The Dukes of Hazzard and Political Correctness

[chargerboy69]

Some people    I wandered when the fine people over at the NAACP would finally bitch about the Dukes of Hazzard. Because that is what the show was about, being racist, southern and white. Week after week the show was about right and wrong, and helping others, with some comedy and action thrown in. Who the heck would find the Dukes of Hazzard offensive. I just don't get some of these people.


 

News   
03/19/2007  12:35:20 EST 'Dukes of Hazzard' Nixed in Cincinnati
By LISA CORNWELL
Associated Press Writer

CINCINNATI - The Dukes of Hazzard are getting driven out of town over the Confederate imagery in their good ol' TV show.
The stars of the series, John Schneider and Tom Wopat, have segued into musical careers since the show ended production in 1985. Schneider says the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra canceled a planned "Dukes"-themed appearance after contracts were signed because some in the community found the show racist and offensive.

"It's a huge shock to me that in this day and age people could be so narrow-minded, especially professional people," Schneider said Friday. Although he didn't want to start a feud over the decision, "I would like for people to examine their motives, however, and their knee-jerk reactions to someone else's prejudice and bigotry."

The orchestra said in a statement that it has had a long artistic relationship with Schneider and Wopat, but "we decided that some of the messages conveyed in the program are not consistent with the efforts of the Pops to reach out to all members of our community."

Edith Thrower, president of the Cincinnati branch of the NAACP, said she was contacted a few weeks ago by Pops conductor Erich Kunzel, who wanted the NAACP's reaction to the planned July 14 show.

"I contacted our national office and was advised that it would be best if we didn't support an effort like this," said Thrower. "It's very clear how we feel about the Confederate flag and the long and arduous fight we have conducted to get rid of that symbol of a very unpleasant time in our history."

The decision prompted former Georgia Congressman Ben Jones, who played the wisecracking mechanic Cooter on the popular show, to publicize what he called a "blacklisting of these guys out of some kind of political correctness that is just plain wrongheaded."

"These guys are great people and great singers," Jones, who was elected as a Democrat, said in a telephone interview. "To not use them because they were part of a show that some misguided people find racist is just wrong."

"This is a benign family show loved by people of all ages and races," he said. "I have fought racism and bigotry my whole life and worked in the civil rights movement, and there is nothing racist about it."

Orchestra spokeswoman Carrie Krysanick denied blacklisting the former Dukes: "We look forward to working with them in the future."



Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

[Shakey]

Not sure if I want to    or    or    or 

When will this end?

[chargerboy69]

I realize some of you do not care for Bill O'Reilly, I do like him, but he is supposed to be discussing this tonight. Some of the Dukes of Hazzard cast will be on his show as well. Bill is on Fox News tonight. Might be cool to see.

[tan top]

    .... .......          

[Arthu®]

Like Shakey said I don't know what to do, it sure is sad...

Arthur

[Troy]

Great, I'm so glad I live here...

Troy

[ds440]

Ah, our grand city....

They don't call it "Censor-nati" for nothing...

[Bones68charger]

Anyone who has ever watched the show knows there is no racism in it, on many occasions the Dukes have befriended many blacks...

[6pkrunner]

And the best part is that there doesn't seem to be any end in sight of this PC hogwash. Sooner or later someone has to stand up and say "Enough!" Then maybe the pendulum will begin to swing back to center before drifting off to the right.

[moparjohn]

Don Pedro who played Sherrif Litlle still shows up for Dukes events. I can't understand how peple can turn things around to suit their needs.

[AKcharger]

Sounds like a decision Hitler would have made

[Charger1973]

 

I honestly dont think if the show had been left alone, any of this would be happening.  I grew up watching the Dukes of Hazzard and love the TV show.  People today think of the Dukes and they think of the movies that just came out.  I didnt see the new tv movie but the one they came out with a couple years ago was pretty bad...  It was nothing but bad acting, sexual jokes, topless women, and potheads.  They are the ones that made the flag into a racist symbol when it was never shown that way in the TV show.  The original cast has never supported these new movies, and now you can see why.  Alot of people talked bad about Ben Jones for trying to get people to boycott the new movie when he saw what it was about.  I would be mad too if I was in his shoes. 

[skip68]

THE RACIST ONES ARE THE ONES THAT KEEP STIRING THE POT.

[Brock Samson]

sad 

[Arkgl01]

This was really childish if you ask me. #1 the show is from the 80's... #2 Tom and John are some of the nicest people you could ever meet. #3 Why judge someone for a show they were on over 25 years ago....

[my73charger]

Oh puke...this is rediculous..   Common sense is long gone in todays pc society.

[Neal_J]

Why oh why can't people see Bo & Luke for who they genuinely are.  Just two good'ol boys, never meanin' no harm.

Surely everyone recalls how well Bo, Luke & Cooter worked with Chet Garvey (an African-American), to design, develop and test a pop-up valve for a supercharger. 

Hell, we're it not for their selfless and clearly non-racist ways, Cale Yarborough would never have won the 1981 Illinois 500!!

What is wrong with people?

Neal

[dkn1997]

Don Pedro who played Sherrif Litlle still shows up for Dukes events. I can't understand how peple can turn things around to suit their needs.

Pretty Ironic that this show and these guys are being associated with racism..  The Sheriff Litlle Character was basically the only law enforcement officer on that show to be protrayed as having any kind of competance.

[moparjohn]

true, but he still didn't drive as good as the Dukes!

[dkn1997]

true, but he still didn't drive as good as the Dukes!

True, probably because he was about 8 feet tall, probably could not fit in the car.

[pettyfan43]

Don Pedro Colley is a heckuva nice guy to boot.



Political correctness is a blight on this country that is slowly but deliberately removing individual's rights to be who they want to be.

Between this and several other things happening in this country right now, a large group of people are systematically attempting to remove every individual right you have .

I have had people get angry with me for saying what/who/what political party thses people/this agenda are from, but remember when you vote, if you LIKE paying higher taxes, you LIKE your rights being systematically removed, if you WANT your right to keep and bear arms, THE ARMS YOU CHOOSE, TAKEN AWAY part by part, if you WANT to have terrorists follow us home when these idiots remove any funding for our military and are perfectly willing to just cut and run back and LET the terrorists win, if you LIKE alarmists telling you how to live even though they believe their rules DON'T apply to them, go ahead, pull that lever to the left.

As for me, I have to sleep at night and I just could NOT if I was a party to putting what amounts to an ambulance chasing lawyer, or a shrill socialist former first lady, or someone who has NO CLUE what the world is about in the big chair.

If one of these 3 end up as  president of this country, God help us, because the new American socialist/defeatist party DAMN sure WON'T! With the situation in Congress right now, there will be NO stopping them.

If you want proof of Leftist Democrats running amuck, the ALABAMA congress just voted themselves a 62% (YEAH SIXTY TWO PERCENT) pay hike, it was the first order of business in the current legislative session and was put through the house on A LUNCH BREAK organized by the house majority, the DEMOCRATS, they knew they couldn't get it done under normal conditions, so they waited till the Republican members were on a lunch break and not in the house. Conveined for busiiness and did it. 

The Lt Governor, A DEMOCRAT, refused to hear any argument or debate on the issue from the conservative side. He simply ignored them. This bunch of thieves has already said that WHEN the Governor Vetos the bill, which he has already said he would, they will override it.

This is a small example of what this country could be in for after the 08 election.


Sorry but this kind of stuff DOES NOT sit well with me, I feel that the state government of Alabama has absolutely robbed the people of this state.

It is a dangerous precedent to set. I live in Alabama and the WHOLE state got screwed.