“There’s a move afoot to change life in America into a totally European – I’ve heard that so much I’m getting sick of it: ‘European’ – socialist thing,” says country-music legend Charlie Daniels, “but it’s the dag-blamed truth [sic], and it don’t work, it never has worked, and if America goes that way, America will never be America again.”
Daniels told WND in an exclusive interview that he expects 2012, with the nation’s very identity on the line, will be “the biggest election we have ever had.”
“In my 75 years on Earth, it’s never been as clear-cut as it is now,” Daniels said. “We’re either going to go into socialism, where part of the people work and the rest of them don’t, and the ones that do will be taxed to death, or – I got the point where I don’t trust politicians anymore, but hopefully – the other side represents, ‘Let’s put America back to work; let’s re-instill the work ethic back in people.’”
Since the 1950s Daniels has been a country singer and famed fiddler, perhaps best known for his hit song “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.” He was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 2008.
But he also writes frequently on culture and politics, no stranger to bold statements in defense of God and country, and maintains a “soapbox” blog on his website, CharlieDaniels.com.
For Daniels, the word “socialism” – synonymous in his mind with the big-spending, tax-the-rich, government-welfare, spread-the-wealth policies of President Obama and his fellow “progressives” – is a system not only destined for failure, but also inherently tyrannical.
“You cannot enforce socialism without some force,” Daniels told WND. “It’s a very top-heavy society, and every society that’s ever tried it has fallen, because you finally get to where there’s so many people, you cut out the work ethic, you make people think they have to be dependent on government for everything. It’s a mindset.”
Daniels brought up the recent controversy about Chick-fil-A restaurants – in which the Democrat mayors of Chicago and Boston threatened to ban the chicken sandwich makers from their respective cities because the owner is an outspoken opponent of same-sex marriage – as an example.
“To me that tips off where these guys are coming from: ‘If you don’t agree with us, we don’t want you in our town, we don’t want you in our country, we don’t want you in our political system,’” Daniels said. “Is it not downright un-American for an elected official to stand up and try to destroy a business? As bad as we need jobs in this country?
“This is not about ‘gay’ marriage; this is about America being America, about people being able to stick by their deeply held religious beliefs and not to have these people trying to put them out of business,” Daniels said. “That’s what this boils down to: Are these people going to try to shut up everybody who doesn’t agree with them?”
Daniels told WND there have been a few people who have tried to silence him, too, to tell him to stick to his music and leave politics alone.
“People say, ‘Shut up and sing.’ Somebody said that,” Daniels said. “But shut up for what? Why don’t you shut up? What do you do? You do something else. You’re a private citizen. Do you think you should shut up? I’m speaking as a private citizen, so I think I have a perfect right to do that.”
And what about the owner of Chick-fil-A Dan Cathy and other Christians like him who are told to leave their religious beliefs out of the public and political sphere?
“That’s a bunch of junk,” Daniels said. “They need to stand up for what they believe in.”
Daniels’ fierce defense of free speech goes hand in hand with what he sees as the solution to America’s economic woes: not some new “socialist” program from Congress that leaves people looking to Washington, D.C. for answers, but a grassroots solution of small businesses, work ethic and a capitalist revival of the American dream.
“You’re talking to a guy who travels coast to coast and border to border every year,” Daniels told WND. “There are bad things going on in this country. Too many empty storefronts, too many closed down businesses – the ‘economic recovery’ Obama has been spinning is not happening. The only answer [socialists] seem to have for it is to try over and over again. Look at the results. Look at the results of throwing money down a black hole in Washington.
“We change the nation by putting people back to work again,” Daniels proffered. “I’m a Christian; I believe in helping people who can’t help themselves. I do not believe in helping people who can help themselves. Instead of putting them on the dole, put them on the payroll.
“I heard a while ago that more people file for disability than file to get a job. Where in the heck is that at?” Daniels asked. “Is that America? Is that what made America great?
“We need to get people back, to employ them,” Daniels concluded, “and it’s never going to be done in Washington. It’s going to have to be done in the private sector.”
[This message has been edited by avengador1 (edited 08-05-2012).]
I have no respect for anyone who all they do is complain and never take steps to correct or address the issue
When I make others aware of what is going on, and when I vote, I am taking steps to correct or address the issues. If I did nothing, some would not be aware, care, or even react.
Really..... Your no better than all this stupid reallity tv *$&% to post what a music artist thinks about politics.
I have no respect for anyone who all they do is complain and never take steps to correct or address the issue.
While I understand "officially we have no opinion" being in the military, I also travel. C.D. is right. Empty storefronts, people not working, and people riding welfare. It ain't right.
