I shopped at that market for years, it's the only market in the neighborhood, there are a few things wrong with this article. Most notably the title claiming that "people" went nuts when he only documents a single woman (also, that is far from "nuts" for NYC). Knowing David Marcus' conservative spin and knowing that market (which is not a co-op as he falsely describes it), I doubt this actually happened, but if it did, it was just a single person's reaction and hardly earth-shattering - it's a big market, likely no one else even noticed. I wouldn't use it as a barometer any more than I would use the anti-semitic graffiti in Trump's name in a Brooklyn public park as a barometer for Trump supporters. Plenty of people in NYC like Skynyrd, and people I jammed with at the bar just around the corner from the market busted out "Sweet Home Alabama" regularly. The song is a ubiquitous classic rock song, no one in a market would ever have a problem with it being played on the radio or associate it with Donald Trump - they know he's a NYer.

If I were you, I wouldn't waste too much energy being offended by this.

[Edited on 11/27/2016 by porkchopbob]

If I were you, I wouldn't waste too much energy being offended by this.

[Edited on 11/27/2016 by porkchopbob]

Not sure what you mean. I'm not the one that was offended...the folks who were offended were the NYers in that market. And the author did not just document a single woman...he mentioned that "everyone in the store was standing in shock". Not just one. Everyone. He even mentioned his wife.

So I haven't wasted any energy being offended...I just found the article to be entertaining. I'm not even a Trump supporter, but watching the folks on the Left become unhinged has been priceless...

Redfish, who are you trying to fool? Of course you are offended. You took time out of your day to create a thread that is derogatory to an entire group of people. On top of that, you foolishly insinuate that all liberals in NY were acting this way. Obviously, you aren't a fan/offended by liberals. Stop worrying about them.

I wouldn't use it as a barometer any more than I would use the anti-semitic graffiti in Trump's name in a Brooklyn public park as a barometer for Trump supporters.

Perfectly stated.

Redfish, who are you trying to fool? Of course you are offended. You took time out of your day to create a thread that is derogatory to an entire group of people. On top of that, you foolishly insinuate that all liberals in NY were acting this way. Obviously, you aren't a fan/offended by liberals. Stop worrying about them.

What exactly am I supposed to be offended by/about? Are you saying that I am somehow offended because these NYers are offended by a Skynyrd song? Not hardly. Do I find it amusing that these people are offended by this song? Yes. Am I offended that they don't like Skynyrd? Nope...could not care less whether or not they like Skynyrd. Sorry to disappoint you, but not everyone is so easily offended. Took time out of my busy day? Yeah, OK...a lazy, boring Saturday afternoon when I was passing some time on the forum and reading a few articles on the internet...and it took me a really long time to write one sentence and post a link to the article? C'mon, man...I came across an article that I found to be entertaining and thought I would share it. Nothing more to it than that. Stop trying to read something into it. But I guess now anytime that someone posts something about liberals being offended/worried it will get turned around to make it appear as if the one posting is the offended/worried one. Typical tactic. Always accusing others of what they are guilty of. I post an article about a bunch of whiny liberals being offended, so that obviously must mean that I am really the one that is offended?? Laughable.

[Edited on 11/27/2016 by Redfish7]

I wouldn't worry about it.

Not sure what you mean.

What I mean is, and like I said, the article is likely bullshit. The narrator is unreliable, he's crafted a tale. I lived down the street from the market in that neighborhood for years. No one in NYC would be surprised to hear a classic rock song in a store. There may have been one crazy old lady who didn't like the song, but to say "Brows were furrowed, people mumbled to each other" is highly unlikely (or their mood is attributed to the confounding maze-like layout of the Fairway Market itself - the author is inferring for the sake of his own smug narrative).

NYC super liberals can be annoying, true, but they don't all shop at a remote Brooklyn market (along with the author) at the same time. They certainly don't all hate Skynyrd.

NYC super liberals can be annoying, true, but they don't all shop at a remote Brooklyn market (along with the author) at the same time. They certainly don't all hate Skynyrd.

So this can be interpreted as what most refer to a "generalization"....in a lot of respects, very similar to the Liberal slant that dictates all Trump supporters to be, Racist, KKK supporting, old white men who hate women.

