brevity we understand why Brad didn’t go into the whole history here, but there’s got to be a better two-syllable word that works in that spot.

SAMPLING “DIXIE” IN A SONG ABOUT RACE RELATIONS: Yes, it’s a catchy song. Yes, Abraham Lincoln liked it. This does not change the fact that it was the unofficial national anthem of a state built on white supremacy.

TIPPING A HAT TO THE “ANGRY BLACKS JUST WANT THE WHITE MAN’S MONEY” MEME: “I want you to get paid, but be a slave I never could,” raps LL. Why are those two thoughts next to each other?

MAKING THE WORST FALSE EQUIVALENCIES THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN: The most poisonous of all the song’s rhetorical sins come in the coda, where Paisley and LL Cool J trade lines about making the world a better place. It’s cute, until you realize what they’re saying: “If you won’t judge my do-rag, I won’t judge your red [Confederate] flag.” In other words, LL won’t get mad about Brad sporting a symbol of white supremacy as long as Brad won’t get mad about … a random fashion choice that has nothing to do with him. Later, it gets worse: “If you forget my gold chains, I’ll forget the iron chains.” Is putting people who don’t like slavery on the same moral level as racists really worth that wordplay?

That’s the overwhelming message of the song: Yes, white southerners may have been pretty racist in the past, but as a result of that racism some people have negative feelings about the South—and isn’t that just as bad? If those people could just be less angry and forget about the racism, well then by golly, white southerners might stop being racist! For a guy who just wants to wear his Skynyrd shirt in peace, that’s a post-racial utopia worth singing about.

Brad Paisley "Accidental Racist" Lyrics Meaning: How Clueless Is It? - Popdust

 

[Truthseeker420]

good intentions but horrible song...

Can a southern man show pride in the south without being racist?

 

[Lonestar_logic]

That's a fucked up song. I would never apologize for what my ancestors legally done.

 

[Truthseeker420]

That's a fucked up song. I would never apologize for what my ancestors legally done.

The intentions were good. I assume your prospective is a southern man?

 

[Lonestar_logic]

That's a fucked up song. I would never apologize for what my ancestors legally done.

The intentions were good. I assume your prospective is a southern man?

No.

 

[Truthseeker420]

That's a fucked up song. I would never apologize for what my ancestors legally done.

The intentions were good. I assume your prospective is a southern man?

No.

excuse me( perspective).

I'm trying to listen to the Jodi Arias trial.

 

[Lonestar_logic]

The intentions were good. I assume your prospective is a southern man?

No.

excuse me( perspective).

I'm trying to listen to the Jodi Arias trial.

Then the answer is yes.

 

[Mr. H.]

All videos have been pulled from youtube.

 

[Aristotle]

That's a fucked up song. I would never apologize for what my ancestors legally done.

Legally as it may be to you, immoral as they were before, rest assure racist whites (like yourself) today could not, and will not, put another person in chains.

 

[poet]

But beyond the good intentions, there’s a shocking amount of naivety on display in “Accidental Racist”, particularly for two men who’ve spent a combined 85 years living in American society. From most- to least-forgivable, their sins are:

CONFLATING PERSONAL PREJUDICE WITH INSTITUTIONALIZED RACISM: You wouldn’t know it from movies like The Help, but the history of racial oppression goes beyond some people being rude to some other people because of the color of their skin. But everyone messes this one up—even us!—so Brad and LL get a pass.

GLOSSING OVER SLAVERY AND JIM CROW AS “MISTAKES”: Calling your girlfriend your ex’s name is a mistake. Systematically robbing millions of people of their humanity goes a little further than that. For the sake of lyrical brevity we understand why Brad didn’t go into the whole history here, but there’s got to be a better two-syllable word that works in that spot.

SAMPLING “DIXIE” IN A SONG ABOUT RACE RELATIONS: Yes, it’s a catchy song. Yes, Abraham Lincoln liked it. This does not change the fact that it was the unofficial national anthem of a state built on white supremacy.

TIPPING A HAT TO THE “ANGRY BLACKS JUST WANT THE WHITE MAN’S MONEY” MEME: “I want you to get paid, but be a slave I never could,” raps LL. Why are those two thoughts next to each other?

MAKING THE WORST FALSE EQUIVALENCIES THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN: The most poisonous of all the song’s rhetorical sins come in the coda, where Paisley and LL Cool J trade lines about making the world a better place. It’s cute, until you realize what they’re saying: “If you won’t judge my do-rag, I won’t judge your red [Confederate] flag.” In other words, LL won’t get mad about Brad sporting a symbol of white supremacy as long as Brad won’t get mad about … a random fashion choice that has nothing to do with him. Later, it gets worse: “If you forget my gold chains, I’ll forget the iron chains.” Is putting people who don’t like slavery on the same moral level as racists really worth that wordplay?

