Why do Republicans Hate the Beatles?
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https://www.facebook.com/moveon/photos/a.61232960492.81458.7292655492/10152345153780493/?type=1&theater Over at the Facebook Data Science blog, Winter Mason shows us how personal likes and dislikes line up with political ideology. Democrats like Maya Angelou, The Color Purple, and The Colbert Report. Republicans like Ben Carson, Atlas Shrugged, and Duck Dynasty.
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Because the Democrats love them!
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Kathryn O:
https://www.facebook.com/moveon/photos/a.61232960492.81458.7292655492/10152345153780493/?type=1&theater Over at the Facebook Data Science blog, Winter Mason shows us how personal likes and dislikes line up with political ideology. Democrats like Maya Angelou, The Color Purple, and The Colbert Report. Republicans like Ben Carson, Atlas Shrugged, and Duck Dynasty.
While the Beatles themselves (and most artists) lean to the left, I know many people, including myself, who lean to the right and absolutely love the Beatles. Just because we don't agree with every lyric doesn't mean we don't appreciate the brilliance of great artists.
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Please tell me that people on this forum aren't ignorant enough to believe that "Republicans hate The Beatles"
ops: 
: Unless, of course, Americans on this forum are mostly Democrats 
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Nixon wasn't a big fan of one of them, obviously; but his successor, Republican Gerald Ford, greeted George Harrison at the White House, and Ronald Reagan explained American football to John Lennon in 1974. As for the several million other Republicans-I dunno.
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This IS really funny because when Obama was asked the age old question of whom he preferred...The Beatles or the Rolling Stones...guess what he said? He said the Rolling Stones!
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CAA:
Please tell me that people on this forum aren't ignorant enough to believe that "Republicans hate The Beatles"
ops: : Unless, of course, Americans on this forum are mostly Democrats Thanks. This whole thing is too nonsensical for words. People, regardless of political leanings, don't llke or dislike this or that group or music. Are we to believe that there was some secret convention/vote in which this or that group said...."Let's hate so and so. That will be our position and we're all sticking to it." Utterly simplistic. It's kind of like when the media tells us that "Babyboomers" hate this or that or are doing this or that as if they group-think. Same with each age group they deem to designate with whatever name, as if they all march in lock step or something.
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Looks like your being provocative and stereotypical. I'm a Republican and I've been a Beatles/ Paul fanatic since I was 14.
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I also happen to be a committed Christian who loves John Lennon's Imagine. I don't agree with what he believed during that period of his life, but I can still appreciate a beautiful song.
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Beatles4Ever&Ever:
CAA:
Please tell me that people on this forum aren't ignorant enough to believe that "Republicans hate The Beatles"
ops: : Unless, of course, Americans on this forum are mostly Democrats Thanks. This whole thing is too nonsensical for words. People, regardless of political leanings, don't llke or dislike this or that group or music. Are we to believe that there was some secret convention/vote in which this or that group said...."Let's hate so and so. That will be our position and we're all sticking to it." Utterly simplistic. It's kind of like when the media tells us that "Babyboomers" hate this or that or are doing this or that as if they group-think. Same with each age group they deem to designate with whatever name, as if they all march in lock step or something.
:Quite true! I think Paul and The Beatles transcend political parties!
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I'm an unshakeable conservative supporter and voter. I have loved The Beatles since kindergarten. I'm now 52.
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President Nixon had targeted John Lennon because of his "Peace Campaign" and John was on the White House "enemies list." This lead to his 5 year battle to stay in the U.S., which he won. While Nixon resigned the Presidency in disgrace. However, that fight did not include the rest of The Beatles. It certainly did not mean all Republicans were out to get Lennon, or that all Republicans dislike The Beatles.
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Paul has certainly made his US politics public, refusing the Kennedy Center Honors while Bush was in office & waiting until the Obama admin.
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JoeySmith:
Paul has certainly made his US politics public, refusing the Kennedy Center Hours while Bush was in office & waiting until the Obama admin.
Forgive me if I'm incorrect about this, but I thought Paul had to decline the award that year because he had a family wedding to attend the night the ceremony was happening. If you can't attend you have to forfeit the award for that particular year you are nominated. We all know how important family is to Paul, so I can totally see him refusing the award to attend a family function/wedding. Again, forgive me if that is not correct but that is what I remember reading regarding his first nomination for the Kennedy award.
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paulfan11:
JoeySmith:
Paul has certainly made his US politics public, refusing the Kennedy Center Hours while Bush was in office & waiting until the Obama admin.
Forgive me if I'm incorrect about this, but I thought Paul had to decline the award that year because he had a family wedding to attend the night the ceremony was happening. If you can't attend you have to forfeit the award for that particular year you are nominated. We all know how important family is to Paul, so I can totally see him refusing the award to attend a family function/wedding. Again, forgive me if that is not correct but that is what I remember reading regarding his first nomination for the Kennedy award.
That may well be true, but nevertheless, Paul has made it quite clear that in terms of U.S. politics, he leans liberal/Democratic. At the 2004 Bridge School concert (about a month before our presidential election), he concluded "Let It Be" by saying, "And let it be Kerry!" And showing Obama's image during "Sing the Changes" in his shows circa 2009-2011 is a pretty strong indication as well.
