Additional Thoughts...

After reading my previous blog post, I’m not sure my thoughts were entirely clear. Being OCD about this type of thing, I felt that a little addendum might be in order. But where could I turn for assistance? Who could help me out with such a daunting task? Who else but Merle Haggard, of course! As a wee lad my father instilled in me many things, one of which would be the love of solid gold country hits from the glory days of AM radio. By dissecting the lyrics of one such gem, I believe I may be able to unpack my thoughts a little better regarding the idea of being truly “for” something instead of just being “against” the opposite of that something. 

In 1969, with tongue firmly planted in cheek, Merle Haggard wrote “Okie From Muskogee”. The song was intended to be a satirical rallying cry for small town, conservative mindsets in the heyday of dirty hippies, free love and recreational drug use. However, my admittedly over-analytical look at the lyrics reveals that the pride he sings of is more about what an Okie is not, more so than what an Okie actually is. 

Let’s look at the first and second verse:

We don’t smoke marijuana in Muskogee

We don’t take no trips on LSD

We don’t burn our drafts cards down on Main Street

We like livin’ right and bein’ free

We don’t make a party out of lovin’

We like holdin’ hands and pitchin’ woo

We don’t let our hair grow long and shaggy

Like the hippies out in San Francisco do

Although I am not exactly sure how one would “pitch woo”, I’m going to count that as an Okie qualifier. Simple math reveals that the “nots” have it 6 lines to 2. Maybe we’ll get some Okie clarifications in the third verse: 

Leather boots are still in style for manly footwear

Beads and Roman Sandals won’t be seen

Football’s still the roughest thing on campus

And the kids there still respect the college dean

Although it looks like we get 3 lines describing what an Okie is all about, you will see that the word “still” is in each line. This one word carries a lot of weight by implying that Okies have continued an action that the non-Okies have moved away from, therefore again making a stand on just being the opposite of something. This makes the overall score 10 lines to 2 in favor of the “nots”. So really, the song’s not about being proud of his “Okieness” as much about being proud of not being a non-Okie. Thoroughly confused? Don’t worry, the train is rounding the bend and heading into the station.

Turn on CNN, Fox News, Larry King Live or any other current events programming and the “Christian perspective” of any topic will be represented by a talking head explaining how we Christians are against abortion, the death penalty, gay marriage and democrats.  Although no one from any of these television programs have invited me on for my opinion on the matter, I do have an influence on how my friends, family and co-workers feel about Christians. Do they see me as someone who happily stands for Christ-centered values and perspectives because of how much I love God and want to live my life in an appreciative response to Him for everything He has done for me? Or do they see someone who associates himself with one group by simply disassociating himself from another group? Which one is more appealing and attractive to a world that may not know it is in need of a Savior? Which one reminds me that I am continually in that same state of need?