Was this inappropriate?

[mjr]

Ok. My wife and I come from two completely different cultures, but somehow it seems to work with us.

Anyway, I was at a high school football game here a couple of weeks ago. Part of the pre-game entertainment is that they play music over the PA system.

Well, one of the songs that they played was the Lynyrd Skynyrd classic "Sweet Home Alabama" (for the record, no, I do not live in Alabama).

So I'm kinda half-heartedly singing along with the song and watching what's happening during pre-game on the field.

My wife tells me that I shouldn't be singing along, basically because Lynyrd Skynyrd is considered "Southern Rock" and quite a few minorities go to these games.

She also thought that they souldn't play that particular song at all.

I know Lynyrd Skynyrd used some Confederate flags in some of their artwork. I wonder if that could be the issue.

For those not familiar, here's the song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ye5BuYf8q4o

So is/was it inappropriate for them to play the song, and was it inappropriate for me to sing along?

[fireheart]

To be honest, as a non-US folk, I wouldn't even count "Sweet Home Alabama" as a "Southern Rock" song. I've LONG tuned that song out because it's SO OVERPLAYED.

[Kheldarson]

Erm...good luck getting them to stop playing that song? Football games have their own culture even beyond region and nation.

[TheSHAD0W]

I think your wife may be coming down with PC-itis. Tell her to take some aspirin. :-P

[AnaKhouri]

In college I went to a Skynard concert held at an outdoor riverfront venue. Now, one of Skynard's things is that they display a Confederate flag during the show. People complained that drivers passing the venue on a nearby highway might see the flag and be offended/get a bad impression of our semi-Southern city.

I do think your wife was overreacting. The song is about love for a particular state, not white power. You can be proud of your Southern heritage and not be racist.

[BlaqueKatt]

My wife tells me that I shouldn't be singing along, basically because Lynyrd Skynyrd is considered "Southern Rock" and quite a few minorities go to these games.

so she's assuming people will take offense without asking them(that's usually considered MORE offensive, as it's patronizing "must bubble wrap you because you can't handle speaking for yourself, I know better" mentality), AND assuming minority groups listening habits don't include all types of music. erm.....

[Ree]

This is actually a topic that should have been created over at fratching.
Can you take it there, please?