So, I picked up my daughter and the neighbor’s kids from school today. My daughter is in 5th grade. The neighbor kids are in 5th and 6th grades. The boy is the older. I usually don’t pick them up, their mom does. Anyway, the boy starts asking me if I’ve heard of “Greenway”. I told him no. He then tells me if anyone offers me their disc, don’t take it. They are a music group that hates America. It hit me that he was talking about Green Day! You know, “American Idiot”. I was just kind of shocked. Do people really preach this kind of stuff to their kids?? This isn’t the first time this kid has said something about Democrat types hating America. And he knows we're not big fans of Bush. I certainly don’t tell my kids that all Republicans are stupid. They just know we don’t agree with them. Although they do make comments about dubya on their own and shield their eyes when he’s on TV. But to brainwash your kids with that kind of crap??? I did tell him that their music is their opinion and they have a right to express it, but feel I should have said more. Told him that I want that disc! Does that mean I hate America? The back of my head was just tingling, which is a sign to me that I really need to shut up or I will start being irate!! ARGH!!
Man, this has gotten a wee bit wordy!

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Carrie...
Mom to Maggie (11) & Julianna (9)

I can understand that a parent wants to pass his/her values on to his/her child . . . but to teach intolerance as patriotism just pi$$es me off to no end. And that's what it sounds like this kid's parents are teaching him. Did they even listen to the lyrics or did they just get a whiff of the title before they freaked out? Now, I don't think Billy Joe is a world class lyricist but clearly he is no communist either:

Don't wanna be an American idiot.
Don't want a nation under the new mania.
And can you hear the sound of hysteria?
The subliminal mind f**k America.

Welcome to a new kind of tension.
All across the alienation.
Everything isn't meant to be okay.
Television dreams of tomorrow.
We're not the ones who're meant to follow.
For that's enough to argue.

Well maybe I'm the faggot America.
I'm not a part of a redneck agenda.
Now everybody do the propaganda.
And sing along in the age of paranoia.

Welcome to a new kind of tension.
All across the alienation.
Everything isn't meant to be okay.
Television dreams of tomorrow.
We're not the ones who're meant to follow.
For that's enough to argue.

Don't wanna be an American idiot.
One nation controlled by the media.
Information age of hysteria.
It's calling out to idiot America.

Welcome to a new kind of tension.
All across the alienation.
Everything isn't meant to be okay.
Television dreams of tomorrow.
We're not the ones who're meant to follow.
For that's enough to argue.

Sounds to me like he's talking about the fact that people are not thinking for themselves and just buying into whatever propaganda is put forth by the "redneck agenda" and the media. Seems to me I've heard not a few Republicans complain about the media pushing propaganda . . . . in any event, I don't see how this song is Anti-American or unpatriotic.

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That's sad and unfortunate. It makes me think of the whole Dixie Chicks thing and people steamrolling their CD's because apparently if you have an opinion other than being unquestioningly supportive of the Republicans or George Bush, it's a dangerous thing that must be stopped.

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Yeah, I agree. It's sad, but the Dixie Chicks STILL get bashed for that incident that happened almost TWO years ago.

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I never saw much wrong with the song, it's really just talking about how so many people go around wearing blinders and listening to whatever they hear.

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Wife to Jeremy (26) 12/20/2002