I have fond memories of the Dukes of Hazzard. I was shown that a car could fly, an Uncle could be a guardian to three cousins, the law really didn’t matter, nothing couldn’t be solved without an old fashioned moonshine race, and bedtime was extended to 9pm on Fridays so we could watch it all. I didn’t turn out so bad with the tutelage of the Dukes in my upbringing. If anything it taught me that Daisy Duke never had a wedgie no matter how short those shorts got. Then the reunion movie ruined that last part for me. Where are the Dukes now? Not in Cincinnati.
The Dukes of Hazzard are getting driven out of town over the Confederate imagery in their good ol’ TV show.
The stars of the series, John Schneider and Tom Wopat, have segued into musical careers since the show ended production in 1985. Schneider says the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra canceled a planned “Dukes”-themed appearance after contracts were signed because some in the community found the show racist and offensive.
The part that distresses me about this isn’t the cancelled shows. This is not the first time a performance has been canceled because the local public has spoken out against an artist or show.
The part that boggles my mind about this is that they accuse the show of representing racist and Confederate imagery. Didn’t the show have these qualities in the 80s? You can’t tell me these issues didn’t exist in the 80s.
Worse, they hold the credibility of these qualities AGAINST a show where if you are being pursued by police, you can simply out run the police and you don’t get a ticket. Like they don’t know where you live and issue a warrant for your arrest. Must be really hard to track down a bright orange Charger with racing numbers and a Confederate Flag on it.
In a show based on light hearted suspension of disbelief, they expect us to be serious and consider the “good old boys” to be racists and Confederates.
Welcome to 1865 people.
