Racism in "My old Kentucky Home" song (boycott, solution, compared)
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I just heard on NPR that the lyrics to the state song of Kentucky, "My Old Kentucky Home" has been changed so as not to offend anyone. The new version was sung at yesterdays Kentucky Derby. The song is actually a slavery protest song and in it was a line that read "where the darkies are gay" gay meaning happy. Now people are supposed to sing "where the people are gay"....
Are black people really that offended with the old time 150 year old word "darkie" ??
Since the song is a protest song against slavery I think by changing the word it kind of fuzzes over the pain and suffering that was endured by black people in the days of slavery.
I feel it is important to remember history the way it is. I wonder what kids read today when Huck Finn and his escaped slave friend Jim go rafting down the Missisip?
That guy Sterling might as well be Hitler but so far we still talk about Hitler. Just the other night I watched a show about WW2 and it touched on a concentration camp and there were the poor souls dead and dieing and stacked up like "cord wood" I wonder how Jewish people view this. I know one that doesn't but why should the rest of us? Slavery can be compared to the Holocaust. Hitler used slave labor.
I wonder why some Historical references are OK while others are not. Are black people really that upset about the word darkie when it is sung?
I think it is important that people do not forget the past and the struggle that their ancestors had and lived through. My wife is Irish and her ancestors were abused just as much as black people and she still is some days.
Would you have changed the song lyric?
I just heard on NPR that the lyrics to the state song of Kentucky, "My Old Kentucky Home" has been changed so as not to offend anyone. The new version was sung at yesterdays Kentucky Derby. The song is actually a slavery protest song and in it was a line that read "where the darkies are gay" gay meaning happy. Now people are supposed to sing "where the people are gay"....
Are black people really that offended with the old time 150 year old word "darkie" ??
Since the song is a protest song against slavery I think by changing the word it kind of fuzzes over the pain and suffering that was endured by black people in the days of slavery.
I feel it is important to remember history the way it is. I wonder what kids read today when Huck Finn and his escaped slave friend Jim go rafting down the Missisip?
That guy Sterling might as well be Hitler but so far we still talk about Hitler. Just the other night I watched a show about WW2 and it touched on a concentration camp and there were the poor souls dead and dieing and stacked up like "cord wood" I wonder how Jewish people view this. I know one that doesn't but why should the rest of us? Slavery can be compared to the Holocaust. Hitler used slave labor.
I wonder why some Historical references are OK while others are not. Are black people really that upset about the word darkie when it is sung?
I think it is important that people do not forget the past and the struggle that their ancestors had and lived through. My wife is Irish and her ancestors were abused just as much as black people and she still is some days.
Would you have changed the song lyric?
Ooooooo - Goody
A new 'outrage' for the Leftists to protest about.
Kentucky must give up their State Song or it proves they are all (gasp!) Racists.
At what point will the American Public grow totally weary with the Leftist Outrage of the Day?
It sounds like they already changed the song, so the only protesting you will see will be from right wingers who think it is okay to have racists words in a State Song.
I just heard on NPR that the lyrics to the state song of Kentucky, "My Old Kentucky Home" has been changed so as not to offend anyone. The new version was sung at yesterdays Kentucky Derby. The song is actually a slavery protest song and in it was a line that read "where the darkies are gay" gay meaning happy. Now people are supposed to sing "where the people are gay"....
Are black people really that offended with the old time 150 year old word "darkie" ??
That "new version" is almost 30 years old... and if it's debatable if it's a protest song or a nostalgic song.
I just heard on NPR that the lyrics to the state song of Kentucky, "My Old Kentucky Home" has been changed so as not to offend anyone. The new version was sung at yesterdays Kentucky Derby. The song is actually a slavery protest song and in it was a line that read "where the darkies are gay" gay meaning happy. Now people are supposed to sing "where the people are gay"....
Are black people really that offended with the old time 150 year old word "darkie" ??
I did a quick search - turns out that the song lyrics (attributed to Foster) were "changed" in 1986 after a Japanese delegation visited and sang My Old Kentucky Home as a tribute to Kentucky.
Quote:
Representative Carl Hines (Democrat-Louisville), the only black member of the House, was quoted as saying that the lyrics of the rendition "convey connotations of racial descrimination that are not acceptable." Within the week, he sponsored a bill which the House passed, House resolution 159, which officiated the modern lyrics with the line, 'Tis summer, the people are gay." Hines substantiated the bill, citing that the original lyrics were offensive, owing no respect toward African-Americans.
To answer your question ..... YES, clearly Black people are offended
The Kentucky Derby continued to use the Original version of My Old Kentucky Home as their theme song until this year - it's a lot easier to change one word in a song that people have been singing since it was written in 1852 than to be either Boycotted or Sued.
It makes sense to remove a racist word from a state song.
Oh, please! "Darkie" is now a racist term? Why isn't "black" a racist term?
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