Letter: ‘American Woman’ no tribute

I was in attendance for the LSU/Mississippi State game on Saturday night and was thankful for the salute to our servicemen and women. That is, until LSU chose to play the song “American Woman,” written by a Canadian group, the Guess Who, some say as a protest song during the Vietnam War, slamming what they considered American Imperialism.

My brother, now deceased, was a Green Beret during the Vietnam War, and I think he would have been offended by the playing a war protest song at a tribute that was supposed to honor veterans. Whoever does song selection at LSU gets an “F” on this one.

Kim Wolford

legal assistant

Jackson, Miss.

Comments

1) Comment by Bighug - 17/11/2012

A free country like Iraq, Being_Stupid?

2) Comment by Being_Stupid - 16/11/2012

If it wasn't for all those drug smoking communist hippies during the late 60s, Vietnam would be a free country today.

3) Comment by Chucky - 16/11/2012

@DMJ- and the flip side to "American Woman" ...Yea an anti-war song may not be the best selection at an event honoring veterans that are not assembled and ready to protest ...Guess Who rocks.

4) Comment by DMJ - 16/11/2012

Many war protesters in the early '70s were, in fact, Vietnam veterans. We can respect the veterans without respecting the war they fought in, can we not? Besides, the Guess Who rocks. Next time, they should play No Sugar Tonight, a better song in my opinion.

5) Comment by Chucky - 16/11/2012

“I don't wanna see your face no more I don't need your war machine I don't need your ghetto scenes” I think it is a great ant-war ,anti-poverty song it is not anti-American only pointing out a view, we can all have views in America and how we would like Her to be. I also agree ( look out window, no Jesus in the sky) with Bighug-.

6) Comment by bourbon-soda - 16/11/2012

I could never understand the lyrics as sung, so I looked them up. They are merely moronic, but that is no deterrent to the "music's" being performed at a contemporary institution of learning. If they can be construed as antiwar, many of the Vietnam grunts would probably have agreed with them.

7) Comment by dday198 - 16/11/2012

nit picker

8) Comment by gary - 16/11/2012

I am a Vietnam vet and have no problem with "American Woman", also, Born In the USA - by Springsteen. Country Joe and Fish had/has the best protest song about Nam. Healthbudget is right on, we need to move on. Kim: sorry about your brother's passing.

9) Comment by Bighug - 16/11/2012

War protest is offensive to vererans? Why should it be? Most who protest wars are aiming their efforts at the people who start them, not those who are in combat. Veterans don't start wars, politicians do.

10) Comment by healthbudget - 15/11/2012

some people need to move on

11) Comment by Chucky - 15/11/2012

"Due to the anti-American lyrics, The Guess Who was not allowed to play this when they performed at the White House for President Richard Nixon in 1970." From 'Songfacts