My Country, ‘Tis from Thee

Well, it’s official. The NRAAM 2018 entertainment line-up has been announced, and once again there will be not one but TWO live music extravaganzas. Woo hoo! Jungle boogie! Soul Train line! That means there might be a slightly more varied assortment of musical styles, right? Surely, they wouldn’t duplicate the same sound for both events – not with 80,000 diverse, freedom-loving independent thinkers from all walks of life eager to be musically exhilarated. Right?

First, there’s the NRA Country Jam on Friday night. Okay, cool. Fine, good, nice. Y’all go ahead and enjoy that. Have fun. For those who don’t really dig country music, the other entertainment option is the Saturday Night Celebration, where we can all “enjoy an amazing night of” … wait for it … wait for it … yep, you guessed it … “traditional country music…”

Given that the NRA has its own branded country music multiverse to “celebrate the lifestyle,” I guess I should expect the Country Music Jam to be a recurring deal. But the second night of entertainment? Let’s see. I believe 2016 was Toby Keith. Last year was Hank Williams, Jr. This year, we get a double dose with Charlie Daniels and Travis Tritt. It just makes me feel all patriotic inside. I am inspired to break out in song. Eh hem…

My country, ‘tis from thee,
Sweet band of predictability,
From thee, I cringe.
Band where strict codes reside,
Band of bucolic pride,
Your right to set all else aside
No one shall infringe!

Country, country, and still more damn near jingoistic consecration of country music. Oh, and a dash of Christian rock for the prayer breakfast. But basically, country. I’ve got nothing against Charlie Daniels (not my thing, but hey, rock on, dude). My only question is this: Who crowned country music the undisputed artistic embodiment of all Second Amendment ideals?

I’m new to NRAAM, so maybe I missed the rotation of other musical genres, all proudly showcased to honor the universality of Second Amendment rights. Is next year the big jazz roll-out? Motown? Or maybe some blues? If R&B is too much to ask, how about just the “B” part? I mean, can a sista get some variety? Can we get a bassline or two in there somewhere? I’m not asking for gangsta rap. Just a cameo from someone not wearing a cowboy hat. A modest peep or two from an artist whose belt buckle doesn’t look like a dinner plate. No?

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