That’s the overwhelming message of the song: Yes, white southerners may have been pretty racist in the past, but as a result of that racism some people have negative feelings about the South—and isn’t that just as bad? If those people could just be less angry and forget about the racism, well then by golly, white southerners might stop being racist! For a guy who just wants to wear his Skynyrd shirt in peace, that’s a post-racial utopia worth singing about.

Brad Paisley "Accidental Racist" Lyrics Meaning: How Clueless Is It? - Popdust

Why 'Accidental Racist' Is Actually Just Racist - Ta-Nehisi Coates - The Atlantic

 

[poet]

That's a fucked up song. I would never apologize for what my ancestors legally done.

Really? Legally, being the key word. How about apologizing because it was "morally wrong", you claiming to be a Christian, and all?
And "....what my ancestors legally done", is "bad English". Indicative of a low I.Q.

 

[bigrebnc1775]

That's a fucked up song. I would never apologize for what my ancestors legally done.

Legally as it may be to you, immoral as they were before, rest assure racist whites (like yourself) today could not, and will not, put another person in chains.

Misguided as you are, you don't think that you are a servant to the government?

 

[bigrebnc1775]

That's a fucked up song. I would never apologize for what my ancestors legally done.

Really? Legally, being the key word. How about apologizing because it was "morally wrong", you claiming to be a Christian, and all?
And "....what my ancestors legally done", is "bad English". Indicative of a low I.Q.

Shit stain should the english apologize to me for enslaving my Scottish ancestors?

 

[poet]

That's a fucked up song. I would never apologize for what my ancestors legally done.

Really? Legally, being the key word. How about apologizing because it was "morally wrong", you claiming to be a Christian, and all?
And "....what my ancestors legally done", is "bad English". Indicative of a low I.Q.

Shit stain should the english apologize to me for enslaving my Scottish ancestors?

I don't know...I don't get involved in squabbles between white people. On second thought, you weren't addressing me....my name is poet. Were you looking into a mirror?

 

[editec]

Apologizing for historical injustice is absurd.

Acknowledging it, however, is not.

Recognizing that historical injustice might still be playing a role in the world today is essential.

And THAT is what some of us refuse to admit.

 

[bigrebnc1775]

Really? Legally, being the key word. How about apologizing because it was "morally wrong", you claiming to be a Christian, and all?
And "....what my ancestors legally done", is "bad English". Indicative of a low I.Q.

Shit stain should the english apologize to me for enslaving my Scottish ancestors?

I don't know...I don't get involved in squabbles between white people. On second thought, you weren't addressing me....my name is poet. Were you looking into a mirror?

You're just a shit stain that's all you will ever be until you get rid of that racist agenda you support.

 

[poet]

Shit stain should the english apologize to me for enslaving my Scottish ancestors?

I don't know...I don't get involved in squabbles between white people. On second thought, you weren't addressing me....my name is poet. Were you looking into a mirror?

You're just a shit stain that's all you will ever be until you get rid of that racist agenda you support.

Really? Describe the racist agenda that I (allegedly) support, if you can.

 

[bigrebnc1775]

I don't know...I don't get involved in squabbles between white people. On second thought, you weren't addressing me....my name is poet. Were you looking into a mirror?

You're just a shit stain that's all you will ever be until you get rid of that racist agenda you support.

Really? Describe the racist agenda that I (allegedly) support, if you can.

gun control

 

[Aristotle]

That's a fucked up song. I would never apologize for what my ancestors legally done.

Really? Legally, being the key word. How about apologizing because it was "morally wrong", you claiming to be a Christian, and all?
And "....what my ancestors legally done", is "bad English". Indicative of a low I.Q.

That's the funny part...He is Christian. He worships a Jew that comes from a region inhabited by people that looked like me

 

[NoNukes]

That's a fucked up song. I would never apologize for what my ancestors legally done.

Really? Legally, being the key word. How about apologizing because it was "morally wrong", you claiming to be a Christian, and all?
And "....what my ancestors legally done", is "bad English". Indicative of a low I.Q.

Shit stain should the english apologize to me for enslaving my Scottish ancestors?

Yes. The British claim that their history is clean because they have apologized, but criticize the United States for what they do, and have done in the past. This is totally bullshit on their part.