Kate Smith rendition of God Bless America banned by Yankees and Flyers. For early racist songs she sang. (Philadelphia: appointed, credit)

[Hrw-500]

So it's not ok to play Kate Smith God Bless America but it's still ok to play some rap songs who have racist content? One guy on Twitter posted this detail.
https://twitter.com/OlSchoolMountie/...34956780675072

[DavePa]

CBS news broadcast on this controversy. Says that fate of the stature is undecided yet. It remains covered in a black cloth.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMFm-kxbw18

Wasn't going to post the controversy song waaaay back.
Why I did where it can be found in that political thread.

But here is -- The controversial song she sang in 1931.
That became a top 12 hit posted in the other thread.



There was some other song noted also. I'm not sure it warrants
her singing "God Bless America or post WW2 history not like this.

[NSHL10]

Thought Kate Smith was a special tradition in the history of the Flyers. So to cast out possibility of being perceived as racist, they removed the statue. Yet Comcast will still book acts at the arena that call women ho's and the Flyers traded away their only black player.
Guess morality rules only apply for dead women singing 90 year old songs?

[gwillyfromphilly]

Originally Posted by Hrw-500

So it's not ok to play Kate Smith God Bless America but it's still ok to play some rap songs who have racist content? One guy on Twitter posted this detail.
https://twitter.com/OlSchoolMountie/...34956780675072

The big difference is that there aren't any statues of rappers with racist songs in front of the Wells Fargo Center.

[NewtownBucks]

Originally Posted by NSHL10

Thought Kate Smith was a special tradition in the history of the Flyers. So to cast out possibility of being perceived as racist, they removed the statue. Yet Comcast will still book acts at the arena that call women ho's and the Flyers traded away their only black player.
Guess morality rules only apply for dead women singing 90 year old songs?

There was nothing racial about trading away Wayne Simmonds. LOL.

[NewtownBucks]

Originally Posted by eliza61nyc

So in the interest of full disclosure I'm african american and my mom was a civil rights attorney in Tenns. there are a couple of issues for me. Yes I heard the song and yep the lyrics are ridiculously stereotypical BUT I hate when we take things out of time context. Unfortunately this was how AA were viewed, so what do we do?? Kate was a southerner in the early 1900's Blacks were thought inferior throughout the country.

Next and this may just be me, my community has about a zillion other issues waaay more important and worth my outrage then a dead women singing God bless America.

I'm not a flyers fan but I laughed when they said the song was their lucky charm, hasn't the team sucked for quite a while?

Originally Posted by eliza61nyc

Yes I heard the song and yep the lyrics are ridiculously stereotypical BUT I hate when we take things out of time context.

Agreed 100% with this. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were slave owners. The Bible also supports slavery, says a woman must marry her rapist and be subservient to her husband, and all sorts of other crazy stuff. There are lots of things that would be considered far from acceptable in today's society that are overlooked because of the societal norms of the times. I understand why people are offended by seeing these songs in video, but I always try to judge things in context. I haven't seen any evidence that she herself was racist any moreso than the society that she lived in, and I do think it's unfair to single her out as racist.

In the end, though, whatever. This will pass. The song hasn't been good luck for the Flyers for 40 years. It won't be missed at the games. Maybe Lauren Hart can just sing the whole thing herself now.

[NSHL10]

Originally Posted by NewtownBucks

There was nothing racial about trading away Wayne Simmonds. LOL.

But why wouldn't you keep him if you wanted to market to a more diverse fan base? Why risk alienating that segment of the fan base?

[Avalon08]

Wow, my mouth is hanging open listening to that song. I'm sorry, that was 1931, well after the Civil War and abolition of slavery, so I can find no justification for excusing that song. However, Wikipedia says it was from a show that presented a satirical look at racism. I mean, it sounds like something Archie Bunker would have said. It really seems like it HAD to be satire -- nobody would have written those lyrics in 1931 as a serious song! (I hope...?)

Well, anyway, the statue is down, everybody I know up in Philly is pissed, but it'll blow over.

[eliza61nyc]

Originally Posted by NSHL10

But why wouldn't you keep him if you wanted to market to a more diverse fan base? Why risk alienating that segment of the fan base?

??? because they are trying to build a younger, talented team and Wayne was still valuable enough to bring some thing in trade.

[eliza61nyc]

Originally Posted by Hrw-500

So it's not ok to play Kate Smith God Bless America but it's still ok to play some rap songs who have racist content? One guy on Twitter posted this detail.
https://twitter.com/OlSchoolMountie/...34956780675072

Teams are not using rap songs as anthems. not that I know of. No one is blasting NWA over the sound system before every game.