Come on, hug it out, guys. by Erik Ritland
Much is being made about Mike Huckabee’s comments about the Obama’s parenting. The possible 2016 Republican presidential candidate supposedly “slammed” them for allowing their kids to listen to Beyonce’s sometimes racy lyrics.
When I heard the story, and heard talk radio discuss it, I thought Huckabee was being an idiot. Once I looked into it – something I’m sure the mainstream media isn’t a huge fan of – I changed my mind. This is they type of overdone stirring the pot that the sad, intentionally dishonest media thrives on.
Huckabee began his controversial interview with People magazine by praising the Obama’s parenting, calling them “excellent and exemplary parents in many ways” (really sounds like he’s slamming them, huh?). His criticism is actually more level-headed than is often portrayed:
I don't understand how on one hand they can be such doting parents and so careful about the intake of everything – how much broccoli they eat and where they go to school and making sure they're kind of sheltered and shielded from so many things – and yet they don't see anything that might not be suitable for either a preteen or a teen in some of the lyrical content and choreography of Beyonce, who has sort of a regular key to the door (to the White House).
Far from “slamming” – a buzz word that most major media outlets have used when covering the story that should make one suspicious from the start – this is relatively fair criticism. I’m not one for censoring music, even to kids, who are usually the only ones who can understand that it isn’t meant to be taken literally. But in the context of the Obamas being so strict about other things it does come off as inconsistent. This is all Huckabee was saying, and he has a point, however debatable.
Erik Ritland is a writer and musician from St. Paul, Minnesota. His blog and podcast Rambling On features commentary on music, sports, culture, and more. He is also a contributor for Minnesota culture blog Curious North. Support Erik's music via his Patreon account, reach him via email, or find him on Facebook and Twitter.
Much is being made about Mike Huckabee’s comments about the Obama’s parenting. The possible 2016 Republican presidential candidate supposedly “slammed” them for allowing their kids to listen to Beyonce’s sometimes racy lyrics.
When I heard the story, and heard talk radio discuss it, I thought Huckabee was being an idiot. Once I looked into it – something I’m sure the mainstream media isn’t a huge fan of – I changed my mind. This is they type of overdone stirring the pot that the sad, intentionally dishonest media thrives on.
Huckabee began his controversial interview with People magazine by praising the Obama’s parenting, calling them “excellent and exemplary parents in many ways” (really sounds like he’s slamming them, huh?). His criticism is actually more level-headed than is often portrayed:
I don't understand how on one hand they can be such doting parents and so careful about the intake of everything – how much broccoli they eat and where they go to school and making sure they're kind of sheltered and shielded from so many things – and yet they don't see anything that might not be suitable for either a preteen or a teen in some of the lyrical content and choreography of Beyonce, who has sort of a regular key to the door (to the White House).
Far from “slamming” – a buzz word that most major media outlets have used when covering the story that should make one suspicious from the start – this is relatively fair criticism. I’m not one for censoring music, even to kids, who are usually the only ones who can understand that it isn’t meant to be taken literally. But in the context of the Obamas being so strict about other things it does come off as inconsistent. This is all Huckabee was saying, and he has a point, however debatable.
Erik Ritland is a writer and musician from St. Paul, Minnesota. His blog and podcast Rambling On features commentary on music, sports, culture, and more. He is also a contributor for Minnesota culture blog Curious North. Support Erik's music via his Patreon account, reach him via email, or find him on Facebook and Twitter.
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