OPINION:
A Ted Nugent concert is 75 percent hard-charging rock ’n’ roll and 25 percent a celebration of red-white-and-blue values.
At the heart of his message is that our freedom can be taken away if it isn’t understood and defended. All Americans should be mindful of that danger this Independence Day.
In between rock anthems such as “Cat Scratch Fever” and “Stranglehold,” Mr. Nugent hails the United States as the best country on Earth but cautions that American exceptionalism mostly exists despite the government, not because of it. When the universal rights that make America special are threatened by government overreach, defiance is the responsibility of the people, he declares. In an indictment of the out-of-control bureaucracy he calls Fedzilla, the Motor City Madman warns that one advantage America always has enjoyed is that, “the rest of the world sucks, and America has always sucked less - but we’re catching up fast.” That arrow is aimed squarely at the heart of the Obama administration and the Democrats’ power grab, to which we say, “Amen, Uncle Ted.”
The Second Amendment and the constitutional right of every individual to keep and bear firearms for personal defense are front and center of the causes for which he sings on stage. In his sold-out show in Fredericksburg, Va., last weekend, the Nuge questioned the crowd, “Who loves machine guns?” Thunderous applause provided the answer. He then targeted gun-control restrictions, especially registration. “You want to see my permit?” Mr. Nugent asked, reaching into his back pocket. “Here it is,” he said, flashing the audience his middle finger. The rock star subsequently told his fans to join the National Rifle Association and gave a shout-out honoring all the branches of the U.S. military.
In between gigs, the Detroit guitar player beats the proverbial drums in bestselling books and his hyper-popular column for The Washington Times. “As a proud participant in this extreme experiment in self-government, I am extremely proud to write my weekly features for the extremely respected Washington Times,” he explained recently. “As a voice of self-evident truth, logic and common sense, it is grand to know that the powerfully positive pulse of productive Americans is being heard. We shall carry on.”
Accompanied by two musical warhorses, bassist Greg Smith and drummer Wild Mick Brown, Ted Nugent’s “Trample the Weak, Hurdle the Dead” tour is on the road until September. After recharging your patriotic batteries on the Fourth of July, check out www.tednugent.com to zero in on a flag-waving Tedfest near you.
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