Hank Williams, Jr., Booted From ESPN Football for Comparing Obama to Hitler

Williams has the freedom to say what he said, Fox News has the right to broadcast it and ESPN has the right to not have him representing their name. Thank God for Freedom!

Good comments, everyone -- thanks for linking us, BlogHer. Of course some of what I wrote was tongue-in-cheek, because that's our approach to a lot of what we do, but many people seem to be getting my central issues with his words, which were, #1, that they didn't make sense, not to me, at least, and #2, any comparison to a murderer and dictator of that scope is irresponsible at best and evil itself at worst. I'm not the word police, but I avoid "Nazi" comparisons across the board and all references to Hitler. That guy was in a pathetic class by himself.

And no, I didn't think it was appropriate when it happened to Bush/Cheney either.

I don't deal with the "right" or the "left", "Liberals" or "Conservatives". Those labels are misleading to me and make no sense. How many times have I met someone who is supposedly one thing but then believes in something that has to do with the other side? Labeling people's views just leads to more separation and division. Taking away the labels and addressing individual issues makes people realize how much they actually have in common.

BTW... I should have included this in my post. I didn't much care for Bush as 'Hitler' either, although I did not agree with his policy. There is a world of difference between genocide and political policy disagreements.

I can't say whether racism is involved, but I'm pretty sure a heavy dose of idiocy was. It amazes me in a time of extreme right wing folks running around demanding gays be prevented from openly serving in the military or from marrying in any state, an end to Choice, the end of union rights to collective bargain, and a whole host of other draconian government controls, he would call someone who is for more social freedom 'Hitler'.

So is freedom all about freedom for money and not people? That is the sense I get from the right.

Racism has NOTHING to do with it. I'm am so sick and tired of people throwing out the Race card. I don't like Joe Biden. He's white, I'm white. Does that make ME prejudiced against whites? Please.

Yes, Bush & Cheney were compared to Hitler.

Terri, I didn't hear about Bush being called Hitler (Satan, well, whatever that's possibly a mythical being created in some guy's mind centuries ago, who knows so whatever) but I would have flipped out over it as well.
Hank's opinions weren't Southern, they weren't Redneck (redneck is meant for someone out the fields all day plowing and cultivating the foods you and I eat, show respect), they were White Trash.
I was so disgusted, I wrote a reactionary piece as well saying how disrespectful it was to the victims of Hitler, as someone who's family suffered under him.

It is ALL about racism. Sad.

Seriously? Do people who throw that out realize what the fuck was going on in the Third Reich?

Racism has nothing to do with it.

Free speech, even if ignorant and downright repugnant (and as long as it is not slanderous), is ALWAYS appropriate in the USA.

Ignorant ass. Should have learned his lesson from Rush. remember he got kicked out of football announcing after 1 night too for making racist remarks? Racism is the root of much this Obama hatred, sad but true.

What bothered me more is his comment about Obama being the enemy. No he's not. No American is your enemy -- ever.

His Southern opinions? Fox news? Seriously? What stupid remarks.

But... where was the outcry when GW Bush was being compared to Hitler or Satan?

yes, he's entitled to free speech, but ESPN doesn't have to pay him for it. Mostly this just makes me sad. We give ignorance and hate so many opportunities to grandstand...

Anybody who compares anything to Hitler is an idiot. Hank Williams Jr, socialist protester or whoever. If someone mentions Hitler their opinions are automatically relegated to nonsense.

He's not saying anything that a whole bunch of other keejerk hater types haven't already said. He does have a right to free speech, even if it's in very poor taste, and even if it makes him seem like an idiotic pundit-parrot who's incapable of coming up with an original thought of his own.

And he is thinking about running for the Senate?! Seriously??

Friendly reply: His opinions aren't Southern. They're redneck. (Yes, there is a difference.) I love a good Hank song, but he sure doesn't represent this Southern girl's social or political views.

But the Fox News crews around TV say things just as bad and polute minds on a daily basis. And they're paid to do just that. Which is worse?

when you ask hank williams jr to take part in anything you have to know you're taking a risk lol. he's not exactly known for keeping his southern opinions to himself.

many adults DO know - this guy is clearly dealing with arrested development

agreed . its never