Is it acceptable to compare the US President to Hitler?

liberty · Post by **liberty** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 6:35 am

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdo ... nfl-wp8592

Mon Oct 03 06:24pm EDT
ESPN pulls Hank Williams Jr. after he compares Obama to Hitler
By Chris Chase

Hank Williams Jr., the singer whose various videos for the hit song "All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Monday Night" has served as the intro to "Monday Night Football" for 23 seasons, compared President Barack Obama to Adolf Hitler during a Monday morning appearance on "Fox and Friends." The statement led to ESPN pulling his popular intro segment, best known to fans for its "Are you ready for some football?" ending, for Monday night's game between the Indianapolis Colts and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
During a discussion on the 2012 presidential race, Williams began discussing Obama's golf outing with Speaker of the House John Boehner. He said it was a political mistake, on par with "Hitler playing golf with [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu."

Even if using Hitler in an analogy was something that was socially acceptable, the comparison still doesn't make any sense.
If you watched until the two-minute mark of the clip, you'll notice that Williams doesn't seem particularly coherent throughout the segment. He stumbles over words and declared Obama and Joe Biden to be "the Three Stooges." ("That's only two," host Steve Doocy dryly noted.)
ESPN released a statement expressing disappointment in Williams' comments. The network said the intro will be pulled for one game and any further decision will be based on how contrite the singer-songwriter is in the immediate future.
Stories like this can blow over quickly or burn slowly for a few days before building into a major news story. If it's the former, Williams' intro could be back for next week's game between the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions. If it's the latter, "Monday Night Football" may just have become a little less rowdy.
Update: ESPN skipped over the intro without mentioning the controversy. Instead of leading into the opening bars of Williams' song after a pre-packaged 15-second promo, the network cut to Mike Tirico in the booth and proceeded like nothing had happened.
Also, Williams released a statement late Monday explaining he was "misunderstood." It reads, in part:
"Some of us have strong opinions and are often misunderstood. My analogy was extreme — but it was to make a point. I was simply trying to explain how stupid it seemed to me - how ludicrous that pairing was."
They're polar opposites and it made no sense. They don't see eye-to-eye and never will. I have always respected the office of the President."
It's an explanation more than an apology. I don't sense much contrition. Whether or not those words are enough for ESPN remains to be seen. (For what it's worth, I think we've partied with our rowdy friends on Monday Night for the last time.) And the next time you want to compare polar opposites, oil and water is always a safe analogy.
Other popular stories on Yahoo! Sports:

rubato · Post by **rubato** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 1:04 pm

This is a free country and you can say whatever you like but you cannot require anyone to think you are worth listening to. HWJr can be a gibbering idiot and if you are one too you can start a TV network which will hire gibbering idiots; oh, wait, we have FOX already don't we?

yrs,
rubato

Sue U · Post by **Sue U** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 1:13 pm

Godwin's Law in action.

Why anyone would solicit opinions on politics and public policy from this jackass is beyond me. But then again, it's Faux Newz.

As rubato said, in this country you have the right to be an idiot; however, some people clearly abuse the privilege.

liberty · Post by **liberty** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 5:14 pm

rubato wrote:This is a free country and you can say whatever you like but you cannot require anyone to think you are worth listening to. HWJr can be a gibbering idiot and if you are one too you can start a TV network which will hire gibbering idiots; oh, wait, we have FOX already don't we?

yrs,
rubato

Hank would have to sober up first. It probably would not hurt him to loose a little money maybe he would have cut back on the dope and booze. I find it had to believe a doper like him could make it in country music.

Liberty1 · Post by **Liberty1** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 6:46 pm

And on the same day they go and hire Madonna for the super bowl, what hypocrisy.

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/159343 ... ener.jhtml

quaddriver · Post by **quaddriver** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 10:41 pm

'cept hank did not compare obama to hitler (if anything, he did boehner)

he did however point out that those two together would be LIKE hitler and netanyahu. He clearly meant, as rational people note, ideologically apart, yet acting like friends.

However, could the media let this go?

Well in a semi related report, Rick Santorum said gay marriage was NOT like beastiality and it was reported that he said it WAS like it.

Clearly some people cannot be trusted to tell the truth. Clearly some people cannot be trusted to discern the truth even when in front of them.