I understand now. Thanks.

NYC super liberals can be annoying, true, but they don't all shop at a remote Brooklyn market (along with the author) at the same time. They certainly don't all hate Skynyrd.

So this can be interpreted as what most refer to a "generalization"....in a lot of respects, very similar to the Liberal slant that dictates all Trump supporters to be, Racist, KKK supporting, old white men who hate women.

I understand now. Thanks.

You are welcome, that was pretty much my point. "They don't all" is the opposite of a generalization, as opposed to the generalization the author attempted to apply to all of the customers of the market because it was easy for him.

NYC super liberals can be annoying, true, but they don't all shop at a remote Brooklyn market (along with the author) at the same time. They certainly don't all hate Skynyrd.

So this can be interpreted as what most refer to a "generalization"....in a lot of respects, very similar to the Liberal slant that dictates all Trump supporters to be, Racist, KKK supporting, old white men who hate women.

I understand now. Thanks.

You are welcome, that was pretty much my point. "They don't all" is the opposite of a generalization, as opposed to the generalization the author attempted to apply to all of the customers of the market because it was easy for him.

"They don't all" is the opposite of a generalization

.................6 of one, a half dozen of the other

But that is exactly what a generalization is; the moment you use, "They"...you are in fact generalizing.

Wouldn't take this too seriously. Writer describes Rossington as "the last surviving member of Lynyrd Skynyrd"... Also, he's doing a fair amount of stereotyping of Skynyrd as a "hillbilly band," conveniently overlooking their songs about gun control and environmental concerns.

"They don't all" is the opposite of a generalization

.................6 of one, a half dozen of the other

But that is exactly what a generalization is; the moment you use, "They"...you are in fact generalizing.

That is not correct. Mere use of a pronoun is not an automatic generalization, it's what you do with the pronoun in the sentence. "They" are the merely the subject that the author has introduced, the customers that the author has generalized as being grumpy over Skynyrd on the radio. To assume that "They all are" grumpy is generalizing them ALL together under one blanket assumption. "They are NOT ALL" is the opposite of generalizing; some actually may not like Skynyrd, some may love Skynyrd, some patrons are merely annoyed at the line at the deli counter, many are likely not paying attention to the radio (I don't ever remember noticing music, though I don't doubt it was on). It's an annoying store, I always got out as fast as I could, I'm sure I never looked happy while in there.

Here's another example. If the "They" are Trump supporters and I said "They ALL love big butts", I'd be generalizing. If I said "They are NOT ALL big butt lovers," it's likely an accurate statement - some no doubt love big butts, some hate big butts, some are completely indifferent to butt size.

Regardless, I think we can all agree that the author does himself no favors by admitting that he is dating a girl who gets butt hurt over "Sweet Home Alabama" on the store radio, that she herself, for no good reason ties it to the election. Neither of them seem to know much about Skynyrd or "Sweet Home Alabama", the article is more about his own discovery of the song's meaning. He talks about Brooklyn in broad generalities of someone who never leaves their own neighborhood. He strikes me as the type of ignorant, vain, smug, elitist Brooklyn hipster that I gladly moved away from.

[Edited on 11/27/2016 by porkchopbob]

In Defense Of Sweet Home Alabama—Why Its Racist Legacy Is Not Deserved

http://www.popdust.com/sweet-home-alabama-racist-legacy-1890061770.html

Lynyrd Skynyrd's 1974 “revenge song" Sweet Home Alabama, is perceived by many to be a put down of Neil Young and his lily-livered anti-racist liberalism —and has become the theme tune for many an uber conservative, not to mention a slew of neo-Nazi white supremacist groups.

However, in actuality, Sweet Home Alabama is anything BUT a love song for bigotry and hatred—in fact, its racist legacy is undeserved, and those who champion it as a good old boys' segregation supporting anthem are sorely misinformed.

For many of us, there are two images that spring to mind when this song starts playing.

The first is Nicolas Cage being a total badass while Steve Buscemi creeps us out with his crazy bug eyes and “ironic" statements (Con Air anyone?). The second is a bunch of rednecks a-whoopin' and a-hollerin' as they gather to plan their next Klan meet.

But, hey, guess what – both of these scenarios miss the mark.

