A kinder and gentler america in the center of Appalachia?
By Rebecca Araniva*
The title of the video reads “best bluegrass clog dancing video ever made” (a bit of a biased observation considering the author himself posted it). Picture it: Madison County, North Carolina, 1964. The video showcases young peasant guys and galls gathered in a circle dancing to bluegrass tunes, most of which seems to be improvised by very talented musicians. I’m not sure if its the best clog dancing video ever made (it is certainly the only one I have ever seen) but it does make me wish we went back to that time and place where communities were tighter, and families partied together.
However, this “kinder and gentler america” would not really be kind and gentle to a person like me, would it?. They would see me as a dirty and lazy mexican, an illegal alien, a border-jumper, a savage, an imminent threat to their kind and gentle america. Regardless of how much I actually like their music and culture. I am so used to Canadians romanticizing latin american culture and dumbing it down to a group of sexy taco-eating salsa dancers that I tend to forget that they kind of hate us south-of-the-border (I would much rather bear the sexy dancer stereotype).
This was made even more apparent when I stumbled upon another blog who had posted this same video. I was happy to see that a fellow blogger shared my unusual taste in music… except this person’s blog was of the white-christian nationalist kind. Lee in the mountains claims to be “doing the Lord’s Work by Saving the White Race”. Yikes!
I went through some of the ideas and comments circulating the blog and I must say they do not seem kind or gentle! Most of lee’s supporters complain about the jews and the immigrants taking their jobs, they express their commitment to saving anglo-saxon music and culture as well as their hope to have a white-only territory where they can build the white america they want. For example, Nick Fairfax commented on February 15, 2011:
Most of these white nationalists believe they have the sole right to be in the U.S. territory because that is how god intended it and they are not sure if native americans were here first anyways. This view was expressed by “Southern man” on January 4th, 2010:
I find interesting that people with completely opposite views of the world are connected by a similar taste in music. More importantly, I understand their fear of loosing their culture. However, in this increasingly globalized world I don’t think tracing boundaries on the basis of “race” is that easy. For example, how would you classify me when I represent a gazillion (OK 3) different “races”? Would you send me to Northern Africa, a Native reserve, or back to Central Europe. Hey if you go far back enough, I’m sure you might want to send me to Asia or something. In addition, I think a more effective way of preserving one’s regional culture is by sharing it and exposing it to the world.
When it comes to Bluegrass, it is still relevant today, thanks in part to artists like Bela Fleck or Steve Martin, who won a grammy in 2010 for his bluegrass album The Crow: New Songs for the 5-String Banjo (see video 1 and 2). These two might be of white-christian-celtic-whatever descent (not sure) but their public is not. I wonder how lee in the mountains & co. (i.e. white christian nationalists) feel about a person like me being fascinated by appalachian culture and music. I asked but they have not replied!
Rebecca Araniva is Salvadoran student at the University of Toronto majoring in Psychology and the Environment.
The title of the video reads “best bluegrass clog dancing video ever made” (a bit of a biased observation considering the author himself posted it). Picture it: Madison County, North Carolina, 1964. The video showcases young peasant guys and galls gathered in a circle dancing to bluegrass tunes, most of which seems to be improvised by very talented musicians. I’m not sure if its the best clog dancing video ever made (it is certainly the only one I have ever seen) but it does make me wish we went back to that time and place where communities were tighter, and families partied together.
However, this “kinder and gentler america” would not really be kind and gentle to a person like me, would it?. They would see me as a dirty and lazy mexican, an illegal alien, a border-jumper, a savage, an imminent threat to their kind and gentle america. Regardless of how much I actually like their music and culture. I am so used to Canadians romanticizing latin american culture and dumbing it down to a group of sexy taco-eating salsa dancers that I tend to forget that they kind of hate us south-of-the-border (I would much rather bear the sexy dancer stereotype).
This was made even more apparent when I stumbled upon another blog who had posted this same video. I was happy to see that a fellow blogger shared my unusual taste in music… except this person’s blog was of the white-christian nationalist kind. Lee in the mountains claims to be “doing the Lord’s Work by Saving the White Race”. Yikes!
I went through some of the ideas and comments circulating the blog and I must say they do not seem kind or gentle! Most of lee’s supporters complain about the jews and the immigrants taking their jobs, they express their commitment to saving anglo-saxon music and culture as well as their hope to have a white-only territory where they can build the white america they want. For example, Nick Fairfax commented on February 15, 2011:“And while I do believe that we are all God’s people, I also know that there are many ethnicities and religions that do not feel the same way. And those people are coming to this country in droves and will not accord our white Christian descendants the same tolerance and beneficence that we accorded them by allowing them to come this country in the first place. So yes, I feel justified in fighting and defending my white, Christian, American culture. I do not want my descendants to live in slavery in the nation that their Christian English ancestors established here.”
Most of these white nationalists believe they have the sole right to be in the U.S. territory because that is how god intended it and they are not sure if native americans were here first anyways. This view was expressed by “Southern man” on January 4th, 2010:
“[...] Sure enough, God owns the earth, but He chooses to divide it among the nations, Acts 17:26. They have the right to keep what they have as long as it serves His purposes.
The Indians were here first? Well, maybe not. Just lately scientists have been digging up Kennewick skeletons, Soluterian arrowheads and other honkey relics (author’s note:LOL) that predate (I think he meant to say precede) the Indians.”
I find interesting that people with completely opposite views of the world are connected by a similar taste in music. More importantly, I understand their fear of loosing their culture. However, in this increasingly globalized world I don’t think tracing boundaries on the basis of “race” is that easy. For example, how would you classify me when I represent a gazillion (OK 3) different “races”? Would you send me to Northern Africa, a Native reserve, or back to Central Europe. Hey if you go far back enough, I’m sure you might want to send me to Asia or something. In addition, I think a more effective way of preserving one’s regional culture is by sharing it and exposing it to the world.
When it comes to Bluegrass, it is still relevant today, thanks in part to artists like Bela Fleck or Steve Martin, who won a grammy in 2010 for his bluegrass album The Crow: New Songs for the 5-String Banjo (see video 1 and 2). These two might be of white-christian-celtic-whatever descent (not sure) but their public is not. I wonder how lee in the mountains & co. (i.e. white christian nationalists) feel about a person like me being fascinated by appalachian culture and music. I asked but they have not replied!
Rebecca Araniva is Salvadoran student at the University of Toronto majoring in Psychology and the Environment.
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La sociedad tiene muchos maestros y lideres,que tienen mucho tiempo,que es la solucion de este problema necesita;tiempo para errar y volver a comenzar;el mundo no cambia de la noche a la mañana,Ademas problemas cuya solucion sonde gran importancia delos hay enuestro terruño;muchisimos.ara comenzar el mas importante y vital es el medio ambiente:aguas limpias,rios sanos etc etc....Eso esta en nuestras manos..Manos a la obra!
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