Charlie Daniels is doing something about it. He employs people, both in the band, and in support duties.
Dare I say "You may learn something from that old music artist" if you would listen to what he has to say.
All he is doing is trying to put his name out there. If he really cared he would run for office. Even something in city politics. Start small and work your way up. Sitting behind a desk in a talk show does nothing. Who is he educating? Not a single piece of information that is being provided is something that one who cares can locate themselves. People are lazy and want others to do all the work for them so they can just beach.
------------------ V/R AG2(IDW/AW/SW) Mauk
[This message has been edited by D3M6B (edited 08-05-2012).]
Its not that fact i dont care what he has to say. But what hes saying isnt any diffrent that what anyone else says, or could. The fact that hes famous shouldnt make his words any more inportant than the man who lives on the streets.
Thats all im getting at. And i agree welfare is very abused. There are those that are paid to enforce that its used properly. But the fact that most dont care to really do their jobs because of job secirity causes a huge downfall.
I agree with buffett. If things dont get better under your election your gone. I dont care if your dem, rep, wing, tea party, green party, jedi *chuckle*.
But those that ***** about the wrong wont get off their a$$'s wont vote to replace that wrong.
Its not that fact i dont care what he has to say. But what hes saying isnt any diffrent that what anyone else says, or could. The fact that hes famous shouldnt make his words any more inportant than the man who lives on the streets.
I agree. And the day George Clooney, Cher, Tim Robbins, and Sean Penn shut their F***ing yaps, I'll tell Chuck to chill.
Funny these same people applaud when a movie star or singer throws a million dollar fund raising party. You cant have it both ways except if your democrat.
And yet you read almost everything I post. I must be doing my job right then.
I dunno, after reading alot of the garbage you post, all from far right wing biased sites, exposes me to the alot of the crazyness of that side, tends to make me move more towards the other sides.. So yeah, your doing your job right!
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02:51 PM
dratts Member
Posts: 8373 From: Coeur d' alene Idaho USA Registered: Apr 2001
And your copy and pastes are not long enough! Honestly, I'm pretty sure that I know what position you are going to take and I won't even try to get through one of them to see what you are talking about. That and the fact that by the time I get to the bottom of any page, I can't remember what was at the top.
Charlie spent many years, like Willie, openly flaunting the laws of this entire country with his weed. And he is your right wing paragon of the day on what makes this country?
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04:05 PM
Boondawg Member
Posts: 38235 From: Displaced Alaskan Registered: Jun 2003
Charlie spent many years, like Willie, openly flaunting the laws of this entire country with his weed. And he is your right wing paragon of the day on what makes this country?
I lol'd.
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04:08 PM
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avengador1 Member
Posts: 35468 From: Orlando, Florida Registered: Oct 2001
Originally posted by Jonesy I dunno, after reading alot of the garbage you post, all from far right wing biased sites, exposes me to the alot of the crazyness of that side, tends to make me move more towards the other sides.. So yeah, your doing your job right!
One man's garbage is another man's treasure. Don't be such a hypocrit, we all know you are a dyed in the wool liberal/progressive and can't stand anything witten by any conservative site, as it might affect you liberal views and beliefs. That is why you refer to it as garbage. You won't even consider any truths if they come from the opposite side.
[This message has been edited by avengador1 (edited 08-06-2012).]
When I make others aware of what is going on, and when I vote, I am taking steps to correct or address the issues. If I did nothing, some would not be aware, care, or even react.
Well praise Allah for that. Now I have recycled words on a car forum to help me form my worldview.
Originally posted by Fogglethorpe Well praise Allah for that. Now I have recycled words on a car forum to help me form my worldview.
Please tell us what you have done to achieve change. I also make my representatives aware of how I feel about any legislation they are about to vote on. You'd be surprised how many actually respond in a positive manner.
[This message has been edited by avengador1 (edited 08-08-2012).]
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09:43 PM
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cliffw Member
Posts: 37831 From: Bandera, Texas, USA Registered: Jun 2003
Let me guess, ... that one is not on this forum. What do I win ?
You win a cookie. Bill Nelson, Marco Rubio, and even Alan Grayson are not members of this forum or any other car forum I belong too. I guess it would be too controversial for them to do so. Neptune, you shouldn't be calling Cliffw a troll, that is not nice and is uncalled for.
[This message has been edited by avengador1 (edited 08-09-2012).]
Please tell us what you have done to achieve change. I also make my representatives aware of how I feel about any legislation they are about to vote on. You'd be surprised how many actually respond in a positive manner.