So, why has Sweet Home Alabama become the big, old, white-hooded, cross burning racist elephant in the room?

Well, mainly because people DON'T ACTUALLY LISTEN….and don't take note of nuances…as proved by all those jingoistic Hell Yeah America! folks who have ambushed Bruce Springsteen's Born in the USA as their nationalistic anthem of choice —they just pick and choose what to process— and run with what suits them, and their belief system, best.

SO!

In defense of Sweet Home Alabama point one:

The lyrics:

In Birmingham they love the gov'nor
Now we all did what we could do

For those who are unaware, Birmingham is the Alabama city at the center of the African American civil rights struggle back in the 50s and 60s—and was the target of a white supremacist group's bombing of a Baptist church in 1964 that killed four young African American girls.

The gov'nor referenced is George Wallace, the 45th Governor of Alabama who was a Southern populist and segregationist.

On the face of it, that verse seems pretty clear cut, yeah?

It's pro-segregation and therefore racist, right?

Well, the true meaning of the verse has been hotly debated, bickered over, volleyed about, and scrupulously dissected over the years.

When you listen to the verse though, after the first line, the band sing, "Boo, boo, boo!" And, that's something that's been honed in on by people on both sides of the argument as evidence to help prove their point.

Some take it as a wink at racism by Skynyrd—claiming they're mocking the anti-Wallace protesters.

On the other side though, folks argue it's evidence the band was actually mocking the Wallace supporters.

So, who the hell is right?!!!

Well, how about we listen to what the people who actually wrote and performed the song have to say?

Ronnie Van Zant and Al Kooper set the record straight way back in 1975—not that anyone seems to have paid any attention to their comments.

“We tried to get Wallace out of there is how I always thought of it," Kooper said.

"The lyrics about the governor of Alabama were misunderstood," Van Zant said. “The general public didn't notice the words 'Boo! Boo! Boo!' after that particular line, and the media picked up only on the reference to the people loving the governor. The line 'We all did what we could do' is sort of ambiguous.

"Wallace and I have very little in common. I don't like what he says about colored people." Adding, “We're not into politics, we don't have no education, and Wallace don't know anything about rock and roll."

In defense of Sweet Home Alabama point two:

The lyrics:

Now Watergate does not bother me
Does your conscience bother you?
Tell the truth

Some take that as an attack on the liberals who were so outraged by Republican President Richard Nixon's actions.

More credible though, is the argument the band was actually trying to make the point that they, as Southerners, don't judge everyone in the North for the Nixon administration failings.

So therefore, Northerners shouldn't judge everyone in the South for the failings of the Wallace administration…people who live in glass houses and all that…

In defense of Sweet Home Alabama point three:

The final line:

Yea, yea Montgomery's got the answer

For those who don't know—Montgomery, the Alabama state capital, is credited with being the catalyst for the American civil rights movement—its where Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white man and move to the back of a bus in 1955, and the city was a staunch enforcer of the Jim Crow racial segregation laws.

Some take the line as the band's clear support for the laws and the racial caste system they maintained.

Others however, see it as as a nod to the civil rights movement, specifically the infamous march from Selma to Montgomery, led by Martin Luther King.

In defense of Sweet Home Alabama point four:

The confederate flag:

The fact that Lynyrd Skynyrd was known to play with a confederate flag in the background has only added fuel to the “they must be racist" fire.

But, much like how the American flag emblazoned all over Bruce Springsteen's Born In The USA cover helped wrongly convince people the song was a patriotic anthem—when in actuality it was a scathing takedown of the American government over how they mistreated Vietnam veterans—it seems Lynyrd Skynyrd also did not stand firmly for the values a flag is supposed to convey.

Now, there's no doubting the band was proud to be southern, and that the musicians frequently played up to their “good old boys" image—however, as Van Zant confessed in 1975, the whole confederate flag thing was solely down to their record company, not their own, personal, choice.

“That was strictly an MCA gimmick to start us off with some label. It was useful at first, but by now it's embarrassing except in

Europe, where they really like all that stuff because they think it's macho American," he said, going on to claim that initially it was

bearable to be perceived as rednecks, but a whole different matter to subsequently be categorized as racists.

