John Walker is a religious fundamentalist who, dissatisfied with American liberalism and lack of religious ferver on government, fixated on the most conservative, anti-progressive aspects of old-school Islam, then found true happiness fighting for one of the most conservative, sexist and homophobic factions in the Middle East. How could anyone who would call themselves a liberal defend such a person? Surely, a real liberal would rather rent-share a one-room shack with Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell and Anita Bryant for a month than live in the same subdivision as a creep like John Walker for five minutes.

This is misleading – that someone at Artemis Records (Danny Goldberg) asked Steve to make a political record BEFORE 9-11 even happened(see: Interview at the World Cafe).

If John Walker is evil for going and supporting the Taliban and al-qaeda, what does that make our government for doing the same? What about when you give the Taliban 100 million dollars in “aid”? I’m sincerely confused.

“That land over there is yours. You will go back to it one day, because your fight will prevail and you’ll have your homes and your mosques back again, because your cause is right and God is on your side.” So said US national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski to CIA-backed Afghan Mujahedeen “freedom fighters” on the Pakistani border after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. Apparently God switched sides when the Mujahedeen morphed into the Taliban.

PS That Saudia Arabia – what a democracy! No wonder we business with them on a daily basis!

Back to the issue……I am a native Texan who enjoys Texas Country Music and other artists in that realm of music, and I am not calling Mr. Earle anti-American – in fact I never called him that. I said he was speaking out against the status quo just to be heard. Musicians should think twice before speaking out against our government and its decisions (i.e. the Dixie Chicks, and now Willie Nelson). These people are music entertainers, not politicians or presidential candiddates.

Now, John Walker – I could give two sh*ts about him. He is a traitor who does not want to be associated with America. John Walker “expressing himself” means that he is anti-American.

And I don’t know about you, but before I go to bed I feel safe knowing that our troops are fighting for our country. I do not fit in the staus quo either, but I know what the limits are. Without limits, yahoos would be overtaking the country killing our freedom. I hope that explained it.

Steve Earle is an artist telling a story. He is not condoning John Walker’s actions, but trying to understand them.

Ted gets a hard on when he goes to bed knowing he follows the status quo, and doesnt have to make an original thought or lead a unique life. But what about kids who dont fit into the status quo, and want to be FREE to believe in what they feel is true? That is the story of John Walker. I dont agree with what he did, but I can see the social pressures of conformity that drive kids to break out of the mold and find themselves.

People act like Steve Earle is anti-American because he questions our culture and government. Are we back to McCarthyism?? Is everyone who has doubt about what our country’s foreign policy a terrorist themselves? Please.

Our ability to express ourselves and question the government is what makes us truly FREE and DEMOCRATIC. Why kill for freedom–losing our own soldiers in the process–if we cant even exercise our freedoms back home?

Coming from Louisville, KY, the home pf the International Bluegrass Music Association, I can see how much money is flying around the Bluegrass scene, and, to put it mildly, few “name” bluegrass artists are hurting for money. Nor are the record companies and promoters that spend thousands of dollars promoting these artists at the IBMA convention – only one of many festivals and conventions that see bigtime record company expenditures. Maybe it isn’t Garth Brooks-type money, but not all these guys could make even the money they are in bluegrass were they to try competing in the mainstream country arena. A big boy can buy a lot of buscuits by establishing himself in a niche market like bluegrass music, and it sure beats the hell out of getting a real job.

Secondly, John Walker took up arm’s against the Northern Alliance (AKA the drug cartels who had their operations shut down when the Taliban took power), not the USA. It was not until the United States alligned itself with the Northern Alliance that Walker found himself fighting the US. I do not support Walker, but I like Mr. Earle do feel sympathetic for a young kid who did something stupid.

I don’t think this is about freedom of speech. I think it’s about common sense. Just because you can do a thing doesn’t mean you should do a thing.

Just a couple of points:

The song is about a young man (4 months different in age than Steve’s own son) and that man’s beliefs. At no point does Steve Earle espouse the rightness or wrongness of those beliefs.

The basis of Christianity is that believers will rise to heaven – just like Jesus. Muslims have a similar belief and they also believe that Jesus was a prophet. The whole line, by the way is ” just like Jesus, peace be upon him”.

Unless you have heard it from Mr. Earle himself it is extremely speculative to be arguing about whether or not he was depicting Lindh comparing himself to Jesus, but that means that the artist has done his work well doesn’t it? The whole point is inspire dialog.

I believe that what angered the love it or leave it types the most was the fact that the song in some way re-humanized Lindh. He clearly was not involved in the events of September 11th and he clearly was not linked to Al Qaedi and he clearly was not Osama bin Laden and yet he had been given the persona of all that in the media. And Steve Earle had the cajones to say that maybe the picture in the media wasn’t the whole truth. Shame on him.

Steve earle wasn’t comparing Lindhe or himself to Jesus, upon whom be peace. He was drawing a comparison between the martyrs and Jesus. As Muslims believe that those who die in the cause of Allah are rewarded with paradise. And Jesus, as the Muslims believe is with Allah until he descends for his second coming. This is a fundemental belief of Muslims.

I personally am not a country music or blues fan, I grew up listening to Jazz and Hip hop, but I admire the honesty and courage of Steve Earle, to release something he feels needs to be said, and it should encourage non-muslims to really look at Islam without all the negative bias from the media.

Peace and Guidance.