John Mellencamp’s new song and accompanying video has the Mayor of racially divided city of Jena, Louisiana, fuming. Mayor Murphy McMillin wrote an open letter condemning the song saying:
“The town of Jena has for months been mischaracterized in the media and portrayed as the epicenter of hatred, racism and a place where justice is denied. “However, the Mellencamp video is so inflammatory, so defamatory, that a line has been crossed and enough is enough.”
Mellencamp’s song has lyrics that state:
“An all white jury hides the executioner’s face / Oh oh oh Jena / Oh oh oh Jena / Take your nooses down / So what becomes of boys that cannot think straight / Particularly those with paper bag skin / Yes sir, no sir wipe that smile off your face / We’ve got our rules here and you’ve got to fit in.”
If you happen to live under a rock, you know that Jena had a big protest over the treatment and trial of a black teenager.
The veteran rock star didin’t flinch at the critism saying:
“The song is not written as an indictment of the people of Jena but, rather, as a condemnation of racism.”
Mellencamp has long been known to be political as he started the ‘Farm Aid’ concerts to raise awareness for struggling farmers. While whatever political viewpoint you hold in this matter, it seems that Mellencamp’s latest song seems that he was trying to get his name in the news and it worked, didn’t it.
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