In defense of Sweet Home Alabama point five:

The whole Neil Young feud thing:

There's absolutely zero doubt Sweet Home Alabama was a revenge song—a rebuttal to Neil Young's Southern Man. The band was vocal about the origins of, and motivation for, the track.

However, once again, nuance is the key—as journalist Ross Warner wrote in Glide magazine, "When Skynyrd criticized Neil Young's Southern Man, it was for the sweeping generalization of all southerners as rednecks. Don't condemn southerners now for what their ancestors did."

Van Zant backed up that sentiment, explaining, “We thought Neil was shooting all the ducks in order to kill one or two. We're southern rebels, but more than that, we know the difference between right and wrong."

Even Young himself claimed his lyrical takedown of the South was somewhat heavy handed.

"I don't like my words when I listen to [Southern Man]. They are accusatory and condescending, not fully thought out, and too easy to misconstrue," he wrote in his 2012 autobiography Waging Heavy Peace.

But, let's leave the final say to Van Zant—who is tragically unable to comment any further on the controversy, as he died in a plane crash on October 20th, 1977.

“We wrote Alabama as a joke. We didn't even think about it – the words just came out that way. We just laughed like hell, and said Ain't that funny' … We love Neil Young, we love his music…"

What do you think about Sweet home Alabama?

Good lord, porkchopbob - you sure do take this **** seriously...splitting hairs over the use of pronouns. Thanks for the grammar lesson btw. Could it be that the article or some of the comments here have struck a nerve...maybe hit a little too close to home? The intent of the article was not to claim that ALL NY liberals act this way...it was simply an observation of the way that SOME NY liberals behaved on a given day in a given scenario. You question the author's credibility and state that he has "crafted a tale". And then you proceed to speculate on what really happened. I suppose we are supposed to trust your pure speculation as to what happened rather than rely on an eyewitness account? Obviously this guy is lying and crafting tales since he is a "conservative", and since he is saying unflattering things about liberals...it just can't be true...right? Perhaps its just some of that alt-right "fake news" that all the super reliable mainstream news outlets have been warning us about? 😉

[Edited on 11/27/2016 by Redfish7]

Good lord, porkchopbob - you sure do take this **** seriously...splitting hairs over the use of pronouns. Thanks for the grammar lesson btw. Could it be that the article or some of the comments here have struck a nerve...maybe hit a little too close to home? The intent of the article was not to claim that ALL NY liberals act this way...it was simply an observation of the way that SOME NY liberals behaved on a given day in a given scenario. You question the author's credibility and state that he has "crafted a tale". And then you proceed to speculate on what really happened. I suppose we are supposed to trust your pure speculation as to what happened rather than rely on an eyewitness account? Obviously this guy is lying and crafting tales since he is a "conservative", and since he is saying unflattering things about liberals...it just can't be true...right? Perhaps its just some of that alt-right "fake news" that all the super reliable mainstream news outlets have been warning us about?

The intent of the article was not to claim that ALL NY liberals act this way...

Actually, yes, it is.

Perhaps its just some of that alt-right "fake news" that all the super reliable mainstream news outlets have been warning us about?

You mean stuff like this?

http://projectpurge.com/article/the-satan-worship-islam-pedophilia-democrat-connection/

Ok well while we are on the subject of anti-liberal Skynyrd:

Hand guns are made for killin'
They ain't no good for nothin' else
And if you like to drink your whiskey
You might even shoot yourself
So why don't we dump 'em people
To the bottom of the sea
Before some ol' fool come around here
Wanna shoot either you or me

Most folks need to get a life...I can think of more important issues than listening to "Sweet Home Alabama" Pretty fuc#ing sad
Dan

I'm guessing Ronnie would be smiling that we are still talking about his song.

Anyhow, right, can't we argue about something else? Jill Stein, recounts, illegals voting - something ? 😉

I'm guessing Ronnie would be smiling that we are still talking about his song.

Anyhow, right, can't we argue about something else? Jill Stein, recounts, illegals voting - something ? 😉

How about a cursory review of wanton use of the word "millions?"

Most folks need to get a life...I can think of more important issues than listening to "Sweet Home Alabama" Pretty fuc#ing sad

Turn it up.