Country Music Star Doesn’t Have an Opinion on ‘American Sniper’
Everywhere you turn, the new movie about American Navy Seal Chris Kyle called American Sniper has been causing a political stir amongst movie goers and beyond. Filmmaker Michael Moore called Chris Kyle a coward, and Bill Maher called him a “Psychopath Patriot.” Meanwhile many country music artists have come out in support of the film, including Blake Shelton, even though he’s admitted he hasn’t seen the film yet, and Craig Morgan who took on another of the film’s detractors, Seth Rogen. But one country star, Jimmy Michael Montgomery, known for such hits such as “Beer Truck” and “Remember Back When” surprisingly says it’s not his place to enter the fray of what has become a political discussion.
“I really don’t have an opinion on ‘American Sniper,'” the singer says. “I haven’t seen it yet, and even if I had, why would my opinion be any more valid or important than anyone else’s just because I’m a country music singer, or a celebrity? Sure, I could say if I liked the film or not, but I’m not sure how being a country music performer somehow gives me the authority to speak on what has become a political matter with any more importance than anyone else. I’m an entertainer. It is my job to entertain people. I’m not a political pundit. Most music fans listen to music to get away from all the political turmoil in the world, or even sometimes use it as a way to bridge differences between political ideologies, or at least use it to help understand different people’s points of view.”
Such a stance seems strange coming from a country music singer. The country music industry is pretty famous for supporting the troops no matter what, but Jimmy Michael Montgomery says his opinions go beyond positioning statements.
“Of course I support the troops, and of course I have political views, but I’m not sure that it is fair to use someone else’s artistic expression to share them. If this was a documentary, or went out of its ways to give its own political opinions beyond the story it’s telling, then that would be one thing. Actually if I had an opinion about it, if I am offended by anything, I guess that it would be that people are using a movie meant for entertainment and enlightenment purposes as a flashpoint for their reactionary political divisiveness, one way or the other. I think I would be offended if someone used my music in that way, especially if it wasn’t meant in a political context, but was just telling a story. Characters in country songs, real and fiction, have done all kinds of good and bad things over the years. They’re stories.”
Jimmy Michael Montgomery does admit politics can and sometimes does play a big role in music; country music included.
“Sure, you can have someone like Toby Keith open up themselves to the discussion by releasing songs like ‘Courtesy of the Red, White & Blue,’ or songs from the other side of the aisle from performers like Steve Earle or Kacey Musgraves. But jeez, this is just a movie. So no other movie has strayed from the book version before, or portrayed war or soldiers in a glorified manner? From what I’ve read, the movie does a fair job portraying the horrors of war, and the horrors on the home front with soldiers returning from combat with PTSD. It seems to me to be something everyone could approach and find some bit of wisdom in instead of using it as a battlefield for their hatred of people who think different than they do.”
Some have criticized Jimmy Michael Montgomery for not taking a specific stance, or for simplifying the issues surrounding the American Sniper movie. Jimmy admits,
“Hey, I know the issues surrounding this movie and the issues themselves go much deeper than this. And that’s the whole reason I don’t feel comfortable giving some wide arching opinion about it, aside from saying that my opinion doesn’t matter any more than anyone else’s. I support the troops, but I don’t need to throw my support behind a movie I haven’t even seen just to prove that…just as I’m aware of the horrors of war, and don’t like hearing about anyone getting killed.
“But why are people getting killed in the Middle East and elsewhere? Because of fundamental differences in people’s ideologies, and people being unwilling to reach out and understand each other despite their political or religious differences. I think there’s something simple in country songs that expresses that we’re all human, that we all go through love and heartbreak. That’s something universal throughout humanity. And that’s why I love country music, and that’s why I don’t want to diminish it with politics. Life’s too short. Music and movies are meant to be enjoyed and breed understanding. So let’s leave our political differences for debate at state houses and Congress and Election Day. I just want to play country music.”
Blackwater
January 26, 2015 @ 9:23 am
Valid points and well thought out. Just cause you’re a celebrity doesn’t make you the moral authority on all issues. And having an opinion doesn’t mean you have to share it. Just shut up and entertain us!
Wez
January 26, 2015 @ 9:29 am
perfect.
Steve Compton
January 26, 2015 @ 9:31 am
I wish more entertainers had this outlook.
Jack WIlliams
January 26, 2015 @ 9:32 am
Well done.
Zack
January 26, 2015 @ 10:12 am
Very well done,staying out of trouble. I wish more artists trued this. And a little off topic but Trigger, I found an anti-bro country song by Trace Adkins(so he joins people like Gary Allan, Maddie and Tae, Zac Brown…etc) in this fight
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0scN11AE_I
Zack
January 26, 2015 @ 10:18 am
Shoot I didn’t see the fake news tag. You got me Trigger! Haha
Trigger
January 26, 2015 @ 11:07 am
Good find with the video.
Jamo
January 26, 2015 @ 12:14 pm
Trace Adkins is one of the worst offenders of producing heartless, mindless country music. Seems that now that enough people have exhausted themselves of the ability to sit through this garb, that bashing this type of music is the new fad. Isn’t following a fad for the sake of following a fad really the epitome of the souless music problem, not just the content. However, i guess just having ostensibly sincere music is prefered to what has proven to be the alternative.
Kevin
January 26, 2015 @ 10:13 am
This has got to be the realest sounding “fake news” you’ve ever done. Well done!
Jack WIlliams
January 26, 2015 @ 10:21 am
Yes. Initially, I scrolled down to see if it was fake and I somehow missed the tag. Then, I just had to hear this “Beer Truck” song after reading these surprisingly nuanced views. Youtubed. Googled. Nothing. Saw John Michael Montgomery come up (no doubt the cousin of Michael Jackson Montgomery), though. Then, checked the bottom of the article again. Voila!