We dont need to blame politicians for this country's ills

rubato · Post by **rubato** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 11:58 pm

liberty wrote:"...

Hank would have to sober up first. It probably would not hurt him to loose a little money maybe he would have cut back on the dope and booze. I find it had to believe a doper like him could make it in country music.

Unlike Hank Sr. who was a heroin addict.

Are you really as uninformed as you seem?

yrs,
rubato

Sean · Post by **Sean** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 2:49 am

rubato wrote:
liberty wrote:"...

Hank would have to sober up first. It probably would not hurt him to loose a little money maybe he would have cut back on the dope and booze. I find it had to believe a doper like him could make it in country music.
Unlike Hank Sr. who was a heroin addict.

Are you really as uninformed as you seem?

yrs,
rubato

Johnny Cash seemed to do alright too. In fact, I thought dope/booze addiction was a prerequisite for making it in country music...

Lord Jim · Post by **Lord Jim** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 2:59 am

I thought dope/booze addiction was a prerequisite for making it in country music...

Worked for George Jones....

Timster · Post by **Timster** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 3:10 am

this is just another tempest in a politically correct teapot. and besides it's just a family tradition

Gob · Post by **Gob** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 4:32 am

Sean wrote: Johnny Cash seemed to do alright too. In fact, I thought dope/booze addiction was a prerequisite for making it in country music...

Certainly a prerequisite for anesthetising oneself enough to be able to listen to the awful shite.

quaddriver · Post by **quaddriver** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 1:10 pm

1) My wife left me
2) My dog ran away
3) My pickup has a flat

-The three base topics for all CW songs. Spouse based, pet based, pickup based.

Beer Sponge · Post by **Beer Sponge** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 2:55 pm

Gob wrote:
Sean wrote: Johnny Cash seemed to do alright too. In fact, I thought dope/booze addiction was a prerequisite for making it in country music...

Certainly a prerequisite for anesthetising oneself enough to be able to listen to the awful shite.

Hey, I like country music! You take that back, or I'll call you Welsh again!

Sue U · Post by **Sue U** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 3:16 pm

There's a lot of great country music, and especially modern takes on some of the classics. Check out John Doe & The Sadies doing Stop The World And Let Me Off:

http://www.yeproc.com/artist_info.php?artistId=12948

Really, who doesn't like George Jones, Ray Price, Loretta Lynne, Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris, just to name a few?

(I'm all about the drift in this thread.)

Long Run · Post by **Long Run** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 4:15 pm

Perfect country song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkKn5HrKgHQ

Sean · Post by **Sean** » Thu Oct 06, 2011 12:12 am

Sue U wrote:Really, who doesn't like George Jones, Ray Price, Loretta Lynne, Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris, just to name a few?

*Raises hand*

Dolly Parton's voice in particular grates... Country music just doesn't appeal to me.

Gob · Post by **Gob** » Thu Oct 06, 2011 12:29 am

Sue U wrote:
Really, who doesn't like George Jones, Ray Price, Loretta Lynne, Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris, just to name a few?

Hand up also!

(who are George Jones, Ray Price? I only know Dolly cos of her tits and "Jolene", and Loretta cos of Coal Miners daughter.)

The only Kuntry worth listening too...

Scooter · Post by **Scooter** » Thu Oct 06, 2011 12:38 am

Jones had a career that spanned over three decades, with a string of number one country hits. In more modern history, you might have heard "He Stopped Loving Her Today" and his duet with Barbara Mandrell - "I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool". Price also had a long career (50s to 80s), although I can't place any of his songs off the top of my head.

Lord Jim · Post by **Lord Jim** » Thu Oct 06, 2011 1:32 am

Really, who doesn't like George Jones, Ray Price, Loretta Lynne, Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris, just to name a few?

And The First Lady Of Country Music....

Miss Patsy Cline...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwOWX6b8HHw

(the lighting gets better after the first few seconds)

She had one of the sultriest singing voices of all time...

Sue U · Post by **Sue U** » Thu Oct 06, 2011 1:48 am

Of course Patsy Cline.

Ray Price had big hits with Heartaches by the Number, Born to Lose, Crazy Arms, City Lights, Faded Love and about 20 others.

Plan B Forum