Rapper, rocker and Southern U.S.A Douchebag, a.k.a Kid Rock, has refused to denounce the Confederate flag in light of the Charleston shootings. The rocker, who is actually called Robert James Ritchie and from Detroit, has been known to use Confederate flags during his concerts. Therefore, its relatively unsurprising that when it came to commenting on his stance, he had this to say:
That’s right, on a nationally syndicated news program, Kid Rock told Fox News’ Megyn Kelly to, “Please tell the people protesting to kiss my…ask me some questions.” How mature.
The segment also featured Dana Loesch, a conservative radio host, and Kelly and her defended his views. Many Confederate flag advocates and right wing enthusiasts have expressed their satisfaction that someone is finally standing up for a so called “important piece of American history and symbol of Southern heritage”. Woah.
In retaliation, the Michigan chapter of Al Sharpton’s National Action Network held a protest outside of a Detroit museum, with a Kid Rock exhibit and are calling for Chevrolet to drop its sponsorship of his summer tour.
In a statement made to the The Detroit Free Press last week, a Chevy spokesperson had this to say: “We are committed to our sponsorship of Kid Rock’s summer tour and are confident that he will provide his fans, many of whom are proud Chevrolet owners, with a spectacular concert experience that celebrates American Freedom.”
They probably don’t want to renege on their sponsorship anytime soon, considering that the company uses the Kid Rock anthem Born Free in it’s pickup truck advertising.
“How in the hell can Kid Rock represent Detroit and wave that flag just generating millions and millions in ticket sales — a flag that represents genocide to most of Detroit?” said Sam Riddle, the political director of the National Action Network.
Despite his steadfast refusal to denounce the confederate flag, Kid Rock has long incorporated Southern rocks styles into his repertoire of songs, such as Sweet Home Alabama and All Summer Long. He’s also a noted fan of Southern rock acts like Lynyrd Skynyrd. Ironically, Rock received the Great Expectations Award from the Detroit Branch of NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) in 2011, calling it “by far the coolest award I’ve received.” Obviously, people were unhappy about Rock receiving the accolade, so they protested out front of the event that night.
Rock said that he had “never flew that flag with any hate in his heart,” to the crowd at 56th annual Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner, saying that he has incorporated into his performances as a tribute to Southern Rock.
Regardless of his intentions, the flag represents centuries of systematic oppression and slavery of African American and coloured people in America, and in light of the Charleston shooting, has only garnered more controversy from those who steadfastly refuse to acknowledge what it symbolises, Kid Rock included.