Willie Nelson Responds To Conservatives Upset About Him Supporting Beto O’Rourke
Willie Nelson is not the least bit concerned with conservatives who are upset at him for supporting Beto O’Rourke, Huffington Post is reporting.
Beto O’Rourke is the Democratic challenger vying for Ted Cruz’s Senate seat. And Willie, a longtime supporter of Democratic candidates and liberal causes, has announced plans to headline a fundraising concert for the El Paso Democrat. As Huffington Post reported last week, the rally will take place on September 29.
Several conservative Nelson fans were not at all happy about that.
“If that’s true [then] I’m done after 45 years with the Red Headed Stranger.”
Another internet user referenced Willie’s long-time, open marijuana use and his advocacy for legalization.
“By Willie, that smoke has finally got you!”
Another commenter suggested that Willie was supporting Beto because he (Beto) supports marijuana legalization.
Speaking on The View on Tuesday, Nelson was “blunt,” so to speak, with his critics.
“I don’t care. I don’t care. They’re entitled to their opinion, and I’m entitled to mine.”
And as for the backlash, “I love flak. We’re not happy ’til they’re not happy.”
In fact, Willie was surprised that his former fans are just now getting wise to the fact that he supports liberals. For most of his career, he’s been an outspoken advocate for liberal causes.
Country music icon ??@WillieNelson? has brushed off the handful of negative comments he received on social media after announcing a gig in support of Senate candidate Beto O’Rourke. “I have been supporting Democrats all my life,” he said. #Beto https://t.co/lzN5jK2ny0
— Jon Cooper (@joncoopertweets) September 19, 2018
For example, in 1985 Willie teamed up with John Mellencamp, also an advocate for liberal causes, to headline Farm Aid. In 2004, he publicly supported Democratic nominee Dennis Kucinich for president. And he’s long been a supporter of energy conservation, green energy, and biofuels – all things at odds with the Republicans’ agenda of reliance on, and expansion of, fossil fuels.
Willie is one of the rare country music performers who is openly liberal – which is hardly surprising, considering that country music tends to be largely about patriotism, small towns, hard-working men and women – all things that conservatives love.
Other openly-liberal country performers include the Dixie Chicks, who famously alienated their fan base by publicly opposing the Iraq War; Faith Hill, who donated to Barack Obama’s presidential campaign, according to Ranker; and Tim McGraw, who described himself as a “passionate” Democrat.
“It’s innate in me to be a blue-dog Democrat. I’m not saying I’m right or wrong, but that’s what I am. My wife and I and our family will do everything we can to support Obama.”
As for Beto O’Rourke, as of this writing, he’s currently leading Ted Cruz by two points, as reported by the Inquisitr.
