Last week country music legend Hank Williams Jr. appeared on Fox and Friends to give some politically incorrect commentary. While on the air, he committed the unpardonable sin of using the word “Hitler” within one contiguous paragraph of the word “Obama.” ESPN execs — whose viewers undoubtedly like Hank better than Obama — first pulled his opening, which had run on Monday Night Football since 1991, then fired him. The entertainment industry elite has decided Hank has not suffered enough for his sins. They made clear they want him shut up for good. This weekend the cast of Saturday Night Live with special guest Ben Stiller, suggested Hank never be invited to speak about politics again in life.
This plea for censorship came during an SNL skit that its writers apparently intended to be funny, although aside from a pretty good impression of Steve Doocy and the singer himself, the laughs were hard to find. The crew invited “Hank” back on to clarify his remarks when Stiller, who played Williams’ media representative, turned the tables. He demanded the Fox hosts apologize to Hank. “You have to admit,” he said, “you made a big mistake letting Mr. Williams come on your show and speak for himself.” He went on, “What did you think he would say? Look at him. He looks like a truck stop Santa Claus.”
Couched in “humor,” the message is clear: no self-respecting news program should ever provide a forum for Hank Williams Jr. or anyone who looks like him. They are all contemptible white trash. They have no rights, should enjoy no access to the masses, and need to be throttled into silence before they go back to working hard, paying taxes, and dying in our wars.
Stiller went on: “You introduced him as a man who knows a thing or two about politics. Telling him he’s a political analyst is akin to giving a baby a gun.” Between taking potshots at their favorite targets — laughing at veterans and the elderly, mocking Fox News’ truthfulness — SNL‘s writers repeatedly mocked Hank for daring to use the H-word without permission.
Hank Williams Jr. has publicly stated his remarks were misunderstood. He was pointing out the ridiculous nature of the Obama-Boehner golf summit, pairing up two leaders of opposing factions. This author is generally against analogies that compare people to Hitler, or the greater mass murderers Mao, Stalin, and the worldwide Communist empire. But Hank’s greatest error was not a poor choice of comparisons; it was the idea that Obama and the GOP leadership are in stark opposition to one another. On the contrary, they are two wings of the same one-party system of elitists who run the government under two labels. Grassroots Republicans and Democrats could not be more widely removed, nor could their activists: could any two figures disagree more than Hank Williams Jr. and Michael Moore? As the political conversation moves up the pecking order, the differences magically melt away in the burning sun of bipartisanship (which may explain why so many bipartisan ideas are half-baked).
Stiller’s character concluded by telling America what Hank is “really good at is writing songs like, ‘There’s a Tear in My Beer.’” It is rewarding to see Hollywood finally acknowledge entertainment figures may not be the most qualified people to weigh in on political issues. For once, the entertainment industry has found someone it wants to Shut Up and Sing.
Since the Left clearly implied Hank should never speak in public again, I hereby propose a trade: Tell every star in Hollywood to shut up. We’ll give up Hank Williams Jr. in return for Bill Maher, Morgan Freeman, Sean Penn, Janeane Garofalo, Joy Behar, Rosie O’Donnell, Tim Robbins, and Julia Stiles. This would represent a proportionally fair trade in terms or numbers (losing one conservative star is like losing dozens of left-wing myrmidons) and in terms of talent. Note: this wager is canceled if and when Hank Williams Jr. decides to run for Senate. (I will consider substituting Robert Duvall.)
What do you say, cultural Left? Any chance you’ll apply your logic evenly across-the-board?
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Thanks, Ben, for saying what I already think about liberals…let’s take Maxine Waters, for example, man what a waste of clean air…That bitch needs not only to be censored, but should be hung-out to dry…Eventually, people, and I use that term loosely, that spew this kind of filth, will end up being buried by it. I can only hope to be around WHEN it happens.
The Fox crew were obviously not prepared for Hank, with whom I happen to agree on his point of comparisons. He never said Obama was Hitler, so whats the big deal? I personally actually see many things about Obama and his agendas that could easily be compared to the Narcissistic little German paper hanger, and I can document them. People who speak their minds openly with no regard for political correctness are far and few between on both sides of the political spread. Hank is a songwriter and troubadour who deals in the truth and making people see things with new eyes. The Hollywood lefties are mostly emotionally crippled, mental vacuums. They live in a fantasy world and make a living pretending to be somebody else. Most of them don’t actually have a personality unless they have a script in their hands. Who are you really going to want to listen to? The unvarnished truth is a sharp stick indeed to those who live inside delusional bubbles. The truth shall set you free, it is a powerful weapon in our fight for freedom. I say wield it with total abandoned and utter disregard for casualties..
I have to stand with Hank on this one. He was absolutely right in his comparisons. I am getting really tired of all of the self righteous indignation by the liberal media. Hank was just on a suspension from ESPN, but he quit. I don’t blame him! He has a new record out now that you can download free. He still speaks the truth!
I stand by Hank too! He has a right to free speech like ALL Americans.The Libs think they are the only ones priviledged to say what they please about anyone not agreeing with their line of ” malarkie “
One should never sit an old country boy like Hand Jr. on the same stage with so called journalists. These news people don’t live in the same world with the rest of us. They wouldn’t know reality if they fell over it. It’s like putting a Christian and a Muslim in the same room and expecting them to agree on anything.
In a country that has a FEMA camp in every state, ocmplete with a railroad running through some of them,. In addition to the TSA putting hands where they dont’ belong and the Queen of the Gulag, Janet Napolitano an her terrorist list which seems to be us, and Michele Obama showing off her new Christmas ball with Mao tse Sungs picture on it a few yeasrs ago and Obama giving our country away and bringing the enemies to our doorstep, don’t forget the brown shirted kids and their Obama song, , I would say Hank Williams was right on the money even if he didnt’ mean to be. Just the fact that Hank got fired for saying the wrong thing according to Fox news who is run by CFR members anyway, no freedom of speech there , what more do you need to see this is not your garden variety America anymore? Hank was wrong? Hank has a new record out, “keep the change” I hope he makes millions on it.