I don't correspond with my representative anymore. He just sends back a form letter that has nothing to do with what I wrote or is a position 180% off from my position. I sign a lot of Internet petitions and I get the impression that I am having more effect that way than by voting. The downside is that I get a ton of requests for donations from the petitioners. I ignore them all. They need to learn to just be grateful for my petition support.
This is getting ridiculous. 40% Of the topics on the first page of TO/T are made up of your political copy & paste posts. Since I'm pretty sure every single one of those threads carry the same message ("Obama sucks"), I'm going to consider this as a violation of the following posting rule if you don't tone it down:
quote
Do not start threads about other threads. So you get in a heated discussion in one of the threads. You get the feeling you are not getting your point across. So you feel the need to start a new thread explaining what you meant in the first thread. Don't. Since there's already a thread on the subject, say it there.
So either tone it down, or create a single thread (you can call it "Avengador's Politics Corner" for all I care).
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05:46 PM
Aug 12th, 2012
avengador1 Member
Posts: 35468 From: Orlando, Florida Registered: Oct 2001
I sometimes wonder how far some Americans are going to stick their heads in the sand and pretend that the policies liberals are putting in place will actually bring the American economy back to prosperity. I wonder if some people even really care about what we have already done to the generations to follow, what kind of future they will have, burdened with the debt being left to them.
I can't help but ponder why people are still gullible enough to totally blame the ruinous state of the economy on George W. Bush after three and a half years of Obama's total and abject fiscal failure even after holding power over the White House and both houses of Congress for two full years.
It's a mystery to me why the American public believes or respects anything Harry Reid ever says after his outrageous remark about the surge not working while we still had military in the field executing it, and knowing that his statement was hurtful to America and our military, simply putting his petulant political interests ahead of his country and the people who protect him from being murdered in his bed by terrorists.
How can anybody ever again take seriously the inane remarks of a congresswoman who says they have to pass a bill to find out what's in it?
How long will it take America to recognize the folly of turning down desperately needed oil from our best friends in the world just north of our continental border and sending billions of dollars to Brazil for oil exploration, telling them we want to be their best customer?
How long will it take for the citizens of this nation to grasp the fact that cutting back our military is tantamount to national suicide, and that the incredible scientific and technological advances made as a benefit of the space program will be no more?
How about a president who totally took the word "reform" out of welfare and whose policies have lead to a larger number of the workforce applying for disability than for jobs?
How long will the citizens of America support a media that does not represent their values, morals, ideals or even their tastes?
Will we continue turn a blind eye to the destructive and dehumanizing effect violent video games have on impressionable youth who vicariously kills dozens of people before he even goes to school in the morning?
Will we continue to allow an educational system that is based more on political power than learning, and that turns out semi-literate graduates who can repeat the lyrics to the latest hip-hop hit - but couldn't name the capitals of the 50 states if their lives depended on it?
I sometimes fear that America has gone past the point of no return, that we've developed a national "play now, pay later" mentality, that too many people have decided that living off the dole is better than working and believe that morals should change with the times and "if it feels good, do it " should set the bar.
I sometimes fear that the work ethic is being conditioned out of America, that too many people are starting to look at the federal government for all their needs and all their guidance, swallowing whole whatever the propaganda du jour happens to be.
It's a pretty depressing thought.
Then I ride through the heartland and see a farmer working in the dark with his tractor lights on trying to get the hay baled before the coming rain, or glance at a highway paving crew sweating it out in the 100-degree weather, or notice the guys manhandling the big rigs across the highways of America.
When I look into the fresh faces and clear eyes of the young ladies who brought me the watermelon they were so proud of at the county fair we played the other night, or pass a churchyard filled with Sunday morning worshippers, I know that the battle may be going badly, but the war is still up for grabs.
“If My people who are called by My Name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My Face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and will heal their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14
What do you think?
Pray for our troops, and for our county.
God Bless America
Charlie Daniels
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10:25 PM
E.Furgal Member
Posts: 11708 From: LAND OF CONFUSION Registered: Mar 2012
All he is doing is trying to put his name out there. If he really cared he would run for office. Even something in city politics. Start small and work your way up. Sitting behind a desk in a talk show does nothing. Who is he educating? Not a single piece of information that is being provided is something that one who cares can locate themselves. People are lazy and want others to do all the work for them so they can just beach.
I think you are TOTALLY MISSING THE POINT.. he is like a great great grand pa.. telling you wisdom.. your point "if he really cared he's run for office" is silly.. he's 75.. his time in that rat race has long passed.. HE DOES care.. and is willing to loose fans by his comments.. hoping the younder will act.. the "all he's doing is putting his name out there" UNLIKE todays untalanted FAMOUS.. he doesn't have to put his name out there..
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again, troll.
