Antigay Singer Kicked to Curb

Matt Boswell X390 (MYSPACE) | ADVOCATE.COM

A country performer who injected homophobia into a Merle Haggard song at a city-sponsored event in Reidsville, N.C., will never be hired again, according to city officials.

Matt Boswell and the Hillbilly Blues Band performed on October 10 at Reidsville's popular fall festival. While singing a version of Haggard's "Are the Good Times Really Over for Good?" Boswell sang, "Well you'll never take my guns, and I'll pray anywhere that I please / My daddy always told me, if you were able, and didn't work then you don't eat / All you Wall Street bankers, as far as I'm concerned, you can all go to hell / And you can't get married, you stupid gays and queers, so why don't you go somewhere else?"

Boswell's performance was broadcast live on a local television station, which later received complaints from viewers.

Reidsville city manager Kelly Almond told Q-Notes, an LGBT newspaper that covers North and South Carolina, that the language used by Boswell was "tasteless" and that "it was absolutely unacceptable, and certainly unacceptable at a city-owned venue and city-sponsored event."

Almond said that Boswell would never be booked by the city again. The singer is a frequent performer in venues throughout Virginia and North Carolina.

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Reader Comments

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Name: Staggo Lee
Date posted: 10/22/2009 1:26:12 AM
Hometown: Seattle, WA

Comment:
I support free speech. Period. However, free speech does not guarantee a soap-box.
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Name: DanB
Date posted: 10/21/2009 2:42:49 PM
Hometown: SF

Comment:
As usual, the people who cry "free speech!" have zero understanding of its meaning and obviously no comprehension of the Bill of Rights. Without getting too much deeper into a tangent, "free speech!" is a non-starter here because even if it did apply, it still doesn't mean freedom from the consequences of one's actions, it doesn't mean freedom from criticism of one's words, and it certainly doesn't mean freedom from financial hardship because no one wants to hire you because you're a homophobic jackass.
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Name: arthur davis
Date posted: 10/21/2009 1:26:27 PM
Hometown: madison wi

Comment:
I just read the artical and I couldnt believe it. sadly and I wish I didnt had to watch the video to actually see if it was true that he would say that type of things. Freedom of speech I totally beilive in because with out it the gay community would never beable to publically fight this type of hatred. so let these stupid ignorant fool say anything they want. We as a unitied community will take care of our selves and do what we do best....Survive. and Koodos to the city for responding they way they did. that will be his first lesson. Second...give him a history lesson of what happens when that crap is said......Donna Sommers, Anita Bryant...and then show Dolly and Reba and Garth and the many artist that have our support and love. who's living in the big houses?......Freaking fool he is...Reep what you sow my boy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Name: arthur davis
Date posted: 10/21/2009 1:25:39 PM
Hometown: madison wi

Comment:
I just read the artical and I couldnt believe it. sadly and I wish I didnt had to watch the video to actually see if it was true that he would say that type of things. Freedom of speech I totally beilive in because with out it the gay community would never beable to publically fight this type of hatred. so let these stupid ignorant fool say anything they want. We as a unitied community will take care of our selves and do what we do best....Survive. and Koodos to the city for responding they way they did. that will be his first lesson. Second...give him a history lesson of what happens when that crap is said......Donna Sommers, Anita Bryant...and then show Dolly and Reba and Garth and the many artist that have our support and love. who's living in the big houses?......Freaking fool he is...Reep what you sow my boy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Name: John Hemm
Date posted: 10/21/2009 12:53:42 PM
Hometown: Sacramento, ca

Comment:
So many performes of this great Nation just do not "get it". The ones that are the raging haters are almost always under 40, some part of their body is either a fake or a lie. Their songs and story tellings reach so many, Sadly, most people believe what they hear, or try to emulate the words in songs or print. So growing up with songs, books, or speeches that in someways are hateful, and not just for the Homosexual and Transgender community are dismissed by our society so easily, it is really a Hate Crime that goes on as though it is ok, when it is not. It is a deadly mistake for some many people that die by being beaten or abused because of it. zero
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Name: Me
Date posted: 10/21/2009 3:28:09 AM
Hometown: USA

Comment:
It wouldn't surprise me to see this homophobe invited to the White House by Obama together with Rick Warren so the 3 of them can have a beer summit. Wondering who he's gonna snub this time. I'm pretty sure Gene Robinson aint gonna accept any more invitation from this homophobe in chief so he's gonna have to snub someone new.
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Name: Adrianus
Date posted: 10/21/2009 1:51:27 AM
Hometown: Northridge, CA

Comment:
What a pathetic human being. If he sings on the street, not even a pennie he deserves.
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Name: Jakob
Date posted: 10/21/2009 12:48:04 AM
Hometown: Greensboro, NC

Comment:
The link to the video of Matt Boswell performing the song in question is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcohPEzYNrM
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Name: stevesakk
Date posted: 10/21/2009 12:44:45 AM
Hometown: halifax

Comment:
"whatever happened to freedom of speech?" ...well does "freedom of speech" entitle you the to hop down the street shouting out racist or prejudice terms because you have the right to do so? or should there be lines drawn to prevent such lewd and prejudice things from being said? especially in public places! My vote is - if you have something to say then say it - but if its just pure prejudice crap then you'll suffer the consequences.
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Name: That Blue Jeans Guy
Date posted: 10/20/2009 11:37:02 PM
Hometown: Bay City

Comment:
The issue here is not so much that he made homophobic comments, but that he made them unexpectedly during a live broadcast. The guy would have faced the same fate if he had made racial slurs or dropped an "f" or "s" bomb. We didn't win any kind of victory here; the organizers had to do what they did to avoid any future problems and any run-ins with the FCC.

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