Do you remember the hubbub in 2003 over Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks saying, “Just so you know, we’re on the good side with y’all. We do not want this war, this violence, and we’re ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas.” (Bush was actually born in New Haven, CT — literally a Connecticut Yankee)
At the time Amy Manuel was a corporate computer analyst. Her conservative boss at the time said to her that he didn’t want to hear about politics from entertainers. He went to concerts for the music.
It occurred to Amy that her boss was a baby boomer. His play list was littered with politically active performers. His was the generation that gave us Woodstock, Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, Bob Marley to name a few. In fact, you would be hard pressed to find any entertainers in the 1960s that weren’t politically active.
As the years have progressed, the political party of Ronald Reagan, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Sonny Bono insisted repeatedly that actors/musicians/sports stars should shut up about politics. This is the same party that brought us our current reality star president. The irony seems lost on them.
Since that day in 2003, Amy left the corporate world and computer support to be a full time political activist and is currently the first Democratic Candidate in 30 years to run for Denton County Clerk. Her slogan is No Busybodies. No Bullies. No Bigots.
On her show Political Musings, Amy answers the question, “Should entertainers and sports stars make political statements?”
The answer is an emphatic YES!
Each week on Political Musing, Amy Manuel explores different entertainers and the ways they mixed celebrity and politics. Tune in Mondays at 11am on the Red Bowl.