Jaimito
January 26, 2015 @ 10:29 am
Nicely done, Trigger. Almost makes me wish this fella was real! I’m with the previous commentor. I thought this was a real story until I saw the tag at the bottom! Seriously, man, you have a gift for writing, and I always appreciate your insight and commentary on the world of Country Music, whether I agree with you or not. Keep doing what you do, brother!
Trigger
January 26, 2015 @ 11:04 am
Thanks Jaimito
Sonas
January 28, 2015 @ 3:48 pm
No Trigger, I did not realize it was fake, but I was certain those were your words coming out of Jimmy Michael Montgomery’s mouth. No offense to him, but…. well, I better not say. Anyway, I would have passed out, if I ever hear an entertainer speak with such depth.
Noah Eaton
January 26, 2015 @ 10:33 am
All the rancor surrounding the record-breaking resonance of “American Sniper” pretty much underscores why I increasingly keep my head in the sand from utter disenchantment with the cartoonish state of modern politics.
I haven’t seen the film (I haven’t seen any film at the theater in several years)………..but from what I’ve researched, “American Sniper” wasn’t intended to be a political film at all. Clint Eastwood and Bradley Cooper said themselves that this was intended to serve as a personal glimpse into the internal ambiguity and sacrifice a renowned serviceman had to endure in his duty and, while it takes no strident stance on foreign policy……..there are moments throughout the film that underscore the emotional and moral ambiguity of his work and modern warfare.
Established personalities and pundits from all generic political affiliations are missing the point about the film, from what I’ve gathered. Keep your critical faculties engaged, see any such work yourself, and derive your own meaning.
Heyday
January 26, 2015 @ 1:15 pm
While Eastwood and Cooper may talk about Kyle’s “internal ambiguity” and offer their film as some sort of nuanced art-film statement, the American film-going public (and Americans in general) doesn’t do “nuance.” So whatever “statement” Eastwood or Cooper intended to make will go right over the audience’s head. Instead, they’ll just interpret it as a good of’ boy (country music demographic?) who was good with a rifle and liked killing Arabs because, ya know, all Arabs must be bad because that’s what Fox News tells us. Kyle was a troubled man and even before his untimely death there was ample evidence that he was prone to making up stories, i.e., lying; a federal court jury in Minnesota even said so. Eastwood and Cooper may have intended to make a movie that raised honest questions about the people we send to do a very dirty job and how they are changed by it, but moviegoers really don’t read between the lines. They like a black-and-white story without ambiguities, and that’s what they’ll take away from it.
Applejack
January 26, 2015 @ 11:02 am
Huh, I didn’t know Blake Shelton had gotten involved in this mess. Let me guess, he said something along the lines of “This is a damn good movie, and if any of y’all disagree, you can go ahead kiss my American ass!”
I’m just guessing, but “you can kiss my ass” is pretty much his standard reply to everything.
Also, I knew this was fake news right away because there is just no way that a mainstream hit country music artist would ever say anything this thoughtful and articulate.
Sunset
January 26, 2015 @ 11:37 am
Thumbs up!
Charlie
January 26, 2015 @ 1:24 pm
Just waiting for the Tweets from Florida Georgia Line on this one.
Or, better yet, li’l Dale.
(Where the fuck does the apostrophe go in that contraction!?!?
Noah Eaton
January 26, 2015 @ 2:53 pm
Brian Kelley: “Well, he has served our country so, y’know, that pretty much already makes him a pretty swell guy by us!”
Tyler Hubbard: “Yeah, we haven’t seen the film because it’s like, y’know, kind of depressing and heavy. But if that guy’s American and he has served, then he can party with us anytime, man!”
Brian Kelley: “There’s a shot of Fireball with his name on it right here!”
*
-__-
Lil Dale (2014 savin country music comentar of the yeer)
January 26, 2015 @ 5:39 pm
u all redy no wut I thank.
HP
January 26, 2015 @ 9:26 pm
Very well-measured comments. I liked all the sentiments expressed here, they were precisely thought out and eloquently expressed. You should put your own name to this Trigger, as it’s becoming increasingly important for Americans to hear this kind of measured, thoughtful debate rather than the shouting and the yelling that America seems so enamoured with.
Vlaanderen
January 26, 2015 @ 10:33 pm
Michael Moore should be focused on paying his taxes. I’ve read Kyle’s book, he was a hero.
John Hennessy
January 27, 2015 @ 11:48 am
I remember when Jimmy first came out; Jimmy always had something to say….ahh Jimmy…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Apa0nG1OfUc
Jake
January 28, 2015 @ 12:38 pm
You had me at ‘Beer Truck’.
Simo Hayha aka "The White Death"
June 7, 2016 @ 11:39 am
Big freaking deal guys. I am the highest scoring sniper of all time. 542 kills! Scopes? They’re for total losers. All my kills were with iron sights, in temperatures up to 50 degrees below zero, from up to 600 yards. And a heavy metal band made a awesome song about me!!! Where the hell is my movie????
Daniel
March 25, 2017 @ 5:09 am
Ah, “Beer Truck” and “Remember Back When”,,, Good stuff! They don’t make music like that any more. Although my enjoyment of early Jimmy Michael’s music is soured after finding out he’s a spineless weasel who can’t even give give honest political opinion for fear of offending somebody. Just saying. Well, let me tell you, Jimmy, your career is in a downturn, you haven’t done anything of notice since you released “Honky Tonk Whisky”, and no amount of pandering changes that.