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Bruce M.:
paulfan11:
JoeySmith:
Paul has certainly made his US politics public, refusing the Kennedy Center Hours while Bush was in office & waiting until the Obama admin.
Forgive me if I'm incorrect about this, but I thought Paul had to decline the award that year because he had a family wedding to attend the night the ceremony was happening. If you can't attend you have to forfeit the award for that particular year you are nominated. We all know how important family is to Paul, so I can totally see him refusing the award to attend a family function/wedding. Again, forgive me if that is not correct but that is what I remember reading regarding his first nomination for the Kennedy award.
That may well be true, but nevertheless, Paul has made it quite clear that in terms of U.S. politics, he leans liberal/Democratic. At the 2004 Bridge School concert (about a month before our presidential election), he concluded "Let It Be" by saying, "And let it be Kerry!" And showing Obama's image during "Sing the Changes" in his shows circa 2009-2011 is a pretty strong indication as well.
Yes I'm quite aware of the way Paul leans, I was simply saying there is more to the reason why Paul had to decline the award the first time.
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Bruce M.:
paulfan11:
JoeySmith:
Paul has certainly made his US politics public, refusing the Kennedy Center Hours while Bush was in office & waiting until the Obama admin.
Forgive me if I'm incorrect about this, but I thought Paul had to decline the award that year because he had a family wedding to attend the night the ceremony was happening. If you can't attend you have to forfeit the award for that particular year you are nominated. We all know how important family is to Paul, so I can totally see him refusing the award to attend a family function/wedding. Again, forgive me if that is not correct but that is what I remember reading regarding his first nomination for the Kennedy award.
That may well be true, but nevertheless, Paul has made it quite clear that in terms of U.S. politics, he leans liberal/Democratic. At the 2004 Bridge School concert (about a month before our presidential election), he concluded "Let It Be" by saying, "And let it be Kerry!" And showing Obama's image during "Sing the Changes" in his shows circa 2009-2011 is a pretty strong indication as well.
The only "indication" I see in showing Obama during Sing the Changes is how far we've come as a nation since the Civil Rights Movement and the race riots of the 60's. The only political statement I can see in this is that the Republicans would never nominate an African-American or a woman as their Presidential candidate. Only the Democrats would do that.
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beatlesfanrandy:
Bruce M.:
paulfan11:
JoeySmith:
Paul has certainly made his US politics public, refusing the Kennedy Center Hours while Bush was in office & waiting until the Obama admin.
Forgive me if I'm incorrect about this, but I thought Paul had to decline the award that year because he had a family wedding to attend the night the ceremony was happening. If you can't attend you have to forfeit the award for that particular year you are nominated. We all know how important family is to Paul, so I can totally see him refusing the award to attend a family function/wedding. Again, forgive me if that is not correct but that is what I remember reading regarding his first nomination for the Kennedy award.
That may well be true, but nevertheless, Paul has made it quite clear that in terms of U.S. politics, he leans liberal/Democratic. At the 2004 Bridge School concert (about a month before our presidential election), he concluded "Let It Be" by saying, "And let it be Kerry!" And showing Obama's image during "Sing the Changes" in his shows circa 2009-2011 is a pretty strong indication as well.
The only "indication" I see in showing Obama during Sing the Changes is how far we've come as a nation since the Civil Rights Movement and the race riots of the 60's. The only political statement I can see in this is that the Republicans would never nominate an African-American or a woman as their Presidential candidate. Only the Democrats would do that.
There's no doubt Paul's support of civil rights and the significance of the U.S. electing a black president played a big role in use of Obama's image. But do you really think he'd have done it if he thought Obama's politics were terrible? This was a twofer for Paul.
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I would definitely agree that Paul showed Obama's image in support of his politics as well as the general civil rights aspect. I'm also quite sure that Paul had to give up that Kennedy Center honor that year because of that scheduling conflict, because that is the rule. I suppose it's an open question, though, whether Paul would have canceled the family commitment if it hadn't been Bush at the time! It's pretty rare for Paul to get that explicitly political, and I would venture to say that his vocal support of Kerry probably had something to do with being married to Heather, who did spur him to be more strident in his views in general than he otherwise would. He certainly does his best not to alienate his fans, preferring to focus on particular issues instead of particular candidates for the most part. He did use the issue of civil rights as the context of showing Obama on the screen, but it was also a subtle way to support him politically, I think it's clear.
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favoritething:
I would definitely agree that Paul showed Obama's image in support of his politics as well as the general civil rights aspect. I'm also quite sure that Paul had to give up that Kennedy Center honor that year because of that scheduling conflict, because that is the rule. I suppose it's an open question, though, whether Paul would have canceled the family commitment if it hadn't been Bush at the time! It's pretty rare for Paul to get that explicitly political, and I would venture to say that his vocal support of Kerry probably had something to do with being married to Heather, who did spur him to be more strident in his views in general than he otherwise would. He certainly does his best not to alienate his fans, preferring to focus on particular issues instead of particular candidates for the most part. He did use the issue of civil rights as the context of showing Obama on the screen, but it was also a subtle way to support him politically, I think it's clear.
I think it's also clear that Paul has backed away from his support as Obama has become more militaristic and tended to lean toward the center in recent years. Some might say a bit disappointing.
