By James Randall Chumbley
Palm Springs, CA (The Hollywood Times) 6/12/21- Within the last 24 hours, the sixty-six-year-old country music living-legend, born Reba Neil McEntire in McAlester, Oklahoma on March 28, 1955, known to her millions of worldwide fans as just Reba, spoke out in a statement via her Instagram page (reba) concerning a false announcement from the office of Republican Governor Kristi Noem of South Dakota, emphatically repudiating to the contrary that she will not be performing at a scheduled fundraiser.
The country music queen, known for such hits from Little Rock (1986) to Turn on the Radio (1986), and let’s don’t forget my favorite, If You Seem Him, If You See Her (1998), later chameleon-ed into actor in her 1990, film debut in the movie Tremors, the Broadway revival of Annie Get Your Gun, and onward to her seven-year-run television sitcom, Reba (2001–2007), stated: “Last night, an invitation to a political fundraiser with my name attached was sent out without my knowledge or permission, I had and have no plans to attend this event and had told the event organizers as such. Throughout my career, I’ve stated I do not get involved in politics and that remains true today.”
Her sugar-sweet, adoring fans were quick to respond to their queen’s post concerning this faux pas. Momlifecubed commented: Thank you! I understand that you have your own opinions, but it’s nice to have places to go to escape the craziness of this world. Your music is one of my favorite places. Dkc560: That is a smart move on your part, and I love you even more!!! Mcfly91: Good for you! I cringe when I see some of my favorite artists drawing a line in the sand on their political affiliations or engaging themselves in the bashing. Jas0n3o3: Thank you!!! Wish all celebrities would take your lead. Deborahtrotter: Smart lady! Bcru352: I wish other entertainers would follow your example! As to date, Reba’s post has 66,862 likes and 1,700 comments.
I just have to ask myself: How many of those that liked and commented on the post have ever written the first letter or made a phone call to their Representative, Senators, Head of the House, Nancy Pelosi, Heads of the Senate, Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnell, and even the White House concerning the ill-state of this country? I would be prone to bet not even the equivalent to a spit in a bucket—to use the Southern euphemism. And as far as those that made comments against celebrities speaking out concerning the running of this country, they had better be damn glad someone is speaking out and not taken Queen Reba’s Switzerland stance. Too many Americans are apathetic when it comes to their government—believing someone else is going to mosey along to fix the ongoing, never-ending, and merry-go-round issues in this country while millions continue to suffer. In all actually, America has never been a government by and for the people because of that indifference by a large percentage of the populous. Thus, leaving the chicken coop open for greedy and power-hungry foxes—elected officials to line their pockets with our money while pushing their personal agendas and that of their party affiliation.
Reba did a guest spot on The View in November of 2017. The oh-so-enlightened women co-hosts (not always) were discussing Rapper Drake’s rant on President Trump (as if any of the co-hosts of that show have never been on a rant). Joy Behan, the Queen of Rants, asked Ms. McEntire her feelings on the situation. In the YouTube video of the segment I watched, she wasted no time to defend her “no-politics policy” Reba stated: “They have paid their hard-earned money to come in there and fill a seat… and I am there to entertain them… to take their worries away from them, so when they walk out, they can kinda have a little lift in their step and just go, ‘Ah, that was such a great break from all the problems that I have to deal with during daily life.”Almost sounds like Reba is the Second Coming of Christ. Never having attended one of her concerts, do the fans get a loaf of bread too?
In a December 15, 2018, interview with Sarah Le, the country music queen stated: “It’s not my job to talk about politics.” She expounded: “That’s why it’s so great to live here in the United States of America. You can vote in and you can say what you want to, and you can choose not to say what you want to.” Oh dear, Reba. I hope since those interviews you’ve come down to Earth. That whole freedom of speech—and all that goes with it, only really applies to mostly rich white people like you. You know, the ones that can walk on water.
I agree it’s Reba’s right not to talk about politics, and I get it—why she doesn’t. But let’s be straight about this issue. It’s those politics she doesn’t want to talk about that are killing people: no national health care resulting in deaths of human beings that can’t afford it, certainly the children of poor parents; the rights of the LGBT+ community, especially Transgender human beings being taken away or the on-going attempts to do so; the disproportionate number of people of color incarcerated and given longer prison sentences compared to whites; it’s the murders of unarmed people of color by prejudiced police officers that are supposed to serve and protect; it’s the Nazism at the Mexican/American border of families being separated and locked in cages; it’s about our elected officials—our employees—doing their jobs: two ideologies working in a bipartisan manner to reach a compromise for the well-being of the American people. Their job description doesn’t include protecting their party or putting it before the good of the people or doing whatever it takes to get re-elected; it’s about Republican elected officials trying to impede voting, particularly in the South; it’s about the small-mindedness, racism, and intolerance in this so-called great country; it’s so much more than singing a song.
I prefer you not perform at a Republican Governor’s fundraiser or any other Republican’s for that matter. And just to be clear, I’m not a Democrat, a Republican, or anywhere in-between. My party is the party of what is Right, Fair, and Just. But right now, the best chance to get there is taking the Democratic road.
I do wish you would explain something to me. You won’t speak up about the suffering in this country caused by the corruption in America’s politics but you’re will perform during the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular on NBC in celebration of America’s independence. You know, the great country that was stolen by genocide (the slaughter of millions of human beings, the rape of women and children, and many marched to starvation in great efforts to wipe out a race of human beings and their culture) from the indigenous people for the theft of some 1.5 billion acres of THEIR land for mostly white settlers. The country that was built on the backs, spilled blood, and murder of enslaved human beings that were ripped from their homelands and families, chained and marched to ships, shackled to their bows, and stolen across oceans to slave under the threats of brutal torture and death in the fields of those mostly white men. The screams of those millions of human beings still echo in this country. All that blood soaks the soil under our feet. The torture and murders continue to this day.
Reba, it’s so not politics—it’s human beings’ lives and the freedom of each good human being to live their own life as they see fitting for themselves as long as they don’t harm another good person or impede their individual journey. From where I’m standing, we don’t live in that kind of country. In my eyes, not speaking about politics (again, your right) and performing at the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular are quite the contradiction.
The views of James Randall Chumbley are not necessarily those of THEHOLLYWOODTIMES.TODAY.